Page 38 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

CATHS Queensland Celebrates

Its Second Birthday

by Steve Maggs and Mike Gillies

The Second Anniversary of the In the 1980 opening program it lists
launch of the Queensland Chapter of seating as:
CATHS on Saturday 5 September was a Cinema 1 - 400, Cinema 2 - 350,
special day. Nineteen people, including Cinema 3 - 700, Cinema 4 - 500. A
members of the Theatre Organ Society, major rejuvenation in 2002 reduced the
inspected the threatened Regent seating in them all. Cinema 1 now seats
Theatre in Queen Street. 281, Cinema 2 - 229, Cinema 3 - 526
Queensland Convenor Steve Maggs and Cinema 4 - 423. All have Victoria 8
welcomed everyone in the foyer at projectors and CP650 sound processors.
8.30am and introduced special guest We thanked Birch Carroll and Coyle
and CATHS member Ian Hanson, who for allowing us into the Regent, and to
worked at the Regent 30 years ago, and Wayne for showing us around.
now lives in Sydney. Steve also After a quick lunch we moved up to
introduced Chief Projectionist Wayne the historic City hall, now part of the
Seipel, whose enthusiasm for and Museum of Brisbane. Here Ian Hanson
knowledge of the Regent was excellent. delighted us with a two-hour slide
Wayne first showed us the Regent presentation. It included some good
Theatrette, created in its current form shots of trams in the city, the
The Regent exterior in its heyday. Only
in 2002, and seating 22. This was a demolition of Victoria Bridge, and
the façade is currently assured of
surprise to many in the group, who did night shots of old Queen Street. These
preservation.
not know it existed. street scenes included many long-gone
Cinema 1 is now known as The theatres - the Lyceum, Paris, Tivoli,
Further representations are continuing.
Regent Showcase Cinema, which Regent, Her Majesty’s, Metro and
The Save the Regent group would
seats 281. Original 1929 plasterwork, many others.
like to thank all those members who
taken from the upper mezzanine and A special guest at this presentation
responded to their call for support. The
auditorium, was re-used here and in the was Ken Kirkley, a former manager of
battle is not yet over. Keep up to date
adjoining bar/vestibule area in 1980. the Regent and contributor to the paper
by continuing to check the website
Light fittings, furniture and artworks Australasian Cinema.
www.savetheregent.com.
from the upper mezzanine were also re- The very first time Steve went into a
The visit included inspections of the
used. This cinema is on the ground cinema and asked if he could have a
other three cinemas and projection
floor, in part of the former stalls. It is look around was at the Regent, and it
rooms.
due to be demolished as part of the was Ken who gave him the tour. This
Time can run away when a group
redevelopment, but there has been a big would have been about 1984. Steve was
gets engrossed in detail. At one point
campaign to have it included on the living in Sydney and working at
Steve was herding up stragglers and
heritage listing. Village Cinemas in Parramatta at the
discovered a splinter group who had
The bar/foyer outside it looks time, and on holiday in Brisbane.
found original wall plaster surviving on
original, but was in fact the original Steve credits Ken with giving him
a modern fire exit wall. They had
dress circle foyer, dismantled and re- the bug to become a theatre nut. This
stopped to take photos and as a result
built at ground level during the slide show was the first time Steve had
were left behind. Steve had to phone
conversion to four cinemas. actually spoken with Ken since the
Ian on his mobile for directions back to
An application to heritage list the 1984 visit.
the main party.
Showcase Cinema and bar area is We also thank Ian for his excellent
Some visitors had not been in the
currently before the Queensland presentation, and the Museum of
Regent before and were amazed to see
Heritage Council. They have reviewed Brisbane for allowing us to use the
the difference between the old Regent
the many submissions and heard oral Helen Taylor Theatre at no charge. ★
and the new section. The group photo
presentations from applicants. A very
shows us standing on the stairs in the
good case was put to them, including
beautiful old foyer. At the top of the
one by a former Deputy Lord Mayor of
stairs the old Regent ends and the new
Brisbane. A letter of submission by Ian
Regent starts. Plastic red lights in the
Hanson was tabled at one of these
ceiling and escalators lead to the
meetings. No decision has been made
upstairs cinemas. The foyer is quite
at this stage. The development approval
plain.
by Brisbane City Council is being
appealed in the Planning and
Environment Court at the moment.
38 2009 CINEMARECORD