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Other members of the O'Halloran family were involved in the business including Frank's brother in law Jack Murphy, who
managed at different times the Cohuna, Kerang and Deniliquin interests, and later on Frank's elder son, Brian, played a
major part in the managing of the circuit.

Deniliquin Regent c.1993 Photo: Courresy of Butch Tennanr
The O'Halloran's diversified into other areas with the conversion of the Swan Hill Oasis Ballroom into a ten-pin bowling
alley and the construction of the large Golden Bowl complex in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Camberwell. The Swan
Hill Bowl was subsequently converted into a hotel-motel named the Oasis. During the reconstruction the Regent Theatre
was converted into a small intimate theatre seating approximately 400. The Golden Bowl included ten-pin bowling, a
gymnasium, car parking and a restaurant.

For a rime Brian 0' Halloran ran the northern end of the O'Halloran enterprises including the successful Oasis Hotel -
Motel, the Regent Theatre in Swan Hill and the two Drive In Theatres. Frank O'Halloran managed the Golden Bowl.
During the mid 1970's Brian took more and more interest in their Melbourne affairs and the idea of the Ultimate Sports
Centre at South Yarra was conceived and came to birth in the early 1980's. This complex, though a first class Sports Centre
was a financial drain on the successful country businesses and also on the Golden Bowl. The Bowl was sold to private
developers and soon after the Oasis and theatres were disposed of and all their energies and resources concentrated on the
Ultimate Sports Centre.

Frank O'Halloran was a very community minded citizen and his experience in large building construction enabled him to
assist other community projects. For many years Frank donated a bed room suite to be raffled by the local hospital. He was
made a Life governor at the Wan·acknabeal hospital because of this many charity screenings for that institution. He also
equipped the projection room at this old school (Assumption College - Kilmore). But perhaps his biggest project was
assisting the Swan Hill Catholic Parish to build a new church to seat 800. His organizing and purchasing skiJls came to the
fore and the parish saved a lot of money with Frank's assistance. He even organized the Italian fruit growers to back load
(free) many of the bui !ding materials from Melbourne. The parish later got him to assist in the construction of a new parish
school. All Ministers of Religion were given a complimentary double pass to all programs at tbe Swan hill Regent and
complimentary passes were sent regularly to the Swan Hill District Hospital for the use of the nursing staff.

Frank O'Halloran's long and very productive Life came to an end with his death in November 1989 just before his 84'h
birthday. Bdan continued to' run the Ultimate Sports Centre until that failed c. 1995 and its doors were closed thus bringing to an end the
O' Halloran business empire.

References: 1. Recollections of Mary Livingston to the author- 1/8/97. Additional information from Jack Murphy, P.P. O'HaiJorans Brmher-in·law.
2. The Film Weekly . Motion Picture Directory 1945/46 3. The Film Weekly 1962/63 4. The Film Weekly 1971172

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