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PADUA

FROM THE INSIDE

By Brian Scott
Hoyts Padua opened on 24 July
1937. The theatre was located at 614
Sydney Road, Brunswick, about sixkm
from the centre of Melbourne. The
telephone number was FW 1111, another
detail that I will always remember.
The “Pad” as it was affectionately
known, was considered a classic of the
period - Hoyts ‘flagship’ of the
northern suburbs.
The architecture of the theatre has
been well recorded, in books by Ross
Thorne in particular, and so my
intentions are to recall my experiences,
The manager (centre), his assistant and front-of-house staff at the Padua in the late
and the love I had for the theatre.
1930s. The author will start as a pageboy, about ten years later.
In 1949 I was employed as a
pageboy, a seller of Hoyts own film To see the transformation from A balcony garden off the dress
magazine, Screen News. stage to screen, and screen to stage by a circle foyer, over looking Sydney Road,
A special feature of the Pad, which turn of the revolve was magic and sheer was nice for a cigarette on a summer
I believe no other picture theatre in class. For example, Len Davis vamping evening during interval. Well, the
Australia possessed, was a revolving the last strains of The Harry Lime advertising slide on the screen did read,
stage, divided into three sections: Theme as the organ disappears, and the ‘Interval, Time for a Capstan!’
First, the film screen; second, a screen comes into view with the sounds Around 1951-52, extensive power
screen for advertising slides, uniquely of Big Ben introducing the London restrictions forced the State government
framed in the shape of a circle and Films release The Third Man. to ban shops and businesses from
third, a set piece for turning on their display
stage presentations. An signs and windows. Yet
all female orchestra, the through the worst of it,
Padua Redheads, were a travelling down Sydney
feature of the theatre. Road in the dark and
Two artists who gloom, the lights of the
appeared on stage that I Padua, were always
recall were Nellie beckoning in the
Collie, a male distance.
impersonator, who Hoyts had an
belted out songs like, emergency generator in
“Who were you with the theatre so powerful
last night, out in the that it could light the
pale moonlight…?” neon sign and all other
During the 1949 lighting, and run the
season of Jolson Sings projectors. Of course a
Again, Mr. Barry billboard out front
O’Dowd mimed Al explained the situation.
Jolson, just as Larry Most Hoyts theatres had
Parkes did in the film. a generator, but none as
Then there were the powerful as the Pad’s!
appearances of the In 1953, Padua
Carlton football team to became one of four
herald the start of Regency Release
The Herald, Thurs. 29 April 1954
football season. theatres. This meant that Padua shows
The Pad had a sound-proof crying
The Padua was one of two Hoyts’ were screening simultaneously with a
room, (a mark of distinction at most
suburban theatres to be given the luxury Hoyts City Theatre.
front-rank cinemas built at this time),
of an organ. It was a Hammond, played The other theatres in this privileged
with a large window to view the screen,
by Mr. Len Davis, and it was housed in position were New Windsor, Broadway
and internal speaker to hear the film,
a beautiful white ivory cabinet. Camberwell and Trocadero Footscray.
for parents with young children.
CINEMARECORD 2006 21