Page 6 - CR
P. 6
nice description of Bingara’s I saw this article only recently but I was interested in the story of the
A Art-Deco Roxy cinema and an I first became aware of the Bingara Bingara Roxy as my grandfather, Peter
account of Bingara’s cinema scene Roxy story in 2004 after reading Feros, was one of the men involved in
in the 1930s has been provided by press reports about the restoration of its development. Prior to 2004 this was
Gerry Kennedy in his article ‘The the Roxy Cinema and coming across unknown to me and my generation.
Roxy Theatre and the Cinema War in the late Kevin Cork’s unfinished PhD We knew that our grandfather had a
Bingara’ (CinemaRecord Issue 43). thesis on Greek cinema proprietors cafe in Bingara but we had had no
in New South Wales (‘Parthenons inkling of his involvement with the
Down Under: Greek Motion Picture Roxy Cinema, of Bingara’s ‘cinema
Exhibitors in NSW, 1915 to 1963’). war’, or of the collapse of the Roxy
enterprise in 1936.
I visited Bingara on New Year’s Day
2005 and, after seeing the impressive
cinema to which my grandfather had tied
his fortunes, and speaking to a number
of the people in the town, I decided to
write a book about him and his brothers,
including the Bingara episode.
These men from the Greek island
of Kythera arrived in Australia at
different times beginning in 1914.
Peter and Phillip Feros had previously
been youthful immigrants to the USA
where they lived in St. Louis and later
Jefferson City, Missouri. It is believed
they were in the confectionery
business there.
My book ‘Katsehamos and the Great Idea’
was launched at the Bingara Roxy in April
2006 by Associate Professor Janis Wilton
of the University of New England.
TOP: Peter Feros, George Psaltis and
Emanuel Aroney, founders of the Bingara
Roxy. From 'Katsehamos and the Great Idea'.
LEFT and OPPOSITE: The Roxy Theatre in
its early days. An Art-Deco extravagance.
© Peter Prineas.
6 2011 CINEMAREC ORD
