Page 14 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2002 #37

BY GERR Y KENNED Y

Owner: R.J & G Kirby
Architect: Cowper, Murphy and
Appleford
Opened: 18 May, 1943 (3)
Program: Yankee Doodle Dandy
& Prairie Chickens
Closed: Wed. 5 March 1958
The Roxy was the first theatre to
be built by the burgeoning Kirby
chain, founded by the late George
Kirby when he leased the
Wintergarden in south suburban
Parkdale, in 1927. The Roxy was built
in a partnership between George and
his son Roc. From the 1950’s the
Kirby family’s Village Theatres
experienced phenomenal growth to
achieve the international business
The Roxy was another of that However, where it counted the
status it enjoys today.
firm’s single rake designs that were building gave the impression of a
In 1943 Kirby’s operated screens
popular at the time. The Sun at modern, up to date cinema.
in Altona, Deer Park, Highett,
Yarraville (1938) was the first such The art deco moderne frontage
Parkdale and Sunshine (1928) and in
design in Australia. The Roxy was to included the curved surfaces, porthole
the country at Ararat, Bacchus Marsh
be a budget version of this style - windows and vertical, square columns
and Sorrento.
largely light timber and cladding. reminiscent of some of the late 1930’s
The Roxy theatre was situated in
The scant details recorded in the suburban houses by the same
Ballarat Rd Maidstone, some metres
Public Record files included copies of architects.
east of Stanley St. in what is the
the original plans submitted in Cut out letters formed the word
northern section of the suburb of
December 1941. Due to the Roxy at the top of the parapet. The
Braybrook. The plans describe the
restrictions on the use of building theatre was entered via eight recessed
theatre as being in Braybrook. The
material during World War 2 the Roxy doors. The lower foyer contained the
architects were the well known and
took some years to construct. usual selling and comfort facilities. A
prolific theatre designers, Cowper,
The theatre building occupied a manager’s office, pram room and staff
Murphy and Appleford (C.M.A).
frontage of 77 feet and a depth of 127 room were also located in the under
feet to a rear right of way. A laneway rake space.
was sited on the right hand side to Three steps led to the small upper
provide for the emergency evacuation foyer, which contained the left-hand
of patrons. The plans show that the side stairs to the circle foyer, the
building would comprise the usual ladies toilets and the right hand side
brick frontage, which was cement entrance to the rear crossover of the
rendered. However the auditorium was stalls. As was common to many
constructed with timber stumps, C.M.A designs the foyers extended
floors, wall framing and trussed down either the left or right hand sides
ceiling supports. The external walls of the auditorium, in this case the
were clad with flat asbestos cement lefthand side.
sheeting and the gable roof was The unobtrusive stairway led to a
corrugated iron. The shallow stage small circle foyer, about 7 metres
house was a skillion-roofed extension square. There were no refreshment or
to the auditorium. This type of
Mr. Roc Kirby steered Kirby’s toilet facilities in this foyer, which was
Theatres into what is now Village construction was more common in designed simply as an assembly area
Road Show Corporation Ltd. outer suburban, and country halls. for the lounge and circle.

14 2002 CINEMARECORD