pizza showtime
A roaring tornado of sound. Music, animatronics, children screaming, video games blaring, pizzas being served. The (sadly) few times I looked in on Pizza Showtime, it was the loudest thing I would hear until Motorhead played at The Nookenburrah Hotel a few of years later.
This worst was a real pleasure to put together. A least a couple of times a week there is a search engine referral from someone looking for information on Pizza Showtime. I often get emails along the lines of “Did I dream this shit, or was there a robot kangaroo playing piano…” No you did not dream it. Yes it is definitely a worst, but it also has a powerful sense of nostalgia for many people, despite being relatively short lived. Unfortunately I hadn’t been able to find pictures of it before now.
Paul Gregory, the “father” of Pizza Showtime very kindly scanned some of his personal stash of memorabilia for me and you. Paul wanted to stress that is was very much Australian, with even Jack Thompson recording some of the voices. I love the hottie’s costume below.
pizza showtime girl
Paul Says,
Hi Andrew
You will be making an old man very happy if you posted some of my work for the archives of Perth. I would be very proud. Of course I will send you copies of the original drawings and photographs of the characters in the workshop and proof, once and for all, that Pizza Showtime was a Western Australian creation and at the time the characters had more movements than any Disney character. I have got artwork of the inside, you may find that some people will recognize themselves as this is a ‘live’ photograph. T
The characters names were:
The Koala Sisters – Lottie being the lead singer
Bert Newhound – the compere
Melton Pom – at the piano with Joey
Ringo Dingo – on the wall (voice Jack Thompson) Ringo was also ‘in love’ with Lottie
Ned kelly – the horse – on the wall
The only foreigner among the team was the black bear and he came from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USA. (He played ‘the devil came down from Georgia). I would point out that he was a copy of the bear used in Tennessee but was made by the Marquis Bros in Connecticut.
Some of the character names were changed from my original drawings such as ‘Hot Dog’ turned out to be Ringo Dingo.
The overall cost of the characters was in excess of $100,000 (a lot of money in those days).
I also have press cuttings of a fashion parade at the theatre for young children’s clothes organized with David Jones.
What happened to Pizza Showtime? – The last I heard was that Leisure & Allied Industries sold it to a company in Sydney and the characters were dismantled and sent to Sydney. So you see, it wasn’t a dream, It did exist.
What happened to me? – Would you believe I moved on to Lauri Potter health Clubs to design a new healthy food type restaurant called ‘Cravings’. Now, there’s another story for the Worst of Perth!!!!
Regards
Paul
pizza showtime
Thanks Paul. There are far too many photos for me to use, but I hope you make sure that all the material gets to its rightful place in Perth archives one day. I’m putting this straight into not worst.
About AHC McDonald
Comedian, artist, photographer and critic.
From 2007 to 2017 ran the culture and satire site The Worst of Perth
The Worst of Perth 
Awesome.
Simply…. awesome.
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My daughter remembers it well, she’s 42 now! Was great for children.. bit hard on parents, as it was so noisy, but sad to see it go nonetheless x♥
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You could zip up the files and put them on a free web storage site for interest folks to download (I used to use YouSentIt).
I can see why people thought it was related to either Chuck-E-Cheese or Disney. The influences are profound.
I remember it as being quite a dark and cavernous room, but was a long time ago, and I was probably contrasting it with the ‘breezy’ McDonalds or the faux-Italian of Pizza Hut, which makes sense.
I to remember the table-style video games, but not eating off them.
I wonder if this kind of place would work now in Dullsville?
Probably not with those jumpsuits.
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I think that game in foreground is Rally X. I had a defender game in this style. Called cocktail tables I think.
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Says 1980. I had thought it was earlier.
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The style of writing the prices on the merchandise table is interesting, almost a hangover from pre-1967.
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Paul Gregory you LEGEND. Thank you so much.
Please let’s hear the laurie potter stories soon.
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The merch seems kinda expensive.
15c for a balloon in 1980? No wonder it’s no longer with us.
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It was the post-Oil Shock era.
Folks just couldn’t go around handing out petroleum-derived products willy-nilly….
I assume.
But that was an era when the Polaboy was 20c and the TwinPole was 15c.
I do wonder how many Keith <3 Lottie t-shirts the sold.
Marketingwise, at least today, the characters would need legs away from the theatre – a cartoon in the paper, a TV series…something.
I can certainly see a million tiny reasons why this place wouldn’t work now, but I suppose the ’80s were a different era when taking your kids into town was a much bigger thing than today…. and video arcades were popular.
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I remembered it as darker and more cavernous, too. But I guess I was only 3’2″ and afraid of the dark when I went there.
Magnificent stuff, Paul. Definitely Not Worst.
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Thanks to everyone for your interest in Pizza Showtime. I hope now a few of you can sleep at night knowing that all this really did happen. It wasn’t a dream. Thanks again.
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Thanks Mr PSt, its people like you that make this world a better place to be in. Sadly I didnt make it to PST, despite being the target demographic in 1980. I assure you I will be having some harsh words with my parents when I see them next about this. However Mr Shazza reports having spent many glorious hours there.
Like Poor Lisa, I eagerly await some Laurie Potter goss.
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I Did think I dreamed of this place, for years I been asking friends and accosting strangers always with the same responce No never heard of it….Finally my tireless quest to find the truth has been answered, those animatronics will be in my mind forever and Im eternally grateful to Lost Perth on FB for helping me to solve this 35 year mystery……Monica
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You could have come here years ago and solved your mystery. Complete with comments from the creator himself.
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It was only because of a picture I seen on lost perth and a link that brought me here, that I was able to get here…why would I look up ” the worst of perth” Its a pretty good place really compared to some other places…and at least I now know im Not insane….
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You didn’t have to look up the worst of perth (and here I seem to be diagnosing your search problem) you simply needed to google pizza show time, where the post has been number 1,2 and often number 3,4&5 in search results. So your wondering if you had been dreaming about pizza show time could have been satisfied in about 5 seconds with a simple search for pizza show time, anytime in the last several years.
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I would love to get in touch with Paul Gregory who developed and Launched Pizza Showtime. I was the CEO of the Company behind it and I haven’t heard or seen of Paul in more than 25 years
Malcolm Steinberg
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Hi Malcom
what a pleasant surprise to see you on
Worst of Perth!
I now live in the United States but never forget the fun we had building Pizza Showtime. Not even Laurie Potter’s shenanigans came near it.
I would love a half an hour to sit and talk over
old times. I have followed Leisure and Allied Ind progress for years – aways remembering I was part
of the early team.
Hope you are well and maybe one day we will
meet up again.
Regards Paul
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Hi Paul,
I’m in the process of producing a book called Lost Perth – Vol.2, which showcases old photos of Perth that have been sent in from the public on the Facebook group, Lost Perth, which has over 90,000 followers online. Our last book sold over 10,000 copies.
We’d love to put a couple of your photos in this years book, as I think the pics are something the people of Perth would really enjoy reminiscing over.
If you’re happy for them to be in the book, with a credit to yourself of course, can you email me at share@lostperth.com.au
Cheers
Shelley
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hello mr Steigberg..
my name is john mariotti and i was a asst. manager there from the beginning and worked with gerry, mike, june and when the late peter hill was the 1st manager and later mr jim watson joined us. i’m in contact with many old staff and we are looking at organising a re-union for all at kings park. i have been in contact with paul via email last year but have not heard from him since.we hope to have the re-union soon and hope you could come along too n say hi…please keep in touch and we’ll let you know whats happening…ciao 4 now
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I would have to be at the reunion in spirit only (I remember you John!) as I live and work on the other side of Australia :)
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Hi John,
My name is Kym and i was Peter Hills step daughter. I was just explaining Pizza Showtime to a work colleague of mine and thought i would google it.This is what came up and as i was reading through the comments i came across yours. Please ifd it hasnt happened yet could you please keep me informed of a reunion.Thanks Kym
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hello Kym,
its so nice to hear from you, yea I did the same thing and googled PST and found this site too. I have been in touch with Paul Gregory and also in touch with some other past employee’s from PST on Facebook and I’m also engaged to a former employee named Julie Winning.
We all remember Peter well (RIP) setting up PST with Paul and even having a Christmas party at your home too.
We haven’t had a reunion yet but must have one soon. Julie and I would love to catch with you sometime for a chat. we are on Facebook.
hope to catch up soon…
ciao
JOHN
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You should definitely do it. This thread’s been running since at least 2009.
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The nearest bar to the spot, I think is probably the pizza bar, Alfred’s Pizzeria.
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G’day John
It is exciting and gratifying to see that so may people are still interested in PST. After reading your comments regarding a re-union I shall be in Perth January 2017 if there is any chance if it would fit in with you guys for a possible re-union at that time. It would be great to meet you all again after all these years. As I live in the USA I will try and contact John Franke (the designer of the Kontike birds (Disney) and also the entrance to PST) to see if there is any possibility he could make it. Please keep me posted – I read all comments on the Worst of Perth (even the bad ones!!)
