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GREEK CINEMA IN VICTORIA by Gerry Kennedy

he Island of Ithica, one of the seven Ionian
TIslands off the south west coast of Greece,
has provided Australia, and particularly
Victoria, with a large number of entrepreneurs
in the catering and entertainment industry.
Many of these people were pioneers arriving in
Australia, not just after World War 2, as most
readers would expect, but from as early the
1860s.

The Ionian Islands were, for many years, under
British control as the United States of the Ionian
Islands. Since circa 1864, the Island group has Kinema, Albert Park
been part of Greece. Some of the earliest
immigrants from this area came to Australia as
crew members of British ships.

Marino Lekatsas, an early Ithican immigrant to
Tasmania, built the Princess Theatre in
Launceston in 1911. This theatre, which served
as a cinema for much of its life, is now a
refurbished live theatre.
Marino's brother, Antonios Lekatsas in
partnership with others, built the ten storey
Capitol House in Swanston St, Melbourne in Empire, Brunswick
1922. Part of the building, opposite the
Melbourne Town Hall, incorporated the
magnificent Capitol Theatre. This world
famous theatre was designed by the American
husband and wife team, Walter Burley Griffin
The Capitol Theatre, Melbourne and Marion Mahony Griffin and was opened
on 7 November 1924.
Our late President, Gerry Kennedy, was
instrumental in establishing many of CATHS’ Three Raftopoulos brothers, Spiro, Platon and
activities. One of the most significant was the Demosthenes, managed the confectionery
creation of our magazine, CinemaRecord, counters for many years at the Capitol Theatre.
which he and another of our members, Peter
O’Reilly, started in January 1994. It is only A distant relative of the Raftopoulos brothers,
fitting that one of Gerry’s articles should Stathis (Stan), imported the first Greek film,
th
appear in this 100 edition of CinemaRecord. The Voice of the Heart, into Australia and
screened it at the Nicholas Theatre in Lonsdale
St. Melbourne in 1949. Stan Raftopoulos
Below: Melbourne Town Hall Liberty, Brunswick

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