Orion Theatre 282 Canley Vale Road, Canley Heights, NSW - 1958

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Orion Theatre 282 Canley Vale Road, Canley Heights, NSW - 1958

The Orion Theatre had a capacity for 350-seats, and consisted of both front and back stalls in a single steel frame building. A crying room had been installed with comfortable seating, and a sound-proof glass window, fitted and tilted to avoid reflection. The foyer was wrapped around the projection box and was constructed with brick lined Gyprock for fire proofing, and also featured a well stocked concession bar. Vinyl plastic floor tiles in green & yellow provided the dominant colours, which the foyer ceiling and walls were lined with asbestos cement and hardboard painted in pastel colours. The auditorium was remarkable for its simple inexpensive yet attractive finish. The layout was traditional except for the absence of stage curtains.

The interior walls were lined with hardboard painted forest green. The original projection equipment featured Minerva projectors and sound heads sitting on solid 12 inch concrete blocks. A Westrex amplifier and Paradise anamorphic lenses completed the installation. Two years later there was an upgrade consisting of C & W projectors on RCA sound heads with Westrex amplifier. The first CinemaScope presentation featured the Warner Bros. production “Bomber B52”, which was followed by “The King and I”. Much was made of CinemaScope in the local press. Fred later was able to catch up with screening “The Robe”, “Three Coins in the Fountain” and “High and the Mighty”.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -