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RECOLLECTIONS OF THE VICTORY PICTURE THEATRE

TARINGA, QUEENSLAND by Eric Marggraf

This is a summary of the presentation given to
the Taringa History Group by Eric Marggraf
in June 2013. Eric grew up in Taringa and,
assisted by life-long friend Lloyd Crank, put
together this virtual reconstruction of the
Victory Picture Theatre. The Cinema stood on
the corner of Moggill Road and Moorak Street,
but was demolished in the early 1960s.
Screenings of films at the theatre were
advertised from as early as March 1922
(Paramount Promotions). However, it is
unclear when the building in the configuration
described was constructed. Eric’s description
suggests the design and construction
methodology was similar to the theatre
Taringa builders Warendrop and Pipe were
erecting at Burleigh Heads in 1930.
Taringa is a suburb of Brisbane, located
approximately five km south-west of the CBD.
knew this cinema from being a child,
Ipassing it twice a day to and from Taringa
State School during the war years 1942 to
1945, then through my teenage years until lowered into place over these openings for tower was a design that may have carried
about 1956. I attended many movies there, afternoon matinees, making the place quite coloured neon tubing. The whole facade was
matinees at first, then graduating to adult stuffy. The building itself was little more than built of timber, sheeted with pressed metal,
screenings (but pretty innocent films by a big tin shed, admittedly with a complicated painted to resemble stucco.
today’s standard). roof structure owing to the slope, and a
dressed-up facade in front. The main entrance was inset on the corner of
The location was ideal for a cinema, the land Moggill Road and Moorak Street, with a level
falling away down Moorak Street from the Facing Moggill Road was a large plate glass concrete floor painted red. The ticket office
front entrance on Moggill Road, providing the window area with a door on each side. Behind was set at 45 degrees across the inner corner,
opportunity of a good slope for the timber floor the windows were displayed photos of movie furthest from the street intersection. The main
down to the screen at the bottom end. The stars, or posters of coming attractions and the doors to the theatre were over to the left, under
building was constructed with a pitched gable like. The left hand door led to a set of steps up another of these artificial towers, with a pair
roof, stepped half way down its length, the to the projection room. On the right was the of doors, each approximately a metre wide,
main support being clearspan curved laminated door to the manager’s office. giving easy access for departing crowds. Once
timber arches. Smaller trusses supported the through these doors, there was a landing about
roof purlins and rafters. The whole thing was On the second level, above the display two metres square, then a shallow ramp leading
sheeted in corrugated iron – unlined and not windows, was a set of casement windows – down to the middle of the theatre, protected on
good during a storm or in hot weather. four in all – at the end of the projection room, the lower side by a solid timber wall about a
looking out towards, and well above Moggill metre high. The ramp finished at a level
The vertical walls on the sides and lower end Road footpath. On either side of this central passageway the width of the cinema with a
met up with the tails of these trusses. The walls area were dummy towers about three to five centre and two side aisles running all the way
were also sheeted with corrugated iron but metres wide, and built deep into the roof down to a level area in front of the stage, with
contained several lattice openings for structure. Each tower was capped by a small the screen above. The building was about 20
ventilation purposes. Opaque blinds had to be hip-roofed metal cone. On the front of each metres wide by 40 metres long.
The only area with internal linings was at the
projection box end, where this extended all the
way up to the roofline. In the projection box
wall were five or so small glazed windows or
peepholes – two for the main projectors, two
viewing openings, and one for the slide
projector. The slide projector showed coloured
glass slides of coming events, or commercial
advertising for all sorts of stuff you didn’t
want. The viewing openings were there for the
projectionist to keep an eye on the images
beamed down to the screen.
The main area of seating was canvas deckchair
style, each seat accommodating two patrons.
These tilted forward to facilitate cleaning at
the end of a performance. There were

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