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Carnegie Theatre Memories by Noel Kerr

Recently a friend of mine bad shifted to Arawatta Street in Carnegie and tllis was the first time for many a year that I had
walked along this street. I just had to pause at the rear of this two storey building which was protruding almost to street
level. It was the back of what was once the Carnegie Picture Theatre! A place of great memories and was one of the few
nicer memories of my childhood along with comic art (which still holds an interest today) and an emerging interest in
jazz.

I just had to pause at the open doors of what looked like an addition to the building. Instead of the long remembered
sounds of "Ice Dixie Ice" and "Screen News lucky numbers" were the sounds of offset machinery, folders and guillotines
belonging to the printing firm which had taken over the building many years ago. Other alterations were evident includ-
ing the blocking in of rear windows and a storage area for paper stock.

I believe that before Hoyts took over this building in August 1935 it was used as a Roller Skating Rink and before
that.. ... silent movies. Don Albon began his 50 year career there in 1938 as a page boy at the age of 13 when the manager
was Charlie Leithead (better known as "Pep"). Up top in the box was projectionist Les Dipnar with his assistant Arthur
Knox. I have been told that the opening programme when Hoyts took over was a Shirley Temple film.

My nostalgic thoughts were interrupted when one of the workers emerged from the doorway with some parcels and
inquired if he could help me. I thanked him and moved on but I almost replied with "Yes, if you could take me back to my
childhood for just one Saturdee Arvo at the flicks". But I guess he wouldn't have understood that.

After dinner that evening whilst relaxing with a gin and tonic, memories flooded back. Carnegie Picture Theatre couldn't
by any stretch of the imagination be considered a great triumph of interior design. The only notable feature that I can
remember was the space ship/tear designed hanging lights, almost art deco in style. The foyer was also very bland.
Somewhere along the way I got caught in the serial chapters at Carnegie which was one episode ahead of my favourite
theatre, Glenhuntly. To attend that theatre I would have to forever tear my hair out not finding out how Don Winslow of
the Coastguard got out of the explosion of his boat when the torpedo hit the bow, or how the Iron Claw was beaten in the
warehouse fire. That was just too much of a sacrifice to make and unthinkable. So Carnegie it was.

From my house to the theatre was approximately one mile. Making allowance for the time spent sailing matches down
the gutters or missing cracks in the footpath it would take just on 3/4 of an hour each way. A small saclifice for the
highlight of the week, especially when it was it may be Porky Pig's or Buck Jones' birthday when the first 50 kids would
receive a free piece of Herbert Adams fruit cake.

James Fitzpatrick travelogues were not taken too kindly by us patrons, but this seemed the torture we had to stand. No
matter how we banged the floors and the backs of the seats with out feet, another would pop up next Saturday. But Donald
was a bit different. The whole theatre would be filled with cheering and whistles when his favourite face hit the screen.
It seemed that every patron was an expert at imitating Donald until the manager's torch was flashed around the walls.

With the exception of the free pass on your birthday, the Children's Theatre Club was a real bore as it put a temporary halt
to the films as the manager climbed the few stairs to the stage to introduce the birthday candidates and conduct the club's
theme song over a distorted sound system. To do this they only used the footlights giving everyone on stage an unnatural
ghostly appearance. Being shy I never made it to the stage on my birthday despite constant calls for ..... NOEL
KERR ..... NO,EL KERR. But in spite of it all I do remember the song:-
.. Here we are again, Happy as can be
All good pals and members ofH.C.C. (Hoyts Cinema Club)
Never mind the weather, never mind the rain
The movie clubs together, here we go again
La de da de da, Ia de da de da
All good pals and members of H.C.C.

God knows how I remembered that tune, if correctly, but it shows what brainwashing must do to one, as we had to sing
the$@?!* every Saturday. Any noise duling screenings brought the manager down the aisle with a torch and rolled up
newspaper to threaten the offenders. (Somewhat unlikely to happen today.) On odd occasions when the noise got out of
hand (such as two "James Fitzpatricks" in a row, or the 3rd World War with water pistols), the lights would be turned on
and the film stopped. Most times this put things right. especially when the manager threatened to close the theatre.

It was always a shock to the system to emerge into broad daylight and the real world after having been given those few
hours of escapism each week. However, this was soon forgotten by a trip to the fish and chip shop in Koomang Road. In
those times a piece of flake cost 4d and minimum of chips was 2d all wrapped up in real newspaper which made it easy
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