Hoyts Chatswood Theatre
387 Victoria Avenue,
Chatswood,
Chatswood,
NSW
2067
387 Victoria Avenue,
Chatswood,
Chatswood,
NSW
2067
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Located in the north Sydney suburb of Chatswood, on Victoria Avenue close to Archer Street. The Dreadnought Theatre was an open air theater built in 1912. Demolished and rebuilt in 1921 as an hard-top theatre with seating for 1,463 in stalls and circle levels. It was designed by the architectural firm Kaberry & Chard. The Dreadnought Theatre was closed in the mid-1940’s.
It was purchased by the Hoyts Theatres chain and after an extensive internal reconstruction to the plans of architect John W. Roberts, was re-opened on 26th December 1948 with Clifton Webb in “Sitting Pretty”, showing first run with city theatres. The theatre had been re-named Esquire Theatre, and alterations included the installation of a decorative plaster ceiling designed by plaster designers James Lyall of Melbourne which replaced the original lattice-type ceiling. There was also a new lobby floor of grey-marble Belgian tiles, and new seating.
It ran as the Esquire Theatre until the nearby Hoyts Arcadia Theatre was closed due the the lease expiring in 1961. The Esquire Theatre was redecorated and re-opened as Hoyts Chatswood Theatre on 27th April 1961 with Marlon Brando in “The Fugitive Kind”.
Hoyts Chatswood Theatre was closed in 1977, and was converted into retail use.
Contributed by
john gleeson
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Recent comments (view all 1 comments)
The Esquire had louvres over windows on the auditorium walls. In daytime showings an usher came by with a very long pole and closed the louvres. For most of its life it ran double bills, two or three days per week.