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They’re almost all overwhelmingly good.
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Here would be a great spot Paul. Seconds away from original location and serves pizza ! http://www.alfredspizzeria.com.au/menu/
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G’day Mate
It’s so good to hear from you. Yes we will try an organise a re-union in Jan 2017 this will give enough time for people to prepare for. Julie and I were thinking of having it somewhere around Kings Park so its central for all and we also can bring our families and will put it out on Facebook an open invite for ANYONE who was involved with PST, from contractors to the many staff that worked at PST and . I remember John and his wife very well, they came from California.
May I ask when you will be in Perth in Jan as we can put a couple dates out for people to choose a good day for all.
this is my personal email gonzomariotti@gmail.com would be nice to keep in contact and maybe we might even have a chance to chat on the phone.
Give my best to Tanya and hopefully she may come too to the re-union.
Ciao 4 now
JohnM
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My siblings and I LOVED Pizza Showtime
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I’m so glad to have found this post. I just asked my husband if he ever went to a place like this (we were both born 1971) because I was wondering if I’d dreamt it! 🤣
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This is absolute gold – that kid in the grey Le ‘Cock’ Sportif trackie top could well have been me, but maybe I was a bit older by then and already into the paisley?
Drugs or Pizza Showtime? Same deal really…
Paul, can you tell us the year those pics were taken?
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I like the mustard jacket with the shoulder stripes. Also, Do I see long uggies? They are well and truly back.
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Yay! I *knew* this wasn’t some kind of acid flashback… so hard to explain to people who never saw it.
Well revived!
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Can someone help my failing memory – was Pizza Showtime in the place that is now Ambar?
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In Murray Street Mall Barrack Street end. These are from 1980.
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What’s there now? I assume either a discount book store or souvenir shop?
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I think it’s sort of corner of Myers, under Crazy Bastard’s (or something). Under DIMIA (Immigration) too I suppose.
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Exactly right, LA. I remember it well, having been dragged in there as an adult by a child of my then partner. It was a former movie theatre (The Grand, perhaps?) next to the old Boans and later became the “Sun Markets”, accessed off the laneway.
I was actually quite profoundly disgusted by the whole thing, having just begun a career in participatory childrens theatre with the now-defunct CATS (Childrens Activites Times Society -not the Andrew Llloyd-Webber show), but the four year-old with me was wide-eyed with wonder.
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Onya, Paul.
As Gough meant to say, “All of us as Western Australians are diminished while Pizza Showtime is denied its rightful place in this nation.”
In retrospect, I wish I’d attended at least once, if only to pursue the merch hottie’s demonstrated … ahem … skills.
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You want to grab those furry ears don’t you?
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I most certainly do, TLA. With those utilitarian enhancements, and her obvious talents, she’d leave those all day suckers behind her eating dust.
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Hey – be nice – i used to go out with that girl! Actually, she was american!
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Birdboot! Really?
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Would I lie to you? Her name’s Linda. I won’t burden you with our entire relationship history, but yep – we had one. In fact, we had a couple, if I remember. But I never went to PSR – a fact I regret now – but at the time the concept of actually going in there was just unsupportable.
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Just discovered (via another TWOP thread) that snuff is a hollywood alumnus. So was Linda (as am I).
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I can gladly state that I never went to PST. I did however go to Spaceys Roller Rink in Morley with the Greeter talking Robot, forerunner to Bunnings greeter talking robot. Now a health club where the gym members drive to get fit.
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You have just reminded me, I the Hay Street Mall, out the front of somewhere that I’m sure was not a Timezone, there used to be one of those mechanised Turkish-style fortune tellers…. I think there is one at the start of the Tom Hanks movie “Big”.
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Orbea, do you mean ‘Speedys” roller rink – I still have my t-shirt.
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Speedy’s yep that was it.
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I remember eating here once, when I was about four or five years old . . . still in pre-school.
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Add a cocktail bar and it could be made to work today.
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I would go. Much more interesting than the multitudinous small bars springing up in the back lanes of Perth.
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These small bars are there specifically for the small minds who confuse style with substance – and get neither right.
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Who remembers the TV ad for this.
Went something like (and this is the abridged version):
(kiddies chorus) Per … per, per, per, Pizza Showtime
(bogus cartoon falsetto) It’s a blast
(chorus) Per…per, per, per Pizza Showtime
(falsetto) Come in fast.
Its Fer, fer, fer fun for the whole family.
And to think The Godfather had its extended run at the The Grand when it was released back in the early 1970s. Also, the Grand was the only theatre that showed sensurround films – Earthquake, The Battle of Midway, Battlestar Gallactica and Rollercoaster – until the 1980s, when what became the Lumiere (the Entertainment Centre incarnation) re-ran Earthquake with this wonderful effect.
I think the whole Pizza Showtime thing was shut down by the end of 1982 when it was converted into a food hall.
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Nope, it was in operation in the second half of 1983 at least… Probably before the release of Return of the Jedi.
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I experienced sensurround at a screening of Earthquake in the Piccadilly Theatre, My Ning. Must have been about ’75.
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Yep, Earthquake was in 75, was the big thing, along with Quadraphonic Sound Systems and the new fangled Colour TV where the big selling point was you could see the ABBA special in living Colour.
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Vivid memories of Earthquake, Frank. There were two girls sitting in the row in front of me and when the theatre first trembled they screamed and my mate and I… no, I won’t go any further. Would only confirm my reputation on this site.
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I remember when it became a food hall after that. In fact, it was the first food hall I had ever seen and it just blew my tiny little mind, having discovered the joys of Chinese cooking only a couple of years earlier.
I have a clear memory of being with friends walking down one of the arcades, seeing busy Murray Street [not a mall at that stage] at the exit. Destination: food hall.
I’m also pretty sure they left the robots there for quite a while after it had closed. ie. The food hall was operational but the robots were still to be found up on stage behind some musty curtains[???]
“See all that stuff in there, Homer? That’s why your robot never worked.”
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I seem to remember the food hall was called Sun something.
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Sun Markets?
What was the “Sun Trolley”? A vegetarian restaurant, maybe?
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Damn you, my ning! [can’t believe it took me over 30 minutes to type that post – what with WORK getting in the way and awl.]
My first thought was that the “spacies” game being played is Dig Dug.
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Apparently the stalls area became Perth’s first Dim Sum restaurant.
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Um, was the pizza any good?
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I don’t think the pizza connoisseurs really cared, what with a kangaroo playing piano, free space invaders and a bear violinist…..oh and those give-away koala ear hats….
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Give away? Looks like they’re 25cents. On special.
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Note also the “Ringo HEART Lottie” stickers. Paul Gregory’s story checks out.
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Yes, of course. How silly of me. I should also add that I find animatronics more than just a bit creepy. The merchandising was quite a hoot though and I do remember the bumper stickers being quite popular.
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This is Perth, where Today Tonight viewers voted Hungry Spot pizza The Best In Perth.
So probably not. It’s not wood-fired, and Pizza Hut would have been The Thing. A swish night out….
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Perth had no good pizzas until many years later.
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Actually I thought Pizza Hut set the benchmark for a good pizza. I enjoyed them years before PST along with their sit down atmosphere.
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Melton Porn? WTF?
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I think you’ll find it’s PoM
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All my porn melted once.
I left it on the heater.
It’s damn hard to replace Betamax tapes.
:)
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Well you could’ve got your Betamax tapes from Lionel Yorke’s Wonderful World of Video :-)
And in the 70’s and 80’s the eating spots of choice for Italo-Australians was either Mamma Marias, Uncle Domenics, La Tenda and Romanos and the Lazy Aussie’s favourite video location La Villa Reception Centre complete with Gaudy Italian Cabaret Bands like Rivali, the Cosomo 5, Tony’s Reggina Orchestra (which featured my uncle on sax and another cousin on Trumpet etc
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Yorkie had a video shoppe?
Mamma Marias, Uncle Domenics, La Tenda and Romanos?
At least two of those places are still going.
Sad?
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I think La tenda burnt down several times. Thank god for the tunnel which erased that hellhole Uncle Domenics. Now where were Mamma Mias and Romanos?
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Mamma Marias is still there in Lake St, but Romanos closed in the late 80’s. Lieta Accqulaoro (sp) is Steve (Uncle Domenic’s) Pietricappla’s Sister, while another brother runs Vino Vino while a 3rd Brother once ran The Church Restuarant in Mt Lawley.
Listing for Mamma Maria’s:
http://www.australianexplorer.com/restaurants/15650/profile.htm
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Where was Romanos? Yeah Church restaurant and Uncle Domenics. An axis of crap. Couldn’t the tunnel have diverted to Walcott to take that place out too. Eating in a Church. There’d always be the risk Jesus would come out and start fucking with the water or fishes.
