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Dear Editor,
Reflections of a Founding CATHS Member
As the 25 year of the Society draws to a close, it is hard to believe how it has grown. After some Thank you for CinemaRecord #88, another
th
Melbourne meetings of the Australian Theatre Historical Society (ATHS), there was feeling that interesting issue.
a Victorian based group was needed. Hence CATHS was born.
I support the items listed on page 38,
"Remember when". The MGM showcase here
Fred Page and I spent many hours at Fred’s home drawing up the Memorandum and Articles of
Association. With legalities out of the way, a Committee was voted in with the late Ken Tulloch in Sydney, the St James, also supported many
main attractions with MGM shorts. However,
as President.
management must have thought there were too
many MGM logos attached to the various
Although most of the Society’s history has been published, there are a few highlights that warrant
shorts on the program and very often I recall
mention.
seeing some of them minus the Lion's Roar.
Firstly, CinemaRecord. At the time, the magazine Kino was considered to be the benchmark for
any local publication on the subject. Over time, CinemaRecord took over the mantle and Regards
continued to grow, not only in terms of pages but quality. It is not a newsletter, but a reference
tool for future generations researching twentieth century entertainment. Quality printing and high William Gray
resolution scanning of photographs are of particular note, as is the layout, befitting a prestige North Parramatta
publication. ê
Dear Editor,
Secondly, the opening of the then closed Regent
Melbourne for inspection. This is not to be confused I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article on
with a later joint venture with the National Trust. Ballarat’s magnificent Regent Theatre in CR
issue 88.
This two day event (18 and 19 September 1993) was
a result of direct negotiations between the Society
and the Melbourne City Council, and took several I attended the theatre in the early 1980s, when
only the balcony was in use, as most of the
weeks of correspondence and meetings to sell the
idea of opening the theatre to the public. Remember, stalls seating had been removed.
there was still a push to demolish it by certain As far as I am aware, the Ballarat Regent is one
groups. There were other conditions, such as having
a Fire Brigade member present at all times, and to of only five Regents that operate today as
arrange our own lighting within the building (thanks commercial theatres. The other four are listed
below:
to Ivan Maguire). The Council became more
enthusiastic as the dates grew closer, providing photographs and floral displays to brighten up Richmond NSW (now a twin)
the foyer. We even had keys to the theatre a week before the two day event in order to clean the Murwillumbah NSW
Melbourne Vic
place up. That Saturday saw many members, family and friends remove much dust and other
waste. The bonus was some exploring of the building. Little did anyone outside the Committee Albury NSW
know of the financial gamble the Society had made, as this was a costly exercise covering There is also the Mudgee Regent, which has
insurance etc. on what was considered a derelict building.
been closed and boarded up for years and the
Wollongong Regent, which, until several years
Fortunately, the two day event the following week saw crowds beyond our expectations. In fact, ago, was a church.
at one stage the queue stretched down to Swanston Street. The public were able to inspect the
building on guided tours conducted by CATHS members, covering the stage to the projection
I would be very interested to hear from other
box. Many changed their minds about the much publicised, poor condition of the building. A members of CATHS if they know of other
number even joined CATHS on the spot.
operational Regent theatres.
The benefits to the Society were threefold. Firstly, it had been recognised by a Government body, Yours sincerely
the Melbourne City Council. Secondly, it had good air time from the ABC to promote the event
and the thousands who attended got to know the Society, and thirdly, the takings from the event Peter Woolnough
Kyogle
gave the Society a very healthy bank balance. This event led to others at the Capitol Theatre, ê
back to the Regent in partnership with the National Trust and “Essendon at the Pictures”, a Mike
CATHS Event for which we received a grant from the City Of Moonee Valley. Finally, CATHS
became the major Society of its type in Australia.
I trust you are enjoying good weather over
there. We have just seen our first snow of the
I feel that those members who were there at the beginning, and worked so hard to get CATHS year.
off the ground, can be very proud of what they started, as well as appreciative of the effort that
has continued on by others to makes this a wonderful success story. May it see many other Interesting seeing the last issue of
milestones. CinemaRecord as it featured the Regent
Rod Cook Ballarat and we have just had the episode of
Lalor
Dr Blake over here which has the cinema in it.
However, I think the projection room was not
Corrections - last edition:
in the same cinema, as it was obviously a nice
Page 14, the image of the Greater Union Pitt Street was actually Greater Union George old four track magnetic house.
Street, with the Hoyts Entertainment Centre in the background.
Kind Regards
Page 24, first column, “the Sturt Cinema”, should have read “the Vegas Cinema”. Dion Hanson
Projected Picture Trust
rd
Page 22, 3 column, should have read, “Hoyts final screening at the Regent was in 1971”. UK

4 CINEMARECORD # 89