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companies were disbanded, auditoriums
converted to film exhibition or closed, and
government assistance sought for 1300
unemployed members of the Actors Federation
in February 1930. With the onset of the
depression in Australia, the future for these
talented and skilled people was pretty grim.
After the introduction of sound film, theatres
did use some live acts which required
accompaniment, but in Tasmania this faded
away as the supply of sound films increased,
supported by numerous Vitaphone musical
shorts, and as the Depression forced
economies.

The success of Warner’s 42nd Street in 1933,
ushering in a “Golden Age” of song and dance
features until the end of the decade,
extinguished the role of the picture theatre
orchestra except in the limited number of
picture palaces mentioned earlier.

In some theatres where an organ or other
accompaniment was available, community
singing sessions before shows was a popular
pre-World War 2 feature. The Greater Union
house magazine Cogs of 18 December 1937
records the holding of “kids” community His Majesty’s Theatre up for auction 1966
sing-song “in conjunction with a ‘B’ class
radio station” event at His Majesty’s in Majesty’s, possibly because Greater Union Singer, starring Al Jolson. On the day of his
Hobart, radio mats with the words of the spent money carefully, and access to backstage funeral, 14 July, the lengthy cortege moving
popular song numbers being mounted between and the old dressing rooms from within the from his residence in St. John Street to Carr
two slide glasses and projected on the screen. theatre was by a pygmy door on the right hand Villa was led by the massed St. Joseph’s and
No mention was made as to whether live or side of the orchestra pit. The last time the pit Railway Bands, and following closely were the
recorded music was used. was used for musical entertainment, with some Princess and Majestic Theatre orchestras, the
elevated stands, was in 1957, when a Sunday Launceston Orchestral Society, past members
As picture theatres were renovated, the concert to raise funds for a Miss Tasmania of St. Joseph’s Band, Musicians Union and
orchestra pit was built over and disappeared. Quest entrant “Miss Greater Union Theatres” members of the City Band and Rapson Band.
The Prince of Wales in Hobart and the was sponsored by the Odeon and His
Princess in Launceston passed to Hoyts after Majesty’s theatres. The pallbearers included L. Corrick of the
Greater Union withdrew from the General Majestic Orchestra. The report in the Examiner
Theatres arrangement at the end of 1937, and As the coming of sound loomed, what lay in newspaper of the 15 July 1929 describes the
were modernised and upgraded in 1939, and the future for Alex Lithgow, whose music funeral as “Impressive, an Eloquent Public
the 1950s. The Majestic had been modernised prompted this article? From 1924 he had Tribute”. Alex Lithgow was laid to rest in the
in 1932. suffered from declining health and, on 12 July presence of a large assemblage of people
1929, died at his residence from a stroke, representing all classes of the community. ★
The only surviving example of a picture theatre aged 58.
orchestra pit by 1960 in Hobart, to the best of Twelve days before his death, the Princess
the writer’s recollection, was that at His Theatre opened with sound, screening the Jazz Credits:

Partly Personal R. A. Ferrall, Launceston 1974, Cat
and Fiddle Press ISBN 0 85853 0198
Picture Palaces and Fleapits
Simon Brand, Dreamweaver Books, Sydney, 1983.
ISBN 0 94985 03 4
Cogs Sydney 1938 (Greater Union Theatres).

Australian Cinema, the first 80 years
G. Shirley & B. Adams, A & R Publishers ISBN 0 207
14581 4
Everyones & Film Weekly magazines, National
Library, Canberra
The Mercury newspaper, Hobart.

The Examiner newspaper, Launceston.

Left: His Majesty’s Theatre in 1911, prior to the
installation of the verandah.

26 CINEMARECORD # 94