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13. IVANHOE THEATRE by Fred Page

In 1935, on a site at the comer of Upner Heidelberg Road and Ivanhoe Parade, the Ivanhoe theatre was built.
As a commercial venture, the theatre was well designed as there was a row of four shops on the Ivanhoe
Parade frontage as well as two facing Upper Heidelberg Road.

Comparatively rare features of the design was the inclusion of two flats over the shops and two garages at the
rear of the building.

For many years one of the flats was the home of Bert Norris, the Assistant Engineer for Hoyts and the deputy
of Chief Engineer, Ken Neck.

The auditorium was wide rather than deep and the colour scheme was beige/cream. Ornamental feature of
the decor was the use of ginger coloured glazed tiles in the foyer which continued down the sides of the stalls
at shoulder height. The seating was for 1,286 customers who sat at two levels. Stage curtains were orange in
colour, the screen being set back several feet from the curtain line.

Immediately in front of the screen were another set of curtains, predominately blue, which were used to cover
it when things took place on stage. These events were usually associated with competitions held as part of
matinee programs.

Speaking of matinees (and earlier, garages). on one Saturday afternoon soon after the war there was a war film
programme and the "come on" was the gift of a soldier's tin hat. The garages were used to store them and they
were distributed at the end of the show by chains of frantic ushers at the stage exits.

With the introduction of television in 1956, Ivanhoe, being an affluent area, attendances suffered severely.
The theatre struggled on with restricted screenings until1963 when it gave in to its' electronic rival. It was soon
demolished and replaced with an arcade of shops

One of the Ivanhoe Theatre's long time projectionist was Reg Oldham and present Balwyn Theatre identity
John Sevier spent some time there also.

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