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According to an old 6PR Aircheck from 1971, Romanos was in Stirling St Perth, where you could see at the Time Hazel Phillips for $4 Monday to Thursdays, and $5 Friday & Saturdays – with no cover charge or Corkarge :-)
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For my many, many sins I went to Romanos in 1985 or so to see an Elvis impersonator. He won a MO award or a Tony or something.
I always thought it was on William Street, somewhere near Romany’s old location….. or it was the old Mama Maria’s. One… or the other.
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Ahh GRR. See later comment. Maybe we went there on the same night.
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Yes, yes yes. I remember. Didn’t ever go there, but no, wait, did I not see Eddie Youngblood Elvis impersonator there? Was supposed to be all you could drink, but the jugs were the size of thimbles, and you couldn’t get the cunts to bring out a fresh one until the whole table was carking from thirst.
All the rest of those dives I did many wedding videos in. My eyes, my beautiful eyes!
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The Church is still there, open….. It’s called Piccaso’s now.
The plastic horse is gone, but I daresay if you ever wanted to have TWOP drunkies, they would be willing…. or desperate.
Probably the latter.
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Some Pietracatella family members run a restaurant (also Picasso’s) and a lunchbar in Osborne Park.
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Actually, Lieta ifrom Romano iss Harry Ferrante’s Sister and not Steve Pietracatella’s.
La Tenda’s owner was Vince Todaro and was involved in some xxxx xxxxx xxx xxxxx, hence the building burning down all the time.
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Frank, you know the BEST goss.
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Heck, Frank, that reminds me of similar events in Messina a few years back.
And a couple in Siracusa revolving around the refusal of [i]pizzo[/i] payments.
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I know you are deleting to err on the side of caution, but those allegations were of comon knowledge at the times and had made the papers.
The only reference to La Tenda is here.
http://www.showworld.com.au/stars_files/florian_zabach.html
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Fuck you lot are noisy! I foolishly subscribed to this post and of course you lazy bastards can’t shut the fuck up for two seconds and let me concentrate on my work…
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If there’s one thing TWOPers like more than sledging, it’s reminicin’.
Oh, how I wish I knew enough Air Supply songs to haiku that.
(Or was it LRB? Only the elderly TWOPers know…)
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LRB. And I’m not even elderly. I just have atrocious taste.
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So I have to add that to the perfect post. The perfect recipe would have
patti Chong
The West
Boozies
and some kind of historic brothel now long gone
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Maybe a Smith sculpture of an alsatian and a dolphin. With boozies.
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This afternoon I heard (whilst listening to Bob Mulmill on 6PR for my sins) complaints about the softcock NEW WEST…. how it was better under The Jeweller.
While it was an uneducated 6PR mid-afternoon listener, I now wonder if it’s time for the Page 3 Perthonality?
It’s a TWOP perfect storm.’
Better if they go all Girls Gone Wild and get into the School Ball photos….
I’ll shush now.
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Are you insinuating that the Page 3 photos comprise of Yr 11 & 12 girls ? :-) That’ll really get Sattler going :-)
speaking of his Sookiness, there is a new Constable Care TV ad on 7 featuring him and he’s aged so teribly he could be mistaken for the type of person CC is designed to warn the kiddies about :-)
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Oh Yes! Please!
I spent a few happy hours perving at the Aussies on Scarborough beach last week and a lot of those delightful hotties were still at school.
It must be noted that I was heavily outnumbered by middle-aged Mums Ooo-ing and Aaa-ing over the tight backsides and well formed ‘six-packs’ of the male contestants of much the same age.
Good to be alive some days.
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Heard a Busker doing Air Supply on streets of Beijing. Air Supply all the rage Chinaside. (Also Lionel Ritchie).
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Pictured, Patti Chong in the historic West Australian buildings launching a sculpture exhibition Dogs, Cracks & Boozies by errr Lionel Yorke. Catering By Uncle Domenics. Music provided by Tod johnson and the new Air Supply.
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With a review written by Juanita Walsh in the revived Sunday Independent which is now owned and edited by Howard Sattler who financed it using the proceeds from both the sale of his Dalkieth Mansion and a massive payout from his successful lawsuit of the new owners of 6PR now owned by a consortium including myself, Steve Gordon, Dave Ellery. D.J Snuff and The Lazy Aussie who sacked the entire on air staff, bar Steve Gordon and Rob Fletcher, and have installed a format of True Oldies which are not the usual 500 or so tired hits and are all played off either CD or Vinyl.
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If I were a GIMP expert, I would photoshop that up this evening.
Sadly…. I am not.
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My uncle was cartoonist for Sunday Independent. I was in the kids club. had a badge.
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I worked three weekends as a journo for the Sunday Independent, illegally monitoring the police radio for stories. One weekend a bunch of aboriginal prisoners from Canning Vale absconded from a prison cricket match, took off across the Maida Vale golf course and were pursued by two police officers on motorcycles. The heading next day was (I kid you not!) “Boys in blue chase blacks in white across greens”. What a classy publication that was!
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Contrary to popular mythology, usually perputrated by the Police, it was NEVER illegal to monitor their communications, the only crime is acting upon the information heard.
But alas those days are gone (except for the country) as the Metro area is now digital encrypted and the meeja now have a filtered and sanitised version of the Computer Dispatch system – but clever journos now get their leads from the firies, the ambos and the railway transits if they’re really smart :-)
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So, my only crime was telling the sub-editors about the officers’ radio message then? Phew!
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Yep, but it was rarely acted upon, hheck even thr cops would actually ask on air for any towies to attend a scene of a breakdown or prang which didn’t require a police authorised tow, which would then go to the company which has the police contract which I think is Autocare.
Apparently the poor towies are now paying people spotters fees for people to report any prangs.
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I can confirm that, Frank, having once been paid $60 cash for phoning in a 4-car pile-up on Hutton St.
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You can perpetrate something or you can perpetuate something, but you can’t…
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We’ve already reached consensus that Frank’s typos in fact add to the value and impact of his contributions.
I for one regret never buying shares in the Bonf Corporation.
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I never yield to consensus.
Well, OK.
But surely if he typo’ed an extra apostrophe there’d be ‘ell to pay.
‘
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Agreed, Bento.
I was disappointed, Frankly, that he didn’t refer to Charlie Farters.
It’s not as if the relevant keys are miles apart.
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DJ Snuff, The Lazy Aussie Dave Ellery (!) and Frank? Would be a wild few months on air, but a volatile mix like that could never last.
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And we could entice Jim Beam back, plus we’d get Mike Gammon off sales and on air, even get Yorkie do pull a shift – oh and none of this voicetracking crap either – live and local 24/7 – and NO sport whatsoever.
And no, I wouldn’t go on air – I’d be in charge of library and do music programming – all original recordings either – no el cheapo re-recordings CD’s will make it into the library, and I’d spare no expense in getting mint condition original 45 mixes of songs as well.
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Dave Ellery and I could definitely mould Yorkie into a 21st Century man. With spanners. On air weddings. The burnt carcass of a savagely tortured Garry Shannon as a building entry statement. (Might have to be varnished to put off the crows). Frank, sometimes you’re too big picture. there must be some place for animatronics? Or would that be Yorkie?
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The Animatronics would go on the road giving away free stuff and run the sales dept- who needs humans to sell ad space :-)
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And you could have ONE record to play.
Just one.
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Do you mean THIS record ?
Which was Gary Meadow’s theme tune
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I’m so glad someone made the connection.
So glad.
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Frank always delivers, Grrr, for TWOPost.
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Oh and we would play all the 6PR Jingles as well (Steve’s Got them all and I hacve a selection thanks to him) and we’d get Production whiz Lou Magro back to produce all the new stuff.
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Thank the goddes of mercy for the ABC’s Classic FM ;)
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Do you mean Lino Magro?
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whoops, mea culpa – of course it is Lino :-)
And here he is in 1968.
http://innopac.slwa.wa.gov.au/search~S1?/d6PR+(Radio+station+%3A+Perth%2C+W.A.)+–+Photographs./d+++++++6pr+radio+station+perth+w+a+photographs/-3%2C-1%2C0%2CB/frameset&FF=d+++++++6pr+radio+station+perth+w+a+photographs&15%2C%2C33
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Frank I think youv’e been remiss in not considering Baby John Burgess as another ring in. We could probably still find that awful lime green porsche he used to get around town in and flog that as an on-air prize??
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Actually the Green Porche belonged to Gary Shannon and was later stolen and was involved in a high speed crash by the “Porche Kid” who crashed it at the cnr of Guildford Rd/Whatley Crescent in Maylands.
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My sources are telling me that Baby John owned 2 porsches, one orange/red and one green. And Shannon had one that was stolen as you report.
The source also suggests Billy Cokebottle may warrant a guest appearance – talk about worst!
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King Billy Cokebottle, aka Louis Beer still performs as him and appears in Blackface and is popular in Qld – nuff said.
An “example”of Mr Beer’s routine.
