Page 16 - CR

In March 1970, Gary Ohl and his wife re- The Exterior in July 2012.
opened the Renown with Fred still the
projectionist. The programme was Maroc 7
and Bedtime Story.

In 1974 the stage was extended in an attempt to
attract live entertainment to the venue.
Times were tough and the introduction of home- Below: 2012 interior. The screen survives, but tractors are now displayed where once were canvas chairs.
video finally forced Gary to close the theatre in
June 1984 with two Australian films, Careful, He
Might Hear You and Bush Christmas with Nicole
Kidman– her first movie. The Renown was then
used for the passing craze of Indoor Cricket.

During December 1984, Gary Ohl and his
wife then managed the cinema run in the
Burdekin Civic Theatre and Fred once
again was projectionist for them. The Ohl’s
finished their cinema days at the Burdekin
Civic in 1999.
Below: The projection room was taken apart when the building was used for Indoor Cricket. Downstairs to
The Cultural Board took over the cinema the left was the Crying Room. To the right at the entrance was the ticket box and refreshment room.
operation and Fred worked for them for six
months into the year 2000, when he then
retired. Fred is still a patron of the cinema
to this day. He loves the movies and over the
years has seen many changes.
The old Renown Theatre has seen many
changes too and the building still exists today.
The Burdekin Machinery Preservationist Inc
operate “Ye Old Time Machinery Place”
as part of the Brandon Heritage Estate and
Delta Iron Works Precinct. H

From an interview with Fred Fanning
by Glenis Cislowski.

SOURCES:
Fred Fanning. Russell Green, Gary Ohl.
Many thanks to Peter Toomey for allowing Harold
Cislowski to photograph the theatre as it is today.
Round-a-Bout. February 2010 edition 85.
Burdekin Community Assoc.Inc.
Brandon Historical Society.
The Burdekin Cultural Centre.

16 2012 CINEM AREC ORD