Page 8 - untitled

CINEMARECORD

coni from page 8 ODE TO AN USHERETTE
bit cramped, and the toilets are located at the rear of the ANON
building, down the side lane. It certainly is an outstanding
example of a Kaberry and Chard theatre, virtually intact. An usherette so neat and so sweet
Even the original proscenium is still extant, behind the Knows perchance you may clutch her free arm
present (very large) CinemaScope installation of the As her torch lights the way to your seat,
1950s.(14) and she peers - sees your rear's free from harm!

References But their charm occasionally flickers.
1. Tumut Shire Library In France, they may care not one bit.
2. See separate notes on Junee Athenaeum Broadway and If so, you can bet on their knickers
the Lyceum. They're dismayed at the size of your tip!
3. ChiefSecretary'sDepartment, licensing lists, 1909-1964
4. Board of Fire commissioners, NSW Archives, File 202, (For "tip'~ read ''gratuity" or "sponduliks'?
Box 20/.14977. Fire report dated 30 May 1932 and memo
dated 23 August 1932. And that leads us to
5. The Film Weekly Motion picture- Directories, 1937-71
6. Information from the late Dennis Howell. "THE TALE OF TWO USHERETTES- A PERSONAL
7. Information from Stephen Walsh, 13 Apri11997. EXPERIENCE''
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid. Some time ago in Paris we were the guests of the Pathe
10. Melissa O'Brien, correspondence, 25 Apri11996. Company, and as part of their hospitality, they provided us
11. Sun Herald S November ·1995; also Southern Weekly with tickets to the Byron Cinema in the Champs Elysees.
Magazine, B May .
12. Sydney Morning Herald, 19 July 1997. M'sieur Bitterlen ofPathe told us that whereas the tickets
13. Ibid. would gain us access to the show, there was one expense
14. Les Tod, inspection, June 1998 which we could not avoid - a warning which in the excite-
Photos: Les Tod. ment of going to a cinema on the Champs Elysees we
conveniently dismissed from our minds.
Footnote. So we presented ourselves at the theatrer and an attrac-
I bad the pleasure of being involved in carrying out repairs tive usherette showed us to our seats. We scrambled past
to the second projection plant installed. A pair ofRA YCO- some already seated patrons, and plonked down on the two
PHONE sound heads with square bottom spool box's and vacant places.
model M, C&Ws with KALEE universal arcs. The first plant Then I casually glanced to my left and was smprised to
was a pair of western electric universal bases with simplex see the usherette still standing at the end of the row.
beads. I was also involved with several screenings, the last
being THE LAST EMPEROR The Montreal has the best She was staring fixedly in my direction, and when we
ambience of any cinema I have worked . made eye contact, there was malevolence in her glance.
She obviously regarded us as ignorant and unspeakable
ED. (Continued on page 9)

:fi£:M. :f .54.'B£'ES, :f .J\CT .7tNV :fiCTION

Going to the pictures in 1910 was an exciting event and fierce competition existed between exhibitors in towns with more than
one venue. Such was the case in Footscray, a suburb of Melbourne, where the operators of the Federal Picture Palace placed
frequent advertisements in the local newspaper claiming that they had the "coolest hall in the suburbs" and where "The Federal
Symphony Orchestra accompanied films."

The Federal Hall in Nicholson Street, had a sliding roof which opened to the stars and, the cool air! At that time it was probably
the only hall outside of Melbourne City which had such a roof. The Princess Theatre in Spring Street could also open to the
heavens.

The programme at the Federal was changed twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays and started at 8PM. Entrance could be
gained for 6 pence and 1 shilling. A December 1910 programme included: "INDIAN RAIDERS, LIFE ON THE ALPS, THE
WOOING 0' IT, THE LIFE OF LINCOLN, ZEBE ZEKE AND THE WIDOW, MAX LINDER AS A BOXER, THE NIGHT
ROUND THE GOLDEN NECKLACE AND OTHER INTERESTING SUBJECTS."

THEFOOTSCRAY ADVERTISER, December 1910

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