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Albany Newreel
systematically publish book reviews,
(P239) Worthy of inclusion was the but any reviews submitted will be
story of an Anzac day escapade in the considered for publication.
supposedly locked up theatre, which Other recent publications about
could have ended in tragedy. A boy
gained entry and lit a fire in the
the theatres of Melbourne are Tivoli by
projection room. He left just in time –
Frank van Straten, (Lothian), Footscray
the explosion caused by nitrate film
at theFlicks by Roger Seccombe and
igniting blew the roller door across
The Cinemas of St. Kilda by Peter
Collins Street.
Fogarty.
Embassy
Page 243 says that the Embassy
was ‘opposite the My Fair Lady
Theatre’. Wasn't it in the same building
on the north side of Bourke Street?
Esquire and Lyceum
Why were their Midnight Horror
shows discontinued? (p256). Because
the Melbourne City Council didn't want
a thousand ‘hoons’ loose around the
city streets around 2am, and dug up an
obscure by-law which prohibited
theatres opening after 11 30pm.
Why was the Lyceum re-named the
Cleopatra? (p263) It was a gimmick of
the time, in the same way that the
Palladium became the My Fair Lady
Theatre. And if a theatre wanted a
vertical sign advertising the name of
the film, another MCC by-law decreed
that the only way to have it was as the
name of the theatre! Besides, with the
name Lyceum long identified with
‘oaters,’ what self-respecting exhibitor
would want to put a blockbuster in
there?
These ‘extras’ show that a
comprehensive account of the picture
theatres of central Melbourne has yet to
be written. As it is Picture Palaces of
Melbourne provides what it promised.
And if the book goes into another
printing, perhaps others who lived those
times will be given a chance to tell their
stories. ★

Hoyts in 1949 in city publicity. Later as REEL DEALS CATHS membership
Ian Williams began his career with
a front-of-house manager, he worked in cards are now being
all their city theatres. He was at the KEEPING FILM produced by
Capitol when it closed in 1964, and Security Plastics
returned to be the first manager of the COLLECTORS IN TOUCH
re-opened theatre in 1965. For high quality cards for
ENQUIRIES:
It is not the policy of CinemaRecord to
MIKE TRICKETT your clubs or society
25 Fairlie Street contact Mike Hayes on
North Geelong Vic. 3216 (03) 9587 3133.
Phone: AH 03 5278 1986 Special prices for
Fax: 03 5278 3545 CATHS members.
Email: filmman@bigpond.net.au

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