There were celebrations Under the Stars on Saturday 27th July when locals gathered to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of a local institution – The Jericho Drive-In Theatre. Often dubbed “Australia’s smallest Drive-In”, the rural Jericho theatre has provision for both cars and patrons on foot with the projection-room flanked by tiered levels of comfortable deck-chair…
Beryl Madsen is the 2019 Queensland Cinema Pioneer of the Year, Beryl’s career began in Maryborough in 1963 as a cafe attendant at the Starline Drive-in. The job suited Beryl down to the ground, working nights while her husband looked after the four kids. Beryl progressed to ticket seller and then Assistant Manager. Following Jack…
West Australian Cinema Pioneer member, Daryl Binning has written and produced a wonderful new book that will be highly prized by everyone interested in the early history of Australian cinema exhibition in the West. This extensively researched and indexed book is quite substantial with 382 pages on semi-gloss stock with a folded soft cover. It…
Tasmanian Branch President, Yurik Czyz has advised us of some updates to venues in Tasmania which accept the Cinema Pioneers Photo-ID Card. Following several discussions Yurik is pleased to advise that independent Star Theatre in Launceston has agreed to accept our Cinema Pioneer Card for complimentary admissions effective immediately. The Star Theatre is a fine…
March 2019 From Tim Read, National President, to all Members: Dear Member The society incorporates as a public company limited by guarantee In an historic change to the operating status of the Society, it has now incorporated as a public company limited by guarantee. Here is some background. From its foundation in 1933 to now,…
Friends and colleagues are mourning Bruce Leonard as a passionate and committed stalwart of the Australian cinema industry. Leonard, who died at his Sydney home last Wednesday, aged 75, dedicated a large part of his life to the Society of Australian Cinema Pioneers and the Motion Picture Industry Benevolent Society (MPIBS) as national secretary/treasurer of…
Tony Burke has retired from the position of Queensland State President after an outstanding 21 years’ service. His successor, Chris Pitcher, has now formally taken up the mantle, and we extend a warm welcome to her. Chris started with Birch, Carroll & Coyle as Assistant Manager of Maroochydore in 1991 when it was a single…
The 85th Annual Dinner was held at the Swissotel in Sydney on Wednesday 14th November 2018. Amongst the proceedings, this wonderful night celebrated the successful feature film Ladies in Black, showed a news magazine story from South Australia about the early Australian/English movie, Bitter Springs, then a video of the unvieling of…
When I became National President in 2017, Bruce Leonard gave me a four and half page document, ‘Rules of the Society of Australian Cinema Pioneers’. Bruce first put those rules together in 1992 when he became National Secretary Treasurer – he wrote down the rules as he understood them to be. Before then no document…
Jan entered the WA Cinema industry in 1965 as an usherette at the Metro Theatre, William Street, Perth. Her duties included showing patrons to their seats, checking there was no smoking and ensuring that everyone stood for the National Anthem. In 1971 she progressed to box office clerk. Working in the cinema in those times…