I blame Martin & Watts – good Liberal Party members – (Wattsie once stood for the libs in Maylands – and lost. I’m sure Kim Hames would welcome a King Billy Cokebottle revival :-)
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And Yorkie’s receptionist was known as “Robyn Cokebottle” and was supposedly King Billy’s daughter – she was in fact Robyn Cousens, who I think was Brian Cousens sister who of course would make her Ben’s Aunty.
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Well if Cokebottle is indisposed how about ‘The Whale’?
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I note this bit about Mr Cokebottle’s popularity. Police in WA 7 the NT – what a surprise – NOT !!!! Considering police attidudes towards our indiginbeous bretheren.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/07/09/1026185044085.html
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And here is another essay on Mr Cokebottle and on 6PR in general :-)
http://wwwmcc.murdoch.edu.au/ReadingRoom/CRCC/gambling/gagging.html
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Frank. There was once a South African conman jailed in Perth. He met lots of Noongars inside. His Probation and Parole officer placed him with a wellknown menswear store, where he met a radio identity who liked his racial humour. Cops may love him now, but don’t understand the joke’s on them. While inside he’d figured out how to con the people who locked him up by playing to their prejudices. Now there’s an Australian Story.
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Good riddance.
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I’m Fucking Outraged at this blatant theft of a catchphrase.
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The exhibition should in fact be “Dog’s, Crack’s & Boozie’s”.
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Ahh, you are the master’s.
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And speaking of Cracks, here is the oft discussed Trevor Hancock :-)
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I can remember Trevor Hancock “you’re a softie”, but I’m not sure what he sold.
Cars?
Maybe I was a Hans Merks man….
I can’t help but wonder where all the flamboyant car dealers have gone.
These days other that the City Suburu ad, John Hughes trying to tell us to choose our dealer before we chose our car there’s no one.
No Big Rock. No Dennis, Mac & Earnie….
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Big rock still extant. Have meant to get down there and get a photo, cause the rock is not and never has been that fucken big.
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Hi I’m Nick, the Devilish Dealer from Phoenix Holden, Wanneroo.
They ran me out of town.
[Cue to goofy sped-up scene where men on horseback are chasing Nick out of town. Thinly disguised parodies of other dealers such as a Red Indian chief, and a fella in a suit tapping his nose etc…]
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Naughty Don Rogers was a laugh. He’s no longer with us by the way. RIP Naughty.
Harry “Who?” Dutton wasn’t quite a part of the 80s rat pack scene, was he? I was standing next to him once at a magazine rack in a newsagency. I was considering taunting him with the Who magazine right in front of me. I wonder what his reaction would have been? “You idiot” is my guess.
Hans Merks closed spectacularly. Remember he came to work one morning to find locked gates, burly men, and Dobermans? He was behind on payments and his finance mob simply sent in the troops early one morning.
John Goldie had a Golden Retriever in his ads. Deep.
“Don’t sign anything, till you see Paceway.” Repeat x 8, getting more frantic each time.
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Goldy Holden still persists with the Golden Retriever motif. The latest version has the dog, inexplicably, surfing and wearing a snorkel. Mrs Bento expressed her disdain for this ad only this morning.
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Paul Gregory, if you’re still looking on, you may have noticed it’s gone a little off topic. I do my best, but these pigs just refuse to stay on topic.
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This is a fantastic thread, TLA, truly worthy of its muse.
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I still say it was all a dream.
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Topic shmopic.
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the characters had more movements than any Disney character?
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are there any good, half decent novelty restaurants left in perth!??!?
i miss the camelot in Floreat. Sigh, midgets in medievel costumes.
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While tryting to find a pic of Romanos, Mamma Marias or any of the other aforementioned crappy dives pn the State Library pictorial archives, I found this areial shot of El Caballo Blanco circa 1978 – another example of the novelty dining experience.
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Ah Frank, just so happens I spent a leisurely weekend up at El Caballo two weeks ago.
That pic must have been taken in the mid 1970s not long after it opened – it grew substantially in the early 1980s to include a new accommodation wing, a putt putt course and a waterslide.
Then along came the recession and it all went to shit.
I think the whole place should have been encased in concrete in 1990 and left as a reminder to future generations of just how silly and tasteless the human race could become after too many glasses of moselle and lemonade.
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OMG, totally off topic, but here is Norman Moore circa 1977.
(And yes the search is still on :-))
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the eyes! as he was a schoolteacher I bet he was dextrous with the cane
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Thanks to everyone for all the great comments about Pizza Showtime. I’m really proud of my Dad and whether you loved or hated the place it’s amazing that after 25+ years and the fact that it was around for a relatively short time so many people still remember it.
By the way when I came back to Perth for a holiday last year after 25 years away I went to Garden City. My Mum used to get her groceries from Charlie Carters. If I remember correctly they were the first supermarket to use ‘scanning’ technology in WA. Anyone know what happened to them?
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I thought Charlie Carters (what, no apostrophe?) had vanished in the 1980s, sold into the Coles New World chain.
According to Wesfarmers’ annual report from 1996 the opened a CC store in Broome that year, and had plans to extend into Albany and Australind.
Not only did that not happen, Wesfarmers claimed to be operating Archie Martin Vox in ’96. I was sure that chain had become Harvey Norman by then.
But it appears to have been owned by Wesfarmers between 1987-1998, and then I’d suggest it was purchased by Action or Foodland – probably the latter.
The state library has some pictures of a CC store:
http://innopac.slwa.wa.gov.au/record=b2493416
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Charlie Carters was my favourite of all the Beatles.
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Was he the fifth, fifth Beatle? Or the sixth?
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Speaking of ‘past’ Perth places, the Civic Theatre Resturant is another. Before I even went there someone warned me about the quality of the food but that they thought the show was worthwhile staying for!
BTW I actually did go to the Grand to see Hoppity Goes To Town (early 70’s) and in later years to see Battlestar Galactica. I remember Pizza Showtime as very noisy with the music going on but everyone talking at the same time.
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Pingback: Rashomon, Ironing Board of God. « The Worst of Perth
Vic Demised – sorry, but I’d bet heapsa money that Earthquake was never at the Piccadilly in sensurround – when it was showing at the Grand, the Picca was playing that other great Charlton Heston disaster epic Airport 1975.
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Vic, My Ning has a memory like an iron boot for these things. I betting he’s right.
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“I betting he’s right” – bit of Chongism creeping into you language Mr Aussie?
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I’m wondering if Piccadilly ever had Surround Sound….
Are we talking about the theatre that is there today, or what another Perth icon destroyed?
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my ning, I could have sworn Earthquake was at the Piccadilly as I have a vivid memory of tripping over my own flared jeans as I walked arm-in-arm with a brand-new girlfriend down stairs afterwards -and I don’t think the Grand had those same art deco stairs. But I defer to your reputation for a steel-capped memory (my own having become unreliable due to over-indulgence in smoked mullet).
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Big ups to Don Martin, too. Not sure if anyone else noticed, or if everyone else noticed but thought it was too obvious to mention.
I know this is supposed to be a Pizza Showtime thread, but anyone else get a transient vibe about the food hall? Like when a developer buys a big block and has 12 months to kill, and a Pots R Us franchise springs up there in the interim.
It was like they couldn’t be assed cleaning out the place properly and just whacked in a few bain maries. Hey presto! A food hall.
There was a lot of old Pizza Showtime and assorted crap lying around in full view of the patrons.
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Wattsie once stood for the libs in Maylands
Speaking of worst…. how has the old Cascades not made a Worst yet?
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..or The Blue Note Tavern?
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I’m spewin i didn’t take a shot of the Blue Note. Or Wattsie for that matter.
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I’ll be surprised if Frank doesnt dig out an old pic of Wattsie.
Whats at the Blue Note site these days??
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And Heressssssssssssss Wattsie :-)
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Oh Frank I knew you wouldnt disappoint. Best laugh today, so far…
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Was this photo taken before he died?
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LA how about The Lone Star? That was THE early opener and consequently was the scene of much debauchery and worst behaviour. Surely this institution should of rated a mention on Vanishing, as it was demolished to make way for the tunnel, and is most certainly a candidate for ‘Not Worst’ given it was one of a kind. What a pub…will Perth ever see anything like it again? I bet not.
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Fine call, shazza. Sorry to hear it’s gone. There were more than a few occasions when we’d finish up at the Parrot at 3:30, move on to the Equator (Prohibition) until 6 or 7, and then somehow find ourselves across the road at the Lone Star. I have no idea what happened after that.
I vividly recall catching Tex, Don and Charlie there with Richard Kingsmill, who at one stage grabbed me and dragged me up the front saying, “You gotta see this”, and there was the normally serene Don Watson playing the keyboard with his boots. Seriously, he’d climbed up there and was literally stompin’ the blues. I guess it was just that kinda place.
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Didn’t Wattsie xxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxx? I’m almost certain of it…. might have been local council stuff.
I don’t want to put that in in case your certainty is incorrect.
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Crikey! Someone’s hit the big time. Worried about libel.
Fair call, but I have a psychotographic memory so I know I’m right.
