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heritage.
Victoria has the National Trust, an
advisory body, and Heritage Victoria,
government sanctioned with legal
powers to protect buildings of cultural
and social significance. (The Astor St.
Kilda and Rivoli Camberwell were
added to Heritage Victoria listings a
few years ago, and by law cannot be
used for anything else, or changed
substantially without HV approval.
Leading architects and university
lecturers will have to be rounded up
and be willing to support actions to
save this building, and quick.
If any building in this nation is
more deserving of protection surely it
must be the Regent Wollongong, as it
demand again for a range of stage uses.
is probably one of the world’s (let
alone NSW) only surviving, totally BIRTH CELEBRATED
original example of late-boom cinema
To David and Catherine Kilderry: a
style – why it has not been registered
daughter, Candice Brooke, born on
and noted by any official body up to
Wednesday 3 March. Mum and baby
now is beyond my comprehension –
are well. A next-generation CATHS
what are our theatre historical
member is assured.
societies doing to put on the heat? It’s
too late once bulldozers start moving OBITUARIES
in – planned action utilizing all
possible legal powers has to be taken James Curtis
well in advance. James joined CATHS in December
1997 and regularly attended meetings
INTERNATIONAL with his mother. A quiet man with a
broad interest in cinema, James was peacefully on the 18th February 2004.
Empire Hackney Re-Opens Margaret regularly attended
always appreciative of CinemaRecord
The transformed Empire Hackney CATHS functions with her husband
and the effort made by authors to get
(far right) represents a triumph of Don. They opened their home to host
theatre histories into print.
patience and determination. Built in Film Buffs a couple of years ago, and
1901 to the design of Frank Matcham, Peter Davoren travelled to New Zealand on our tour
one of Britains most accomplished and Peter Davoren was a true in 2000, only weeks after she had had
inventive theatre architects, the gentleman, a fine host and all-round a major operation.
building was run down and forced to enthusiast. Many CATHS members Don and Marg. were a great team,
close in 2001. Restoration plans did will remember how Peter opened his contributing to CATHS where-ever
not run smoothly, but that is behind the home cinema for inspection on the first they could. The CATHS members who
organizers now. Film Buff’s Weekend. His perfectionist attended the funeral were privileged to
Between 1890 and 1915 Matcham approach to projection equipment and hear Margaret’s son deliver a eulogy
is said to have built 95 theatres and his love of cinema were obvious. which captured the essence of the
transformed more than 50 others, and Peter gained his Ph.D. in Margaret we knew.
no two were alike. He employed every Biochemistry from the University of Our sympathy is extended to Don
known style and invented some. One Melbourne. In the United States, he and his family.
theatre in Australia that might have conducted research at the University of
been influenced by Matcham’s sense of Cleveland, Ohio. After returning to COMING ATTRACTIONS
the exotic, was the original interior of Australia, he lectured at Monash Easter – April 10-12
the Palace Sydney; almost an University prior to commencing his
‘atmospheric,’ before the word had own business in Melbourne. Terowie Days of Rail and Steam.
See selections from his films and learn
been coined. Peter quietly supported various
about J. P. Mc Gowan, Hollywood’s
The Empire Hackney was the committees over the years and was
theatre used in Sir Richard always ready to provide information first Australian and Terowie’s most
famous son. Register for information:
Attenborough’s Chaplin. It is in and help to anyone who approached
him. He died on Sunday 16 November railandscreen@dodo.com.au, or ring
David Donaldson (08) 8344 7055.
2003, after a brave battle with cancer.
Reporting by: Kevin Adams, Colin
Margaret Flowers
Flint and John Nunan (each also
Our friend Margaret died
supplied images), Ian Williams, Ray
Peck and Peter Wolfenden
6 2004 CINEMARECORD