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100. The Albert Park Trio by lan Hanson

Sandwiched between the city of Melbourne and the find a few remnants of its cinemas remaining. The origi-
beachside suburb of St. Kilda, lies the tranquil district of nal Dux theatre had been converted to business premises
Albert Park. Much to the indignation of the locals, this and had been altered internally. The facade still remains
tranquillity is occasionally broken by the Grand Prix which and has been repainted. Substantially gutted also is the
takes place in the parklands adjoining the suburb every old Kinema in Bridport Street. All that is left is the roof.
year. The locality is situated on what was the old railway walls and facade. The site once occupied by the Park cin-
line to St. Kilda. ema in Montague Street is now the local library.

For nearly 75 years cinemas of various types have served Purpose built cinemas arrived in the Melbourne suburbs
the suburb. A trio of picture theatres began around 1912, with the opening of the Lyric theatre at Prahran in De-
with the "Dux Photoplays". This was later joined by the cember of 1910. Films screened at that time were usually
'Kinema' and the final addition being the distinctive purchased outright by various companies from overseas
"Park" theatre, a cinema which epitomised the "an deco" or produced locally, such was the case at Johnson & Gibson.
era. There is also evidence of a fourth structure, an open-
air also called d1e "Dux", which was located in Victoria This pioneering firm also built their own theatre in Fiztroy
Avenue, the site of the Housing Commission flats. Street. St. Kilda. Their Bioscope department was located
in Melbourne at the Temperance Hall where their film
Research on these theatres started many years ago whilst processing plant was situated. Johnson & Gibson also op-
the author was a resident in Melbourne. In 1996, 1 de- erated an oxygen compressing works at St. Kilda Junction
cided to complete the work for this journal and made a and they were dealers in projection machines, portable
visit to Melbourne, where I visited Albert Park, only to generating plants and limelight apparatl.ts. (I)

Dux Theatre in 1938- After Closure

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