What about pix of Wattsie advertising $4 duds?!
http://innopac.slwa.wa.gov.au/record=b2445975
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And that was before he became the spokesman for Kingsize Menswear.
There are some photos of him with Barry Martin where the caption says “MArty & Watts” on Trigg Beach doing an OB for 6PM – I think then the radio stations decided not to play msic from thd OB off vinyl – though the yorkie story I mwntioned on the Big Kahunas thread about a warped Marcia Hines LP still sticks in my memory banks.
I seem to recall He and Martin had a big falling out over Radio West and at one stage came to blows in the loos at Burswood (and yes this was reported).
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I suspect my source would have the inside scoop on the Marty vs Watts stoush. I’ll do some asking.
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You don’t think I’ve had legal threats already?
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Any from a prominent lawyer who is also a spokesperson for a Furniture Retailer ? :-)
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No.
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is it ok if we use the words ‘allegedly’.
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aha! I thought as much.
we are busy behind the scenes arranging a ‘prank’ call from whomever threatened you
won’t that be funny?
be sure to act surprised now.
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By the way, did you guys hear that Tony Aboott xxxxxx Costello xxxx in xxxx with a xxxx? xxxx xxxxxxx xx xxxxxx arse.
xxxx!
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Snuff, did you see that furry eared girl was Hollwoood alumni. As is birdboot?
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Indeed I did, TLA, although as I may have mentioned in another thread, although I was enrolled, I hardly ever turned up, and when I did it was usually just to catch a concert in the hall, hook up, or score. I was actually supposed to go to Swannie, but insisted on Hollywood for all of the above reasons.
p.s. I don’t recall Linda, but she’s actually a dead ringer for a girl I, ahem … met, in Queensland. Speaking of which, a big night in downtown Osaka beckons.
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I’m sure the Piccadilly never had surround sound (which in fact is different from Sensurround).
The only move house I recall having a truly ritzy first half of the 1970s stereo system was Hoyts Cinema One in City Arcade, where Ken Russell’s quadraphonic version of Tommy was shown (and in 70mm to boot). Cinema Two in Wanambro (forgive spelling) Arcade also had a good sound system (after all, that’s where they showed Star Wars when it was first released here), but Hoyts fucked up that venue when they split it down the middle to make it two theatrettes in late 1978.
Never really warmed to the Piccadilly anyway – the film jumped out of the projector when I saw The Eagle Has Landed there back in early 1977. Then, in 1996 (Easter Friday) I watched Se7en in what has become the main theatre and the sound was absolutely rooted (everybody in the picture sounded like a mumbling James Caan – even Kev Spacey).
As for Tommy, some clever bastard decided to re-run it in 1978 at the Capri (I can still smell that downstairs coffee). I don’t think it was intended for such a crappy venue. Even Life of Brian, which ran there for ages, suffered – it wasn’t until I saw it on video years later that I realised it was actually a handsomely shot film.
Of course one of the worst cinema-going related crimes in Perth occurred at Cinema City in the early 1990s when Apocalypse Now was rerun – some plonker in the projection room decided to close the curtin DURING the final three way dissolve/closing shot of Sheen leaving the Kurtz compound. It may have even slid to a close as Marlon whispered “The horror, the horror.” Talk about missing the point….
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You paid to see The Eagle has landed? Not the one with Larry Hagman?
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Was that before or after they made you stand for God Save The Queen ?
I remember seeing Woodstock at the Regal…..not sure about the sound system though.
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Speaking of cinema city – from the WA TV History wbsite/blog.
http://watvhistory.com/2009/03/cinema-city-photo-gallery/
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Yes Mr LA – with Larry before his liver transplant … it was a great yarn – Michael Caine with a cockney accent playing a German colonel was a masterpiece of casting…
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I used to f*ckin’ LOVE this place…it probably helps if you are a Satanist.
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Talking about going off thread, but who cares? It is more interesting and has more laughs than anything I’ve seen on television lately..
By the way, what happened to my old friend Laurie Potter? Did the sheriff run him out of town? Did anyone visit ‘The Cravings’ or Lady Ponsonbys (next door).
My work in Perth did not just include Pizza Showtime.
I had three restaurants in the Carillion when it first opened, which was the fruit salad bar, the fish and chip and the Cafe’ Carillion. The worst thing about that place was that you had to pay such an exhorbitant rent and the damn noise form the bells (when they worked) drove you crazy!!
Is my old friend “Miss Maud’ still alive, or has she ‘moved to the outback?’
Does anyone remember ‘Green Jeans’ cafe’ or Magic Apple. Maybe I’m going too far back for you young guys!
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Walked past magic apple two days ago. same spot.
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Miss Mauds still aroud. Have beena couple of Mauds ephemera on. Wish I’d taken shot of room at MM hotel.
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LA, we’re doing the time warp again.
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Green jeans was my standard eatery every time I went to Perth. It was just around the corner from the Transit Hotel – hotel of choice for half of Mt Newman Mining Co during the 80’s.
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link to Miss Mauds photos on flickr http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=miss%20mauds&w=all&s=int
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Magic Apple used to have fantastic sausage rolls – can anyone report on whether this is still the case? Green Jeans was the restaurant of choice for Fremantle 16 year olds in the late 80s – the only restaurant to not question whether a cask of Yalumba was a little over the top as a BYO bevvy.
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My memory of Magic Apple was that it was vegetarian. Or maybe it was just meant to be Health Food, in which case of course they did great sausage rolls…
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I’ve been wondering, is anybody going to touch
“Worst Borderline Bunnyboiling Speedfreak Dentist/Worst Billionaire Playboy Rootrat”?
or is it too obviously worst, or just too much fun. Much more fun than Patti Chong, she’s boring and you’re giving her too much oxygen.
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If you’re on Twitter PL, you should follow westaustralian. A few tweets on that topic eg
—————————————————————————–
Tim Roberts “Erected a stadium, in my heart” Laurel Cetinic-Dorol. Millionaire developer Tim Roberts used building metaphors to win hearts s
—————————————————————————–
Laurel Cetinic-Dorol – Dumb name not a factor in breakup with millionaire Roberts.
—————————————————————————–
There may be more.
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Some RICH Guy I’ve never heard of slept with women who wanted his money.
Only in Perth… The West really should break out the tabloid for that story, otherwise it’s just dull.
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Grrr I have to disagree, I loved that story. It had everything. Not least, puzzling over why the rich guy would expose his crummy private life by taking the amphetamine-crazed dentist to court for stealing probably the equivalent of his weekend’s champagne budget.
Nah I’m not on twitter, who needs yet another data input and time waster…
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That twitter feed has been suspended after complaint from Newspaper.
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I’m with you PL. Last year Tim flipped his sea plane after forgeting to retract the planes wheels after take off. At the time I wondered how an experienced pilot could make such as grave error, now all is revealed. He obviously had a lot on his mind, and other body parts at the time.
Grrr, you have heard of Multiplex right?
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Multiplex?
I hadn’t made the association.
I stand by my original statement: the West isn’t nearly tabloid enough for a story of this nature.
Of course, if Max Mosley lived in Perth we’d never have heard anything about his nazi fantasies….
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Ta shazza.
The guy is seriously goddamn rich, not just a trustfund kid.
Maybe only ladies like this story. For some reason I find it more diverting than the yawnsome PCC Lord Mayor and Patti ZZZZZZ Chong…
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I really like the idea that she was a dentist on speed. Fixing other people’s teeth while her own enamel was dissolving. Class.
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I’m with poor lisa: I avidly read all the coverage and wanted even more.
Please hug a journalist today: they sit through court to bring you these wonderful stories.
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But why do they manage to omit stuff which blunts the arguments of the Sattlers etc ?
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Refer to item # 69 in the Twitter thread for your answer to than one, Frank.
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Talking of sausage rolls – which you were – the best sausage rolls AND pies are out at Rockingham Bakery.
The guys who owns the joint are Rod and Pam Jewell.
If you tell them Paul sent you they’ll give you 50% off.
It really is good tucker, especially with a beer (or two!)
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Hey I was at that Motorhead show too… I still remember being deaf for days and the glass breakage from the racks of beer glasses shaking off the bar.
I can’t for the life of me remember Pizza Showtime though…
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We are the road crew man
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Thanks so much for posting this – I was BLOWN AWAY by Pizza Showtime as a young child (I was around 4 when it opened). Noone I know now remembers it, so I too have wondered if it was all a figment of my imagination. I’ve been gutted for years that I don’t have any photos of the place.
I remember the show was pretty short, so it would play over and over, and by the end of the meal you’d heard all the jokes too many times…then you’d come back a few months later and it would still be the same dialogue, over and over. And it was really loud – there would be ‘dead’ patches between the shows, so there’d be relative silence for a few minutes, then one of the characters would blast out with some corny line at top volume and scare the bejeezus out of everyone. Also, the video-game tables were definitely not free – I remember thinking they were a gyp even at the tender age of 5.
