Page 24 - CR31R.pdf

Melbourne once a week to attend the making its way into the country and
projectionist course at the R.M.I.T. this caused some concern as many
This course was for 3 years! theatres were closing, however the
The Star Theatre was at this time Star weathered these changes and has
managed by Ray Burns, the eldest continued to screen.
son of Doug Burns -who was still Godfrey Angus Gibson and wife
operating both the Seymour and Yea Hazel then took a lease on the
Town Hall Pictures. operation in 1958. Godfrey was an
In the mid 1950’s, the stage Englishman and an ex R.A.F. member,
proscenium was removed to make way who came to Mansfield in the early
1950’s and ran a garage business in
Snowy River 2 Premiere - March 1988.
another part of High Street, where he Photo by: Eddie Revell.
answered to the name of “Hoot” - after
popular cowboy actor of early times. television crews, numerous newspaper
reporters and photographers, and an
Before coming to Mansfield, Hoot
estimated 3500 people gathered
had been run movies in Angaston (S.A)
outside the theatre to catch a glimpse
and more recently in Kilmore (Vic).
of the stars and guests arriving.
During his lease of Mansfield Star, the
foyer was enlarged by removing the The theatre has been first to
cloakroom/ticket box walls. screen many other locally made
films including: “Cool Change” and
On April 1st 1967 my wife Roma
Star Cinema Foyer. “Frog Dreaming” and not forgetting
and I took over the lease of The Star,
Photo by: Kevin Adams. the World Premiere of “The Man
eventually purchasing the freehold from
for a new, larger screen to Doug Burns in 1974. In October 1968 From Snowy River 2” on March
accommodate Cinemascope and we also took over the lease of the 19th 1988 (almost 6 years to the day
VistaVision. During this time other Holiday Theatre at Eildon for 4 years. of “Snowy 1”).
minor alterations were carried out We also established the first video hire The Mansfield Musical and
within the building. One entrance door in Mansfield in part of the foyer. Dramatic Society (MMUDS) have
was closed off to allow the kiosk to be performed their twice-yearly
In July 1979 the carbon arcs were
joined to the ticket box, this in turn productions in the theatre since 1983.
replaced with Cinemacannica Xenon
also allowed an extra 20 seats to be Prior to this Geelong Grammar School
lamp houses and in December 1980
added to the auditorium. As well, part at Timbertop would perform their play
the Westrex mono sound was replaced
of the ladies cloakroom was turned each year here also.
with an Eprad stereo system.
into a “Taxi Office”, and in later years April 1995 saw a change in the
this became the ticket box. A most spectacular night for The name to The Mansfield Cinema and
Star Cinema and Mansfield occurred
Mansfield was part of a circuit. in June that year we had a new
on 20th March 1982 when the theatre
Films would commence screening in verandah constructed across the full
was given the World Premiere of the
Seymour then would circuit on to frontage of the theatre to replace the
locally filmed, Australian movie “The
Euroa, Mansfield, Yea, and later original small one.
Man From Snowy River”. This took
Alexandra and Eildon. Apart from Then in October 1996 the original
place before the Prime Minister,
Mansfield, the theatres in those towns lounge and back stalls seats were
Malcolm Fraser; Victorian Premier,
were all leased by Doug Burns and the replaced with seats from the Civic
Sir Rupert Hamer; the cast of the film,
circuit was known as Burns Pictures. Cinema, Canberra.
and 400 invited guests, including the
Around 1957 television was grand-daughter of Banjo Patterson. After operating the theatre for 31
The Gala Premiere was covered by 7 years (I myself being there for 44
years), we retired in June 1998,
selling the cinema to Melinda and
Brendon Grant who were the
operators at the turn of this century. ★
Compiled by Eddie Revell.
With thanks to the Mansfield Historical Society

New Verandah 2001.
View from the projection room. Photo by: Eddie Revell. Photo by: Kevin Adams.
24 2002 CINEMARECORD