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Fond Memories from the

Barkly

Bio-Box

By Jim White

worked for Hoyts Theatres in The Barkly was a large rectangular The auditorium ceiling curved
I Melbourne as an Assistant- building with a tall fly-tower over the slightly to the side walls over the stalls
Projectionist in the late 1940s and early big stage with a simple but striking and circle. The circle itself sloped down
1950s. proscenium arch, large red house- from the back-wall with long narrow
curtains and stage lights. The 4:3 extensions along the side-walls.
I started as a relief Assistant at the
(standard ratio) screen was set well-
Regent, South Yarra, and the Eclipse, The whole ceiling, walls and front
back and had pale gold, hand operated
Port Melbourne before being assigned of the circle were elaborately decorated
screen-tabs.
to the Footscray Barkly in December in what has been called a splendid
1948. Even after sixty years, I still have Edwardian Baroque style. (It was still
fond memories of the Barkly – a grand impressive when I photographed and
old lady in her declining years. filmed the wrecked interior before it
was rebuilt as apartments in 2009.)
At that time there were still three
cinemas in Footscray: the Trocadero, The street entrance and foyer was
the Grand, and the Barkly. narrow with a ticket box and manager’s
office on the right, and a refreshment
In its day, the Barkly served
area on the left that sold Fantales,
different functions. It was built as a live
Minties, Jaffa’s, lemon, orange and
theatre, but became an independently-
pineapple cordial and the ubiquitous
operated cinema in 1914, then was part
ice-creams: vanilla wafers, dixies, and
of the Hoyts circuit from 1926 until its
chocolate-coated bars.
closure as a cinema in 1962. In 1948 it
was one of 38 Hoyts theatres spread There were two entrances to the
across suburban Melbourne. stalls, and staircases on the left and
right led up to a long circle-lounge
across the width of the front wall.
It was pleasantly furnished with
comfortable settees and couches, floral
carpet plus long curtains over the eight
windows and three balcony doors.
In the centre and under the
projection room, was the wide entrance
into the large dress-circle balcony.
The front of the building had an
elaborately decorated façade with two
towers and the iconic “HOYTS” sign
made by Claude Neon was quite
striking.

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