Big Top on George Street

[illawarra_steelers]

For you guys that may of missed this the first time (oh they were the days) 

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj101/illawarra_steelers/BG1-01.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj101/illawarra_steelers/BG2-01.jpg

For anybody over 35, Big Top Amusements on George Street Sydney was a meca for pinball and arcade games for 40 years. This is an article from People mag from many years ago.

Hope the scans can be read easily

For all the old farts on this forum enjoy the blast from the past 

For the younger lads - enjoy the read when arcades were king 



Goodbye to the Big Top

By Leila Henderson
Photos by Claver Carroll

When the penny arcade closes, Harry will wave goodbye to a chapter of Australia life.

THE PHANTOM of the penny arcade haunts the shooting gallery at the end of the line of pinball machines.

Youngsters lining up their air gun sights sometimes feel a presence and turn to look, is it really a shabbly dressed man holding a bolt-action rifle? The Big Top got its ghost many years ago when the shooting gallery used live ammunition. The man walked in off the street near closing time and paid his money. He turned the gun on himself and blew his brains on to the floor of the arcade they called the happiest place in town. Its phantom came back occasionally but his days, and those of the Big Top Family Amusement Centre, are numbered.

When The Big Top's shutters go down for the last time and the old-style penny arcade disappers, a chapter of Australian life will close with it. It occupies a spot in the now seedy end of George Street, Sydney, its floors trodden and its handles burnished by different generations of city younsters , country travellers killing time between trains and US serviceman impressing their girls. It's survival this far into the age of video games is a tribute to Harry Rooklyn, vaudeville artist and showman extraordinaire, who owned it for 30 years until he sold the lease in 1983. Alont the echoing floorboards mechanical amusement machines, reminders of a by-gone age, stand side by side with the latest video games.

The Sex Tester, Kissometer, Grand Slam and Beach Girl Theatre stand in testimony to more innocent times when amusement machines didn't destroy entire cities in simulated nuclear combat. On a nastalgic visit to the arcade gave one of his own inventions, the Bull tosser, a westle. Beneath the authentic Barnum and Bailey circus posters on the wall a sign reads, “Can you toss the bull for 10 cents? "It used to roar too" says Harry, “and its eyes would flash red, but they've let all that go now. The american soldiers used to come with their girls and try the Sex Tester and Kissometer.

"First time around they'd score a wimp on the passion scale and they'd try again until they got hot stuff".
The current occupant of the dingy manager's office in the back of the arcade where harry spent 30 years is George Young. He recalls that the new owners moved in three years ago they got regular messages from Harry. He'd phone up and say things like, "some of the lights aren't working" or "the place isn't being kept cleaned, which meant he was coming by every day or two checking the arcade". "It must have been hard for him leaving the place after all that time", said George. A few of Harry's possesions still adorn the office walls framed photographs of old sampler, and yellowing certificate of ownership.

Harry reakons he never had a favourite machine. "My favourite game was counting the takings at the end of the day" he says, winking behind his gold rimmed glasses. He still dresses in the theatrical fashion of an old time Australia showman.

Harry comes from a family of showfolk and celebrites, his magician brother Maurice toured for many years as The Amazing Mr. Rooklyn, and his other little brother Jack is a well-known yachtsman. Harry's career began in the pre-war years as part of an act billed as the Saxophony Sailors. From there he turned to designing Rooklyn's kiddy Rides for fairgrounds. "There wasn't a town of any size that didn't have my rides", he says with a touch of pride. When he took over The Big Top he toured the world to get the latest machines and installed an animated waxworks show called Torture Through The Ages. There were six macabre scenes to rival the best of Madame Tussaud's but all that remains now is a headless bellringer and a clown in stocks who stares from the dirty glass above the front entrance.
It was a time of rapid change in the amusement machine business. After the mechanical machines came those powered by batteries, then came a new generation of electro-mechanical games. Finally the now ubiquitous video games arrived and change the whole scene.

But no matter what type of machines they have amusement arcades still draw in paying customers. The Big Top still makes money. It's closing to make way for an expanding Chinatown. The older, mechanical games are long gone.
"We either broke them up in the back garden in Leichardt, or sold them off. It's all over as far as I'm concerned", says Harry, who now lives in a flat overlooking Elizabeth Bay, surrounded by knick knacks of 60-plus years or globetrotting.

