Not a member yet? Register now.

Search

Theaters News Links

Advanced search
 

Theater Guide

Now listing 28,005 theaters & 1,598 photos… more
Browse by...
• Architect
• Chain
• Firm
• Function
• Location
• Newest
• Photo
• Screens
• Seats
• Status
• Style
• Updated
• VR
 

Add Your Cinema Treasure!

Add Theater
Add Photo (offline)
Add Theater News
 

Newest Theaters

Mar 17 Armview Theatre
Mar 17 Barter Theatre
Mar 16 Tower Place 6
Mar 16 Colonial Theatre
Mar 16 Mid-Town Theater
Mar 16 Nickel Theater
Mar 16 Walker Cinemas 4
Mar 15 Cobram Drive-In
Mar 15 Melba Twin Cinema
Mar 15 Greater Union…
more new theaters
 

Recent Comments

Mar 17 National Hills… (260)
Mar 17 Martin Drive-In (5)
Mar 17 Art Theatre (18)
Mar 17 Dodge City… (4)
Mar 17 Regal Battery… (22)
Mar 17 Rosna Theatre (23)
Mar 17 Palmetto Theatre (11)
Mar 17 Duke Theatre (8)
Mar 17 Hilltop Drive-In (9)
Mar 17 Sherman Theatre (4)
 

Updated Theaters

Mar 17 Odeon Lowestoft
Mar 17 Warner Theatre
Mar 17 Imperial Cinema
Mar 17 UA Times Square…
Mar 17 Isis Theatre
Mar 17 Sunbeam Theatre
Mar 17 AMC Pacific Place…
Mar 17 Ski Time 2 Cinemas
Mar 17 AMC Mansell…
Mar 17 North Point Market
more updated theaters
 
 
   Discover. Preserve. Protect.
Home » Theater Guide » Location » Australia » New South Wales » Paddington, Sydney » Academy Twin Cinemas
Also known as West's Olympia Theatre, Odeon Theatre, Mandala Cinema

Academy Twin Cinemas

Paddington, Sydney, New South Wales
3A Oxford Street
, Paddington, Sydney, New South Wales 2021 Australia
(map)
+61.0.2.9361.4453
Status: Open
Screens: Twin
Style: Unknown
Function: Movies (Foreign), Movies (Independent)
Seats: 800
Chain: Palace Cinemas
Architect: Unknown
Firm: Unknown
Academy Twin Cinemas
Vintage interior view of the Academy
Photo courtesy of KinoCQ/Australian Cinema and Theatre Society
Built in 1911 as the West's Olympia Theatre, in the Sydney inner-city suburb of Paddington/Darlinghurst, this immense picture palace seated 2,500 on two levels.

Renovated in 1920 it came under Union Theatres combine. It was claimed to also be Sydney's first suburban cinema to install 'talkies'. Under Greater Union Theatres' control in the 1930's, some modernization was carried out in the mid to late 1930's, including a new proscenium, wall decorations, and auditorium light fittings. Renovated and renamed the Odeon in 1953 or 1954, the theater closed again in 1960; reopened in 1969 as the Mandala Cinema, the home of cult and rock films.

Closed once more in 1972, the theater was converted into Sydney's first twin cinema, The Academy, which screened mostly art house films. The cinemas are quite spacious but without curtains. There is raked seating and some timber panelling on walls.

Eventually, the original theatre was totally gutted and rebuilt into shops, offices, apartments, restaurant, and a community center for the Greek Orthodox community, with the twin auditoriums being located on the ground floor level and a new entrance from Oxford Street, in the heart of Sydney's 'Great Gay Way'.

No vestige remains of the old theatre interior, although the Edwardian facade is the same as the 1911 building, minus the decorative portico. The cinemas seat 500 and 300 respectively, and are also known by those numbers (eg: Cinema 500, Cinema 300).

Related Websites

Palace Cinemas, Australia (Official)
Contributed by John Adey

YOUR COMMENTS

 
Between 1960 and 1968 it ran Greek films as did many other suburban cinemas in Sydney; They were operated by Mr Chris Louis and his family who are a great immigrant success story in Sydney. Pre TV they might have been allowed a quiet night to rent a cinema to show a European film, then, post TV they were offered the freehold for about 10c each. They bought them up and become one of the biggest cinema owner chains in Sydney, saving a dozen or so from the bulldozer. It was because of their film interests that many suburban cinemas remained: the Redfern Lawson, the Rosebery Marina, The Earlwood Chelsea, Enmore Hoyts, Newtown Hub, and with cousins in Melbourne, the same deal. Some remain, some are dilapidated and some, like Enmore are a major showplace. this one was twinned and still is today, Sydney's major Arthouse venue.
posted by paulb on Jan 4, 2004 at 8:43pm
We came to live in Sydney in 1953 and lived in Albion St, Surry Hills. So Old West, as I remember everyone calling it, was the local theatre. I really cannot remember anyone calling it the Odeon.

I can very clearly remember seeing some movies at this theatre. I particularly remember Calamity Jane with Doris Day and The African Queen with Hepburn and Bogart. I also remember Abott and Costello Go To The Moon!!! I am sure I saw many more movies but for some reason they are the three that come to mind most easily. We went very regularly on Friday and Saturday nights. After all, no TV in those days.

Every time I am in Sydney and drive along Oxford St I look at the building with great nostalgia. To this day I watch my DVD copie sof Calamity Jane and The African Queen. I guess going to the Odeon/Old West was part of my film upbringng.

waynesw
posted by waynesw on Jan 21, 2005 at 8:55pm
A current photograph of the former West's Olympia Theatre. The entrance to the current Academy Twin Cinemas is on the extreme left of the building (behind the coach on this photo):
http://flickr.com/photos/se_kwien/751401904/
Many Thanks to Stef for the photo, which is from her photo stream: http://flickr.com/photos/se_kwien/
posted by KenRoe on Mar 8, 2008 at 12:33pm
photos taken dec 2008
exterior of the whole building, cinema entrance is now half way along the side
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/3199528697/
cinema entrance
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/3199514099/
lobby
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/3199517805/
posted by woody on Jan 16, 2009 at 2:05am
Comment
*

Notify me when someone replies to my comment?
Note: Please read our comment policy before posting. Comments which are off-topic, obscene, spam, or personal attacks will be removed. Help us keep the discussion productive!