17-11-2013, 08:06 PM
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"Now Mabel..............Mabel NOW!"
"NOW MABEL”When I was more mobile my brother in law accompanied me on regular jaunts to antique fairs, junk shops and local history talks. This last category often gave us an interesting sideways take at the way the lecturers differed in their presentation methods How easily an unwary unprepared speaker can fall foul of his aids, be they an overhead projector or other visual helps .Many of the older generation used a large portable screen or simply pointed their tried and tested Kodak “Carousel” rotary slide projector. Mabel.--
Mabel would be their tried and tested assistant, of advancing years and bored rigid. Having seen the slides umpteen times, her main objective was to watch for the signal to change the slide and stay awake in the cosy warm semi darkness of the parish/village/church hall/community centre wherever the talk was being held.
Some time halfway through the slideshow Mabel’s reaction time lengthened and the speaker would appear more anxious as his nod to Mabel slowly deteriorated to a loud agitated stage whisper of “NOW Mabel”
It always woke me up but sadly, not always Mabel.
18-11-2013, 12:06 AM
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Re: "Now Mabel..............Mabel NOW!"
Why were they always called Mabel or Doris, our projectionist in the school hall was Mabel Bailey, assisted by Doris Ryan, Unable Bailey and Dozy Doris to us cruel kids.Ah memories of the old school hall, we used to go to the films there every Saturday afternoon, three old pence in and the place would be packed with screaming kids, the projector never failed to break down, the shouts of "We want our money back", the frantic efforts of the projectionist to stick the celluloid back together in double quick time before she went deaf. The 'Following upper' every week and sometimes she would mix them up and show last weeks again, "That's a staler, we seen it last week" , don't know how the poor woman survived it. The place was so full that some of the girls would sit on the inside window ledge with their legs dangling down, I thought it was my birthday one Saturday when one of the older lads offered me sixpence to swap my seat beside the window with his, little did I know what he was up to, the innocence of it all.
18-11-2013, 11:12 PM
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Re: "Now Mabel..............Mabel NOW!"
Cinema goers today are a lot more dignified in their behavior than we were, there was always a character in the audience on standby, unofficial of course, with a witty remark to shout out, this was a minor form of compensation to the patrons if they had been conned into watching a lousy film, the lousier the film the more witty remarks, nobody ever knew who these comics were as all you would hear in the dark was the sudden interjection of a loud clear voice (always male), followed by peals of hysterical laughter (mostly female). They were experts in their timing and choice of remark. I still go to the cinema now and then but it'll never be quite the same as it used to be without the unsung, unpaid, cinema heckler of bygone times. Many thanks whoever you all were.19-11-2013, 08:39 AM
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Re: "Now Mabel..............Mabel NOW!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF6QFbB7I08"Give him the money Mabel!!!".
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