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LETTERS from Brian Miller

Mr. Russell Nowell queries the closing date of the Broadway Theatre, Camberwell. My recollections are that
Hoyts Theatres Ltd. sold three properties in 1978, each on different terms.

1. The Broadway, Camberwell was retained on a one year lease only and closed in 1979. Quite by chance,
I attended the final screening and the attraction was "Midnight Express", on a Saturday night. Arriving
late at about 8.20p.m., I was advised the balcony was full but there were some seats in the stalls. The
reason for this was many of the rows had already been detached and pushed together ready for removal.
Shops were subsequently built on the site. an unimpressive replacement for this large, popular cinema.

2. The Centre, North Brighton had closed in 1959 and the auditorium used as a theatrical store/warehouse.
Tenants rented the foyers and shop. The new owner/developer gutted all the interior and the front wall
and built the present day Brighton Bay Twin Cinemas upstairs, within the shell of the original 1920
building. Re-opening was in 1980. During the re-building, the old silent painted screen was revealed on
the back wall. This site is one of a handful around Melbourne that closed and eventually re-opened.

3. The Bentleigh Theatre was retained on a long lease and finally closed in May, 1984. Following complete
remodelling around 1948/1949, it was a highly successful cinema, with advance booking on Friday and
Saturday nights essential in the 1950's. As recently as 1982, a ten week season of "The Man From
Snowy River" showed the public had not forgotten the Bentleigh. This auditorium was also demolished in
favour of more retail outlets, but the original shops facing Nicholson Street were retained and are used
to this day.

Other closings were: Windsor Theatre, 1962
Southern Hampton, 1964
Renown Elsternwick 1970
Regent South Yarra, 1970
Victory, St. Kilda, 1971 .

Earlier closings after television were: Regent Gardiner 1955
Carnegie 1955
Glenhuntly 1959
Empress Prahran 1959.

LYRIC THEATRE 241-247 Johnston Street, Fitzroy by Brian Miller

Mr. Nicholas Dattner stated recently on 3AW he had moved his quality furniture-making business to this
address and has re-named the building The Lyric Theatre. The premises are open seven days a week and
visitors are welcome.

Mr. Dattner was not available on the morning of my inspection but a staff-member was most helpful and
enthusiastically answered by questions.

The foyers. stage, and dress circle have been gutted but the bowed-steel roof beams and pressed metal
ceiling remain. A row of port-hole shaped ventilation windows run along each side wall. typical of very early
cinemas.

The rear wall shows part of a painted proscenium back-drop with the initials S.T. at the top. Does any-one
know if this was a circuit operating the various Lyrics at Brunswick and Prahran or did it have an earlier
name? A loading bay remains from the MacRobertson chocolate factory era.

Mr. Dattner stated on the radio that the Johnston Street area had from eight to ten theatres, so if you have
any details a letter to the above address would be appreciated.

An interesting comment from this present-day generation staff member was - What an opportunity the
Burnley Theatre presents for restoration!