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Many of the halls used for early (1929) for Saturday night were from Of course 1/6 spent at the State
film venues lacked the basics for a 2/6 up to 4/3 and not much less on mixed stage entertainment with film.
clear view of a screen: flat floors and weekdays. Despite this the Regent An all live pantomime in 1936 could
galleries supported by a forest of iron management maintained that they were set you back a minimum of 3/- for an
columns. From about 1910 purpose- keeping prices within the reach of adult (1/6 for children) plus an
built cinemas began to offer enhanced audiences: The enormous seating additional 1/- for a reservation.
viewing, live musical entertainment, capacity makes it possible for the Vaudeville prices also ranged up to 3/-
and more comfortable seating. Even by Regent to present an entertainment for adults and 1/-for children. ‘Modern
the early twenties prices still averaged possessing the best the screen can dancing’ cost 1/- at St. Kilda and
1/- for adults and 6d. for children. offer, and yet keep prices down to an admission to the Royal Zoological
Prices rose later in the 1920’s absolute minimum. The ‘poor man’s Gardens was 6d. five cents for adults
although, 'out in the sticks' a public theatre’ was not just for the poor. and 2d for children!
hall cinema in Blackburn Victoria was The Depression also kept cinema Cinema attendances boomed in
asking 1/4d or 1/-for adults and prices in check. The late Gordon World War II as military personnel and
children half price. McClelland recalled how his father's locals sought an escape from their
That was when the population of cinema in Carlton Victoria, let the concerns. Many cinemas recorded
Australia was 6.4 million and our unemployed in for nothing during the significant rises in admission prices, in
grandparents were so hooked on films worst years. part the effect of new taxes. (See Box.)
that they set an enduring attendance How much money was there for A small specialist venue, the tiny New
record: 183 million cinema tickets sold discretionary spending in the thirties? Theatre in Flinders Street was asking
in one year. (See graph.) That amounts The basic wage for a man in a whopping 3/-.
to every man, woman and child going Melbourne in 1930 was £3/15/-. Chops By the late forties people were
to the pictures 28 times a year! This cost 6d a pound, a packet of tea 1/3 tiring of the old pattern of
extraordinary statistic was the impetus and a dozen eggs 1/6, the same price entertainment; there was more choice
for the creation of the prestige picture as a ticket to a matinee at the State. A and they were more mobile. Cinemas
palaces. man on the dole would get around 15/6 saw children's matinees as a way to
Targeting a more affluent class of a week if he had five children to instill the picture-going habit. Matinee
patron with an appreciation of décor, support. clubs flourished, some offering the
prices at Melbourne's new Regent incentive of birthday cakes, lucky

Probably a Friday night. The crowd comes out of the Southern Hampton.

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