Page 23 - CinemaRecord #76C

Brunswick Empire. Brunswick Empire.

Epilogue - The Theatres

The Brunswick Empire was badly damaged
by fire in 1976 and demolished as a result.
The Brunswick Alhambra still stands and
is now a tyre warehouse. The Brunswick
Lyric became the Brunswick Club and was
the scene of a notorious gangland murder
in 2004. The building now converted
to apartments.
The Brunswick Padua, under a special
arrangement was taken over by the
Zeccola family (now Palace Theatres) and
renamed the Metropolitan and finally
demolished in 1982. The North Fitzroy
Merri Theatre, was demolished c.1960 and a Brunswick Empire.
plumbing store erected on the site.

The Richmond Cinema survives as a
Barbeques Galore store Footscray’s Trocadero
was demolished in 1968 and replaced with the
Trocadero Arcade. Footscray Barkly closed
in 1962 and became Fiesta Reception Rooms,
then a Bingo venue. Derelict for many
years, it has now been converted into an
apartment complex.
The Gaiety and Mayfair theatres in Bourke
Street, Melbourne were demolished in
1934. The Essendon Plaza closed in 1959
but is still fairly intact as the Ukranian
Community Hall. The North Essendon Circle
closed in 1966 and became reception rooms
but is now undergoing conversion into an
apartment complex. H
The writer started with Hoyts as a Trainee Assistant
Projectionist to Harry Gratton Jnr. in 1960 at the Circle
Theatre, North Essendon: “I first met Harry when as
a 12 year old I knocked on the bio-box door after one
Saturday matinee. I asked if I could see the projection
equipment - to which I was ushered into the bio-box and
given a tour of the whole workings, leaving with a Hoyts
opening title film still in my possession.
Harry became a lifelong friend and mentor, and many
years later he recounted that first meeting and told
how he allowed me into the bio-box as I had asked to
see the projectors… If I had asked to see the “cameras” -
the invitation would not have been extended!

With Gratitude.
- Ross King. 2011.
References:
Frame by Frame, Laurie Cunningham.1995.
Brunswick Community History Group
Gratton Family Notes.
Ken and Jan Gratton
Documents and Diaries, Harry Gratton Estate
Conversations with the writer over many years.

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