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On 16 August 1955, I reported for full time military training at
Puckapunyal, Vic. This was another great experience. There were five
other assistant projectionists, from all parts of the state along with me
assigned to the film library. We were to be trained as 16 mm
projectionists and film librarians, along with a fair amount of military
training (guns and stuff). This was like a holiday to us up to the
21 November 1955 when we would finish our full-time training. Part
time training went on until 1957. Late November 1955, I had my old job
back at Plaza with a new projectionist, Alan Watts, who had been
transferred from Plaza Collins Street. He was a very nice person, but
the old Plaza was not the same as when I left to go into National Service.
I stayed at Plaza Essendon until 26 July 1957 when I was asked if I
would like a city theatre with shift work.
The introduction of television had made a big difference to the number
of patrons Plaza was getting and things were not looking good for
suburban theatres.

Hoyts Plaza, Collins Street, Melbourne (beneath the Regent)
that shift. To access the bio at Plaza, one had to enter through the stalls
men’s rest rooms at Regent (the theatre above Plaza). For any female to
enter Plaza’s bio she would have to enter one of Regent’s exits then go
through the ceiling of Plaza to finally arrive in Plaza’s bio. I know this,
as Bert would say please bring your girl-friend up if you wish, and as
Judith (Allen) and I were now an item, I would meet her at the exit door
then escort her through the ceiling to the bio, where we had an evening
meal together before Judith returned to enter Plaza in a normal way to
watch the evening show.

I thought my days at Plaza would last for some time, but to my
excitement I was transferred to the top of Hoyts Melbourne theatres on
the 10 May 1958 I started at the Regent Collins Street, working with
Ted Bramley. Otto Johnson and Ken Boudrie, his assistant, were on the
opposite shift. Regent being the top Hoyts theatre things were run with
precision and timed down to a second. It was a pleasure to work in a bio
Hoyts Lyceum. Bourke Street, Melbourne the size of the Regent’s, with three projectors, a double slide projector
On Saturday 27 July I started at Hoyts Lyceum Bourke Street Melbourne. along with several spotlights. The house lights were operated back stage
I felt I had started at the bottom of the ladder again as Lyceum was not by an electrician, who would do the colour changing along with all
high on the list of social picture goers of the day. I started afternoon shift dimming.
on the Saturday with projectionist Ted Bond. All went well for my first
shift, but Ted told me he was going on holidays as from next Monday
so would not see me for three weeks (I thought maybe he was glad to
not to have to put up with me).
Monday morning, I meet up with my relief projectionist, Jack Baker. All
went well for most of the day, our main film Being A Street with no
Name. We were on the last reel of the matinee (2000 ft of nitrate) when
smoke filled the bio. I couldn’t see more than a couple of feet in front,
but I heard Jack say to get out! I couldn’t find a fire extinguisher to help,
but I opened the door out to the dress circle to try and rid the area of
smoke. This also cleared the theatre of patrons. Jack and I were in a bad
way with the toxic smoke, and by this time the film was burnt completely
and no flame left. The manager arrived, advised us to go outside for some
fresh air, and to drink some milk. We did that, then returned back to the
bio to see the top spool box, projector head and part of the sound head
destroyed. The intermediate session was cancelled, but Lyceum was
back on the screen for the night show with another feature film, as there Keith (L) with Otto Johnson in the Regent Projection Room 1960 (above)
Regent organist, Stanfield Holladay 1960 (below)
was no more copies of what is now known as A Street with no End. After
a check by a doctor, both Jack I were back at work the next morning.
The rest of my time at Lyceum was very uneventful and enjoyable
without fires. Lyceum in later years was renamed Cleopatra for the
opening of that well over budget film, Cleopatra.

It was Saturday 22 February 1958 when I started as an assistant at Plaza
Collins Street Melbourne with my new projectionist, Bert Bisbee. Plaza
was a very mature theatre, showing films of quality that brought in a lot
of female patrons, with such film as Stage Fright, Johnny Belinda and
Fountain Head. Working at Plaza was a great time. On the first screening
of any movie, Bert would take control and watch the movie without
interruptions from me. I would serve him his lunch or dinner and do what
had to be done. The next screening Bert would do the same for me so I
could watch the movie. In other words, I became the projectionist for

18 CINEMARECORD # 97