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The bane of a film booker’s life was
the Head Office Contract Department, INNOCENTS AT WORK
headed at Fox by Andy Anderson who Ern Bruhn
later became an excellent friend. When Alf Lawrence bought the Korrumburra Theatre in Gippsland (eastern
Each month Contract sent down Victoria) it represented a big step forward for his company Lawrence Brothers’
multiple pages of queries. They would Talkies.
insist on a one penny credit for this,
One day in 1937 or 1938 the team went out to paste up programs on the
and two pennies debit for that. These
theatre’s billboards around town. This was routine, it required no special attention.
adjustments mostly occurred in the
The boards had space for four posters, the mid-week show and the weekend one.
case of once or twice a week theatres,
There were always two films per night.
where exhibitors bought double feature
At one site we stood back and gazed on our handiwork.
programs including a short and a
This is how the board read:
newsreel. Their film rentals had to be
allocated in accordance with pre-
determined percentages, and minute
mistakes often occurred.
Andy maintained that his
responsibility to each film producer
was sacred, and the allocations had to
be correct. To this day I cannot
understand what the difference a penny
would make in the realm of film
distribution.
It was the custom at Fox to hold an
annual sales convention, lasting three or
four days, attended by Head Office
executives, interstate Branch Managers
and salesmen. So we got to meet great
professionals like Arthur Jepson,
Howard Keast, Reg. Sharpe and Merv.
Pinchbeck. These conferences included
addresses by all the top people - the
Managing Director, General Sales
Manager, Publicity Director the
Company Secretary and more.
NSW Branch bookers were invited
to relevant sessions, but more
importantly to the lavish lunches and
dinners held at famous hotels: the
Australia, Ushers, Carlton, Wentworth
and the American Club.
The latter was in a quaint
weatherboard cottage in Macquarie
Street. The club had been formed in the
Fox Theatrette by Sid Albright and my
old friend Jim Coleman. It was here
that I first experienced fine wines,
oysters and rare beef.
But the big hit of the conference
was the party on the last night. This
was held at Cottage Point, a house
owned by Sid a mile up the river from
Bobbin Head, and accessible only by
water. The house was unique, designed
around a huge rock. Guests were
transported by bus from Brisbane
Street, and then by launch for a night of
hilarity, gambling and drunkeness!
Great times, presided over by a great
host, Sid Albright.

To be continued

12 2006 CINEMARECORD