It’s up there alongside ‘Atlantis Marine Park’, ‘It’s a Small World’ Museum, the ‘Land of Make Believe’ in Dog Swamp and ‘Dizzy Lamb Park’ in my treasured childhood memories – DEFINITELY not a ‘worst’ – in fact, looking back at it, Perth seems a lot more exciting in the early 80s than it is now.
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I am so glad i was not a dream! I loved this place thankyou Paul Gregory for your little bit of whimsy – this was a part of my childhood that made it special.
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Regarding Pizza Showtime:
I visited a few times between 1980 and perhaps 1983 (15 – 18 years-old). I may be wrong but I think my observations are correct:
*It’s location now would be overlooking Forrest Place – the front of PST would look out directly to the north and just right of the GPO in a straight line.
*I’m certain that Sun Markets co-existed with PST next door – it was one one of the first places you could get Japanese Teriyaki chicken sliced up over a bed of raw cabbage with Thousand Island sauce. Plus you could mix and match a whole pile of Asian dishes onto a single aluminium compartment tray for a massive feed at a small price. Can’t say it was particularly authentic or delicious – but there was a lot of it.
*Sure there were Simpson-esque squeaks from the PST character’s mechanics, the odd tinny vibration from the speakers and a few ‘prop failures’, but this place was pure class in that nostalgic, early-commercialisation sense.
*The pizzas were bloody awesome – so much more cheese than you could ever hope to get on a pie nowadays. I don’t know if it was the lack of prohibition against salt and cholesterol we have these days, but they sure tasted good.
*All the classics like Spy Hunter, Frogger, Battlezone, Quixx, Pleiads (sp?) and Sinistar were there to be played for hours at (literally) a token price.
Overall I think Paul did a fantastic job in brightening-up a rather dull Perth of the time. I think he should bring back PST because we haven’t changed much in near-on 30 years and I have to travel far for a pizza half-as-good.
BIG kudos to The Lazy Aussie for bringing us TWOP – awesome site that I hope just keeps on going and one day is remembered as fondly as PST.
P.S. I still haven’t worked out if TWOP’s contributors are young uni people with flashes of brilliance, or older Perthites with flashes of youthful ebullience… perhaps a mutation of the two more likely. Keep it up!
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“*It’s location now would be overlooking Forrest Place – the front of PST would look out directly to the north and just right of the GPO in a straight line.”
No it faced Murray Street mall under where DIAC and Crazy somethings is now. Sort of the corner of Myers.
Sinistar, that was a cool game.
“P.S. I still haven’t worked out if TWOP’s contributors are young uni people with flashes of brilliance, or older Perthites with flashes of youthful ebullience… perhaps a mutation of the two more likely. Keep it up!”
Young uni types are a minority, (Apart from Jesper). They are too lazy. But with one or two thousand views a day, there must be a few in there.
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Shaun,
Most are “older Perthites with flashes of youthful” flatulence.
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Lazy & Shazza,
Respectively – thanks for the geographical correction and the insight into the minds (and bowels) of TWOP.
TLA might be a tad older than I first suspected. I must also accept that many years of goon abuse (how else can you get a 4 litre brunch for under $10) may have taken it’s toll on my recollections. Although I don’t think you can argue that PST wasn’t cheesy goodness – in every respect.
I still have a conviction PST was on Murray St (as it was then) and faced off towards the GPO. Although Forrest Chase wasn’t there then – so hard to gauge by today’s geography. Perhaps the reason I hold to that view is because some US sailor – fresh out of Knobsville Tennesee, opened a taxi door onto the side of my (unlovely and forgettable) beige HQ Kingswood as I was driving past PST one evening. I recall taking in the scene so I could file an accident report. The cabbie was pretty peeved because his car door got torn off. I was eventually made very happy because USPACINREP paid me more than the car was worth in reparation and I continued driving it for a couple of years afterwards.
I digress, and I may be geographically and chronologically challenged due to gooning, but PST was definitely a Best of the Worst of Perth. Much as that Dagwood’s place in Vic Park should be – it holds fond 80s memories of tacky burger goodness (I think I’m wrong on the name too – but sheesh… great burgers.)
And PLEASE Lazy, Shazza… anybody! ..can somebody confirm that the creepy, dusty Red Castle revolving restaurant actually existed??? Or was it yet another of my gothic-tinged nightmares?
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Man Red Castle has been covered here. Actually I was up there taking more shots the other day. the revolving rest is still extant but closed. Search for Once a Night on this site.
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If this is the one you’re referring to, Shaun, it’s definitely confirmed by several commenters here.
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Cheers Lazy and Snuff.
Thanks for the thread pointers. Yup that’s it, the Red Castle – kind of remember it as creepier and more sinister though. I think I was just too naive in the 80s to realise how tongue-in-cheek life was then. We’ve completely lost our sense of humour (and fun) now.
Right, must stop reinforcing how good the bad of Perth really was and get back to the worst. Thanks chasps.
Hmmm… Will have to start another club/pub thread: Fitzgerald’s, Boko’s ‘grab a granny bar’, the back bar at Pinnochios (great for trashy, gropey goodness after a night compered by Gary Shannon), Muso’s Club, Oscars, The Racket Club, Octagon, Henry Africa’s, Friday’s, Daily Planet/Ogden’s/Black Pearl, Overdrive at the Cloverdale, Margeux’s, Exit, The Edge, Mango’s, Johnny Rocket, Clouds at Sheraton, Kites at the Merlin, Chicago’s at the Orchard, Berlin(?), Sundays (really!), Ziggy’s, the Nookenburrah, the Herdy, the Boomerang, the Morley (with Kevin B Wilson doing lunchtime gigs and a $2 roast of the day).
I could go on but must stop as I’m sure many of these venues have been covered. Sure seemed to be a lot more to do in Perth 20 or 25 years ago though. Never forget that the Brass Monkey was once the short-lived “Pineapple Dance” gay venue, that merely looking older than 15 was enough to get you into a strip show at the Whisper Shop and that Spiny Norman played a ferkin awesome set at the Hurlingham – followed by a healthy dose of Joy Division on the platern. Ahhh …bitter-sweet memories…
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You’re welcome, Shaun. Berlin gets a few mentions, along with many other clubs, in the massive Dead Parrot thread.
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Thank you for putting those pics of PST up. I can die happy now knowing I didnt imagine the whole thing. Ahh good times….
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Pingback: NH Old Restraunt in Perth????
Thanks for helping me know stuff, America has lots of Pizza Shops so thats why theres weight problems there (NO OFFENCE ON ANY AMERICAN PEOPLE)
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i wonder if this show was made In U.S.A and what its aimed at see what i mean.
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L101- Did you read the text before posting? It’s not enough to look at the pictures and say the first thing that pops into your head. Pizza showtime was a Perth creation, with the black bear as the only American character.
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I have a theory, Legend – you’re not a 12 year old, but your’re one of the gemini loving toestubber/dubsteppers, either the owner or his mate, the one that got out of his depth on cars and sent packing after a bollocking by Bo’T. I think your’re in your’re in your early twenties, and your’re here to be a niucence, take the piss and have a laugh as petty revenge. The fake IT ignorance has worn thin, and the language, and typos often sound over- childish and contrived. I’m sorry you couldn’t be adult enough to take it in your stride when the car got posted. Like any 40 year old car with an immaculate body, it is a thing of value which everybody appreciates. but please paint it a different colour and remove the dubstep sticker.
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Could also be a cop from the Cyber Predator Squad.
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I don’t think so, NF#1 . It’s not a very convincing act . They’d be very well trained, and would not drop a “American symbolism” (spelled correctly) into an otherwise incoherent kid ramble about pizza and racism. L101, whoever you are – I’m neither mean nor abusive . If you are indeed just a kid and my theory is wrong, then I’m sorry. Either way, it doesn’t matter- Ill continue to follow your fascinating journey of discovery, and I promise to be polite if I speak to you.
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oh yes sorry i judged the picture, i eat pizza myself and shouldn’t be racist over it either. So i get E.V and also the american symbolism is Bear or Root Beer, your right, i feel silly that i posted that U.S Pizza thing.
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If your gonna to Ubuse me E.V i been doing just what you said so Get off this Website and stop blogging if your so mean. I have a public right without getting abused im angry and cant be bothered fighting. So Id think about what you said and Feel Sorry.
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If your gonna to Ubuse me E.V id get off this website if i was you, so drop the attitude and think again whos the mean one so I hope your sorry.
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Hi Pizza Showtime followers! For those interested in the real story of Pizza Showtime (PST). It started when the builders were gutting the inside of the ‘Old Grand’ theatre. We came across some very old posters of famous stars – Greta Garbo being one of them. So the story of PST developed from the fact that the Old Grand never had air conditioning – only a sliding roof, opened manually by chains – above the projection area. The story was born that this young projectionist assistant (who whilst watching Greta Garbo films every night) fell in love with her and on this hot summers night was overcome by the heat so he climbed out on top of the Grand and subsequently fell asleep. He stayed there for the rest of his days – hence the ghost and sound of chains that we had in the soundtrack. The soundtrack was put together by a very good company in Perth (can’t remember their name).
