Page 28 - CinemaRecord #79

Geelong Exhibition Building 1879.
As His Majestys.
Melba.
Above: The short-lived Melba Theatre - an early slap-
dash “penny” picture-show and amusement centre
that finally served as a lolly shop for the big His
Majestys Theatre next door.
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In 1891, many noted persons spoke there,
including the famous boxer John L. Sullivan,
Henry Stanley on “How Livingstone was found
in Central Africa” and General William Booth
of the Salvation Army. Rebuilt after a fire in
1892, the theatrics continued.
In 1895, Samuel Langhorne Clemens (aka
Mark Twain) addressed a capacity audience,
and in the same year an exhibition of Edison’s
Kinetoscope took place.
In 1903, it was rebuilt as His Majesty’s
Theatre, and in 1909 performances of Edison’s
20 Century Sketescope Pictures took place on
th
February 19. A week later, a performance of In 1912, Geelong gained another cinema venue.
Edison’s Bioscope New Pictures was presented, This was the Joy Ark, which was constructed
with pianist Dave Moreton accompanying the out over Corio Bay to the east of the then Yarra
film. Street Pier, possibly somewhere in the vicinity
of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club.
The theatre closed in 1933, and by 1936 the Seating 1540 patrons, its purpose was “to screen
site became Cowley’s City Garage until it was high class films”, opening with the 1911 film
demolished in 1961 to allow the construction of Birds in Their Nests, produced by Pathe Freres.
Geelong’s first multi-storey car park. Eventually This is recorded in the Internet Movie Database
the car park was also demolished to make way as being of 40 metres (split reel), so it can be
for construction of Geelong’s Market Square assumed that admission prices were fairly low –
Shopping Centre in 1983. hardly a full evening’s entertainment.
L-R: Former His Majesty’s; the Regent and the Geelong Theatre.