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THE CIVIC THEATRE compiled by Richard Twentyman, from research by

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND Eric Kearney and Allan Webb

The Civic Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand, eventually exhibitions manager. By 1919, he Empire Theatre in Dunedin. Built at a cost of
is claimed to be the largest surviving was living in Dunedin and, in the early 1920s, nearly £100,000, it seated over 2000 people.
atmospheric theatre in Australasia. Noted for purchased the Empire Theatre in Stuart Much of the decorative inspiration had been
its Indian styled foyer and Moorish garden Street. By 1925, he was in Auckland and had provided by the Capitol Theatre in Sydney.
inspired auditorium, the Civic is the largest become the owner of Everybody's Picture
theatre in New Zealand, having a current Theatre in lower Queen Street. He soon In 1929, O'Brien secured a long-term lease
seating capacity of between 2267 and 2378, acquired a number of Auckland cinemas, over the abandoned City Market site at the
depending on the configuration of the front including the Princess (later the Plaza), the corner of Queen and Wellesley Streets in
five rows of the Stalls. Rialto in Newmarket, the Theatre Royal in Auckland. His decision to build a theatre
Kingsland, the Tivoli in Karangahape Road, seating 3500 on the site was a controversial
he Civic was the dream of Thomas the Regent (later the Lido) in Epsom, and the one. Not only was the decision to build
TAlexander O’Brien, who was born in Britannia in Ponsonby. By the end of the another picture house in a city where many
Thames on 11 June 1888, the son of Thomas decade, Thomas O'Brien's cinema chain was fine theatres almost touched each other a
O’Brien, a local police constable, and his the third largest in New Zealand. questionable business venture, but the manner
Scottish-born wife, Rose Ann Gray. Early in which O'Brien financed the enterprises
records indicate that he came to Australia at a The late 1920s was an exciting time in the entailed high risks. He persuaded the Bank of
young age. His theatrical experience is cinema business. “Talkies” were introduced New Zealand to advance £180,000 plus an
presumed to have started in silent movie and picture houses were becoming so additional £25,000 for the “extras” without
houses in Australia, before he moved to New spectacular that they were an entertainment in any capital being paid up by his company,
Zealand to manage three Wellington theatres themselves. The first full length talkies were Civic Theatres Ltd, a company of 78,000
for New Zealand Picture Supplies. seen in Auckland at the Plaza and the Regent shares. The magnitude of the loan, plus
in April 1929. This phenomenon found its O'Brien's method of securing the monies,
Formed in 1913, New Zealand Picture greatest expression in the “atmospheric” reached Government ears, and the Speaker of
Supplies was an amalgamation of two rival cinema. Known as “soft-top” theatres (in the House, Frank Langstone, demanded that
cinema and film-distribution companies - contrast to the usual “hard-top”), they “in the face of certain inconsistencies of the
Hayward's Picture Enterprises and John Fuller incorporated coloured lights playing on transaction” the Government should conduct
and Sons. The company imported films from prisms which suggested “the sky by night, an enquiry into the affair. During the financial
Britain and the United States, distributing with stars twinkling and fleecy clouds drifting debate in August 1930, HGR Mason, the
them throughout New Zealand. O'Brien held a across the face of the moon”. O'Brien brought Labour Member for Auckland suburbs,
variety of managerial positions including atmospheric cinema to New Zealand in referred to the manner in which the Civic was
national publicity manager, film manager and September 1928 when he opened the New alleged to have been financed. “The sum of

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