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“In those days we had to show the At A Glance
slides for exactly ten seconds, or there
would be trouble if we were caught out Eclipse, Port Melbourne Eclipsing the Competition
by the inspectors who toured the Cnr. Crockford & Pickles Sts. Perhaps the choice of name
theatres just for this purpose.” Built for: Eclipse Picture Theatre Ltd. suggests an intention to put rivals in
In the post-war baby boom, most Directors: G. M. Johnson (Chairman) the shadows, or perhaps it was
theatre managers found that they F. Nomens and J. Walker. inspired by the total eclipse of 1922,
needed to find space for prams, Lessee and but Port Melbourne’s Eclipse was the
(later) owner: Hoyts Theatres Ltd.
especially at matinees. In 1951 prams only theatre in Australia to carry this
Architect: Herewold G. Kirkpatrick
began to clog the foyer at the Eclipse, distinctive name. It was also the largest
and management made a request to the Opened: 25 October 1924 of the local theatres. In 1940 the
Health Department to use the floor each First comparative seating was Eclipse
projectors: Simplex
side of the stage as a temporary pram 1,550 Port 1,100 and the Empire
Fire in
park. Permission was granted, but not Projector 7 August 1929 (South Melbourne) 1000 seats.
long after, the theatre manager was
First Often regarded as one of Hoyts
taken to task when an inspector found All-Talkie: 8 January 1930 smaller theatres, it was no baby: in
that babies were being left in the prams Broadway, Evelyn Brent
1957 the Eclipse ranked 22 out of 36
while the film was on! Management Theatre for seating amongst Hoyts Suburban
denied any knowledge of this, but said Classification: B (Hoyts scale was A to E) Theatres. H.G. Kirkpatrick’s design ‘on
that they would more diligent in future. CinemaScope:Mon. 6 Dec. 1954 the latest American model,’ was
Seating: (1924) 1,176 stalls,
Marlene Mitchell has memories of
379 balcony, certainly efficient: the Eclipse held 13
all the kids stacking into the bus to get Total 1,555 percent more people than the
to the Eclipse for the Saturday (1958) Total 1,263 cavernous Empress in Prahran.
matinees. She remembers getting Closed: 24 June 1959 Mr. Alan Windley provided the
dressed up and feeling really great This Angry Age,
seating capacities (from Film Weekly).
sitting upstairs. Anthony Perkins Mr. Mel Elliott checked eclipse events
The years rolled by and packed Site Now: 7-Eleven Store prior to 1924.
houses became a memory. The
Trumbles had long left Garton Street
for retirement in Mt. Evelyn. A notice
appeared on the doors at the Eclipse
announcing that it would close on 24
June 1959. A 35-year run of a
community institution had come to an
end. For those who still cared about the
theatre, the title of the last feature was
apt, This Angry Age with Tony Perkins,
even if the content was forgettable.
A garage was built on the prize
corner site and later replaced by a 7-
Eleven convenience store. The supply
of food has replaced the supply of ‘soul
food’ of entertainment. ★

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My thanks to Kay Rowan, Marlene
Mitchell, the late Arthur Rowan,
Charles Hall, Jack Porritt Arthur Knox
and the late Reg Oldham, who
contributed the anecdotes that built this
image of a fondly remembered
community asset.
I am indebted to Mr Les Tod for his
drawing of the exterior of the theatre,
done specifically for this story.
Mr. Mel Elliott, Gordon Onans and
Alan Windley provided additional
detail. “It seemed a large
theatre at the
REFERENCES time, but now with
Public Records office. Health the 7-Eleven Store
Department File 7882P1/213/1100 on it, it doesn’t
The Record, Various issues. seem so large” –
The Argus, 27 Oct. 1924
Kay Rowan.

18 2004 CINEMARECORD