Page 18 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

Theatre Royal prior to demolition in 1962.

Heading further north past the T&G
Building on one comer, we would cross
Grenfell Street over more tramlines -
these included the lines past the
Norwood Odeon and the Marryatville
Ozone - to the Imperial Hotel on the
opposite comer. I later worked for some Above: The mighty Regent and (below) MGM’s art-deco Metro.
years in the building that replaced the
Imperial in 1962. Little did I realize as
On other journeys to the City we
I ventured into the then City Clubrooms
might have visited one of the many
of the Royal South Australian Yacht
cinemas in Rundle Street and Hindley
Squadron, rather too handily located in
Street, which met each other on either
the basement of the T&G, that in a
side of King William Street. These
former life films had been screened
might have included West’s, the
here commercially for some years.
Metro, the Civic (formerly the
Further north again we would cross
Wondergraph, with fotoplayer and
Rundle Street at the famous Beehive
later the State), the Savoy continuous
Corner. It was to this spot that the first
newsreel theatrette, the Mayfair/Sturt,
exhibition of motion pictures in
the Pavilion/Rex, and the marvellous
Adelaide retreated when the original
Regent.
venue at the Theatre Royal quickly
Today however, instead of diverting
showed that it was overly susceptible to
into any one of those enticements, we
light.
finish our stroll down King William
Street, and at North Terrace board the
double-decker diesel bus for Glenelg.
About seven miles away, at the other
end of Anzac Highway, we have but a
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
short extra walk (past the Glenelg
The Mortlock Library Archival Service
Theatre, at that time the Seaview) to
The Rounsevells in South Australia
Moseley Square - ‘square one’. Our
Adelaide's Silent Nights, Dylan Walker
journey is complete. We’ve completed Cinemas of Australia via the USA,
the circuit and have been "around from Ross Thorne
the Bay and back for a bob". Picture Palaces and Flea Pits, Simon
These are but some memories of Brand.
Glenelg, its adjunct City of Adelaide, Little Coastal Railways of the Adelaide
its people, its beach, its suburban Plains, by David Mack.
Watch For Trams, Colin Jones.
surrounds, its transport systems - and
The Greater Union Story.
even its cinemas. I can only hope that
Thanks for the Memory, J. Thiele & R.
those memories constitute a few near
Lange.
accuracies in addition to hazy Alan Windley & Lance J. Godwin.
recollections of times long gone. ★ My wonderful parents.
Above: The Beehive Building
Photos from the Kevin Adams Collection
with thanks to Roderick Smith.

18 2010 CINEMARECORD