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Park Theatre, Albert Park, showing the Crying Room at centre of back stalls
The Second World War put an end to the 1970s because he could use the Crying Room sitter’ problem for parents.” This theatre may
building of picture palaces, with building for his children. CATHS archive holds a copy not have been in the same league as those being
materials remaining in short supply until well of the program for the reopening of this cinema built in the late 1930s, but it proved that there
into the 1950s. By that time, cinemas were in 1955. It includes details of the Crying Room was still a purpose for the Crying Room.
starting to close as their audiences were staying “which gives mothers the opportunity to
home to watch their new television sets. continue seeing the programme in comfort Most of the great suburban Art Moderne
when baby cries. And of course a special Pram cinemas of the pre-war years were casualties of
CATHS member, Keith Lumley, told me that Park where prams can be left in safety, all the cinema downturn of the 1960s. Their size,
he used to go to the Plaza in Reservoir in the combine to overcome the expensive ‘baby- which had made them so appealing in their
heyday, made them financially unviable when
audiences deserted them for the cheaper option
of television in their own homes. Of those
Floor plan, Hoyts Windsor, Vic. mentioned, only the Rivoli in Camberwell
survives, but its Crying Room was lost when it
was extensively remodelled into a twin cinema
in 1968. ★

Credits:
“Cinemas of Australia via USA”. Ross Thorne.
1981
“I Found it at the Flickers” John Michael
Howson 1985
Eric Reed, CinemaRecord no. 93
John MacCabe, Kino no. 51
“Building” magazine
Opening programs and newspaper articles
from the CATHS archive.

Thanks to CATHS members Ross King, Keith
Lumley, Dick Twentyman, Phil O’Kane and Eric
White for sharing their memories.

Images: CATHS archive

18 CINEMARECORD # 98