Page 34 - CINEMARECORD-96

LOOKING BACK … By Bert Bertram
THE REGENT AND PLAZA, MELBOURNE

nce upon a time, it was called the “Paris
OEnd of Collins Street” because it
resembled the Rue Madeleine in that delightful
city in far away Europe. At the other end was
the magical world of money - world shipping
giants, mining magnates, and the stock
exchange. Then into that adorable Collins
Street, on 15 March 1929, came the magic of
Hollywood, with the opening of the Regent and
Plaza Theatres, built one above the other, with
a combined seating capacity of almost 5000.
Let that number settle, before it really grabs
you.

Erected in the virtual centre of that elegant
boulevard, the two theatres won the hearts of
boys and girls, mums and dads, from that day
in March 1929 until the sad day in July 1970
when they closed their doors to the public of
Melbourne - a public which has never forgotten.

The Regent’s attractions were so numerous and
magnificent that time could not erase them from
one"s mind ever. To walk into the vast area of
the stalls was a thrill in itself. Gentle WurliTzer
organ music, lovely usherettes always on hand
to assist, lolly boys whizzing about with trays
of chocolates, blues, dixie ice creams etc, and
gently singing out “Ice or blues - chewing gum
or chocolates, Columbines or Maxmints”. That
was their cry and it never deviated in all the
years, believe me!
The usherettes, as they were proudly named,
were just the loveliest young ladies who were
selected, without a doubt, as the epitome of
glamour. The evening gowns which were their
uniforms were the personification of class. A
rich midnight burgundy gown, which looked
like a product of the fertile imagination of Above and below: Regent and Plaza Theatre building c 1949
Schiapparelli or Balenciargo at their
inspirational best, made these gorgeous females Now the Regent’s programme was something of an hour on the Regent WurliTzer, which had
look like heavenly visions. And when they led for present day audiences to wonder at. For one more controls on its curved panel that a 747
a young fellow to his seat and gave him a gentle shilling and one penny, (call it 11 cents if you jumbo. Then the lights went out and a Fox
smile, well, it was sort of hard to concentrate must), that’s what it cost to see an American Movietone News was screened, followed by a
after that, if you get my meaning. organist named Eddie Fitch playing for quarter couple of previews, then an orchestral
presentation by Daniel Mas and the Regent
Orchestra, always with a guest artist who could
be George Bellmayne (tenor), Peggy Brooks,
The Parker Sisters - top lady warblers of that
era - or even Bob Dyer in his hillbilly suit. (Bob
came to Melbourne in 1936 with a travelling
stage show from the US called The Marcus
Show, which played the Princess and went
broke.) Then a "B" class picture would take us
up to the interval, through which Daniel Mas
and the orchestra played bright, snappy tunes
for people who stayed inside, and which was
relayed to the smokers who went out into the
foyers.

Back into your seat, lights out again and on
came the cartoons - Tom and Jerry, or Porky
the Pig - to give one and all a big laugh, and
then came the main feature - it may have been
Astaire and Rogers in Flying Down To Rio or
perhaps lovely Irene Dunne in Magnificent
Obsession, but whatever the main feature, if it
was on the Regent bill, it was top quality.

34 CINEMARECORD # 97