St. James Theatre

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Uploaded on: October 31, 2026

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The Fuller group of cinemas in 1933, shortly before the brothers parted ways, covered all of Australia and New Zealand (where their empire building had started). Despite plans by Ben to expand the circuit, it was never this large again, and screens were gradually hived off by mergers and takeovers to Snider and Dean, Hoyts, Kerridge-Odeon in NZ (1945) and a variety of independent operators. The Fullers had thrived in the days of live shows and silent movies, but with the The Depression arriving their formula faltered and they failed to prosper in the ‘talkie’ era of motion pictures. Ben was still active as a theatrical entrepreneur right up until his death in 1952, by which time the circuit, now run by his son, directly controlled just three cinemas: Newcastle Strand, Moss Vale Royal and Liberty/Curzon Adelaide.