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Above: Screening “The Toy” one year
before closing. David Lascelles collection. Above: 1973 Press screening of “Barry
McKenzie” at the Majestic.
From left: Manager, Doug Coward;
With attendances on the decline and
Festival Records staff Dave Sillet;
suburban theatres closing, it was Graeme Glasgow; NZ showbusiness
strange that 1963 saw seating increased magazine representative David Lascelles.
back to 2121. Photograph: D.Lascelles. Courtesy of
The spark had long since gone out Kerridge-Odeon.
of the theatre, its glitz and glamour
long faded into memory. In 1975 the theatre closed for a
Prior to its opening, Warner Bros brief period for maintenance, painting
held a special preview screening for and replacement of generators. Seating
children of Finians Rainbow on was also reduced by 100 to 2021.
Saturday morning 7 December 1968. Peter Atkinson took over as
Invites seem to go everywhere and it manager in 1976 and in conjunction
was a full house. with Radio Windy re-introduced the
Projectionist was Jim Smith, Saturday Morning Children’s Movie
replacing Jack Irving who had died Club with competitions, live
earlier in the year. It was also the year entertainment and Graeme Morris in
that the Ernemann 7 projectors were costume as ‘Rolly Bear’. The club was
replaced with Cinemeccanica 10s. a huge success with up to hundred
One morning in September 1973
The Majestic was always a single- Columbia Pictures threw a press children attending every Saturday,
feature house, except for Sundays and screening for the Australian film The bringing in much needed revenue at a
midnight screenings which were double Adventures Of Barry Mackenzie and time when box-office returns were
features. Horror, westerns and Kung Fu had Fosters supply the refreshments. falling.
were the only type of films that worked Not even the censor had seen the film. When reviewing the Universal film
at these sessions. It was a screening to remember for a Bull Of The West one critic gave the
By the 1970s things were starting to number of reasons. film three lines: “Bull of the West, the
change. Norman Hayward retired and Afterwards the film went straight title speaks for itself”.
Rupert York replaced him as manager. from the theatre to the censor who cut As the 70s ended, attendances were
In September 1972 Brian Jamieson it to ribbons. Manager Doug Coward’s down, social attitudes had changed and
moved from the Odeon Napier to comment was “We should have the industry itself was undergoing an
replace Rupert. 1973 saw Brian despatched a case of Fosters with the evolution. A sophisticated public with a
transferred to head office in Auckland film”. new and improved lifestyle demanded
and replaced by Doug Coward. more.

Above: Patrons exiting a 5pm shoppers
session in January 1962. Photographer:
Tom Shanahan. Photo: David Lascelles
collection.
Left: Ad for the Melbourne Capitol Cinema
using the New Zealand controversy as a
selling point!

CINEMARECORD 2010 29