Page 10 - CinemaRecord #84

Wintergarden Auditorium (Image Brian Pearson)

Thus, the Wintergarden became the first original Rose Bay Theatre had closed in 1928 In January 1938, it was finally reported that
suburban theatre to be wired for sound. The when the former had opened, and a new alterations to the theatre had been completed.
opening on 10 June was attended by the theatre was opened in 1935 at Rose Bay This included heaters, alterations to the
Acting Premier, Mr Buttenshaw. The North, but this was far enough away to have proscenium panelling and to the ceiling, and,
Raycophone equipment had been designed little impact. The nearest other theatres were finally, the dress circle foyer. The foyer now
by Ray Allsop, the chief engineer at Radio at Double Bay and Watson’s Bay. featured a marble fountain with frogs, designed
Station 2BL. The last silent movie screened by famous sculptor Rayner-Hoff, who had
at the theatre was Four Feathers on 24 May In March 1936, the orchestra was disbanded done the sculpting on the War Memorial in
1930. A number of films had been shown and the orchestra pit dispensed with. With Hyde Park and the wall murals in the Sesqui
with the aid of discs prior to that. the coming of sound films, theatre orchestras Theatre at Crows Nest.
were now a thing of the past.
The Wintergarden never had any In December 1954 it became one of the first
independent suburban cinemas to install the
competition within its own suburb. The
new widescreen system, CinemaScope.
By now, television was making dramatic
inroads into the attendances of picture
theatres, with closures occurring all over
Sydney, including theatres in the Lawson
circuit.

The owners wrote to inform that a new
screen had been installed on 30 April 1968,
so they must have had some faith in the
future of the cinema industry.
In 1970, it was reported that the seating
capacity remained at 2014 and the
Wintergarden screened nightly. Whatever
the future of the industry, the owners were
maintaining the Wintergarden in peak
condition as their other cinemas were
closing, one by one.

In 1972, the Wintergarden suffered a fire
at 5pm on 9 November. The fire was in the
under-stage area and the stage itself was
burnt out and severely damaged. The stage
curtains, drapes and screen were completely
Wintergarden Proscenium (Image Les Tod)

10 CINEMARECORD # 84