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Theatre Rivals of Camberwell

In appearance and temperament Henry Holland and Robert McLeish could have been from different planets.
They shared a love for film exhibition, competed fiercely when their interests collided, then came to respect each other’s talents.
By Ian Smith

The Unstoppable Henry Holland. Holland was formidable but There are other reminders of the
I was introduced to the story of fascinating; her hair piled in a beehive, Holland influence. On Camberwell
Holland’s theatre as a child when my her rings flashing as she passed across Road, just past the Town Hall, four
mother pointed out the words Holland’s the tickets. brick homes stand side by side, built by
Building on the Coles Store in Burke One ritual of a Friday night at Henry Holland for his extended family.
Road, close to the Camberwell Hollands was the entry of the local Until well into the 1950s, the two
Junction. gang or ‘push’. As the film started a largest each sported an arch across the
Mum and her brothers liked to retell tramp, tramp of boots in the aisle main gates; Hollywood emblazoned on
stories of their introduction to Chaplin signalled that the lads were coming in. one and Los Angeles on the other, a sort
and William S. Hart in this venue. Even The noise drowned out the tinkle of the of homage to the family’s source of
then, as kids growing up in the 1920s piano and their heads blocked the good fortune. Filling in the gaps in this
the building looked basic: a flat floor screen while they settled into the front story seemed overdue. (1)
and a centre aisle marked out in row of seats with the maximum amount Residents of Camberwell, ten km.
sawdust. The seats were locked of disturbance. It was like clockwork; east of Melbourne, enjoyed Bioscope
together on skids, if one person started the gang always late, their rightful Concerts at the Town Hall from 1909,
fidgeting or drumming with their feet, place always the front row. which later became the venue for
everyone in the row felt it. Coles have also long since vacated Bowman’s Pictures. Henry Holland
Showmanship at Hollands was well this building, and the frontage today often attended these shows.
to the fore. My mother remembers a reveals nothing about its original Holland had started his working life
crowd in the foyer gawking at a man in purpose, but walk around to the back. as a road contractor, and was credited
bed, allegedly in a hypnotic trance; The roof, with a remnant of a sliding with the construction of 500 streets and
perhaps a promotion for an early section and buttressed walls are tell-tale the first graded road to Woods Point.
version of Svengali. To little Zoe, Mrs. reminders. Now a director of the City Brick
A girl on horse-back passes between the Camberwell Picture Theatre (far left) and the nearly finished Rivoli. Opposite the
theatres was the shop of Sam Soot, chimney sweep. Reproduced by courtesy of the City of Boroondara Library Service.

16 2006 CINEMARECORD