Page 9 - untitled

CINEMARECORD

contfrompage 8 Presid:entia( :Messaqe
foreigners.For a moment I was puzzled, and then
M'sieur.Bitterlen's warning snapped into focus. "It will not As President of C.A.T.H.S.(Vl for 1999 I thought I should
cost you anything to get into the cinema, but you must 'tip' write to inform the membership about myself as my profile
the usherette , otherwise, to your embarassment, she will in the society has not been as high as I would have liked
remain at your side until you do!" Hurridly I scrambled bcrck over the years. I joined C.A.T.H.S in 1993 after finding out
along the row, delved into my pocket, handed her all the it existed through one of the Regent Theatre open days
loose change I had - how much I bad no idea - and edged my being held at the time.
way back to my seat. When I glanced back in her direction, I started in the cinema industry in 1966 at the AUSTRALIA
she had disappeared and I never saw her again. Cinema as an assistant projectionist.
Quelle damage! She was rather attractive.
In early 1969 I joined Hoyts Theatres when they were
You see as impecunious Aussie tourists, we had forgotten recrniting staff for the Cinema Centre due to open mid year.
that in most Parisian cinemas, the usherettes pay the man- After 3 months at the ATHENAEUM Theatre I moved to
agement to be allowed to work there.Their sole income is the Cinema Centre a couple of weeks prior to open-
from the gratuities they receive. ing,wbere I stayed, until 197l,when late that year I was
transferred to the Mid City Cinemas.
At the other end of the "usherette scale" years ago when
HOYTS ARMADALE THEATRE had changed hands, a I obtained my projection licence in 1972 and was sent out
friend and I decided to see Frank Buck's "BRING 'EM in reliefprofection duties at various theatres including,
BACK ALIVE" at that cinema. Not knowing what size the, BROADWAY CAMBERELL, BENTLEIGH, the ES-
audience the film would attract on a Saturday night, we QUIRE theatre, and a number of drive in theatres, eventu-
strolled along to the theatre on the Saturday afternoon to ally becoming part of the drive in relief projection roster.
book seats. At that time an optimistic family were trying to
run the cinema.There was a husband and wife (he was the I moved to Greater Union in November 1972 and started at
projectionist she looked after the books) and grandma who the CHELSEA Theatre where I was projectionist until1975.
ran the box office. It was then back. to Hoyts, off to Village and then to the
RM.I.T for 10 years as projectionist in the Radio Theatre.
When we fronted up at the box office on a Saturday after- My last few years have been spent at Palace Theatres and
noon, while a Saturday matinee was in progress, this gra- Village.
cious, but slightly vague elderly grandma asked us where we
would like to sit for the evening session. When we said we I have many fond memories of my time in the cinema
bad no particular preference, she vacated the Box Office industry ,from my early years at the AUSTRALIA, the re
escorted us upstairs to the darkened dress circle and asked release of SOUTH PACIFIC in 70mm when unprecedented
us to point out the seats we would like.Anxious to escape full house business was recorded stands out as does the
this solicitude, I hurridly pointed out two seats somewhere night the then Prime Minister Harold Holt came to see a
near the centre of a row at that moment partly occupied by show.
noisy matinee goers.
The memories good and bad are far to many to go into at
"Go on then. Try them out Grandma commanded. "Try the this time, they can be left till later.
seats. See if they're comfortable for you". So again, seeking
the quickest way of escape, I scrambled past the seated I am very proud to be President of C.A.T .H.S,(V) and I
patrons sat down, went through the motions of checking the have a number of views on the direction I would like to see
seat for "bottom friendliness then scrambled back along the our society move.
row to inform the anxiously waiting lady that the seats
would be ideal for our purpose.Only then, did she deign to With our new home being the SUN Theatre I am sure We
escort us downstairs to the exit. can now move forward and encourage new members to join
us.
When we arrived that night for the show, we discovered that
the public bad stayed away in their thousands.The gracious I also see the housing of our archives at The Prahran
grandma greeted us like royalty, and escorted us personally Mechanics Institute a positive step as our archives will now
to our chosen and pre-tested seats.! think there were ten receive professional attention and care and can now be
other people in the audience. I also think on reflection that accessed by our members 6 days a week .
it was probably the first time that anyone had "booked"
seats for any of their shows. I look back on the experience as Trusting we will have a good and successful year.
one of life's oddities. You know, I doubt whether Grandma TREVOR WALTERS,
would have lasted long as an usherette at the Byron Cinema President CA.T.H.S.(V).
on the Champs Elysees - nor for that matter in one of
HOYT'S modem characterless multiplexes.
DENZIL HOWSON.

9