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The Peoples Popular Picture Palace

from to

Built before the exuberant show of the true picture palaces, the reign of the De Luxe as Melbourne’s
leading picture-theatre was short-lived, but a mix of astute publicity, a dignified interior, position in
Bourke Street and a burst as a 70mm showplace, gave it a long and colourful life.

Ian Smith and Eric White

When Around The World in 80 Days Kings, Russell Street (1908) and the auditorium doors, slightly off-set to
became the hot ticket item of 1957, the Opera House, Auckland, New Zealand minimize the intrusion of daylight.
Esquire, had long been off the (1915). The other corridor went straight
entertainment radar of middle Pitt was also the architect of the St. from the auditorium to the foyer; the
Melbourne. For those with memories Kilda Town Hall and the inspiration for internal doors opened only at the
of the theatre’s better days, or recalling his first picture theatre seems to have conclusion of a session for a speedy
their parent’s stories about the bustle of been the town hall as adapted for exit to Bourke Street. In the main foyer
old Bourke Street, a return visit was moving pictures. That is to say, his the central staircase separated people
almost a homecoming. interior looked back to the formal leaving from those queuing for the next
The De Luxe was one of the few symmetry of the nineteenth century. session.
Australian picture theatres built Conservative though it was, the design The oft-heard announcement at
between 1910 and 1915 which even did introduce some innovations other theatres, “Please leave the theatre
modestly anticipated the luxury appropriate for continuous sessions and by the front and side exits,” wasn’t
cinemas evolving in America. (1) It milling crowds. needed at the De Luxe/Esquire.
opened on Friday 26 March 1915, next An ‘Open’ Entrance Initially the corridors were
door to the Theatre Royal, a prestige decorated with ‘silver blue tiles of
A central ticket box set near the
venue for plays, operetta and ballet. exquisite shading’ set to a height of 10
street under a huge advertising frame
The immediate film competition was feet. (2) Publicity for the theatre
has an impact that no set of doors,
just east of the Royal at the New suggested that a passer-by could
however handsome, can match. Bold
Victoria, and the Star. Across the road happily spend an hour just looking at
presentation lifts the promise of a
from the Star, the Bijou and Gaiety, the murals and decoration of the foyer
mediocre film and the De Luxe always
both vaudeville houses were showing and corridors. Years later, when the
(2)
capitalized on presentation. The allure
films as novelty items. Nine months tiles were replaced by drab paint work,
of such an entrance made a walk
later the De Luxe was facing down the only visual interest along the
through the foyer almost compulsory.
competition from the Paramount, corridor was the sweets counter set into
The original colour scheme of the foyer
directly across the road. Alongside the the right hand wall.
was described as ‘pink and pearly-grey
Paramount stood the Tivoli, the
nuances combined with shades of The value of large spaces to cope
premier vaudeville house. Add in the
delicate lemon’, and included painted with milling crowds would be used
Melba and Brittania picture theatres,
bouquets of scarlet poppies and apple with greater sophistication, but never
little more than a stone’s throw west,
blossom. The murals on the walls with greater effectiveness, at the
and the De Luxe was entering a
alternated landscape scenes with Regent South Yarra (1925) and the
crowded field.
children’s faces. (2) This decoration was Regent Collins Street (1929).
The new theatre was the brain-child
later replaced with advertising panels. A Full Screen View from Every
of Melbourne dental surgeon Arthur
Francis Russell. In 1908 Russell had Ample space for crowd control. Seat
started picture shows as Hoyts, at St. Isadore Brodsky’s words, The Pitt eliminated support posts by
Georges Hall in Bourke Street. success of a theatre is not to be providing a modest, and therefore
Convinced of the future of films, and measured by the crowd pressing in at easily cantilevered balcony, very much
that he had the right location, Russell the entrance, but by the ease with in the town hall mode. For effective
and his co-directors arranged to re- which it can flow through the EXIT, (3) sight lines in the stalls without resorting
build the hall. could have been written with the to deep excavation, he set the screen
They turned to William Pitt, then 75 De Luxe in mind. high with exits seemingly under the
years old, one of the architects whose The central marble staircase, stage. The same solution was used 60
buildings had earned the city the defined and separated two long years later at the Cinema Centre
soubriquet ‘Marvellous Melbourne.’ corridors leading to the auditorium. The Bourke Street, the Bryson, Exhibition
Pitt’s theatre work included the west (left) corridor was the approach to Street, and the Trak, South Yarra.
Princess, Spring Street (1886) the the stalls, and at its head were the
20 2005 CINEMARECORD