Page 28 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

Roy

Touhy

A lifetime of

Picture Shows

and Pubs

By Ross King

uring the 1970’s while teaching at with a move to Mildura for the opening
DHamilton, I lived in the small rural of this town's new “Showplace” Ozone
town of Merino in the Western District Theatre. Transferred back to Enfield in
of Victoria. 1940 as manager followed by stints as
Showman and publican, the late manager/operator at Murray Bridge,
Roy Touhy was the proprietor of the Victor Harbour and Mount Gambier.
town’s Commercial Hotel and also the Roy then took over the Ozone at
Coachline Drive-In Theatre at Renmark. Later, Ozone Theatres
Sandford - just south of Casterton at the acquired four opposition theatres in the
confluence of the Glenelg and Wannon Mildura area so Roy transferred there
rivers. as Zone Manager. at Terang (Victoria) and remained with
Like so many, Roy was bitten by the In 1949, Roy was appointed a the company for twelve months. Prior
picture bug at the age of ten while living Director of Ozone Theatres, but when to this he had purchased the Portland
in Clare, South Australia. His unpaid job Hoyts acquired seventeen of the Coachline Drive-In in 1966 and later
was to ring a bell announcing the showing Company’s theatres in 1954, he retired in 1975 also leased the Star Theatre,
of silent travelling movies in the town from the board. After thirty years with Portland. For a time Roy also operated
hall. At the age of 15 he became the Ozone he ended his employment to the Casterton Town Hall theatre
Assistant projectionist at Ozone Theatres manage a pub at Merbein where he following Jonas Farrows’ retirement
new theatre at Alberton east of Port installed a small theatre in the hotel from that and the now demolished
Adelaide. On the 30th March, 1930 Roy lounge. Casterton Theatre.
obtained his projectionists license and Ozone theatres offered Roy the
commenced at the Enfield Ozone theatre, lease of the Berri and Barmera
moving into Adelaide city in 1935 where Theatres, which he ran as a family
Top Left: Roy Touhy
he worked in three theatres - the Theatre operation. He eventually sold his
Top Right: The 1957 Regent Theatre &
Royal, Majestic and Chinese Gardens, interest in these to Wallis theatres and
Orana Ballroom at Swan Hill.
an open air theatre which seated 2,500 moved to Swan Hill as General
patrons on deck chairs. Manager for the O’Halloran circuit of Bottom Left: Adelaide’s open-air.
Roy’s next theatre was as operator seven theatres and a ballroom. Chinese Garden Theatre.
at Glenelg’s (1937) “Luxury” Ozone In 1972, in association with local Below: Opening night of the Casterton
Theatre. This was followed in 1938 business people Roy built the Drive-In Town Hall - later dubbed” The Regal”.

28 2010 CINEMARECORD