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Letters

Australia
ABN 37 195 378 179 Moe/Walhalla Weekend The Cinesound newsreel library
Reg A0020747R Many people have congratulated me footage was kept intact but a lot of the
on the success of the CATHS’ issues and most of the camera negatives
The aims of CATHS are: to record the Gippsland weekend (9-10 April 2005), were lost due to poor storage facilities.
history of cinemas and theatres, and to whereas I wish to thank those who No Australian film company was
promote interest in theatre heritage and prepared to spend money to correctly
architecture, and other related areas. made it memorable: store nitrate film, whether precious
Patrons: Peter Ricketts and Judy provided
Frank Van Straten OAM Peter Smith OAM home hospitality and the superb Moe newsreel footage or popular motion
Elaine Marriner Philip Brady Majestic for the film program. pictures.
I was the last person to be
Committee: Pamela and Harvey Hutchison,
responsible for looking after the
President: Gerry Kennedy 5174 1870 (great ambassadors for Walhalla) and
Cinesound-Movietone library of
Vice President: Peter Wolfenden 9744 2570 their helpers, supplied a tasty barbecue
footage. As Film Librarian I located the
Secretary: Mike Trickett 5278 1986 at their country retreat.
items to be used by documentary film-
Treasurer: Barrie Wraith 9435 9785 President Gerry Kennedy showed
makers and television. When the
★ his usual organisational skills in
decision was made to donate all the
Archivist: Gerry Kennedy 5174 1870 booking the evening meal and ferrying
Central Victoria Co-ordinator: many of the group to and from the footage to the National Archive,
Fred Page 5444 0428 (Bendigo) Walhalla station. Canberra, I was on hand to pack and
Gippsland Co-ordinator: send it.
Gerry Kennedy 5174 1870 (Traralgon) Behind the scenes, Brian Miller Bill Gray, North Parramatta
Events Co-ordinator: handled the banking and Treasurer
Brian Miller 9557 7446 Barrie Wraith looked after Accounts Naming Rights
Film Buffs Group: Payable. Thanks too to all who came I enjoyed the article on the
Mike Trickett 5278 1986 along; it was a great weekend. De Luxe/Esquire in CR 46. I have a
Publications Sales:
Garry Saunders 9812 7227 Fred Page, Bendigo few frames of a silent, nitrate film titled
Membership Secretary: Peter O’Reilly (Story and pictures next issue.) Hoyts Quality Presentations, which
See postal address show the entrance to the theatre,
CinemaRecord Editor: Movietone Memories possibly pre-1920. The title is primitive
Ian Smith The early years of Movietone News in construction, and was photographed
ijsmith@impulse.net.au in Australia (CinemaRecord 45) was a
CATHS website: very useful story on a lost part of a in sepia. A second title Modern
www.caths.org.au Entertainment as Presented by Hoyts
Postal address: theatre’s program. Our preserved film De Luxe is also on nitrate stock with a
PO Box 476, Bentleigh 3204. history is now the poorer because the soundtrack, and I suspect this dates
company changed from simultaneous
★ from the 1930s.
optical sound on film recording to post
Membership I once had a discussion at a Cinema
Annual membership subscription is $35, synchronisation. At the time of course Pioneers meeting with the late Ken
the newsreel was seen as a ‘filler’. I
(overseas subscribers $45) and Neck. Ken was Hoyts chief technical
members receive four copies of don't think anyone had the foresight to man for many years - and a top fellow!
CinemaRecord, notification of events, consider posterity. He told me that after the Regent fire,
and copies of the agenda and minutes In my view, the only reason that any when the De Luxe became the
of all meetings. There is no joining fee. footage was saved was because of its Esquire, Bill Howard - who operated
Meetings potential as a back-story to a topical
the Regal Essendon, Central North
Meetings are held on the last Sunday of event such as the death of a Prime Melbourne and Esquire Elsternwick -
February, April, June, August, October & Minister, the retirement of a great held the copyright, if that is the correct
November. cricketer, or some such story. term, on the name Esquire.
Archive
Fox Movietone in particular edited
The Archive is located in the Prahran heavily when they filed a copy of their Ken said that only through
Mechanics’ Institute, 140 High Street negotiations - and he thought also a
weekly reels for their library. As the
Prahran, 9510 3393. The Archive will sound was recorded on a separate reel financial consideration - were Hoyts
be open between 9.30am and 12.30pm able to rename the De Luxe the
and then synchronized with the image,
on the Saturday before each meeting Esquire. They must have really been
(see above), and at other times by the sound reel was also cut to preserve set on having the name.
only the sound for the items being
appointment with the archivist. Ross King, Essendon
Publications retained and the remainder was junked.
This is one of the reasons why the
Back issues of CinemaRecord, other
publications, CDs and videos are sound is missing on some of those
available at meetings. Items are also ‘premiere’ additional items on DVD
available by mail. Please contact Garry releases. Only a few copies exist of
Saunders on 9812 7227 for details. complete weekly newsreels.

4 2005 CINEMARECORD