Page 18 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2002 #37

Undoubtedly 1929 was the high a partnership with Sneddon until 1939. The following Ballantyne buildings
point in Ballantyne’s career. Not only The Royal Insurance Building at 414- are listed in the Victorian Heritage
did he complete Melbourne’s Regent 418 Collins Street, with its elegant Register:
and Plaza theatres and Wentworth Napier Waller murals, was their finest H 478 Former New Zealand Loan
House, he also found time to design work; it has been demolished. Another and Mercantile Company Ltd
the Athenaeum Club at 83-87 Collins building from this period, on a much Building (Oakden and
Street (of which Sir George Tallis was more modest scale, is the former Ballantyne, 1910),
a prominent member) and, more Bookcraft Library at 66 Toorak Road, 538-544 Collins Street,
prosaically, a Fire Station in Swanston South Yarra, credited to Ballantyne and Melbourne
Street, Carlton. Wilson. It has since housed a variety
H 690 Regent Theatre (1929),
of shops, and retains much of its
LATER YEARS 191-197 Collins Street,
original charm.
Ballantyne’s daughter Elizabeth Melbourne
In 1948 Ballantyne built a home
loved horses and dogs. For her benefit H 1320 Former No 3 Carlton Fire
for his retirement at 17 Irilbarra Road,
he built a beautiful home on his Station (1928),
Canterbury. Three years later he closed
farming property at Trawool, near 650-656 Swanston Street,
his office and moved to Merimbula in
Seymour. During the difficult days of Carlton
New South Wales to be near his
the early 1930s he spent most of his H 1327 Former Hawthorn Fire Station
daughter. The man who had created
time there, though he kept his city (Oakden and Ballantyne,
eight of this country’s most opulent
office open, accepting infrequent 1910),
picture palaces died there on 16
commissions for residences, offices 66-68 William Street,
August 1957, aged 81.
and, of course, the occasional fire Hawthorn
Ballantyne’s sister Katherine was
station. He injured an eye while
associated with garden designer Edna
chopping wood on his property and ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Walling; indeed it was Ballantyne who With thanks to Elaine Marriner, Joan
travelled to Germany for treatment.
recommended Walling for one of her Blakemore and architects Neil
This was unsuccessful, and he lost his
first garden commissions. His extended Clerehan, Peter Johnson and Wendy
eye.
family includes stage and film director Jacobs.
Ballantyne returned to his practice
Michael Blakemore and actor Neil A version of this article appeared in
in the mid-1930s but the Depression, the book The Regent Theatre:
Melville, who was once married to
the war and failing health took their Melbourne’s Palace of Dreams, ELM
singer Debra Byrne.
toll. He worked briefly with B.P. Publishing 1996.
Sutton and G.H. Sneddon, and was in © Frank Van Straten.

Regent Sydney (1928). The full curves were an elaboration on South Yarra and used again in the Adelaide design.
Source: Picture Palace Architecture in Australia by Ross Thorne. Sun Books Pty Ltd 1976.

18 2002 CINEMARECORD