Page 13 - CinemaRecord #11R.pdf

On entering the theatre your attention was drawn to the large spherical ticket box made from stainless steel
and curved glass set beneath a recessed circular ceiling. The architectural style of the interior was art deco
making use of extensive curved and fluted decoration together with straight and curved lengths of lighting
featuring opalescent glass with stainless steel trim.

Decor was in tones of ivory and old gold and the stage curtain, made from Italian velvet, matched the wine
coloured carpets. A comparatively rare feature of the design was the way the ceiling rose in short steps from
the stage to the rear of the circle. Special attention was paid to the acoustics- Vivian Taylor was an expert in
this field - to compliment the projection equipment, which was RCA High Fidelity sound projectors supplied by
RCA Photophone Australia Pty Ltd.

The opening program consisted of several shorts and Columbia's "She Married Her Boss•. One night later the
program was a few shorts and Warner Bros "Broadway Gondolier" together with the premier feature.

Suppliers of furnishings and fittings were all locally based. The plaster work was carried out by W.H. Brilliandt
of Essendon, climate conditioning by Bertram and Bell, Melbourne, ticket box and facia sign Wm. Bedford,
Melbourne, painting by J.K. Pettigrew, Brunswick, wall tiles by Rogers, Seller and Myhill, lighting by Brooks
Robinson, Melbourne and seating from Hoyts own seating factory.

The cost of the theatre was £22,000 and it continued to screen for twenty five years, closing in 1961 after which
it was used as Hoyts Victorian headquarters following the sale of the Melbourne Regent in 1970.

Hoyts vacated the theatre in 1991 for it to become a video rental business trading as Homeshow Entertainment
Centre. Before reopening as the above business the theatre fabric was restored involving extensive replacement
of original light fittings. (Walk in any time and have a look)

HOMESHow

The Windsor Theatre c. 1994

Little is known of the personalities associated with the Windsor Theatre, but TV personality Graham Kennedy's
mother worked there as a ticket seller, and Graham as a school boy often assisted in the rewind room.

The "Windsor" was the first theatre built in collaboration by the architectural and building companies which
continued on with the "Park" Albert Park, "Padua" Brunswick", "Albury" Albury, "Ozone" Mildura, "Regal" Hartwell,
and ''Rivoli" Camberwell. Only the Windsor and the Rivoli remain, with the Rivoli continuing to screen as a twin
cinema.

References: Opening Program Film Weekly 18/03/36 Building 24/07/37