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3. THE GARFIELD PICTURE THEATRE by Gerry Kennedy

The Garfield Picture Theatre is perhaps the oldest purpose built theatre in Gippsland. Garfield is situated 80
kms. east of Melbourne on the Baimsdale railway line. The town has its origins in the dairying and sawmilling
industries. The Garfield theatre was constructed in 1924 on a steeply sloped site on the towns main street. The
site presented both opportunities and costly construction problems. The building could be best described as
utilitarian although it had the potential to be an attractive theatre. The building is constructed of solid brick,
including the internal partition walls, is one level and has a galvanised iron roof.

The theatre is entered through a small vestibule to the centre rearofthe auditorium. A small candy shop is located
on the front left of the entrance. On the right of the vestibule a ticket box was constructed behind which was office
space and latter access to the bio box. The bio box was built above the entrance vestibule. To the left of the
bio box was the rectifier room and to the right, the winding room both with ports to the auditorium.

A cantilever verandah with a pressed metal ceiling ran the width of the building. A pressed metal ceiling was
built in the lobby. The auditorium was spacious mainly because of its width. The theatre was flat floored with
a raised section at the rear (one or two rows of seats were fitted on this section).

The gabled roof was supported by steel trusses but no ceiling was installed; this resulted in poor sound on rainy
nights. The brick walls were painted which also detracted from the quality of sound. Caneite panels, decorated
with a leaf frieze were installed to all walls (circa 1950's) to improve the sound. The brick and steel construction
did little to protect patrons from the extremes of temperature however in later years bottled gas Pyrox radiators
were slung below the trusses.

Given the size ofthe building the stage opening was extremely wide; a 30ft. wide cinemascope screen was easily
accommodated. The stage curtains were hand operated. Beneath the large stage floor area a generator, storage
and dressing rooms were built. In later years this space was converted into a two bedroomed, self contained
flat. Apart from dressing rooms no other facilities were provided for live performances. Molly O'Brien was the
theatre pianist for many years after its opening. The theatre was equipped with R.C.A. Star projectors until its
first closure. Since its construction the theatre has had various owners and lessees and screened continuously
until 1962/63. A Mr. Murphy ran the show from the 1950's until 1962/63.

It was closed and used for other purposes until Dennis Grigg operated the theatre at weekends from 1970 to 1971 .
Mr. Grigg installed C & W Seniors projectors with a rear scanning Racophone sound system. These had been
obtained from the former E. Pincini circuit and had been installed in the Monash Theatre, Yalloum North.

The theatre closed in 1971 when Dennis Griggs full time work took him to Morwell. The projection equipment
was relocated to the Morwell Town Hall which was then reopened as a two level part time cinema. The building
is currently a used furniture shop, owned by the Simcocks family of Garfield.