Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (Aus.) a cinema projector[abbr. SE biograph].

1906

Sun. Times (Perth) 25 Nov. 1/1: The engagement of a biograph operator and a barmaid is postponed indefinitely [and] though he works the bio. she isn’t sure whether he’d rather ‘buy’ or ‘owe’ for the ring.

2. (Aus./S.Afr.) the cinema [abbr. Afk. bioscope, a cinema; obs. elsewhere, the term remains current in South Africa].

1910		Sun. Times (Perth) 30 Jan. 2nd sect. 4/8: No bio show has ever yet screened a film of Film May.
1918		informant in DSAE (1996).
1937		C.P. Swart Supplement to Pettman 13: South Africans say ‘I am going to the bio(scope)’ [DSAE].
1962		A. La Guma Walk in the Night (1968) 78: What do you think this is? The bio? Cowboys and crooks?
1973		M. Dikobe Marabi Dance 75: The Black cat gang had learned the techniques of gangsterism at the free ‘bio’ operated by the Bantu Men’s Social Centre.
1990		J. Naidoo Coolie Location 192: We used to scrape together enough to make up our bio fare. I saw two films with Raymond.