Residents recall special concerts held on sundays at the theatre. Back then films were not shown on sundays due to blue laws but live concerts were fine.
When the mall was built streets were changed. Castle Street no longer connects with High Street (renamed Harbour Drive) so the crossing where the Tasma was no longer exists.
Many thanks to Terrie Beckhouse, Museum Coordinator,
Coffs Harbour Regional Museum, and her staff for
information and photos.
Support your local library!
the person who told me Rock Around The Clock ran for a year has backed off, saying well it seemed like a year. The film actually ran for 12 weeks, on a double bill with Five Against The House.
Opened in June 1921 as the Butterfly Theatre. Changed to the Kinema. As listed by CATHS, Merrylands other theatres were the Mall Cinema, 1997-1983, and the newe Hoyts, 2000 to 2010.
VISTAVISION
Some clarity from the Widescreen Museum. Curator Martin Hart wrote “the first concept of VistaVision called for
standard 35mm prints”. Some films were shown in 8 perf horizontal mode in limited runs. Paramount’s preferred ratio was 1.66:1 but it was possible to make 35mm 4 perf anamorphic prints of 2.00:1 however the vast majority were 35mm prints.
Hart says with Technicolor dye prints made from the large Eastman neg, VistaVision provided an extremely sharp image with beautifully saturated colors.
Ken is correct about only 35mm prints shown in Sydney, beginning with White Christmas.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that police were considering arson as another fire broke out across Pitt Street in the Royal Arcade, full of small shops.
This was all on Christmas eve so the street and stores were crowded.
Foyer photo courtesy of Paul Brennan. At age 19 Paul leased the Avoca, then ruined and sodden from storm damage and saved it from demolition. He spent 17 years there turning it into a well maintained and loved local treasure. The foyer was filled with photos, posters and souvenirs from the glory days of theatres like the Plaza, the Summer Hill Grosvenor and the Capitol…souvenirs like the three red Metro seats.
The liquidators have a general meeting of members set for February 24, 2014. Details of the liquidation will be given along with how the property has been disposed of.
The final film was “On The Double” with Danny Kaye. Kevin Cork wrote about the widening of Parramatta Road and how 16 feet was carved from the front of the theatre resulting in the entrance being moved around the corner on Good Street.
I trekked all the way from Chatswood to see Kane there.
It was an excellent print. The only odd thing about the screening was a fellow who insisted everyone occupy the same seat they had before interval. This was a showing with not too many in the audience and not everyone would remember exactly which row they were in. Strange.
Residents recall special concerts held on sundays at the theatre. Back then films were not shown on sundays due to blue laws but live concerts were fine.
A local newspaper article revealed that the dress circle was not only off limits for kids but had double width love seats at the ends of each row.
When the mall was built streets were changed. Castle Street no longer connects with High Street (renamed Harbour Drive) so the crossing where the Tasma was no longer exists.
Photo courtesy of the Coffs Harbour Regional Museum. Used with permission.
Photo courtesy of the Coffs Harbour Regional Museum. used with permission.
Many thanks to Terrie Beckhouse, Museum Coordinator, Coffs Harbour Regional Museum, and her staff for information and photos. Support your local library!
A double bill of The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Last Gangster, with Charles Tuckwell at the Christie organ.
The address above is correct – 48-50 George Street.
the person who told me Rock Around The Clock ran for a year has backed off, saying well it seemed like a year. The film actually ran for 12 weeks, on a double bill with Five Against The House.
Opened in June 1921 as the Butterfly Theatre. Changed to the Kinema. As listed by CATHS, Merrylands other theatres were the Mall Cinema, 1997-1983, and the newe Hoyts, 2000 to 2010.
Address was South Terrace (now Bankstown City Plaza) near Dale Parade.
Australian humorist Clive James spent much of his youth at the Rockdale Odeon. http://www.clivejames.com/books/metcrit/violence
VISTAVISION Some clarity from the Widescreen Museum. Curator Martin Hart wrote “the first concept of VistaVision called for standard 35mm prints”. Some films were shown in 8 perf horizontal mode in limited runs. Paramount’s preferred ratio was 1.66:1 but it was possible to make 35mm 4 perf anamorphic prints of 2.00:1 however the vast majority were 35mm prints. Hart says with Technicolor dye prints made from the large Eastman neg, VistaVision provided an extremely sharp image with beautifully saturated colors. Ken is correct about only 35mm prints shown in Sydney, beginning with White Christmas.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that police were considering arson as another fire broke out across Pitt Street in the Royal Arcade, full of small shops. This was all on Christmas eve so the street and stores were crowded.
The Victory was remodeled by Bruce Furse following his departure from the firm Crick and Furse in 1940
From a Commonwealth Film Unit film promoting Sydney. All the Metro theatres had similar signs with red lettering over horizontal white neon bars.
Foyer photo courtesy of Paul Brennan. At age 19 Paul leased the Avoca, then ruined and sodden from storm damage and saved it from demolition. He spent 17 years there turning it into a well maintained and loved local treasure. The foyer was filled with photos, posters and souvenirs from the glory days of theatres like the Plaza, the Summer Hill Grosvenor and the Capitol…souvenirs like the three red Metro seats.
The liquidators have a general meeting of members set for February 24, 2014. Details of the liquidation will be given along with how the property has been disposed of.
The final film was “On The Double” with Danny Kaye.
Kevin Cork wrote about the widening of Parramatta Road and how 16 feet was carved from the front of the theatre resulting in the entrance being moved around the corner on Good Street.
Not much change on this bit of Pittwater Road since 1940
Very similar to Hoyts Vogue, Homebush, designed by Charles Bohringer and L.J. Buckland
I trekked all the way from Chatswood to see Kane there. It was an excellent print. The only odd thing about the screening was a fellow who insisted everyone occupy the same seat they had before interval. This was a showing with not too many in the audience and not everyone would remember exactly which row they were in. Strange.
New in photos- a frontal view at last, courtesy of John MacRitchie of the Manly Library
Confirmed: Architects were Guy Crick and Bruce Furse.
Theatre historian Barry Sharp photographed the demise of the once grand Magnet and you can see the photos here –
http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/14709702?q=lakemba+magnet+theatre&c=picture