Smallest Show on Earth for real (Mike Williams)
Is part of Mike Williams Interview (incomplete)
Mike Williams interviewed by Richard Wallace
Projectionist Mike Williams describes a Welsh cinema with unconventional entry policies, comparing it so scenes from the comedy film The Smallest Show on Earth.
They had a manager in Merthyr Tydfil who was a nice guy. But rumours had reached head office in Golden Square in London that this man was not what he was supposed to be. He was in fact running the cinema for his own use. He was giving out free tickets everywhere. You could, I mean you’ve seen it in The Smallest Show on Earth but at the Castle Cinema in Merthyr Tydfil you could literally buy a ticket with a pound of butter or a chicken, literally. The man lived off the cinema. He had a unique system where if the district manager was seen getting off the train the station manager used to ring the. And it would take approximately 20 minutes to walk from the cinema to … or from the station to the cinema. For this the station manager used to get two complementaries a week.
Title
Smallest Show on Earth for real (Mike Williams)
Subject
unconventional cinema management
Description
Projectionist Mike Williams describes a Welsh cinema with unconventional entry policies, comparing it so scenes from the comedy film The Smallest Show on Earth.
Creator
The Projection Project
Source
Interview with Mike Williams
Publisher
The University of Warwick
Date
04/12/2015
Contributor
Richard Wallace
Mike Williams
Relation
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/10210
Format
.mp3
Language
English
Type
Sound recording
interview extract
Coverage
1956-1964
Interviewer
Richard Wallace
Interviewee
Mike Williams
Date of Interview
25/08/2015
Location
Cardiff
Transcription
They had a manager in Merthyr Tydfil who was a nice guy. But rumours had reached head office in Golden Square in London that this man was not what he was supposed to be. He was in fact running the cinema for his own use. He was giving out free tickets everywhere. You could, I mean you’ve seen it in The Smallest Show on Earth but at the Castle Cinema in Merthyr Tydfil you could literally buy a ticket with a pound of butter or a chicken, literally. The man lived off the cinema. He had a unique system where if the district manager was seen getting off the train the station manager used to ring the. And it would take approximately 20 minutes to walk from the cinema to … or from the station to the cinema. For this the station manager used to get two complementaries a week.
Original Format
One-to-one interview
Duration
00:00:45
Bit Rate/Frequency
320kbps
Cinema
Castle Cinema, High Street, Merthyr Tydfil