Page 30 -

The Melba, converted into a market, mid 1950s

The Melba Theatre, Cobram, Vic. c. 1948
shows. Going to the pictures on a Saturday
his fall, and landed in the small 3 ft. gap The air-conditioning unit was from the night was usually considered to be the event
between the wall and the fence. The painting Bonegilla Area Theatre, so Cobram was of the week. A children’s matinee was held in
of the roof was never finished! Another lad, proud to have the only theatre outside of the the afternoon.
who was a carpenter, fell from the girders, but capital cities to be fully air-conditioned. The
landed safely between the joists. Thankfully theatre originally had a used pair of Bauer
they were the only accidents. projectors, but these were replaced in 1955 by
a pair of automatic Bauer B12 projectors, the
Part of the proceeds from the opening night first installation of such in Australia. The
went to those who had helped on the building; theatre with its Melba neon sign was a
the balance went to the Cobram hospital. This landmark in Cobram and district over the
generous fund raiser for the hospital was years.
continued, being conducted twice a year. The
films shown on opening night were How Green Mum designed the usherette’s uniforms and
Was My Valley (starring Walter Pidgeon, also sold the tickets at the door. Phone
Maureen O’Hara, Donald Crisp and Barry bookings were taken by Buncle’s milk bar
Fitzgerald), followed by Sitting Pretty (starring nearby.
Clifton Webb, Robert Young and Maureen
O’Hara). Buses operated from Berrigan, Finley and
Tocumwal on Tuesday nights and for special

The Auditorium, Melba Cobram. C. 1950

Bauer B12 projectors were installed 1955

The Melba’s rough-cast walls were painted in
gold, with a horizontal black line. The stepped
ceiling was a rich cream, with white and red
fluorescent lighting running down the centre.
The plaster proscenium was gold and had red
velvet curtains with gold rear curtains, the
movie screen was behind the latter. The stairs,
aisles and entrance lounge were covered with
maroon and gold carpet. Over the years, the
carpets took a hammering with gravel from the
unmade roads being walked into them. I can
remember when we had floods the lounge
would be covered in canvas to protect the
carpets from the mud that was being walked
in.

30 CINEMARECORD # 88