Page 28 - CinemaRecord #81

In September 1920, Paramount Oakleigh
Pictures at the Mechanics Hall advertised a
“Grand Picture Night. Mary Pickford in “Rags”
and Lila Lee in “Rose of the River” and a
picturegraph. The Oakleigh Amateur Orchestra
will render selections.” Prices were now 2/-,
1/6, and 1/- plus tax.

Picture shows there were immensely popular The Paramount Theatre ZDV 2DNOHLJK¶V ¿UVW
DQG FURZGV ¿OOHG WKH KDOO +RZHYHU LQ purpose-built theatre and was located at 59-63
movies at the Mechanics’ was to give way to Warrigal Road adjacent to the railway line.
a new theatre, also to be called the Paramount. It opened on 10 June 1922 with a triple feature
th
I have not been able to establish if there was program The House Without Children, The
a link between what was called Paramount Barnstormers and Comrades.
Pictures at the Mechanics Institute and the
name Paramount for the new theatre. The name The theatre was built by Rosina McDonald at

Paramount ceased to be used by Mr. Markby in a cost of 12,000 pounds ($24,000) as one of a
advertising some six weeks before the opening trio of Paramount Theatres – the others were
of the new Paramount Theatre. in Colac and Maryborough (the Maryborough
Paramount features in CinemaRecord issue 55).
After the opening of the new theatre Mr. Markby
continued to operate pictures at the Mechanics The Oakleigh Paramount was a two storey
Institute on Wednesday nights, as did Band brick building with a galvanized iron roof. The

Pictures on Saturday nights, but this only lasted original plans DW WKH 3XEOLF 5HFRUGV 2I¿FH VKRZ
several weeks. seating in the stalls as 1019 persons and in the
Mr. Markby switched to Friday nights, and the dress circle 387, making a total of 1406. The
2
Brass Band resorted to vaudeville shows on JURXQG ÀRRU ZDV P and consisted of a foyer,
Saturday nights. PDQDJHU¶V RI¿FH D PRWRU KRXVH DQG D VHSDUDWH
Initially the vaudeville shows were well VKRS 7KH WRS ÀRRU P ,consisted of the dress
2
attended, but both shows could not compete circle and the bio box.
with the new Paramount and closed a matter
st
of weeks later. Mr. Markby made one further A newspaper report dated March 31 1922,
attempt in November of that year with a Grand VL[ ZHHNV SULRU WR WKH RI¿FLDO RSHQLQJ JLYHV
Opening Night of a new Saturday night picture details of the theatre as outlined by the builder
show, but this only lasted two Saturday nights! Mr. J McDonald: “stairs will lead from the main
entrance to a commodious dress circle which
The Paramount to some extent also superseded will be lavishly furnished and have a seating
the Mechanics’ as a venue for public forums as accommodation for 450 persons. The stalls will
it could provide seating for up to 1400 people. be sloped to the front and will seat 1100 persons,
making the total capacity 1550. The safety of
SDWURQV LQ WKH HYHQW RI DQ RXWEUHDN RI ¿UH KDV
been provided for by two sets of escape stairs
dŚĞ WĂƌĂŵŽƵŶƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ϭϵϮϬƐ͘ EŽƚĞ ƚŚĞ ƚƌĂĸĐ͊ one on each side of the building. All seats will be
RI WKH ¿[HG W\SH DQG WKRVH NQRZQ DV DXWRPDWLF
tilters. At the rear is a stage 14 feet by 24 feet and
dressing rooms.

Ventilation has received special attention. A
number of electric fans are being installed at the
front of the building and at the rear two six feet
exhaust fans which will draw 54,000 cubic feet of
air through them per minute.”
Mr. McDonald, when asked if the theatre was
to be leased to Hoyts or any other Melbourne
company, refuted such a suggestion, saying that
he intended to engage a manager for his theatre
at Mordialloc, and take charge of the Oakleigh
theatre himself. Pointing to the residence
adjoining the theatre, he said “I have purchased
that house and intend to make my home there.”

28 2014 CINEMAREC ORD