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Once established, the Company wasted little
time. On 9 April 1926, the Tivoli vaudeville
house in Manners Street, Wellington,
(formerly Everybody's Pictures) closed its
doors. Fullers had sold the building to
Williamson Films, who gutted the interior,
re-building from the ground up, a complete
modernisation and redevelopment of the site
designed by Lewellyn Williams and
Williamson's own Cedric Ballantyne (who was
responsible for some of Australia's finest
picture palaces). However, Williams and
Ballantyne did not get along, and could not
agree on designs. This problem caused
construction delays and cost over runs.
Williams was fired and threatened court
action, but Williamson's decided it was faster
and cheaper to pay out his contract in full.
While Ballantyne is credited with the
architecture, some of Williams work was
incorporated into the new theatres. With a
grand facade and new Ernemann II projectors
(installed by chief technician Alf Mouldey),
Regent, Dunedin 1945
Williamson's first picture house, the Regent,
opened 10 December 1926.
The Regent Auckland followed on
24 December 1926 (see CinemaRecord
No 63), the Regent Dunedin on 1 June 1928
(see CinemaRecord No 55).
The Company also built a luxury suburban
cinema in Wellington, the first of its kind.
Williamson's bought more land than needed,
with a view to a later expansion, but this never
took place so it was leased out until they
decided sell it many years later. The 800 seat
showcase cinema, the Kinema, designed by
Lawrence Swann, opened on 11 July 1928.

Nelson's Paramount Theatre, which had
opened on 16 May 1928, was sold in July to
the Company who renamed it the Regent on
21 July. After a weekend fire in 1944, the
theatre was closed and later demolished. Local
architect, Allan Ford, designed the wonderful
Regent Invercargill, which opened for
Kinema, Wellington 1937. Williamson’s first suburban theatre. Closed 11 September 1967
business on 22 March 1929.
Williamson Films was moving at an alarming
rate, with construction and renovations at
numerous locations around the country. In
many cases, especially in towns and smaller
locations, Williamson's would form a
company with local people and business
houses, with Williamson Films as the major
shareholder. A clause in the agreement stated
that should an investor decide to sell, they had
to first offer their shares to Williamson. Once
the theatre was built, up and running and
profitable, Williamson's over time would buy
out the minority shareholders.
When J.C. Williamson’s Theatres were not
being used for live shows, they were leased to
their sister company for films rather than have
them empty. Williamson Films wired the
Opera House Wellington for sound in August
1929 - the same month and year the Regal
Theatre Karori, began screening. Some years
later, it became part of the Williamson circuit.
Two interesting points to note. The Company
preferred to install Ernemann projectors in all
their theatres and, if not Ernemann, then
Regent, Nelson 1936 Simplex.

CINEMARECORD # 89 23