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HAPPY DAYS AT HOYTS MOVIES

Keith Gulliver

t was the year 1948 and I, at the age of 12 on a Saturday, had nothing
Ito do of any interest. I was asked if I would like to go to the pictures.
So, with Mums permission, I was off to the afternoon matinee at what
was the local for us - Plaza Essendon. This was the start of a love affair
for me from the moment I stepped foot inside. The show started with a
cartoon then an episode of The Phantom. I thought that poor guy was
going to die a dozen times in that one chapter, then came another cartoon
followed by yet another serial, this time a western with the same results
- the hero getting into all sorts of trouble. By this time, I thought I had
seen it all. Then came a comedy followed by another cartoon, all this
before interval. After interval another cartoon then the main movie, wow!
What a day. I just couldn’t wait until next Saturday to go through all that
again.

After attending the Saturday matinee for a few weeks, I was asked by an Plaza, Essendon (above); Regal, Essendon (below).
usher I had spoken to a couple of times if I would like to see the bio box?
I didn’t know what it was, but it sounded good to me, so off we went up
the stairs to this strange place that seemed full of wonder and magic. I
was introduced to the men who made all this magic come alive on the
screen. After a while, I found out the main one was the projectionist
George McKenzie. The other was his assistant Charlie Griffin. Both men
were very nice to me and explained how everything worked. I missed all
the afternoon matinee but that didn’t matter as I had so much enjoyment
in that mysterious bio box. Both gentlemen asked if I would like to return
the next week and they would teach me what to do if I was interested?
What a silly question to ask a kid like me.

It was several weeks before I could return to catch up with my new-found
friends. To my surprise, things had changed. Charlie was still there but
there was a different projectionist. I was told I would have to wait to see
if I was still allowed to enter the bio box. After a few minutes I was told
it was OK, so up I went and met the new guy, Lindsay Bell. Lindsay was
more than happy for me to be shown everything. As I was attending
Essendon Technical School not far from the Plaza, I was asked if I would
like to help Charlie on my way home from school on change days to
make up the new programs. This went on for many months and I was
very happy to be able to help in some way. I also got to do other jobs
around the theatre to help - delivering hand bills, usher at matinees, part
time cleaner and, at annual inspection, time a part time painter. These
part time jobs went on for over a year and I getting more involved in any
work they could give me. One night while I was at Plaza watching a
movie, Lindsay asked if I would like a job as an assistant projectionist
for three weeks at another local, the Regal Essendon, where their assistant
was going on holidays and they had no one to replace him. They knew I
was under age but didn’t care. I got the job and extra experience, working
with another projectionist in another theatre.
One afternoon, passing the Plaza on the way home from Essendon
Technical School, I met Lindsay Bell. He asked me if I would like a
full-time job with Hoyts, as they were looking for new assistants, but I
would have to put my age up, as I was only 15. This was a big decision
to make, as I would have to leave School early. So, once again with Padua, Brunswick (above); Lygon, East Brunswick (below)
Mum’s approval, I left school the next day and started work at Plaza as
an assistant for three nights and the next week, on 19 March 1951, started
at the Padua in Brunswick as a second assistant. The Padua was a great
theatre to work in, with a large and very pleasant bio box, a very modern
auditorium and a revolving stage divided into three sections for main
movies, slides were shown on a round screen and the third section was
an open stage for live entertainment. I stayed at the Padua until
29 June 1951.

On 30 June 1951, I was transferred as an assistant to the Lygon in East
Brunswick. The Lygon was a big come down from the Padua. the bio
was set out over the roof and the only way to get to it was past the main
switchboard, up a steel ladder bolted to a brick wall and along a cat walk
in the open. This led to disaster one wet day. It was a change of program
day and the film had arrived. To get it to the bio, one had to put a block
and tackle hook on to the film trunks, climb up the ladder then pull the
trunks up and swing them on to the cat walk, return down the ladder and

16 CINEMARECORD # 97