Page 30 - CinemaRecord #79

May 26 1913 saw the official opening of
the Geelong Theatre in Ryrie Street, with
performances by world famous contralto Dame
Clara Butt, together with her baritone husband,
Kennerly Rumford.
Seating in the Geelong Theatre reduced from
the original 1750 to 1200 over the life of the
Geelong Theatre May 1913.
theatre. In 1929, talkies arrived in Geelong
with the screening of Bulldog Drummond at the
Geelong Theatre opening night audience.
Geelong Theatre.
Photos taken sometime between 1929 and the
mid/late 1950s show the projectors as being
Super Simplex. By the late 1950s, the Simplex
machines had been replaced with Kalee 19s
and President Arcs, operating from a 300 amp
mercury arc rectifier located in the area below
the projection room.
The rectifier had reportedly formed part of the
Geelong Tramway system and, to this day, is still
in its original position beneath the projection
room of Cinema 4 at the Village Geelong 11,
which now occupies the building.

In the early 1960s, the projectionist was Bill
Bartlett, and his assistant was Brian Luscombe,
a CATHS member who later operated the
Healesville Cinema. Sometime later, a Ted
Barratt became projectionist, and he remained
at the Geelong Theatre until its closure for
conversion into the Village Twin.
In 1970, the Geelong Theatre closed for
conversion into the Village Twin Cinema, re-
opening on December 7 1973 with The Poseidon
Adventure in Cinema 1.

Geelong Theatre 1913. Verandah added.

30 2013 CINEM AREC ORD