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Previous spread: -AURICE @0OP 0YM *OHN -EILLON THE TITULAR @PICTURE SHOW MAN This spread, L–R: .EWLY HIRED PIANIST &REDDIE *OHN %WART AND
,ARRYŢ (AROLD (OPKINS 0YM S SON AND PROJECTIONIST FATHER AND SON AT WORK &REDDIE PLAYING FOR THE WIDOWED -RSŢ$UNCAN *EANIE $RYNAN 0YM AND &REDDIE

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nostalgic and blustery ‘Pop’ Pym – the ‘picture show man’ of the &URPELH DQG 6XH 0LOOLNHQ ĺOOHG WKH UROH RI SURGXFWLRQ PDQDJ
title – helps frame an earlier historical transition from vaudeville and HU WKH ODWWHU ZRXOG JR RQ WR SURGXFH PRYLHV VXFK DV 3GD .CC MFQX
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shallow showmanship and homogenised experience that started Critical reception
to take root and then dominate in the 1920s, while Meillon’s Pym
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established actors and technicians as well as its highly regarded HDUO\ 0D\ HQMR\LQJ WKH PRVW VXFFHVV LQ 1HZ 6RXWK :DOHV
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considerable experience as a director, including on the AFI Award– UHOHDVH LQ 0HOERXUQH DW 9LOODJHpV (DVW (QG 2QH ZDV OHVV IUXLWIXO

winning TV movie !HKKX @MC /DQBX in 1974. He had also already than anticipated, and mirrored its relatively lukewarm or ‘mixed’
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aiming’. $OWKRXJK /RQJ ZDV XQGRXEWHGO\ WKH NH\ ĺJXUH IURP WKH OHFWLRQ RI GRZQ WR HDUWK UHPLQLVFHQFHV ZKLFK SUHVHQW D KLVWRULFDO
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role, but also provided the opportunity for the reunion of Meillon, LQLWLDO UHOHDVH oZHUH UHPDUNDEO\ VQLGH ERWK DERXW WKH ĺOP DQG >SDU
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by Taylor in returning to Australia and taking on a supporting role to 2ULJLQDO 0XVLF 6FRUH 3HWHU %HVW 7KH VSUHDG RI WKHVH DZDUGV VXJ
Meillon, commonly a character or ensemble player who was one of JHVWV WKH SLHFHPHDO QDWXUH RI WKH ĺOPpV VLJQDWXUH DFKLHYHPHQWV
Australia’s most highly regarded actors of the era. The production /RQJ DOVR WUDYHOOHG WR &DQQHV WR SURPRWH DQG VHOO WKH ĺOP LQ
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