Page 29 - CinemaRecord #77C

Brother Clinton went to New Zealand to
try his luck but by 1931 was persuaded by
Herbert to return and assume management
of the company’s flagship, the Wollongong
Crown Theatre. Sister Elsie played piano for In June 1928 ill health and exhaustion
silent movies at the Crown, and Herbert was compelled Boland to take a rest from active
responsible for company program bookings. management and arrange a twenty year lease That, of course, did not eventuate, but the
of theatres in the circuit to Union Theatres, “talkies” were introduced during the lease
While Boland and the company started out as forerunner of Greater Union Pty Ltd. with the first installation at the Crown in
lessees of various theatres, certain sites were August 1929.
eventually purchased: Crown and Globe At the time Stuart Doyle, Union’s
in 1924, Coledale Empire and Thirroul Managing Director, tried to assure readers By October 1931 Union Theatres had gone
Arcadia in 1926. of the South Coast Times (11 May 1928) into liquidation due to financial difficulties
about benefits flowing from the new associated with the Great Depression and the
Other theatres under their management arrangement. In particular he foreshadowed cost of “talkie” installation not only locally but
in the 1920s, such as Woonona Princess, that Wollongong might soon be the proud also elsewhere in the State. Wollongong Theatres
Bulli Royal, Corrimal Strand and Corrimal possessor of an “atmospheric” theatre, Ltd, with Boland as Managing Director, took
Princess remained under lease. similar to the Capitol just opened in Sydney. back control of the coastal circuit.

Bulli Royal 1939.

Shell Harbour Empire. Coorimal Strand 1930.

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