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I remember that the Arcade and Theatre, giving the Company full
Dorgan Cinemas had a ownership.
huge number of
daybill and one-sheet In April 1955, the theatre was converted for
boards throughout the CinemaScope. In 1963, it was decided to
streets of Lismore. I convert the stalls into a shopping arcade and
often bicycled to extend the circle to create a smaller, 506 seat
various locations to cinema upstairs. The arcade extended right
witness them being through to the street at the rear. The
changed weekly by a proscenium and stage were demolished and a
man named George smaller stage constructed on the upper level.
Harder. He and two of A small candy bar was installed inside the
his brothers were auditorium itself due to the lack of foyer space
employed in various below. The extended arcade added 14 retail
positions at the Star stores to the building.
Court. Often I would
also frequent the Star In around 1967, T.J. Dorgan Holdings Pty.
Court on Saturday Ltd. was sold to First City Property Co. of
mornings to view the Australia Ltd. Following the sale, the theatre
clean-up after the was leased back to the former Managers. In
show and see other 1973, the Star Court was acquired by the
maintenance work. Queensland based Company, Birch Carroll
and Coyle, who continued its operation until
The Star Court 1980 when it was closed for a badly needed
presented their refurbishment. It was re-seated, carpeted,
advertising slides on a walls were draped, stereo sound installed and
separate screen which a new ceiling constructed. The candy bar was
was lowered in front of established in a new foyer lounge. Seating was
the main curtains reduced to 450, and the opening feature was
before the show Superman II. The name was changed to
commenced. Mounted Cinema Lismore.
at the foot of this
screen was a long silk- By the 1990s, cinema exhibition had changed.
screen painted poster Multi-screen complexes were becoming the
of a coming attraction, norm due to the demands of the film
which later would be distributors in specifying the number of times
used to advertise the daily their films were to be screened and the
One of the Cinemeccanica Victoria 5 projectors attraction when it was length of the run. For a cinema to be
screening. This same economic, a minimum of three screens was
The most we could afford was a one penny poster would later be shipped for use in other needed. In 1993, Birch Carroll and Coyle was
fare. The owner/driver would insist on theatres of the Dorgan circuit. considering a plan to convert the theatre into
twopence which we tried to avoid because, in a four-screen complex, with the four auditoria
those years of Depression, the most my Principal persons responsible for managing running across the width of the building and
parents could afford to give me was nine the theatre included Grace Taylor, who served by a common projection room. The
pence for the evening, six pence of which was occupied an office in the arcade. Another idea was never pursued and the Company
for admission. office was located backstage and managed by chose instead to build a completely new, four-
a Fred Kehoe. Before he was associated with cinema complex on a different site. Cinema
Friday night films must have been purchased the Star Court, he was an actor. He appeared Lismore closed on 6 September 1995.
by Mr. Dorgan fairly cheaply, as they were in On Our Selection for Cinesound as the
mostly of ‘B’ standard and included many Pastor. During the 1950s and 1960s, he was Birch Carroll and Coyle then sold the Star
westerns starring Buck Jones, Tim McCoy etc. on local radio station 2GM giving a short Court to Mr. Florian Volpato, who
I recall that sometimes a feature starring Boris rundown on movies at the Star Court and the subsequently leased it to the Northern Rivers
Karloff would play. One in particular was The Vogue. Performing Arts Group for use as a
Walking Dead, which terrified me and, on the community performing arts space.
return by bus to our street corner and the walk In November 1944, T.J. Dorgan, the
to our house with no street lights, had such an Company’s founder, passed away. His son The latest on the Star Court reveals that the
effect on me that my parents forbade any then took control. In 1953, T.J. Dorgan new lease holders, partners Sharon Rigby,
further movies of that nature. Holdings acquired all shares in the Star Court Luke Payne and Geoff Payne, have formed
Upstage Entertainment. Their plan is to open
up the theatre to the community and work
with local businesses.

The theatre’s present owner, Mr. Volpato, is
committed to the venue and the arts. Variety,
community access and an invigorated
arthouse cinema offering is the focus for
Upstage Entertainment. ¬

Acknowledgements:
Northern Star Newspapers
Personal recollections and assistance from Les Tod
for extensive research and historical references.

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