Page 15 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2002 #37

The original plan included a sweet
shop and a rental shop on the right hand
frontage of the theatre. However, these
shop fronts were not in evidence in the
photo of the exterior and one can
speculate that this space was used to
provide further foyer space in the under
rake of the auditorium.
The upstairs foyer led to the cross
aisle between the lounge and circle
seats. The seating according to the plan
included 582 (19 inch) flip up seats in
the stalls, 182 (20 inch ) chairs in the
lounge area and 106 flip up seats in the
circle. The total seating capacity was
807. In the late 1950’s Kirby’s Theatres
Pty Ltd reduced the seating capacity, to
(2)
680 .
The rewind and projection rooms
were located at the rear of the circle and
can be clearly seen as the bow fronted
extension to the frontage of the
building.
The continuation of the cornice into a vertical demarcation of the stage area
The plaster decoration of the
was an interesting feature. The stage space was ideal for wide screen.
auditorium and the proscenium was
restrained by C.M.A. standards. Curved
cornices extended to a vertical
application on the splayed sides of the
proscenium, and the horizontal lines
met rectangular panels on the sidewalls.
The ceiling included areas of patterned
acoustic tiles, circular ventilation grills
and plaster pendants for indirect
lighting. The theatre was heated by
ducted gas.
When the building was finally
finished a new problem delayed the
opening. The Roxy stayed dark for
about two months whilst the young Roc
Kirby negotiated with his opposition
and the film exhibitors to get films.
Both the main exhibition groups,
Hoyts and Independent Theatres
objected to the opening of a new theatre
less than two miles (“as the crow flew”)
from the nearest competition – Hoyts
Barkly and Trocadero theatres, and the
Grand in Footscray. After a direct
appeal to Ernest Turnbull, managing The stadium style structure is evident despite the poor quality of this photo.
director and chairman of 20th Century
Fox Australia, the company that owned
Hoyts, Kirbys were able to break the
distributors’ ban on the Roxy.
The Roxy was an early casualty of REFERENCES
the television era, closing in March (1) Archives Victoria - Public Health File
1958. By this time the Kirby family PB 9060
were concentrating on drive in theatres (2) The Film Weekly – Motion Picture
in both metropolitan and country Directory (1957/58)
locations. Their Croydon site opened (3) “On With the Show” – John Cain ISBN
in 1955. ★ 0 9586647 3 0

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