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Although not initially owned by
Hoyts, the theatre operated as Hoyts
Ivanhoe and ran on a series of ten
year leases. Structural changes in 1931
by the architects Taylor, Soilleux and
Overend, in conjunction with Dickson
and Yorsten, included re-modelling the
façade to Spanish Mission. The towers
were removed, and the first floor
billiard room and tea-shop became
two residential flats. A five-roomed
flat extended across the entire front of
the theatre and a smaller one was built
to the left, around into Ivanhoe
Parade. The change warranted another
ceremonial opening. The local paper
reported that it was the first time a
managers’s residence had been built
into a picture theatre. Auditorium
seating was reduced to 1376. (7) The
same architects were called back in
1935 for further upgrades including
piped hot water heating and a new
stage over the orchestra pit.
The toilets were upgraded in 1940,
a new brick fence constructed along
Ivanhoe Parade and a brick garage
constructed at the rear of the building.
The last alterations were in 1958-59,
with an upgrade of the concessions
Top: The stadium style interior. The longitudinal sweep of the ceiling lattice is a
area. (1)
pronounced feature. Image: Reg Oldham.
Ivanhoe started life with a pair of
Above: The major make-over in 1931. Still attractive, but not distinctive
Powers 6B projectors which were later
converted for sound-on-disc and Time Balwyn, Circle Essendon, Park Vizard, Miss White, Fred Griffiths,
sound-on-film operation. The Albert Park, Shore Williamstown, Gordan Onans and Stan Henry, the
conversions proved to be Barkly Footscray and the Renown last manager.
unsatisfactory due to excessive Elsternwick. Ivanhoe struggled with Projectionists: - The first was Bill
vibration of the projectors. (8) The first dwindling attendances until its closure Newman who left after about two
talkie film, The Batchelor Girl shown following the evening performance on years to move to the country. ‘Snowy’
on 23 January 1930 was sound-on- Saturday 29 June 1968. Hoyts also Kettle was his replacement. After a fire
disc containing only 35 percent closed the Padua Brunswick on the in 1929 destroyed 1300 feet of film
dialogue. Later, a pair of Simplex same day. The last screening at Ivanhoe, and damaged a projector, ‘Snowy’ was
projectors were installed. For the first Elvis Presley in Clambake played to a transferred to Essendon. Reg. Oldham
Cinemascope film The Robe, Gaumont near empty house. It was company took over, spending a record 38 years
Kalee four-track magnetic sound was policy not to advertise a theatre’s final in the projection room until the theatre
installed, with Hoyts standard-pattern screening to avoid vandalism. closed. Reg. Oldham remembered all
speaker boxes on the auditorium The death of a theatre is always a of the managers he had worked with
walls. A pair of C&W’s were the last sad occasion and Hoyts Ivanhoe was from Dudley Barr onwards.
projectors used (the big ones, not the no exception. The building remained Assistant Projectionists who
juniors). The sound system was vacant for three years until it was worked with Reg. Oldham included
Western Electric with the main demolished in 1971. Jack O’Connor, Russ Hedley, George
amplifier being Gaumont. (8)
STAFF Georgie, John Sevier, Tony Hore,
The introduction of television to The ‘personality’ of a theatre is as Colin Bishop and Syd Emerson.
Australia in 1956 impacted heavily on much about people as it is about a Residents of the main upstairs flat
suburban picture theatres. Hoyts building. Among those who made Hoyts were Manager Tom Kerr and his
announced that Ivanhoe would operate Ivanhoe a theatre to remember were: family (the first occupants), followed
on a restricted basis from 27 April 1961.
Managers: - Mr. H. M. Baker, the by Russ Hedley and family. Hoyts
Screenings would be limited to
first man in the role, Arthur Dinley Assistant Engineer Bert Morris and
Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings
who was retrenched during the family also lived there for a while, as
with a Saturday matinee and
Depression, Tom Kerr, Jack Wran who did Syd Emerson who went on to
intermediate session. The restricted
later moved to GTV Channel 9, become Hoyts Chief Engineer.
screening policy also applied to other
Dudley Barr, Bill Stoyles, Lance
Hoyts suburban cinemas including:
16 2003 CINEMARECORD