Page 18 - CinemaRecord #81

Who was the most famous thespian to grace the
stage of the Kings? Was it Judith Anderson, now
making her name on the American stage, and
signed by J C Williamsons in 1927 for a brief
return home? Her appearance in Tea for Three
FDPH IRXU \HDUV EHIRUH KHU ¿UVW +ROO\ZRRG
¿OP 2U ZDV LW 6\ELO 7KRUQGLNH LQ LQ KHU
acclaimed role as St Joan?

The Great Dante was possibly the most famous
magician to appear in Melbourne. The highlight
of his 11-week season in 1933 was the challenge Live shows continued until 1942 when this
thrown out to the city’s ladies to volunteer to be announcement ran in the trade papers:
sawn in half! Another Legit House Turns to Pictures.
The Kings Theatre Melbourne controlled by
J C Williamson Theatres leased the Kings from Gaiety Theatres Pty Ltd is scheduled to open as
1931 to 1941. Then it was the turn of the Fuller a motion picture house early in April.
brothers and spokesperson Sir Benjamin, the Contract has been signed with RCA for
principal behind the company Gaiety Theatres complete sound and projection equipment, the
and later Carroll-Fuller Theatres. plant including, in addition to the RCA sound
equipment, C&W projectors, RCA arconomisers
Fuller’s prestige house the Princess and his and entire bio box apparatus.
smaller Palace Bourke Street were both cinemas
by the early 30s, but under Williamson’s On signing this contract, Sir Bejamin Fuller
management the Kings resisted this change. voiced his further appreciation of RCA sound
In May 1940, when cinema all over town was reproduction as the many plants installed in
booming, the Kings staged The Vagabond King theatres with which he is associated in both
and The Student Prince, both produced by Australia and New Zealand are giving entire
Williamson’s Comic Opera Company. satisfaction.

<ŝŶŐƐ dŚĞĂƚƌĞ
ŇŽŽƌ ƉůĂŶ ʹ ϯ ůĞǀĞůƐ͘

18 2014 CINEMAREC ORD