"A lot of people have a real misconception that arcades are only for kids", says Harry. "If we had to depend on kids, we'd have been out of business long ago. Arcades are for people with time to kill".  "We get everybody from  youngsters to old folks. We even have a grannie who comes in to play against her grandson on the hockey machine".
Back in The Big Top, George Young says most of the regulars have been told their haunt is closing down. "I feel sorriest for the old derros that come in", he says. "They don't play the machines, they just put a few bob in the jukebox and sit and seem to think. I reakon they're looking back on other better times when they heard those songs".

But no more, this month the machines are switched off for the last time and the lights go out over the sign that says welcome in 18 languages.  And perhaps the the ghost of The Big Top will finally be able to rest in peace.

[illawarra_steelers]

These might make it easier to read

[tonyt]

Thanks for posting Tony, interesting read.

Quotes from Harry
"A lot of people have a real misconception that arcades are only for kids. If we had to depend on kids we'd have been closed a long time ago. Arcades are for people with time to kill"

"The Big Top Still makes money . It is closing to make way for an expanding China Town"

Think that the new pinball cafe that will open in Melbourne as well as what Allan Tate is doing in Queensland may see more of these type of establishments around Australia, we can only hope

[Pinball Fixers]

Think that the new pinball cafe that will open in Melbourne as well as what Allan Tate is doing in Queensland may see more of these type of establishments around Australia, we can only hope

I've heard that the Pinball Cafe in Melbourne has run into some problems... can anyone elaborate on this?


And thanks for sharing that Tony, it's a shame when these sorts of places have to close down, especially one with so much history.

[jyebow]

Great article. Thanks for posting.

[Bayview]

Thanks Tony,
Top read once again
cheers

[ajlaird]

Think that the new pinball cafe that will open in Melbourne as well as what Allan Tate is doing in Queensland may see more of these type of establishments around Australia, we can only hope

I've heard that the Pinball Cafe in Melbourne has run into some problems... can anyone elaborate on this?

Just as it was about to open (july 2008) when the building caught fire due to an electrical fault. While no pins where burned, there was some smoke damage, with some suffering more than others.

The proprietor ('Finny') is in the process of cleaning them up and is still hoping to open up later this year. Apparently he may be able to get back into the building this month. He recently cleaned up a Monster Bash for sale (I don't think it was one he had ready onsite) to help things along - absolutely awesome restoration, but in the current climate he is a little reluctant to sell it as this one is worth top dollar (better than new, I would say).

[Pinball Fixers]

Think that the new pinball cafe that will open in Melbourne as well as what Allan Tate is doing in Queensland may see more of these type of establishments around Australia, we can only hope

I've heard that the Pinball Cafe in Melbourne has run into some problems... can anyone elaborate on this?

Just as it was about to open (july 2008) when the building caught fire due to an electrical fault. While no pins where burned, there was some smoke damage, with some suffering more than others.

The proprietor ('Finny') is in the process of cleaning them up and is still hoping to open up later this year. Apparently he may be able to get back into the building this month. He recently cleaned up a Monster Bash for sale (I don't think it was one he had ready onsite) to help things along - absolutely awesome restoration, but in the current climate he is a little reluctant to sell it as this one is worth top dollar (better than new, I would say).

Thanks ajlaird, that's also what I had heard about the Pinball Cafe on the grapevine. Good to hear that he is still planning on opening it.

[ktm450]

Great article Tony
Unfortunately I doubt we will see a long line of pins on site like that again

[ajlaird]

I guess the pinball museum in Qld once it opens might have some long lines of pins.

[illawarra_steelers]

I guess the pinball museum in Qld once it opens might have some long lines of pins.

Alan Tate has around 2,000 pins  which is just impossible to get you head around.

[ajlaird]

Yeah, did a count over on AA with total number of pins owned by members (as stated by them) and it was 814 at the time, spread out over a considerable number of people.

One person owning over 2000 is just insane! It would be a full-time job just keeping them working if you had them all on display.

[Strangeways]

I guess the pinball museum in Qld once it opens might have some long lines of pins.

Alan Tate has around 2,000 pins  which is just impossible to get you head around.

Oh I can get my head around it...

I get a headache once I get past 100 pins