Page 18 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

How long were you at the Capitol?
For another 18 months. I seemed to
have 18-month spells wherever I went -
and then one day I got this horrible
letter from Bramley’s office to say I
was to transfer to the Plaza Collins
Street and that upset me terribly,
because I loved it at the Capitol. By
this time I was about 12 months into
the projectionist’s course at the Royal
Melbourne Institute of Technology
(RMIT). So under sufferance I
transferred to the Plaza projection
room, which was off the Regent toilet.
Who was projectionist at the Plaza?
I worked with Fred Quick, and Alan
Watts was the second projectionist.
Alan was the talker of the two - Fred
was a family-type always giving advice
to everybody he spoke to. He was a
lovely old chap.
I used to put on this presentation
with the dimmers. We had two sets of
tabs in the Plaza and we had a little bit
of silent title advertising during the
trailers. I used to put on the last ten
grooves of The Gay Parisienne by
starting the record, bolting out of the
projection room, down the passageway,
flick the non-sync switch to get it on
there, just as the title would finish -
“da-da” - and then click the join and go
through and we’d be on to our next bit
of film with sound on it, and Fred
would say, “If you’re ever on with
Alan, don’t do that with him, that’s our
presentation”.

You also had organists at the Plaza
didn’t you?
Regent organist Geoff Robinson, considered by Brian to be the best of a talented
Yes, Mervyn Walsh was organist group. He was organist at the Regent Adelaide, then Capitol Melbourne, moving to the
there, and Ian Davies, who was also a Regent from August 1949 to 1952. (Image: Barrie Wraith Collection). Meanwhile, in the
fireman. When I say a fireman, he Plaza below Brian had his responsibilities.
worked for the Fire Brigade but he was
the relief organist at the Plaza.
In my mind, upstairs (the Regent) could finish his last note as the time So he took my name and I sort of
had the grand organist of all time - signal came on. He was famous for his unofficially applied for the job, and
Geoff Robinson. “Tuba” they used to timing. I don’t know how he did it. went back to the Plaza and kept my
call him to his face - “Tuba”, a big Anyway, I was at the Plaza for a mouth zipped about what I’d done. In
man. He used to make that organ sing. few months when I heard that there was due course I was granted an interview
He could get through his tunes twice by a vacancy coming up at the Metro up with the Metro manager and the chief
the time it would take some organists to the hill, and I’d always heard how projectionist.
just play them once, but with all the generous the Metro circuit was with Next thing, I get a call from Ken
effects, and it would be great. equipment, so I popped out of the Neck, chief projectionist at the Regent
projection room, said I wouldn’t be and he wanted to see me. “Brian, I don’t
Did ABC Radio broadcast the organ
long, and went to see the chief want you to leave - you’re next into the
from the Regent?
projectionist at the Metro, who was Regent you know”. And I said, “Yes
Not only from the Regent, but from
Tom Payne. He didn’t even know there Ken, I’ve heard all this before”. So I
all the capital city theatres with organs.
was someone leaving, I got it on the didn’t alter my thoughts about going to
Half-past twelve on Sundays it was,
grapevine first. the Metro, if they would have me. ★
half-past the hour, because Geoff
Robinson would be the only one who Transcription by Ms. Jo Maxion
To Be Continued
18 2008 CINEMARECORD