Page 38 - CINEMARECORD-96

Melbourne Grammar, Geelong - even
some Sydney schools got a guernsey.
When the “Head of the River” boat
races were held on the Yarra, winners
and losers all got together at Hillier's,
sang songs, and whooped it up with an
orgy of caramel malteds and peach
melbas. (There were strictly no uppers
or downers - they didn't need them
with Hillier's). But going to Hillier's
was part of the Regent/Plaza
experience, and something never
forgotten.
Compared to these two most awe-
inspiring theatres, movie houses of
today simply stop short, for to
compare any theatre of today with
Hoyts Regent and Plaza masterpieces
is, quite simply, a non-event.

On the night of 30 April 1945, the
Regent, our pride and joy in this great
City of the South, was partially
destroyed in a mysterious fire,
completely burning out the auditorium
section. The Plaza was damaged by
water accumulating from the
firemen"s hoses, but was eventually
dried out and reopened. The Regent
underwent a total rebuild of the
auditorium, and went on to serve the
Melbourne public for another 25 years
before closure. But all that is another
story.★

Credits:

Thanks to Fred Page for contributing this
article by Bert Bertram, and arranging
permission for its reproduction. It is an
excellent example of social history being
written down - the actual experiences of
the times, made more interesting with its
use of names of the day. Sadly, these times
are gone forever, but fortunately a record
of them survives in articles such as this.
The importance of social history is only
The highly decorated Plaza foyer recently being recognised by historians,
but forms an important record of theatres in
its caramel malted milks were known to make ladies would scurry back and forth, gently particular, in addition to details about architecture,
strong macho men tremble and go weak at the pushing their way through the swinging door, equipment etc. The writer also has a little dig at
knees. Even some of us weaker ones used to their arms full of heavenly surprises - society today with his remark concerning uppers and
feel a trifle dizzy after a Hillier's malted. It had concoctions of peach melba, coloured milk downers!
the most glamorous boxes of chocolates in the spiders, iced coffees, waffles with honey and
windows and on the counter, all boxed in cream etc, etc. They reminded me of busy
irresistible red cartons with jazzy new gnomes in a story by Hans Christian Anderson. Images:
cellophane. The milk bar and back portion of
the shop was, to all who entered, something to Around the walls were college motifs from the CATHS Archive collection.
marvel at. A staff of 4-5 men and 2-3 young public schools - Scotch, Xavier, Haylebury,

38 CINEMARECORD # 97