Page 20 - CinemaRecord #21R.pdf

Original Stage Area and Proscenium c.1930

By October 1927 the architects had applied to the Health Department (3) for a live theatre licence for the Royal.
To facilitate th•s it was proposed to mcrease the depth of the stage to allow ror the mstallation of a add1bonal
dress1ng rook I cloak rooms and kitchen areas along the back and western walls or the stage. It was also
proposed to install a smoke outlet /light well above the stage and a fire proof roller curta1n to the proscen1um.
When the old Theatre Royal was sold in 1935 Schultz acquired additional land behind the new theatre to allow
for these Improvements which, from Health Department records. would seem lo have been completed in 1935.(4)
The theatre did not include a fly tower

Sound equ1pment was installed rn 1930. A pair of new Kalee proJectors fitted with sound on disc mechanisms
were purchased· however lh1s sound system was not used as the machines were converted to sound on film
before the first talkie" program was screened(6). The first sound program opened on 30 October 1930 and
featured "The Love Parade" (starring Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette McDonald) ( 1)

In 1938 a boiler house and a piped hot water heating system was approved for Installation. Th1s was initially
wood fired but was later converted to oil burnmg Also in 1938 the architect R. Morton Taylor had approval to
proceed with alterations to the circle foyer area to allow for the installation of ladies and gents toilets on the
western Side of the building. Additional hoppered arched windows were also installed on lhe western wall.

In 1942 a mechan.cal typhoon ventilation system was installed under the stage. No doubt the improved venti·
lation was required because of the growing wartrme audiences; a RAAF unit had been based at Nhlii.Asecond
ticket box was also added to the entrance foyer.

As a single screen exhibtlor Schult4 had some difficulty m acquiring film product at a reasonable price. In 1946
Schultz sold the theatre to O'Halloran Theatres of Swan Hill (an eight location chain). The Royal was then
renamed the Regent m line with all other theatres in the chain)(5)

At about the same Ume a Committee comprising members of the R.S.L. Councilors and rnterested citizens was
formed by the Shire to investigate various options to provide a fining
and functional memorial to the Nhill and district citizens who served in World War 11 . The option favoured was
to see if the Royal Theatre could be acquired and altered to provide a more appropriate building for the oommu·
nity.
In early 1949 the Committee approached O'Halloran to see if he would sell the theatre. He agreed to do so for
the some of 20.000 pounds ($40.000) and on the condition that he was paid $10 per week to supply films to the
Royal from hts circuit