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The influence of the State Sydney is apparent in this wall detail for the replacement Theatre Royal. Source: Ian Hanson

Union had wanted to build the first followed by the Marx Brothers in The
Wired for Sound
time. The plan was for a 1,500 seat, Cocoanuts (Paramount) for 11 weeks.
One measure of a theatre’s prestige
long-run house to be called the Prince Paramount secured a ten-year lease
was the speed of conversion for
Edward. Architect’s sketches were on the Capitol, effective from Boxing
sound. Here is the time-line for
prepared, but it didn’t happen. Day 1930. With Paramount’s best films
Melbourne city. Cinemas off-Bourke
At first the live theatres, the Bijou, now destined for the Capitol, Union
Street led the way. From mid-1929
Palace (near Spring Street), Theatre Theatres were left with lesser pictures
the cinema chains were also racing
Royal and Tivoli, ignored the changes from Paramount, which were screened
to convert their suburban theatres.
around them and continued with their at the Athenaeum and the Princess.
staples of musicals, drama, and 1929 In 1931 the Princess returned to
vaudeville. Fuller’s Palace broke ranks Auditorium 2 February live theatre. The Depression was
in December 1929 and switched to Athenaeum 2 February affecting attendances at all
first–release films. Most successful was entertainments, and film supply became
Regent 6 April
M.G.M.’s Hollywood Hotel with an tight. Union Theatres struggled to
State 6 April
eight week run. The Palace then terminate its leases on the Princess and
Capitol 13 April
screened Radio Pictures for weekly runs. the St. James in Sydney.
Majestic 10 May
At Easter 1930, the former Hoyt’s With Union’s finances now
Gaiety, now called the Roxy was re- Plaza 10 May precarious, Paramount and Warners
opened by the Fullers. It took second- De Luxe* 13 July moved to Hoyts.
runs from the Palace, and the Melba* 17 August As economic conditions worsened,
occasional first-runs from Universal of Princess 31 August the banks pressed for a temporary
their Hoot Gibson westerns. Britannia* 12 October amalgamation of Union Theatres with
In 1931 the Fuller Bros. negotiated Paramount* 21 December Hoyts. Hurting, but in better shape than
the rights to release Warner Brothers Palace* 26 December its rival, Hoyts wanted the major say in
First National films at their Palace. any combine and sought to bring in the
They continued to use the Roxy as a 1930 independents, Fullers and Birch Carroll
second- release house for these films. Roxy* 16 May and Coyle (Qld), the better to dictate
Close to Bourke Street was Fuller’s 1933 terms to the powerful film exchanges.
prestige Melbourne theatre, the The outcome was the General Theatres
Mayfair* 2 December
Princess. Union Theatres took leases Corporation (1932-37) within which
on the Princess and the St. James in * A Bourke Street cinema Hoyts and Union made some tough
Sydney for long-run talkies. Mary decisions, rationalised programming
Pickford in Coquette (UA) opened in and axed some theatres.
September 1929 for a four-week run,

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