Regent Cinema Dover

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Taken on: February 24, 2022

Uploaded on: March 11, 2022

Software: Windows Photo Editor 10.0.10011.16384

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Original photograph taken the day before the official opening of the Regent. Mollo & Egan were responsible for all you see, the fibrous plaster work, Art Deco hand railings, carpet and decoration, together with Eugene Mollo’s special hand painted designs. Dover being a sea Port the above inner foyer reflected this in his underwater theme. The four large concave circular ceiling lighting designs featured shoals of fish swimming amongst sea vegetation these were illuminated from concealed lighting within and ceiling above. At the far end a large 8ft x 4ft mural dominated this foyer, it depicts a large fish top right gliding between marine life. The mural is set back from the outer frame and lit from beneath. Sadly very few of Mollo’s work has survived and almost none in colour photographs. Mollo started his career as a scenic artist with the Ballet Russes in 1920 at the age of sixteen and must have showed great talent to have been employed by Sergei Diaghilev. At this period Max Ernst, Matisse, Picasso, Henri Laurens and Leon Bakst were all designing Diaghilev’s popular productions. In January 1925 at the age of twenty one Mollo came to London and was accepted into the Royal Academy of Art where he studied painting and design, Graduating ARCA Diploma for painting on 20th July 1928. Two of his paintings are held at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Eugene Mollo’s first cinema work was as Head Scenic Artist at the new Astoria Streatham 1929-1930 where he painted the Egyptian wall murals in the auditorium, the beautiful Lotus Room in the ladies Boudoir and the restaurant area. Between 1931 - 1939 Mollo & Egan designed and completed 138 cinema interiors in the UK and Ireland

Ron Knee