Page 19 - CinemaRecord #11R.pdf

The Rex was given a new name, the "Cinema Charlton", and everything was ready for the opening. On Satur-
day night of the 24th of February, 1973, Cinema Charlton showed its first film "Mary Queen of Scots" with
Selected Short Features. On opening night Vince Dabron was projectionist and Geoff Edwards was assisting
him. Two usherettes and Don Jenkins looked after the audience, and Joan sold the tickets. We celebrated with
supper in the theatre after the show, having inviteq all those who were connected in the restoration, and their
families, as well as our friends and relatives.

The second film, on the succeeding Saturday night was "Paint Your Wagon" on 3/3/73, and much to our
surprise there was a "full house". There have been other full houses since. Two were "Picnic At Hanging Rock"
17/7/76 and "Sunshine on 21/6/75. "Crocodile Dundee'' was screened 16 times in 1986 and 1987, and another
well attended show was "Star Wars" in April 1978.

An event that the staff (especially the projectionists) remember well was when Geoff received a phone call in
Melbourne from Vince at 7.10 pm to say that the last reel of the film was missing. Luckily Geoff knew that a
copy of "Star Wars" had been delivered to Kyneton ready for the following night, so he and a friend left
immediately, picked up the reel from Kyneton, and sped the 163 miles to Charlton, arriving 10 minutes before
the last reel was needed. The missing reel was found the next day in the bottom spool box of the projector at
Nhill and was sent on to Charlton.

When colour television came to the country audiences started to dwindle, so with the screening of "Razor-
back", on Saturday the 1st of September, 1984, we closed the theatre for a time, hoping things might improve
and then we could re-open again. While we were closed we availed ourselves of the time to repair the ceiling
of the cinema. Hearing through a friend in the trade that Hoyts were selling Philips projectors at the Maribyrnong
Drive-In, we purchased them and they were transported to Charlton, where they were deposited on the foyer
floor until the ceiling renovations were completed by Ron Good.

The next problem was to install the machines, as the existing projection room was too small. An extra girder
was placed under the room to support the weight of the Philips projectors, and they were placed in the bio box
before the front wall was built. If they need to be shifted at any stage in the future it will be quite a problem.
Smart four track stereo sound was also installed at this time by Kevin Baddock of lnfaset Services. Cinema
Charlton re-opened on Saturday June 21st, 1986, with "Jewell Of The Nile", having been closed for two years.
From then on the theatre opened every second weekend. A Bauer 16mm projector was added to the projection
room a few months later by Kevin Baddock.