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Perth’s Metro Theatre, located on William Street started life as the Queen’s Hall (opened 19th April, 1899).

Among the early artists to appear there were Dame Nellie Melba and Clara Butt. With the advent of film, Queen’s Hall became the venue for Vic’s Pictures.

In 1927, the Hoyts Theatre chain took over the lease, with architects Bohringer, Taylor and Johnson transforming it into Hoyts Regent Theatre, complete with chandeliers imported from Italy and a Wurlitzer organ. The opening film was “Three Bad Men” with George O'Brien and Olive Borden.

It 1938, Hoyts Theatres gave up the lease to MGM Theatres, and the theatre was again transformed, this time by architects Baxter, Cox and Leighton, who gave it the full Art Deco style treatment and was renamed Metro Theatre. It re-opened on 27th September 1938 with Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy in “The Girl of the Golden West”.

It remained one of Perth’s most stylish, comfortable and most-loved theatres until its closure on 13th October 1973, its final film being a revival of “Gone With the Wind”. It was demolished in February 1974 - Notes by barryinperth

Contributed by Greg Lynch -