Bulletin
28 Maart 2014
9
Let’s go to the movies in 1952 and Maurice and Lizzie decided Then the drive-in came and the support to build their own cinema in Morgan and interest dwindled. Gordon decided to Street. They opened the new bioscope on 2 move out of the large bioscope building, September 1952. It boasted two projectors, a which was demolished, to a smaller venue sloping floor and curtains that mechanically in Boulevard Building with forty seats. opened and closed in front of the screen, With the advent of TV there was no longer a and a balcony. A slide projector was used market for a bioscope in Tzaneen, so Gordon to project the “finger marked” advertising closed it down in 1979. slides. In 1973 the Gerber’s refurbished the little bioscope, adding new plush comfortable seats, velvet curtains to improve the sound Journalists: Roelien Vorster & Louis Roux and large cut-outs of the continents of Advertising: Jacques Smuts (Concept) & Thinus the world were attached to the side walls. van Deventer Concealed lights shone through the little Design: Tamryn Branch, Yvonne Ndlovu, holes that marked the capitals and the Winfred Baloyi & David Morrison borders. The Gerber’s also brought some Prof Louis Changuion cats to the bioscope to deal with the rat Author of Tzaneen 75 (1919-1994) problem. Lizzie and Maurice Gerber, owners of the cinema in Morgan Street for many years. Ms Shirley Potgieter Maurice Gerber died in 1976. Lizzie felt Some of the old photographs The first black and white silent movies in angle so that the black staff could sit and she could no longer continue so she sold Ms Beth Keller the bioscope to Mr Gordon and Ms Jean Tzaneen were shown by Mr Jan Haar. His watch the show. Copies of the Impala newspaper equipment was loaded on the back of his The old Tzaneen Hotel was demolished Torrance, who owned the local bottle store. Model T truck. It consisted of a portable projector with a Homelite petrol engine. He gave shows at the side of Tzaneen Hotel. A canvas was used for a screen. The first show was “Die Voortrekker”, that brought sobs from the audiences. He also screened other well-known films i.e. “Tom Mix Story” and “Dicken’s Tale of two Cities”. In 1935, Mr George Morgan decided to install a singe 35 mm sound projector in the hall next to the hotel. Messrs Maurice In the heart of the North Eastern Lowveld you will find the and Les Gerber, with Mr Ted King, ran the Earth Spa at Tzaneen Country Lodge. shows while Ms Lizzie, Maurice’s wife, The picturous setting amidst mango orchards and manned the ticket booth. Landscaped gardens satisfies all the senses, allowing The rat infested hall was not very water guests to soak up beautiful scenes of nature whilst tight and when it rained, and it rained a lot pampering body and soul. in those days, patrons used their umbrellas. As it was only a single projector and each reel had to be rewound, the patrons would traipse out of the hall and congregate on the Hotel verandah next to the bar. When the bell rang, they would all file back for the next reel. When the film broke or the wrong reel was put on, the lights were switched on and you just had to wait. Once when the film Jean d’Arc (Joan of Arc) starring Ingrid Bergmann was shown, Mangela Animal Farm provides a superb entertaining only two of the tree reels arrived — so the environment for children to touch, feed and interact with guests had to go back the next week to see animals. The playground covers an all weather play area the end of the film. One farmer hurled his with a jungle gym, swings and tree houses. boot at the screen in disgust. Seating was very primitive at first; you had to bring you Animal farm • Playground • Jumping castle • Pony rides own chair or sit on planks strung between Little cars • Birthday parties • Tea garden, curio shop & boxes. Second-hand bioscope seats were fresh produce acquired at a later stage. They were not very comfortable but it was an improvement. The west side door was kept open and an old garden bench was placed at the right
WEDDINGS • CONFERENCES • EVENTS • FINE DINING • EARTH SPA • FISHING • SUNDAY BUFFET • ACCOMMODATION • ANIMAL FARM • PLAYGROUND • TEA GARDEN
Acknowledgements
The advert Gerber’s Cinema placed in the Impala Newspaper.
Listed amongst the best hotels in South Africa, the privately owned Tzaneen Country Lodge extends a warm welcome to local and international guests and invites them to experience real African warmth, personal service and sophistication at Tzaneen Country Lodge.
Convention Centre with Various Venues Accommodating 20 - 500 people • Modern Equipment • Full Catering Services • Restaurant, Lounge and Ladies Bar • Amphitheatre with Stage overlooking a Dam • Romantic Chapel • Gazebo Friendly & Efficient banqueting team
hotel | conference | spa Tel: +27 (0) 15 304 3290 • Fax: +27 (0) 865 454 498 • Cell: +27 (0) 72 238 8518 • reservations@tznlodge.co.za • www.tznlodge.co.za