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A poorly supervised or lazy
          projectionist might open the film trunk,
          look to see if the reel was 'start out' and
          if so, put it straight on the machine. If
          the print had been damaged at the
          previous theatre, running it through a
          projector again could ruin long sections
          of film. Some offenders cut out the
          damaged section, re-joined the film and
          hoped that it wouldn't be noticed.       Ruby Palmer at Paramount.
          Sometimes it was hard to trace the
          culprit.
            In the 1950s, when some suburban     Paramount Pictures was the
          screens went first release with the city,  biggest name in the business until
          print juggling became more demanding.  challenged by MGM in the mid-
          Sometimes a request for more than 12  twenties. From 1916 until 1921
          prints would be granted, but the case  Paramount was releasing -at least in
          for doing so had to be really good. For  the USA - two, sometimes three
          the ‘saturation releases’ so popular  features a week, every week of the
          today, some 300 to 400 prints are   year.  Paramount's early influence in
          struck, most of them by Atlab in    Australia showed in the number of
          Sydney, from an imported dupe       theatres which took the name, and
          negative. Supplementary prints may  the size of newspaper publicity for
          also be flown in from the U.S.A. where  Paramount Week, in which the
          as many as 1,000 prints service the  exchange trumpeted their current and
          opening of a new film.  When the rush  forthcoming titles.
          is over in the States, some are gathered  Paramount's first exchange in
          up and dispatched. Atlab gives them a  Melbourne operated from an
                                                                                Strand s              Star s
          clean before they go into service.  insignificant building at 206 Bourke
            Policies on storage and re-issues  Street, located between the Star and  The first Paramount exchange in
          varied between exchanges. RKO was   the Strand cinemas, in the heart of  Melbourne (1915) was flanked by the
          the most ruthless; only interested in  theatre-land. The building can be  Strand and the Star cinemas.
          new product. As soon as a contract was  seen, squeezed between the two
          played out, the prints were junked.  theatres, in the photo above, right.           An
          Exceptions included Gunga Din and      A glimpse into life at the              Urgent Telegram
          The Informer, but a re-issue used the  Paramount exchange comes from a      PARAMOUNT ---------
          best of the initial 12 prints. When  reference for Ms. Ruby Palmer, who        --------- PICTURES
          MGM cut its production slate in the  worked there as a book-keeper. Ruby  HAS SCOOPED THE EXCLUSIVE
                                                                                          RIGHTS OF THE
          late forties, they introduced the ‘MGM  married, became Mrs. Willans, and
          Masterpiece Reprint’ series. For these  stayed on at Paramount after her      Melbourne Cup
                                                                                            Picture
          revivals MGM struck four new prints in  husband enlisted to fight in World
          Australia, released them in-house, and  War 1. On his return the Willans  DEVELOPMENT OF STORY OF RACE
                                                                                             FROM
          then offered them to anyone else.   moved to Cudgewa in north-east           START TO FINISH
          MGM’s was the only exchange to      Victoria, to take up farming on a           10 CAMERAS
          consistently supply new prints for  soldier- settler block.*
          revivals. H                            This snippet of personal history is     CLOSEUPS OF
          About the Author                    a tribute to all those who labour          CUP DRESSES
                                                                                         DIGNITARIES
                                              behind the scenes in glamour
            William Gray has worked in the                                                  HORSES
                                              industries, and who remain unknown
          film industry for most of his life. He                                           CROWDS
                                              to the public.
          began in despatch at 20th Century Fox,                                         EXHIBITORS
                                                 *Ruby’s daughter Mrs. Joan
          then moved to a similar role at                                                Are offered this
                                              Zernihe supplied this information to
          Universal Pictures, British Empire                                       WONDERFUL PRODUCTION
                                              CATHS member Kevin Walters. Mrs                Also a
          Films and Independent Film
                                              Zernihe was born at Cudgewa and               GREAT
          Distributors, all in Sydney. Bill was
                                              now lives in Toowoomba,                    OPPORTUNITY
          projectionist at the Dundas drive-in                                          FOR A CLEANUP
                                              Queensland. H
          (NSW) for 23 years before becoming
          Film Librarian for                                                      AUSTRALIAN FEATURE FILMS
          Cinesound/Movietone. He rounded out                                                 LTD
                                                                                          208 BOURKE  ST.
          his career as one of the projection crew
                                                                                          THE HOME OF
          at G.U’s Pitt Street Cinemas (Sydney).                                      Paramount Pictures
                                                                               The Herald Saturday 3 Nov. 1917.
          26  2005 CINEMARECORD
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