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Capitol Theatre, Swanston Street, Melbourne

"The main entrance to the theatre is through the centre of the block. It is Prince of Wales Theatre, Murray Street, Perth
thirty feet wide opening into a finely designed vestibule and lobby, the
latter having domed ceilings intersecting each other immediately in front The seats had backs and were cushioned. In addition to rest rooms, many
of the doorway entrance to the auditorium. Through the vestibule on the also provided cloakrooms, smoking rooms and nurseries, as well as a
right is a circular formed stairway leading to the foyer, balconette, large foyer. The Prince of Wales Theatre in Perth provided a special
boxes and balcony. On the left similarly formed stairs lead to a charming refrigerator service for patrons who came to see a programme after doing
smoking room and lounge. The total seating capacity of the theatre is their shopping. The Regent in Melbourne also provided a telephone
about 2,600." service, a professional service "for the dispatch of telegrams, enquiries,
or the registration of seat numbers if a call is expected during the
performance", a lost property bureau, and a taxi service. Each picture
palace attempted to be bigger and better than the others. Elaborate
and different decor, as well as new and varied services, were introduced.
Everything about these cinemas was designed to please the patrons and
create an air of dignity and splendour. Even the way in which these
cinemas were promoted and described followed this line of thinking. The
dedication in the Regent's programme book, for instance:

"To the Imagination of Man, by which all civilization must progress, is
the Regent Theatre dedicated. May its doors never cease to be, within
our memory, the Gateway from Yesterday to Tomorrow."

The luxuries provided for the patrons were graded according to the price
of admission. This mimicked class divisions in society, appealing to
many patrons' desire for exclusiveness. Films had a broad mass appeal,
but at least this way the middle and upper classes did not have to sit with
working class patrons. The seating was divided into three areas, lounge,
dress circle and stalls, and seat location determined ticket cost. For
example, ticket prices for the Regent in Melbourne on a Saturday night
were: Lounge and Dress Circle, 4/4; Reserved Stalls, 3/3; and Stalls
2/5½. The other facilities were also of different standards. Rest rooms
varied in size and decor, as did the foyer areas or any other facilities
provided. This division is well illustrated by the rest rooms in Sydney's
State Theatre. In the lounge area (Royal Mezzanine) the mens' toilet
was marked “Empire Builders”, and the womens' “Pompadours”. In the
dress circle they were “College Room” and “Futurists”, while in the stalls
they were “Pioneers” and “Butterfly”.

Hoyts Regent and Plaza Theatres, Collins Street, Melbourne

The picture palaces seated large audiences in elaborate surroundings with
marble columns, spiral stairways, statues, plush carpeting and other
decorative features. Patrons were provided with numerous comforts
and services unavailable in other cinemas. A large number of ushers and
usherettes were employed to see to the needs of the patrons - opening
doors, showing them to their seats, and supervising the queuing for
tickets. The Melbourne Regent's souvenir programme made the
following claim:

"Through years of studying patrons' comfort and convenience, then
through months of training the staffs who will carry personal service into
effect, the Regent management feels it has succeeded in fulfilling the
advanced functions of the modern cinema." State Theatre, Market Street, Sydney

CINEMARECORD # 96 37