Page 26 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2002 #37

THE VALLEY/LATROBE THEATRE -

TRARALGON

Jim Lawrence returned to the cinema business to manage the new Valley theatre for his brothers.
Newly settled in Traralgon at this time, Gerry Kennedy offers an observers account of
the theatre that was so special to them.

Architect: Cowper, Murphy of the Lawrence Bros. chain in As bricks were largely
and Associates Gippsland. It is interesting to note that unobtainable, their use in the building
(Melbourne) the architectural drawings used the was minimal. The exterior walls of the
Builder: G. Harris Bros. name “Algon” on the sky sign pylon. building were made from re-inforced
(Maidstone - Melbourne). Building costs were minimized by poured concrete. These were later
Plasterer: Jim Lyle (Melbourne). using a largely Quonset (i.e. igloo) cement rendered, and painted.
Owner: Lawrence Bros. shaped exterior design combined with The attractive, intimate atmosphere
Theatres (Alf and Josh a stadium style auditorium. This of the auditorium provided a pleasant
Lawrence) resulted in the efficient use of space. contrast to the stark exterior. A curved
The floor plan was similar to those ceiling of acoustic tile sheets (approx.
Operational:
used by Hoyts in their smaller cinemas 1.8m x .9m) complimented the
As the Valley: 19 December 1951 –
(in the late 1930's), as well as other external roofline. This proved to be an
8 May 1973
independent operators in the 1950's. attractive part of the decor. A skillion
As the Latrobe
Cinema: 21 June 1973 - The interior was a modified version roofed stage house was built to
January 1978 of the Skouras style that had proven accommodate the screen, sound
popular in the United States. Spyros equipment, curtains and machinery.
The Valley Theatre was built at 29
Skouras was the head of 20th Century- This same roofline extended to the left
in Grey St., on land purchased from
Fox at that time. Fox had embarked on to cover the heating and fan rooms.
the adjoining Ryan's Hotel family. The
building a new circuit of cinemas and Instead of building a plaster
owners were Alf and Josh Lawrence of
many of these featured the extensive proscenium, the straight auditorium
Lawrence Brother’s Theatres. The
use of plaster scrolls, curved wall ceiling finished at the stage curtain line.
construction of the Valley Theatre
decorations, and decorative curtains The curtained sections of the sidewalls
commenced in 1949 and it was built in
and swags. The Skouras style of were splayed to the stage. Decorative
two stages over the following two
decoration was also described as the plaster swirls were applied to the front
years. The long construction period
“chocolate box style”. Hoyts Theatres of the bowed stage and along the
was due to the post war shortage of
brought the style to Australia in the sidewalls of the stalls. The indirect
building materials that were strictly
construction of the Castle (1947) and house lighting was set into troughs at
rationed. Delays were also attributed to
Crest (1948) theatres in the Sydney the top of the walls, and stage footlights
government, and council bureaucrats.
suburb of Granville. completed the lighting effect.
The first contract covered the erection
To comply with the strict building The Film Weekly at the time
of the steel fabricated, arched
requirements construction materials records the seating capacity as 850
framework of the main auditorium.
were sourced from several countries. although the building plans show a
The second contract completed the
For example the prefabricated steel total of 808 seats. The stadium
building and its equipment and
arches came from England, the cement auditorium was divided into two price
furnishing.
was obtained from the U.S.A., level; stalls and lounge. There were
The construction of the theatre was
England, Japan and Sweden, the two foyer areas in an L shaped
controversial. Many local civic and
roofing iron was from Japan and the configuration. One across the front of
community dignitaries were open in
nails were sourced from American the building (beneath the rake of the
their opposition. There were common,
wire and made in Japan. The lounge) and the other along the left-
or sympathetic links, between the
corrugated roofing iron was imported hand side of the auditorium. The stalls
Shire Council, business leaders and the
from Japan; this proved difficult to were accessed from the side foyer and
Town Hall Committee. The Town Hall
roll for the curved roof, as the seated 472 patrons on burgundy
Talkies screened over six nights and a
Australian profiles were different. coloured vinyl, flip up seats. The seats
matinee each week.
Some secondhand materials were also were arranged in rows curved to the
The building permits were
used. A heating system was obtained stage. The lounge was centre accessed
eventually issued on the condition that
from the fire damaged Liberty theatre from the front foyer. The 336 lounge
imported, or second hand materials,
(in Melbourne); and from this, a pump seats were fabric-covered chairs. Both
were used.
for the septic sewerage system, and a the auditorium and foyers were
At the suggestion of Mr. Jim
fan for the ventilation system were painted in a combination of off -white,
Lawrence, the manager to be, the
salvaged. Imported timbers, such as grey, and subtle shadings of pink.
theatre was to be named “The Valley
Oregon, were used wherever possible.
Theatre”. It became the flagship house
26 2002 CINEMARECORD