Three Cinema Pioneers reminisce

Three Cinema Pioneers of WA reminisce about the old days from silent, through sound to 70mm.

We are fortunate for TVW veteran Peter Partridge borrowing this videotape from the daughter (Vicky) of late cinema and TV pioneer Ken Alexander. This video contains an interview with three cinema pioneers in Perth, Western Australia: Eric Nicholls, Ken Booth and Ken Alexander. It is a Mount Lawley Technical College production, that was directed by Richard Ashton.

Eric Nicholls
Ken Booth
Ken Alexander

Eric Nicholls started at the silent movie Pavilion theatre in Hay Street, worked the opening night at the Ambassadors Theatre in Hay Street in 1928 and later became the Chief Projectionist of the Hoyts Plaza/Paris Theatre.

Ken Booth started in 1920 as a spool boy, to later become a projectionist, at the Majestic Theatre in Fremantle and was there for the opening of Capitol Theatre in Perth.

Ken Alexander started in 1937 with the country film circuits before joining Hoyts theatres in Perth at Ambassadors and Plaza. Talks about restoring antiques 35mm projectors for a museum and recording the history using photographs.

These pioneers describe the vast changes that took place in the industry during their period of involvement:

Before air-conditioning, they had to crank open the roof on hot nights, unless it was raining.
They talk about nitrate film catching fire should a film break.
They talk about the early sound systems with Vitaphone sound on disk.
Suburban cinemas and gardens were very common.
A huge staff was employed in the city cinemas, with usherettes, commissionaires sprucing, firemen’s, cleaners, etc.
Mentions 3D (with two projectors) and need to wear glasses, and 70mm.
Projecting South Pacific, the first 70mm in 1960s at the Plaza.

Видео Three Cinema Pioneers reminisce канала watvhistory