Page 17 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2002 #37

Hoyts Cinema DeLuxe on a non- never taken up, to permanently use
exclusive basis. This arrangement was The Auditorium as a talkie house.
superseded by the agreement to use Their reticence was probably due to
the Auditorium. Paramount's new first Union Theatres' parlous financial state
release house now advertised as at the time.
Paramount's Auditorium Theatre. Various independent companies
The policy was two films changed took short leases of The Auditorium.
weekly with the occasional extended These programs were usually second-
season for special releases such as run British Films. When Warner
films from Cecil B. De Mille. These
films were then moved to Bourke
Street for a second run.
The Melba was the initial choice
for the second run, continuing in this
role for a year. Then the Empire just
up from Russell Street became the
second run choice. For these move-
over screenings the Empire screened
just one film at a time for a three-day
season. A special film would screen
for one week.
With Paramount out of the scene a
decline in the fortunes of the Brothers showed interest in the theatre of the original concert platform had
Auditorium might have been its future seemed assured. The theatre created a comfortable cinema seating
predicted but the combined forces of was briefly re-named The Crystal 1500. The theatre with the distinctive
Electric Theatres and Union Theatres Palace to coincide with a decision to façade now had the program policy to
as lessees and later J. C. Williamson make it a Warner Bros. house. The match. For the next thirty five years or
Films and Union theatres (with the arrangement fell apart after about so a confident lion ruled at the old
Taits) introduced golden years. eight weeks when dissatisfaction with address. ★
Between 1925 and 1928 titles with a number of issues, including poor Photos and plan views of the
resonance today - Thief of Bagdad, advertising and film supply resulted in theatre can be seen in the article
Phantom of the Opera, For the Term court action. The Auditorium -Birth of a
Of His Natural Life, Metropolis and In 1932 The Auditorium Showcase by Fred Page,
Variety (Jannings) opened at the screened the first Russian and CinemaRecord Issue No.33,
Auditorium. These films might screen Chinese sound films shown in Winter 2001.
for 6 to 8 weeks then the Auditorium Melbourne. See also:
would revert to a concert season with Six months of revivals and From Concert Hall To
artists of the calibre of Fritz Kreisler, second runs ended in Cinema by Ross Thorne,
Percy Grainger Paderewski and December 1933 when the KINO Issue 78, Summer
Heifetz, the latter promoted simply by doors closed for the last time 2001.
their surnames. In this Indian Summer on the Auditorium. Three Advertisements: State Library
the profile of the Auditorium was months later and a rebuilt of Victoria.
never higher and the increasing size of interior Melbourne audiences
the Herald advertisements showed it. were introduced to the MGM
With talkies on the way and not to Metro. The removal of the
be upstaged, Hoyts rushed Fox's first upper gallery, a lowered ceiling,
sound film The Red Dance and a a proscenium constructed forward
Movietone compilation into The
Auditorium to coincide with the
opening of The Jazz Singer at the
Athenaeum in February 1929.
Although the direction for
entertainment now seemed obvious,
the Auditorium then turned its back
on canned sound and reverted to its
origins - concerts with prominent
musicians and singers. As one by one
the popular venues were wired for
sound - Regent, State, Capitol and
Majestic, the Auditorium was no
longer in demand.
Union Theatres had an option,

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