George is star of cinema

THAT'S me . . . George points to his picture on the wall at the Odeon

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THE cinema experience has certainly changed a lot since George Nutter first worked in a picture house in the 1940s and Fifties.

Although George has not worked in the industry for 60 years, his name and face will be known to future generations, as an old photograph of him working as a projectionist is mounted inside the new Odeon in Oldham.

It was by chance that George's nephew, Steven Nutter, came across the photograph in the new development.

Steven went to watch a movie in screen one when he spotted the photograph in the corridor.

Surprise

He immediately phoned his cousin Ruth Hill, George's daughter, who confirmed that it was indeed a picture of her father while he worked at the Gaumont in the 1950s.

George (88), from Grasscroft, said: "This was a big surprise to me. It's flattering to see my image there. I think the transformation of the old town hall is great."

Ruth added: "I was very proud when I saw that picture. The whole family has seen it.

"My nephew Steve was obviously chuffed and excited that he had seen it."

George, Ruth, her husband Martin Hill and grandchild Billy went along to the Odeon, where manager Paul Dagg gave them a brief tour of the new cinema, giving George a flavour of the new technology.

He was shown how to put on a film in screen seven ­- which used to be the ballroom ­- bringing back many memories for George, who tried to recall how the old town hall was before the refurbishment.

These days a movie can be shown with the simple click of a button, a stark contrast to the laborious efforts of projectionists back in George's day, who had to keep the picture focused at all times and even making sure the sound was spot on, as the quality could change depending on the weather.

George started working as a trainee at Kings Picture Hall, opposite Oldham Coliseum, just after Christmas in 1942 when he was only 14. Workings days were long, starting at 10am and finishing at 9pm to begin with, and then 11pm later.

His wage started at £1 a week, increasing to £5 and then £6 and 75 shillings when he was a fully qualified projectionist.

George said: "I fancied working there and I was told they were looking for a trainee.

"On my first day I was frightened but very pleased I was going to be working there.

"The owner was a very kind older gentleman named RH Coop.

"I got on with the staff. We were one big family."

The film showing on his first day was "Sunday Lunch", which was not well known, but shortly after that "Of Mice and Men" was shown at the picture house, based on John Steinbeck's novel.

Projectionists would work every day, even on public holidays. Sunday hours were shorter, from 4.30-10.30pm.

At Kings there were four separate continuous showings of films.

"In those days we had the films delivered to us in reels," George explained. "They were big coils, just about 2,000ft long.

"Nothing could stop, it had to run continuously. As films ran off we started the adjacent machine so people didn't notice any difference.

"When running a film you couldn't leave it in the machine you had to stay on the machine all the time.

"Films were highly flammable ­- in later years they became non-flammable.

"When the film finished the last reel would come off. By that time the reel would have been rewound, ready for lunch time or the next day."

George took a brief break from the cinema when he joined the Royal Artillery as a signaller from 1946-48, serving in Gibraltar and Germany.

Even there he could not escape his day job, for he was also a projectionist on a troop ship which had a cinema on board.

When he returned he went back to Kings briefly, before working at the Gaumont, on the corner of King Street and Union Street, in 1950 until 1953.

While there, his assistant was Graham Colin, who was later chief photographer at the Chronicle.

At the Gaumont there were two main films shown each day along with short films. George's salary increased to just over £7.

All the other cinemas in the town knew him well, as they would have to share film reels between them.

But what makes the cinemas even more special for George was meeting his future wife Audrey (nee Seville) in 1951, when they were 23 and 20 respectively.

Her father managed the Kings Cinema cafe ­- she was a cashier at a bank.

George said: "She kept coming in. I used to go out for a cigarette break and she used to talk to me. I thought, she is definitely the one for me.

"She was lovely. She used to come up to see a show. She fancied me! I think that's why she came in so much every day.

"She would get on the bus to go home. I ran after her and leapt on the bus ­- like a shining knight!

"I approached a woman and she looked at me and said, 'I beg your pardon?' It wasn't her. She had got on another bus.

"When I told her she knew I was chasing her."

Thus began the start of a long courtship. The couple married at St Mark's Church, in Glodwick Road, on April 2, 1956. They went onto have three daughters ­- Janet (58), Ruth (55) and Rachel (32) ­- two grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Audrey died in 1988, aged 54, after a long battle with cancer.

After leaving the cinema George worked as a costing director at an engineering firm until retiring at 65.

These days George prefers going to the theatre but likes watching old Westerns. His favourite movies include "The Robe", "The Alamo" and "For Me and My Gal".