Let me take you back to the time when we did not have television, computers, iPads and all the other electronic gadgets I love so much these days.
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Apart from riding our bikes, swimming in the river, playing in the park and other interesting pastimes our main form of recreation was the pictures, better known as ‘the flicks’.
Growing up in Forbes (am I starting to sound like a boring old fa … fellow yet?) we had two picture theatres, The Studio and The Strand which had a name change to The Century.
The Studio was behind the Van Hotel and The Century was in Spring Street. I don’t remember much of the Studio theatre, but the Century holds many fond memories.
The highlight of our week was the Saturday afternoon matinee when the theatre was packed with kids. I really can’t remember an adult being there apart from the staff.
The program consisted of cartoons, Tom and Jerry comes to mind, and the serials. The serials? Let me explain.
Can you imagine a series of short films which told a story in 15 minutes (I think) ending in what was known as a ‘cliff hanger’, where the damsel was about to get shot and we didn’t know if the hero would rescue her.
From Saturday to Saturday we would wonder what the outcome would be, although it was pretty obvious. These ‘heroes’ came in a variety of genres. There were the cowboys doing politically incorrect things like shooting savage Apache Indians and such. Superheroes were popular with early Superman, Batman and Captain Marvel performing amazing stunts well before Spielberg’s technical wizardry.
The matinee was not only the films, we had variety concerts, talent quests, quizzes and other entertainment from the stage in front of the screen by resident manager, Vic Storey I think.
Of course it would not be a day, or night, out at the flicks without Jaffas and Fantales. Jaffas made great missiles and bombs from the mezzanine seats to the ones below, also wonderful to roll down the sloping aisles. We did eat a few as well of course.
Fantales were the other confectionery of choice - soft chewy lollies with information about a film star written on the wrapper. Said information was pretty inane compared to what is served up today. We were pretty innocent in the ways of courting and love.
Talking of which and you, dear reader, knew I would, didn’t you? The flicks were about our only place for courting, if that is what you called it.
The seats “up the back’ near the projection box were favoured by those who wanted to have a cuddle. However the ladies who collected the tickets were DEADLY with their flashlights and the slightest misdemeanor would bring a flash from their torch which seemed like a spotlight on an escaped prisoner.
Quiz for the week – who remembers the names of some of these lovely ladies (and they were lovely). I remember Betty Rogan in the ticket office.
It is a wonder with all these restrictions on our courting that the population of Forbes increased at all, but it did. A thought, how about we bring back the Saturday Arvo Matinee?
