“Dear Mr Wilson, This will confirm our conversation of
recent date, regarding the use of motion picture projection
proceeds with the Western Electric sound projector
equipment.” The letter went on to say…“It appears that no
insurmountable obstacles will be encountered in adapting the
C&W machine to our new equipment, and you may be assured
of our co-operation on our part, to assist you in your efforts to
make the use of the machine possible. In this connection: we
have cabled New York requesting an immediate advance
shipment of one complete working model of the modified unit
in order that you may start your investigations in time to meet
the first shipment of our modified and commercial product.”
April 30 1930
Everyones
in an
editorial and picture about
Raycophone sound heads
announced that they are being
used in the Censor’s office
theatrette. The disappointing
part in the picture caption and
story is that, they didn’t say that
30,000 feet of films were being
shown were using C&W
projectors, with Raycophone
sound-on-disc and heads
attached to them.
In June 1930 Western Electric installers of sound equipments
announced that they had now finished wiring and installing
315 theatres in Australia and New Zealand. 350 out of 1250
theatres in Australia now had talkie sound. 19 of which had
Raycophone and 9 had Markophone. This situation was about
to
change, perhaps due to the fact that America was producing
420 talkie features for next season, 150 would be in colour.
The endorsement from E Johnson
chief projectionist from the
Wintergarden Theatre Rose Bay
dated July 24 1930 saying that he is
still happy with his C&W’s. The
endorsement is worth noting in full,
not only for his endorsement, but also
for its historic interest.
Dear Sir, hearing that Australasian films Ltd, have taken over
the agency for the C&W projectors, I have many reasons for
congratulating the party responsible. I have been in direct
touch with the C&W projectors since they first came on the
market, and I screened The Ten Commandments for
Paramount's convention screening at Hotel Australia in
August 1924, on the C&W projectors number 2 and 3. It was
then I realised that the C&W projector would win its name as
the world's most famous projector.
On April 9 1930 Harringtons Ltd. acquired control of
Raycophone. They announced that 17 theatre installations had
now been made. They also announced a new model which
would cost £1000 and it would be only equipped with Sound-
on-film head the Vitaphone disc playback unit would be
dropped.
In
Everyones
April
30 1930 edition
featured a page 5
picture of Harold
Wilson announcing
him as the brilliant
Australian
cinemachinery
engineer
“Harold Wilson The brilliant Australian cinemachinery
engineer, who represented Cummings & Wilson in the
negotiations through which Australasian Films Ltd assumed
the selling of the C&W Australian-made projector machine”.
On page 16 the
announcement that
Australasian Films
would now takes over
C&W projector sales
and distribution
The editorial went on to say.
This followed the decision of
Union Theatres head Stuart Doyle that they should market
and distribute an Australian made product
I have found that the C&W projectors have many outstanding
features; vis: bearings being of ball races, which add to its
wonderful smooth running; the movement that can be seen
operating in oil at all times; its long gate with fell runners that
requires no attention and allows a perfectly steady, pictured
to be projected; not forgetting the mechanism that is totally
enclosed from dust and eliminate risk of fire when the doors of
the projector kept closed.
Regarding costs, I have found that the cost of upkeep of the
C&W is practically nil, for the quality of the sprockets, film
track, and that wearing parts, have a phenomenal life.
Now that we are faced with the sound pictures problem, it is
essential to have a silent and trouble-free projector. Again,
the C&W gives service, for they are silent when new and just
as silent when old and trouble-free at all times.
My experience as a projectionist, coupled with my long
experience on C&W has enabled me to place the utmost
confidence in this projector and I can assure you my
confidence has not been misplaced. I am always happy when
I am between my C&W’s at the Wintergardens Theatre.
Yours faithfully, E Johnson Chief Projectionist.
The announcement of the distributorship May 7 1930 issue of Everyones
Can we assume that C&W machines showed the first public
sound demonstration on June 10 1929 at the Wintergarden
Theatre Rose Bay on the new Raycophone sound heads?
Of course we can.
Page 17
