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THE ROXY THEATRE, PARRAMATTA

By Bruce Beresford

was interested to read in CinemaRecord an
Iaccount of a proposal to demolish most of
the old Parramatta Roxy theatre in in order
to build "a 20 storey residential and apartment
tower”.
This will be a sad end for a bizarre, but
attractive architectural oddity which seems
destined, in the age of small multiplexes and
the ubiquity of films on streaming networks,
to join those masterpieces of kitsch that once
thrilled me - the St James, Prince Edward
and the Regent. At least Sydney’s State and
the Capitol have been kept and restored.

Having grown up around Parramatta, a visit to
one of that city's movie theatres was inevitably
the highlight of my weekend, despite the
objections of my parents who saw film going
as sinful, without ever being able to explain
this point of view with rationality.

Every Monday, on my way to school, I walked
under the bridge which carried the railway line
over Church Street, where I could view the could be viewed by arriving patrons as they Almost opposite the Roxy was another theatre,
enormous posters which advertised the new ascended to the theatre. The glass steps were the Civic, which was the largest of the three
film that week for the Roxy and the Astra. then demolished because of the possibility of Parramatta theatres. Unlike the other two, it
Even at the age of 12 I would seek out the name the Japanese dropping bombs on them. I was just a big box and quite unadorned. On
of the director to see if it was someone that met accepted this story for many years but later Saturday afternoons it had a noisy audience of
with my critical approval. decided it couldn't possibly be correct. Glass children as it ran three serials. Except for a
steps? Unlikely. couple of visits, I was no fan of these - being
The Roxy screened the more costly contemptuous of their woeful plots and tawdry
commercial films. I still remember how excited The Astra screened somewhat more production values. Apart from this, the Civic
I was to climb the steps of that vaguely specialised films, and could almost be screened mostly ”B” films and revivals. I
Mexican/Moorish palace to see Samson and classified today as an "art house” theatre. It remember having to put enormous pressure on
Delilah. It was usually essential to be early for wasn't built on the grand scale of the Roxy, but my parents to let me visit the Civic to see a
almost any performance as cinemas in the was quietly tasteful. The clientele were revival showing of 1930s or 1940s films,
1950s, unlike today, seemed to be always definitely more refined. Many of the films usually on the double bill which was standard
packed to capacity. I also recall being told by shown were English and, in those days, perhaps up until the early 60s. If the old film
some adult filmgoer that the steps, before the English films lacked the American brashness had Ronald Colman, Henry Fonda or Errol
Second World War, were made of glass and that now characterizes most of them. I imagine Flynn in the lead, my father usually gave in
that underneath were trees and flowers, which the Astra was demolished many years ago. and mumbled a grudging ok to my request.

I believe that the Civic was turned into an
office block some years ago. I'm sure the Astra
has vanished. It will be a shame if the Roxy,
which was turned into a multiplex in 1976, also
disappears - apart from a fragment of facade. ê

Editor’s Note:
The Astra (last operated by Greater Union)
closed in October 1986, and was demolished.
The Civic was closed in May 1960.

Acknowledgements:

Exterior image from the William Gray Collection.
Interior image by courtesy of the NSW Library.

Interior view of The Roxy c. 1940

CINEMARECORD # 89 31