I designed the characters around this theme, with no American input whatsoever apart from Black Bear which I did a trade for in Gatlinburg, USA, but all the characters were BUILT in the USA under my direction. Thanks for your interest in PST I am very happy to answer any questions if I can – just reply to this post.
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Pizza Showtime still rules. A gost as well? Even better.
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The gost of pizzas past? Sure you’re not channeling 101?
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Thanks i thought it was from U.S.A Paul but E.V didnt agree.
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hi paul..
i don’t know if you remember me..i worked with you at showtime along with peter hill (dec) gerry richards and i remember an english gentleman and a lovely lady who did the mexican food…then came john brooks,brian khoo and jim watson was the last manager there and many young people who were the staff…also the front shop was run by a company specialising in printed t shirts..would be great to hae a re-union..keep in touch
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HI John how nice to hear from you again. sadly apart from the creation, design ,build and opening of Pizzashowtime and of course interviewing your good self, i was headhunted by Laurie Potter . If we ever get to meet again , I will tell you the unabridged story of pst. by the way my daughter, Tania, wishes to be remembered to you. are you still in perth? i am amazed at the amount of interest and good comments i get from people all over the world who lived in perth at that time. Tania tells me you were just getting engaged when she worked with you ???. did you ever get to meet my wife margaret ? because we still have many friends in aus , one day, god willing, i will come back to perth., my heart is still there ,and i do hope we can meet and talk about the old days. if you dont mind send me your email thanks for contacting me … paul
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hi Paul yes there are many good memories of PST but the best was all the people working there including John the californian who came over to help you set up the charaters.I am still living in perth and i did get married in 83 but divorced in 2001.
I do remember Tania,is she still in perth,please pass on my regards to her .She must be a busy parent by now and perhaps you are happy grandparents too. my email is John.Mariotti@igadist.com.au
it would be nice to catch up with you all one day…ciao 4 now john
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Now there is a name that reeks “blast from the past”. I was one of those ‘young people’. Hi John :)
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O M G….LOL how are you ….i remember you and many other young people working there (peter.debbie.zoe.etc) would be fun to organise a reuion…think bout it… ciao 4 now
email me for a chat… John.Mariotti@igadist.com.au
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You might also be interested in the Pizza Showtime thread on the Lost Perth Facebook page here.
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I think I remember you, you and sister used to live in Rossmoyne?
I definitely remember Zoe and Debbie and also Tracey.
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Hi Paul,
Visiting Pizza Showtime was a real experience for me. It was a surreal world for a 7 year old. The violin playing bear and piano playing kangaroo were captivating.
It was part of a Sunday evening family outing. Our parents would treat us to a trip to the city!
Now working in commercial real estate I am intrigued as to the original location. PST is a wonderful, albeit short, part of City of Perth history.
Please also see below post, cut and pasted for your reference.
Regards
Jason Stanley
jason.stanley@harcourtscentral.com.au
Malcolm Steinberg says:
January 21, 2014 at 10:16 am
I would love to get in touch with Paul Gregory who developed and Launched Pizza Showtime. I was the CEO of the Company behind it and I haven’t heard or seen of Paul in more than 25 years
Malcolm Steinberg
Reply
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The location is discussed somewhere in the many comments.
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Hi Paul,
I had the honour of visiting this magical world throughout its entirety after my father left. I was about 13 the first time I entered. I remember it being in an old theatre building, across from the now David Jones building and on the site of the pathetic “City Centre” mall with the underground woolworths. I still recall the first time I walked through those doors, seeing the black and yellow cinema style light box sign, going in with my sister. It had beautiful colours right at the entrance, and there would be a merchandise desk to the left I think. When I entered that incredible place, the troubles of my parents split were put on hold because I could immerse myself in a wonderland of magic, adventure and imagination. I got a fright the first time because I had no idea the characters moved xD but then they became like my best friends. I recall a particular occasion where my sister challenged me to a “Game off” which meant we played every game once and whoever finished first would have to pay for the food! Good times :D. Now I must ask, since this place had such a great influence on my childhood and it has been a struggle for me to find any photographs or videos apart from what TLA provided, with him saying there were far too many to include, I am asking you Paul if you would mind providing me with a Drop box link or email to many more? It truly means a lot to me and as I stated in my previous post I would love to show my kids. Thank you so so much for making my childhood what it was. PST lives on Cheers ben
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Hi Ben I am honoured that you are still interested in Pizza ShowTime when Michael (Mr Steinberg)). and myself came up with this Australian icon all those years ago. Never did I think it’s fame and memories would last so long. Now for your request if you would like a set of pictures of PST and the guys on stage, send me your Email and I will gladly send you some of the pics I have.
Paul
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Hi Paul. My partner, Peter Flett and I both worked at PST. I don’t know if you remember us at all? Anyway, that aside we would also be most appreciative of any photos etc you would be able to share? Peter’s email is pflett57@gmail.com
Hope to hear from you
Regards
Lorellyn
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Yes please – photos would be greatly appreciated. Myself and my 3 siblings used to go here quite frequently when we were younger. I have such wonderful memories ❤
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hi Paul,
I’m sorry not contacting for awhile, I had email issues.. but hope you and your family are doing well… hope we can chat soon, regards John
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Hi Paul, thank you so much for your kind reply.
It means a lot to me truly. A suitable email address to contact me at would be benjamindanesbilmer@gmail.com
Thank you once again for you doing this. The memories of your wonderful creation are eternally treasured.
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Greetings Paul
Is there any chance you can answer some of my questions about Pizza Showtime and send me pictures of the stage show? I’m a researcher and collector of Advanced Animations(the company who made the animatronics.)
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Hi George. The post is from nearly 12 years ago, so not sure if Paul is still around. If he gets in contact, I will pass your email on to him.
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Hi. This is Paul Gregory. Still alive and kicking. How can I help you? The characters were only my idea the brilliant work of making them come alive was the work of the Marquis brothers in Connecticut.
Shoot from the hip and let’s see what I can help you with.
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Hey Paul! So fantastic you’rstill getting compliments on this post 12 years later!!!!!!!
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I’m looking for information about the stage show, walk around characters, and stuff along the lines of that. To really get the conversation going, email me at this email. brerfox18@gmail.com
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hi, my name is John. my wife and I (along with a small group of people we keep in contact) used to work at PST. Paul was a genius along with John (a Californian) made the animals come to life. chat soon, cheers
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People still remember it so strongly.
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im sorry EV i didnt understand but now i forgive you.
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OMG My husband kindly sent me this link and I screamed with joy!I have so often told him about this place only to be stared at blankly.Very rarely I will find someone who remembers this place, but it is soooo rare to find someone that it is almost like it was a dream or urban myth! Thanks dad for taking me I love this place,I remember going right after seeing ET when I was 4 1/2 yrs old and sharing my jaffas with an unknown boy!
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It was real. Too real. I remember the noise.
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shit is real
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All too real.
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….and, for some creatures, an essential part of their diet.
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“Still have a conviction PST was on Murray St (as it was then) and faced off towards the GPO. Although Forrest Chase wasn’t there then – so hard to gauge by today’s geography. Perhaps the reason I hold to that view is because some US sailor – fresh out of Knobsville Tennesee, opened a taxi door onto the side of my (unlovely and forgettable) beige HQ Kingswood as I was driving past PST one evening.”
Lazy Aussie is right – the PST entrance was on Murray more or less facing what is now David Jones. I think Murray at the time was a one way street, meaning you may have been facing east towards the Barrick/Murray intersection. Forrest Place across from the GPO used to have that interesting second hand record shop upstairs, although that was in 1984.
Sat through a rerun of The Car recently, which showed at the Grand in 1977. One of those movies to watch while you are doing something else (like washing the dishes) so you don’t completely waste your time. Still haven’t managed to find the DVD of Rollercoaster.
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Sheesh: they won’t let Wintoning be in Wikipedia, but they will take a Pizza Showtime entry…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_Showtime
AND most of the refs are TWOP.
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So… did you put this one up?
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No: Wiki-ing such cultural ephemera is beneath me…
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OK, im 35 and looking at this just brought it all back. I just rang my parents and asked what they rememberred and we thought it was “pizza funtime show” but obviously not.
The white sheet of paper next to the girl sitting on the glass merch desk are stickers…i still have those today stashed somewhere.
And in the back where the video games were, there was a 20c machine where you could watch cartons like mighty mouse
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Lol I used to work there, It was my first job as a teen. I think i used to get $3.16 an hour. I did love the job though and the people I used to work with.
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I just got a jar of coins and found 2 1980 pizza showtime theater tokens
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I went there for a party, and there was a prize machine, with toys on a platform that rotated. The idea was to knock them off and collect them from the chute at the bottom of the machine. For some reason, the coin mechanism jammed, so I kept playing and winning, until one of the staff turned it off. The best thing I won was an AM radio, the size of a matchbox.
