Page 24 - CinemaRecord #82

PENRITH

t seems like yesterday, but February 2,
I2014 marked the 21st anniversary of the
closing of the Hayden Twin Cinemas in High
Street, Penrith (NSW). The cinemas closed on
Wednesday, 2nd February, 1993 with the films
Accidental Hero, starring Dustin Hoffman and
Fortress, starring Christopher Lambert.

I had worked as the final usher on that night,
and at the beginning of each film I walked to
the front of the audience, said “welcome” and
told them we were closing, and thanked them The next screening was in the Temperance
for coming. Both audiences gave me a genuine Hall on 29th April, 1903. Located in Station
round of applause. It was very moving. We Street, this hall had been built in 1879 and
had not advertised that we were closing so the became a permanent picture theatre in 1918
audience had no idea they were going to be the when it became Everybody’s Pictures.
last people to watch a film at that location. In 1922 it was renamed the Empire Picture
Theatre but was destroyed by fire in January
Penrith has had a long history of going to the 1923.
movies. The first record of films being screened
in Penrith was in August 1898 at the Wesleyan A new building was constructed on the
Church. site and it opened on 6 February 1926 as
th
the Dungowan Theatre. The single level
auditorium seated 475 people.

Talkies commenced in June 1930, but due
to the effect of the depression, movies were
discontinued from 1933 in favour of dances
and social functions. At times the theatre was
advertised as the Penrith Stadium when it was
given over to boxing competitions.
However, in 1956 cinema returned full-time to
the Dungowan and around two years later the
name was later changed to the Avon Theatre.

The final screening at the Avon was on the
1st November, 1969 with Doctor Dolittle
The Dungowan Theatre revamped and the theatre was then demolished for the
as the New Avon. (Kevin Cork) construction of a Waltons department store.

24 2 0 1 4 C I N E M A R E C O R D