Page 30 - CINEMARECORD-98

The open door was easily accessible to any
Department of Labour Inspector who happened
by to check on the licences of the young
projectionists. When Barry Love did eventually
go for his Projectionist's Licence, the
instructor/inspector recognised him
immediately and said that he had already done
his “practical” and a licence was duly granted.

Occasionally the projectionists were called on
to form a fire crew at the fire station which was
originally on the theatre land. One Sunday night
what was meant to be a “quick job” turned into
a major conflagration and it was not until after
11 pm when the projectionists arrived back at
the theatre to find a packed house ready to see
Jeannette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy do their
stuff in Rosemarie. It was after 3 am when
everyone dragged themselves to their feet for
The theatre is occupied by an art gallery today. the National Anthem. The film had to be
returned the next day, so a later screening was
consignment was checked to be complete, would be paused about half way through for not possible.
making sure all the film reels were there. A interval.
number of times Albert Muller drove to Interval was a ritual with all three of the town’s
Melbourne to pick up missing reels of film. At interval, a slide which showed the various milkbars staying open. They dispensed the
exits went on the screen and the lights, albeit usual milkshakes in their aluminium fluted
On other occasions films were borrowed from dimmed, came on. This allowed for the containers with an accompanying heavy tapered
nearby Assumption College, where Brother showing of the Val Morgan advertising slides, glass with scalloped sides. Straws later replaced
Paulinus was their projectionist. On Wednesday although occasionally Gunn Slides rated a the glass and saved much washing up. Flavours
night, the films were readied for showing in the mention. The sound backing for these was from such as Blue Heaven and Pineapple, with
following order: The Movietone or Cinesound old crackling 78 RPM acetate records. It was double malt, were then in vogue.
Newsreel, a cartoon, the serial, a travelogue and important to have the slides in the correct order
a sing-along, followed by the feature film which to match the recorded commentary, but Cone ice creams, Cherry Ripes, Milk Kisses,
occasionally this was not the case. Jaffas, Minties, Fantales or mixed lollies filled
the bill. Then there was the new phenomenon
A bell signified the end of interval and the of Coca-Cola. Coke had a great capacity for
milkbars and the foyer soon emptied and it was froth when shaken and more than one shower
on with the rest of the feature. At the feature's was liberally dispensed over those seated in the
end, following the national anthem, the evening immediate vicinity of the shaker.
was rounded off to the playing of Al Bowlly's
Goodnight Sweetheart. That was particularly After the pictures, it was down to the Bluebird
hard to take if you had been fairly “fresh” with Cafe. Around the high walls were murals of
your date and had just had a raging argument Mexicans sleeping under huge cactus plants.
over the ground rules. Here you could get fish and chips and potato
cakes wrapped in newspaper.
For the projectionist and his assistant, it was
then over to rewinding the films onto their The Astor was purchased by Merv Lee and
spools ready for the next screening. After the family in 1963. Since then it has been used as
Monday night screening, all the films were a hardware store, and a furniture and floor
readied to be taken to the train on Tuesday coverings display centre.
morning.
A mezzanine floor was added and what was
The complexities of screening what were, by believed to have been a brick floor in the
the time they got to Kilmore, generally well- basement was concreted over.
used prints, which may have had some fifty or
more screenings, presented challenges. Some A recent inspection shows the building to be
previous projectionists appeared to have occupied by an art gallery. The facade has been
souvenired portions of film and often there repaired and painted. Internally, there are no
were numerous splices, some of which required remnants of the building’s cinematic past, the
repairing. Sometimes previous exhibitors ceiling having been painted a flat black. �
simply rewound the damaged films back onto
their reels, which meant the film broke, the
screening stopped and the film had to be Credits:
rethreaded. This resulted in the lights coming
on and a loud concerted foot stamping or a slow Adapted from notes compiled by Jim Lowden at a
clap while the poor projectionists frantically Kilmore Historical Society meeting 5 April 1998 and
worked to fix the break and get the show back presented to the CATHS Archive.
on the screen.
Newspaper extracts - Kilmore free Press (Trove).
Additional information - Kilmore Historical Society.
The heat of the carbon arc projector in the
confined space meant the projection room door
Images:
was generally always open onto Sydney Street.
Vintage images - Kilmore Historical Society.
Left: Kilmore Free Press advertising 1940 Contemporary image - Mike Trickett

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