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In 1927, a spate of events hit us and the world
outside Port Phillip Bay. Charles Lindbergh
flew from New York to Paris; the Duke and
Duchess of York came to our city; in New
York, baseball freak Babe Ruth signed on for
US$ 100,000 a year.

The Pies beat the Tigers in pouring rain on the
hallowed turf, then, on 26 October at 50 Barkly
Street, Carlton, occurred the shooting of
gangsters "Squizzy" Taylor and "Snowy"
Cutmore, two very vicious villains who, in the
early 20s, had more publicity than Gary Ablett,
Tony Lockett and "Big Ronny" put together.
That shooting in John Elliott's favourite
arrondissement, and the myriad conjecture it
opened up, was Melbourne's big talking point
for weeks. And, as schoolboys at Cambridge
Street School in "Carringbush", four of us
walked over to Carlton to "suss" out the murder
scene. All we found were four Marchants
lemonade bottles and an old frying pan with a
hole in it. Above: Hoyts usherettes lined up for pre-show inspection.
(Frankie kicked that off in 1942) but when the midnight). But, I was after those two flash suits,
When the Palais burst upon Melbourne, tabbies and the flappers hit the Palais or the and work has never been a bother to me or my
suddenly, all other news was "old hat". Capitol in the 20s, 30s and 40s, their escorts generation.
had to say "down Rover" or words to that
The owner of the Palais, Messrs H. & L. effect! In brief, these lads were the On our staff of eight ushers at the cinema were
Phillips, insisted on harmony of design Chippendales of their time. The only thing, two "heavies", both ex-pugilists who paid their
throughout their luxurious edifice and, to make these boys kept their daks on (well, they did dues at Jack Wren's West Melbourne "House
sure there was harmony in their theatre, had a while on duty; however ....) of Stoush" and Jimmy Sharman's tent at Royal
small mobile brigade of ushers. Brother, these Show time, so they had a lot of whimsical olde
young chaps were the original "Gladiators", Usherettes, too, were the pride of their cinemas world charm and cheerful joviality in their
1927 version. and in the 30s and 40s there was an unofficial make-up. Actually, when I was introduced to
competition in Melbourne to see who had the them I reckoned you'd have a better chance of
Like their Capital Theatre brethren in most gorgeous usherettes. All the theatres surviving in a tank full of piranhas and
Swanston Street, Melbourne, the Palais ushers around town produced some individual honeys, ravenous crocodiles then meeting these two
were hand-selected. First requisite was they had but it was nearly always a drawn game among charmers in the back lane in Richmond. But
to be 6'1" tall - not 5' 11" or 6'4", but 6'1" - the lasses at the Capitol, the Regent and the first impressions can be erroneous, and the three
perfectly fit, and if a young rooster did not Plaza, for their lovely young ladies were the of us became good cobbers in no time at all; so
possess these attributes, it was a sheer waste of epitome of perfection. They also gave a lot of how wrong can you be?
time applying for the job. The females of the young chaps heart palpitations as they collected
90s would smartly nominate them as hunks or the entrance tickets.
some word that sounds like that (after all this
is a family magazine, not that sexy old Becket's In the tough suburbs of Collingwood, Fitzroy,
Budget). Port Melbourne, Richmond, Brunswick etc, etc,
were lots of lads with a boisterous nature and
Raging Bull outlooks.
They were not applicants for Murder
Incorporated - well, not all of them - but most
of these coves could obtain bit parts in Casino,
Goodfellows or Romper Stomper. As I said,
lovable young chaps who could erupt like The usherette directs patrons to their seat with the
Mount Vesuvius, and quite a few of these lads correct use of the torch.
attended The Cinema in Richmond where I But, back to biz. As soon as trouble threatened,
applied for a position as an usher. they'd immediately rip the ringleaders out on
to the vacant allotment, belt the daylights out
The tool of trade for an usherette Wanting the money to purchase a couple of of them, then call their cobbers out. "Here's
classy tailor-made "juicy fruits" from Maurie your mates; stack on an act here again and that's
Their uniforms - the uniforms at the Capitol Lieber of the Manchester Unity, I presented what you'll cop!" No patty-cake methods with
were identical - were at snappy grey jacket, myself to the manager of The Cinema. The these pair of centurions; they had any would-be
gold buttons, red tabs on the lapels and a red manager looked me up and down and was not troublemakers as nice as pie. It made life more
epaulette on each shoulder. terribly impressed with my rather scrawny and tolerant for us weakies skulking up in the dress
weedy physique but, after listening to my circle.
Down each side seam of their tailor-made grey pathetic pleading relented. "Okay, we'll keep
trousers ran a burgundy stripe and, to complete you for the lounge and dress circle; up there Hoyts management put its ushers into a smart
the sartorial splendour, swish grey gloves. No you'll be reasonably safe and out of harm's way. burgundy jacket (which was modelled on the
wonder the flappers of the times thought they That cheerful interview took the sickly smile uniforms of the ushers of New York's famous
were "the ants' pants". When these chaps were off my dial but the thought of the big money I'd Roxy Theatre on West 45th Street) and natty
on their "station" of an evening, they were a earn for a night's ushering cheered me up black trousers, which made even an
sight for sore eyes (as well as health ones!). somewhat, for it was a whole 14 shillings unimpressive crackerjack like me look
"Swooning" had not entered the lingo in 1927 ($1.40) for five hours' work (7.00 pm to 12 reasonably presentable.

6 CINEMARECORD # 99