Page 20 - CinemaRecord #11R.pdf

Since 1993, on the last Saturday in February, Film Arts Productions have presented the Charlton Film Festival,
running Friday night, and all day on Saturday. The programme is usually a mixture of 35mm and 16mm films.
Our theatre is still operating, and we are hoping that it will continue to do so.

Ron Ramsay, Chief Engineer of Hoyts Theatres, told me the history of the Philips projectors. They were
purchased new and installed in Hoyts Esquire in Bourke Street, and were used to show "Around The World In
80 Days", "South Pacific", "Oklahoma" and others. When the Altona Drive-In was constructed the machines
were shifted to that location. When the Altona Drive-In closed the Philips machines were stored for a period,
and when Hoyts built a second screen at the Maribyrnong Drive-In the projectors were taken from the store and
used in that situation, until we bought them from Hoyts in 1984.

Additional Notes by Gerry Kennedy

According to files held at the Public Records Office plans for the new theatre were submitted in July, 1938 and
it was intended to open the theatre in October of that year. The week before the opening the local Council
granted a building permit. (Think about that one for a minute).

The theatre was originally licensed to seat 616, with 399 in the stalls and 217 in the balcony. The building has
an art deco frontage and is constructed of double thickness concrete blocks (12 x 6 x 6 inches) strengthened
with brick piers. Gabled roof lines are used over the main auditorium and the frontage. A skillion roof covers the
stage house. The theatre entrance is situated between two shops, the left hand shop is concrete floored whilst
the right hand shop has a timber floor. This was to enable the installation of toilets in this area when the town
was sewered. The toilet block, although now sewered is still in the back yarrd behind the theatre.

Terrazzo steps and landing lead into the crush space. A ticket box is located on the left hand side. There is no
foyer space as such. A managers office and switchroom are also on the left hand side.

An unusual feature of the theatre is the entrance to the balcony. As there is no upstairs foyer, the balcony is
directly accessed (at the front) by means of narrow staircases from the left and right hand sides of the downstairs
foyer, either side of the stalls entrance.

The auditorium is rectangular with splay wall to the square proscenium. Exits to the toilets are contained in the
splays. The exit doors and the adjacent false windows feature small glass panes. Splay walls are also used in
the back corners of the stalls. Plywood paneling has been used to dado height. The general colours used in the
auditorium are off white with rich timber colours to the front of the stage and around the splay exits and
windows. The stalls floor is raked. The stage curtains are made of gold velvet. The ceiling is flat. The bio box
is entered from the rear of the balcony and has been re-equipped several times over the years.

In 1953 fire severely damaged the left hand shop but damage to the theatre was· minimal. By 1958 James
Nulty of Ouyen was listed as the owner of the theatre. Nulty operated an extensive circuit throughout north and
west Victoria. The Rex was renamed the Roxy as were all of Nulty's theatres. The seating capacity was
reduced to 497 ( 280 stalls and 217 balcony), therefore obviating the need to have a fireman on duty at each
screening and to replace damaged seats. An oil heating system was installed in 1973.

The Edwards closed the theatre in 1984 because of dwindling audiences. They decided to re-open and so
began another refurbishment program. The ceiling was repaired and a pair of Philips projectors (ex Hoyts
Maribrynong Drive In) were installed. Because of their size the projection box had to be extended and reinforced.
The cinema reopened on the 21 June 1986 and has continued to function since. In recent years screenings
have occurred fortnightly on Saturdays.

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• A Merry Christmas and a Safe and Happy New Year to all members of the Cinema and Theatre •
• Historical Society of Victoria. Thank you to all those who have contributed to this magazine •
• over the last year. •
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• Please keep up the good work in 1997. This is your magazine, not mine.- The Editor •
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