Poster, "The Picture Show Man"

Lawrence Penn was the original "Picture Show Man", an old time showman who toured the countryside exhibiting films. Upon his death in 1952, The Coffs Harbour Advocate described Penn as "one of the most colourful figures in the Australian motion picture industry." The 1977 film "The Picture Show Man" was inspired by Penn's life and was based on his son Lyle's memoirs of them touring the countryside and showing films in the 1920s ("The picture show man" by Lyle Penn; edited by Martin Long, published 1977). It starred John Meillon and Rod Taylor and won Australian Film Awards for Best Art Direction, Costume Design and Supporting Actor (Rod Taylor).

Lawrence Penn launched his film business in Newcastle but really established his career in Tamworth where he ran a large open air cinema. Following the death of his first wife, he took to the road in a horse and buggy as "Penn's Pictures", using a hand-operated projector and limelight. In 1924 he purchased one of the first Western Electric amplifiers and coupled it to a radio receiving set to broadcast reception. Penn settled in Coffs Harbour around 1926 and opened a large cinema at the Jetty, which burned down in 1931. Later, he joined forces with Jack Gerard and ran many of the cinema venues in town. He retired in 1949, leaving Jack to run the Tasma in the final years.

The Picture Show Man film poster, inspired by the life of Lawrence Penn and based on his son Lyle's memoirs of them touring the countryside and showing films in the 1920s.