Page 14 - CR

The Projectionists
The projectionists were Keith
Harwood and Paul Hayes, my future
husband, whom I met at the Drive-In.
Paul lived in Balwyn at the time and
had been a projectionist for a number
of years but he thought that it would be
better working out at a Drive-In rather
than inside a picture-theatre.
Keith and Paul had to do a “ramp-
tramp” after each show, that is, go
around to check that all of the speakers
had been hung up and switched off.
While doing this they would sometimes
find articles of clothing left on the
ramps.
Many a time people drove off after
the show with the speaker still hooked
to their window and Keith or Paul There was car service during the After the Drive-In had been opened
would have to retrieve the speakers and first half of the show.The carhops for a few months, the owners realized
rewire them back in. Sometimes a would walk the ramps and anyone that they needed more space for cars so
speaker would give out during the show wanting something from the cafeteria they moved the ticket box down from
so one of them had to replace it there would turn on a switch on the speaker Stud Road closer to Bergins Road and
and then. which showed a red light on the relocated the playground to under the
speaker pole. The carhop would take screen.
The Carhops
the order, come to the cafeteria to get At this time the miniature train was
Bryan Owens was in charge of the
what was required and return it to the removed. The playground was very
“carhops” as they called the guys who
car. So, the occupants did not have to popular as it gave the nips a chance to
ushered the cars into their spots and
miss any of the show. You don’t get get out of the car and stretch their legs.
cleaned the windscreens. Mike Aston
that service now! Often the parents would sit out and
and Harry Raymond Jnr. were the only
When the show was over, the keep an eye on the kids while still
locals I can recall doing this job.
carhops ushered the traffic back out following the movie, as there were
People sometimes tried to get
onto Stud Road. They sometimes had speakers installed at the playground.
passengers in for free, hiding them in
to go around and wake people to tell
boots of their cars or down behind the At Christmas time a party was put
them that it was time to go home.
seats or under the canopies of utes but on along the front of the cafeteria for
the carhops were awake-up to these The show went on in all sorts of the children of the Drive-In employees.
tricks and not many got a freebie. weather. On most evenings two feature films
were shown with shorts and trailers. On
Saturdays and public holidays there
were two sessions; cars for the second
session were positioned into lines to the
south of the ramped areas until the cars
from the first session had exited. Often
on long weekends they had midnight to
dawn shows featuring cowboy movies,
horror shows or a theme of some kind.

Top: In the Rowville Projection room.
Left: Children’s train and original ticket box.

14 2010 CINEMARECORD