Page 25 - CinemaRecord #80

With the main
auditorium measuring
some 100ft long by 50ft wide and
having a total seating capacity of
1045, the theatre was considered by
VRPH LQ WKH FRPPXQLW\ WR EH ³WRR
JRRG´ IRU .DGLQD
2I¿FLDWHG E\ WKH 0D\RU RI .DGLQD
L.H. Shepley, the opening of the
Ideal Picture Theatre, took place
on Wednesday, 20 July, 1921.
th
The theatre was equipped with two
Powers 6B biograph machines and
the music supplied by an electrically
operated Duplex Organ-Piano
player, the only one of its kind in
South Australia.

No doubt with the opening of new
Ideal there was direct opposition
to the Wallaroo Entertainments
Company under the management of
Mr Harry Porter, showing at both the
Kadina and Wallaroo Town Halls.
Within two years of its acclaimed
opening the Ideal was leased to the
South Australian circuit of Clifford
Theatres, an arrangement that lasted
until the 2 of September, 1944.
nd
The next major event to impact on
the theatre was the coming of the
³7DONLHV´
The management of the Ideal were
beaten to the draw when Holland’s
Touring Talkies SUHVHQWHG WKH ¿UVW
VRXQG ¿OPV DW WKH Kadina Town
Hall for a two night season on
Thursday and Friday on April the
17 and 18 , 1930.
th
th

ĨƵůů ϭϬϬй ƚĂůŬŝĞ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ
main feature being dŚĞ ŽŶŽǀĂŶ īĂŝƌ
direct from Hoyts Regent, Adelaide.
Two machines, non-stop show. A city
ƉůĂŶƚ ŽŶ ǁŚĞĞůƐ͘ άϱ͕ϬϬϬ ŽĨ ĞƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ
delivering a two-and-a-half hours’
show. The management will refund
all admission moneys (barring taxes) if
this show fails to “deliver the goods” as
ĂĚǀĞƌƟƐĞĚ.

ZDV D GLI¿FXOW \HDU IRU WKH
theatre management, often having
to close due to the lack of a viable
talkie equipment installation and a
VKRUWDJH RI VLOHQW IHDWXUH ¿OPV
th
However on Saturday the 28
June, by using improvised talkie
equipment, the Ideal presented a
VRXQG QHZVUHHO RI ³$P\ -RKQVRQ¶V
)OLJKW ± WKH $UULYDO´
The theatre advertising proclaiming
³6HH DQG +HDU $P\ -RKQVRQ +HU
voice electrically recorded and
reproduced by special apparatus
arranged through Mr Reg White’s
HOHFWULF +XPDQWRQH VSHDNHU ´

CINEMAREC ORD 2013 25