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I wish you still had that. You could listen to Howard Sattler.
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More please!
I want to see all of the pictures, drawing etc, and video, even if it is just the adverts, please let there be video! I used to love this place.
I wish there was somewhere as much fun for me to take my kids to now, in the hope they would get memories to treasure like those I have of PST.
Thank you Paul Gregory.
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Pingback: A past you can believe in | The Worst of Perth
I can remember dad driving us from rockingham to Perth to go to the movies in those days, we would go see a movie at anyone of the theaters on Hay street, then he would give my brother and I $20 to go play on the games and eat, our route took us from Hay st running!!! to Cinema city arcade, play games there for a bit, then down the arcade to PST then back along murry street to Time Zone oppsite Myers ahhhh the days.
I remember seeing movies like
Smokey and the bandit
Battle Star Galactia
All the star wars movies of course
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Pretty sure Smokey … was at the Picadilly (1978), Battlestar was at the Grand (just before PST … saw it there in winter 79, maybe 1980) and the Star Warz stuff was at Hoyts II (SW I’s first run … about a year before they split it the theatre in 2, was in 78) and Hoyts I in City Arcade (the second two – 1980 and 83).
Notice they’ve boarded up the Cine Centre and its environs on the corner of Barrick and Murray (including the small arcade and the entrance to the tavern downstairs), which makes me think there will be a major redevelopment there soon. Maybe that’s common knowledge – don’t read the property pages in the Worst … maybe Colin “ideas” Barnett is looking to turn it into an inner city zeppelin launch pad or something.
Such a shame all those CBD cinemas have gone – the Hoyts ones had those great concave screens (fun for 70mm and panavision), while the Cine Centre ones were pretty good as well. Sort of preffered them to the suburban muliplexes … getting to them from Rockingham would be much easier now with the train.
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Pizza showtime was awesome if you were a kid, just magical. This is in NO WAY the worst of Perth.
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My sister and brothers loved Pizza Showtime, have great childhood memories of it! Was thinking of it today after listening to ‘Crocodile Rock’ and thinking of the characters here singing it. I can think of a lot more worst of Perth!!!!
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I love this place and I would do anything to bring it back!
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pizza show time was a buzz when u were 8 and your parents had divorced some memories are better than nothing
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It really seems like Paul or TLA aren’t even reading these comments anymore! If anybody has photos or vids that aren’t on this page, PLEASE comment a link! It would mean so much to me, and so many others!
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The post was a long time ago.
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I read very comment.
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Hi there! I certainly read all comments but haven’t had many of late. Don’t have any videos and all pics I had were forwarded to the Worst of Perth. It also means a lot to me to think people still remember Pizza Showtime. It was a great time in my life. Thanks to everyone who remembers – Paul Gregory
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hi Paul… Its great to hear from you again..i am now dating a lady who used to work there and we still keep in touch with some of the past staff. it would be great to chat to you one day. please drop me a line…
cheers johnM
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hi John
my daughter, Tania, wishes to be remembered to you and says hi! I will hopefully, with my wife Margaret, one day make it back to Perth as I have many friends that I would like to see again, Thanks for keeping in touch
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The time is right for an animatronic small bar here Paul!
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THANKS PAUL PLEASE PASS ON MY REGARDS TO TANIA AND IS SHE STILL LIVING IN PERTH AND ALSO PLEASE PASS MY EMAIL ADDRESS TO HER AS IT WOULD BE GREAT TO CATCH UP WITH HER TOO . CIAO
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Paul, you are such an amazing man. I can’t believe they demolished the building. Why did PST close?
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Doesn’t that second pic show the place where the building demolished itself a few years back?
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hi thanks for the comments. I honestly cannot tell you why PST closed but when a company as big as Leisure and Allied does something it can be part political, part financial or a change in corporate direction. All I know is that after working for such a long time on the project, it broke my, and my family’s, hearts to see it close. The project brought together some very talented people of Perth and it was my pleasure to work with Malcolm Steinberg who gave me the opportunity to build this project.
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Ok. Thanks for reading these, LA. It was a great memory for all those who went, and here is a link if anybody wants a photo of the building it was in: https://mobile.twitter.com/MuseumofPerth/status/581667287276609536/photo/1
And now: https://mobile.twitter.com/MuseumofPerth/status/581667287276609536/photo/1
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Sorry, both links were the same. Here it is now: http://thefoodpornographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/DSC_4577.jpg
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Let’s hope something like this distant dream happens again someday to our children…
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This takes me back I was a 19 year old working for Barrett Displays. I spent about 8 weeks painting the wall graphics inside the space, and constructing the sets.
We were as proud as punch with the end result, Disney in Perth, Kinda!
Cerca 1982
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Hi My name is Paul Gregory of Pizza Showtime we would have met while you were painting – can you tell me if Mr Barrett or the company is still in being and if so any contact details. thanks
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Glad to see you’re still watching this popular post!
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Someone needs to reopen this
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Phil Edman could do it!
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I now see where stormie mills originally found inspiration
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Would love to see the TV add if someone somewhere has it
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I have great memories of pizza show time
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I remember a distinct cheesy odour coming from PST. Didn’t Max Kay (RIP today) promote the ads for it?
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Finally, proof of this crazy place, really thought I was making it up and here it is. This place is one of my earliest memories. A treasured moment. Love this!!
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any more pics/vids? aren’t many to be found online and trying to show my kids what it was like
feel free to email me them basshovenevents@gmail.com
cheers ben
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Wish there was some footage of the animatronics.. too bad =(
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Every time we hear ‘devil went down to Georgia’ on the radio my husband comes up with the story of this amazing place in Perth with singing bears! I finally googled it and found this! I read it to him and we laughed when we got to the singing bear from Tennessee. Thank you for putting this together
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Hey, paul Gregory
I’m an extreme animatronic fan and a big fan of pizza showtime. My family went to the restaurant A LOT in the 80s. I think I might even have a few photos somewhere. But I am wondering, do you have any idea who the animatronics were sold to? And, can you send me those photos you have? My email is @roccoluca057@gmail.com
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Hi RingGo dingo it’s nice to think we still have supporters and fans of Pizza Showtime. I am truly grateful for myself and Malcolm Steinberg. I am at present in the USA but not sure of what photographs I have that are not already on Worst of Perth.
I have no idea where the animatronics went. There was talk of them being in Sydney.
Thanks again for keeping the memory alive and to Worst of Perth for keeping the stream alive.
Regards Paul
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Bit of a shame really. Do you know anyone who might know what happened to them? I would love to restore them to their former glory and get them performing for the public again.
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Hi Paul, Hi everyone. Its amazing hat this post is still alive.
My brother and I were the ‘hero” kids in the tv commercial. I remember the day so well. Perth really was something else in the 80’s, what an amazing place to grow up.
If anyone has a copy of or knows where I can see the tv commercial that would be amazing as I haven’t seen since for almost 40 years.
“Pizza Showtime, its fun, for the whole f-f-family!”
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hi Jody
sorry for a late reply. I do still remember you but unfortunately do not have a copy of any Pizza Showtime cassettes now but through this link I am able to still keep my memories alive.
thank you for your kind words.
Paul
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Hi Paul
Revisited this post again and always brings back fond memories…
I note you are still responding to messages – I am Paul Manning…..John and Esther’s son :)
If you are still online would love to pass our regards on to you and Margaret and family
Cheers
Paul
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hi Paul
what a fantastic surprise. We have been trying to find your Mum and Dad and family for many years. Ever since Tania bumped into them in London on Tower Bridge.
We would more than anything like to make contact and thank you again for your post.
margaret and I live between the USA and UK. We are leaving the USA for a short period to the UK next week.
Please ask your Mum and Dad to contact us. We are planning to make a trip to Perth sometime next year.
Where are you now? Did you not come to the US at one stage to work.
Our sincere regards to yourself and family and look forward to hearing from you again.
thanks to Worst of Perth for this link.
Paul D Gregory
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I love that this is still going after all this time. You’ve left such a wonderful legacy and wonderful memories.
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Hi Paul
My email is paulie48406@gmail.com
Drop me a line and I’ll update you
Cheers
Paul
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I don’t know much about Pizza Showtime just yet as I’m more familiar with Showbiz Pizza and Chuck e cheese, but I did see this one reddit thread talking about how people in Perth experienced it. According to the reddit thread its said that on the last 3 days of the place being open they allegedly only let 2/3 families in. The thread also stated that sometime in the 1983 season cop cars had spotted surrounding the grand theatre area, and civilians said that the cops were talking about some type of screaming within the restaurant. I seriously do not know if its true since I can’t find the thread anymore but its still a fun tidbit to me at least. Besides, its not like anybody is going to see this.
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We loved this place when we were little – it was so cool ❤️ For ages I was somewhat worried it was in my imagination as no one I ever spoke to had ever heard of it!
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