Metro Crows Nest

360 Pacific Highway,
Sydney, NSW 2065

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Dendy Cinemas, Greater Union Theatres, MGM Theatres

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: Queens Theatre, Sesqui Theatre, Village Theatre, Dendy Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Metro Crows Nest

The Queens Theatre was opened in 1913. In 1938 it was re-named Sesqui Theatre. It became part of the MGM chain in the 1953 and was renamed the Metro Crows Nest.

In early-1971, Metro sold the chain to Greater Union but, for some reason, the Crows Nest site was initially not part of the takeover. It was re-named Village Theatre in 1974 and operated under this name only until 1975

After a short closure, it ran second release product for some months, then closed for refurbishment, reopening in December 1977 as part of the Dendy group with the Australian premiere of “The 12 Chairs”.

For several years it featured first release product, including a run of “Harold and Maude” before closing when the Dendy group ran into financial trouble.

The theatre was demolished on 28th May 1983 and the land redeveloped.

Contributed by Ron Jackson

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

PaulBrennan
PaulBrennan on January 21, 2002 at 10:54 pm

This is the Amusu Theatre, Maroubra, which closed in 1958. Mr.Jackson refers to the Sesqui Theatre, Crows Nest, opened in 1938 called so because this date was Sydney’s 150th (sesqui) anniversary. The Amusu was a B-grade cinema favoring action pics and teen audiences.

GaryHinton
GaryHinton on June 27, 2002 at 6:35 pm

The Amusu Theatre was built run and owned by my Great Uncle and Grandfather Amos Edward Hinton and Arthur Stephen (Ash) Hennesey. If you have any information on the building or the history of this theatre could you please contact us ()

johngleeson
johngleeson on February 11, 2012 at 3:39 pm

From the North Sydney municipal archives: Panels commissioned by Sydney County Council and mounted on George Street facade of the Queen Victoria Building for Australian Sesqui-centenary celebrations in 1938. The panels were designed by artist Edmund Harvey and the sculptors Neville Bunning and Morris Helsen. The panels were purchased for the newly refurbished Queens Picture Theatre, renamed the Sesqui Theatre at Crows Nest in 1938. The cinema was renamed the Metro and then the Dendy. In 1983 the cinema was demolished and the panels relocated to the Holroyd Centre.

johngleeson
johngleeson on December 14, 2012 at 7:03 pm

Information from caths.org.au – (Cinema and Theatre Historical Society) CROWS NEST – Queens cinema 1913 Demolished 28/05/1983 Alternative names > Sesqui (late 1930’s)

                Metro (1953)
                                  Dendy (1977)
                                  Village (1974-75)
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