Page 6 - CinemaRecord #11R.pdf
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37a.  Additional to the Shepparton Lyric/Capri                                by Mike Purden



             1.  The motion picture form of entertainment commenced in the town of Shepparton on March 17, 1910, when
                 entrepreneurs J & N Tait brought their Biograph entertainments to the area. These silent movies were
                 shown every Thursday night at the Star Theatre, Fryers Street, with prices ranging from 6 pence to 18
                 pence, with an extra sixpence charged for reserved seats.

             2.  By 1911  local enterprise moved and a company was formed to supply local entertainment bi-weekly. They
                 opened an open-air theatre between the Mechanics Institute (the old Shepparton Library) and the Savings
                 Bank building (later AMP now C.R.I. buildings) in Wyndham Street. In 1913 another company was formed
                 in opposition and started on a block of land on the corner of Wyndham and High Streets where the Colonial
                 Mutual Life Assurance buildings are today,  named the Lyric Open .Air Pictures. The first company closed
                 down and another picture theatre was built in High Street called the Paramount which was constructed
                 from materials from the demolished "Chateau Dookie" winery building. Chateau Dookie was established
                 by John Curtin in the early 1880 s when he planted 500 acres of vines at Dookie, 23kms east of Shepparton.

             3.  The Paramount provided facilities for indoor and outdoor pictures having the operating box in position to
                 serve both purposes. Owners of the Paramount were Messrs. W.  Guthrie and W. Daish.

             4.  Another building opposite the Paramount built in 1882 as a Public Hall also showed films at different
                 times. An advertisement in the Shepparton News of 23.4.1914 displays an ad-

                 LYRIC PICTURES- PUBLIC HALL         Prices - Adults 6d.  Children 3d.   8 o'clock, Wed., 25 March
                 1.  His Inspiration (drama)  1 000 feet   4.  Pathes Gazette  500 feet
                 2.  Sandy and Shorby (comic)  500 feet   5.  A Doll for a Baby (drama)  1000 feet
                 3.  The Runaway (drama)  1000 feet       6.  Why Girls Leave Home (comedy drama)  2000 feet

                 Shepparton News, 22.4.1915, displays another ad - MELBA PICTURES, PUBLIC HALL, HIGH STREET.
                 The Public Hall served many purposes over the years as an Anglican Parish Hall, R.S.L. and last known
                 as the Legion Hall, and was demolished in May 1970, the Target Department Store now in its place. In
                 1916 Walter Nathaniel McMillan ran a bakery business in Fryers Street opposite the present TAFE College,
                 and worked part time at the Star Theatre, also in Fryers Street, as a doorman.

             5.  With a recession being experienced at the time Walter saw so many of his customers from the bakery- the
                 only difference was that they were paying cash to go to the pictures but were  putting it on the slate at his
                 bakery.  So he sold his bakery and purchased the Star and ran the bakery which formed portion of the
                 building.

             6..  In the same year Walter purchased the Lyric Open Air in partnership witih a Mr. Les Thompson who was an
                 operator, and its title gave the name to his later named Company, Lyric Photoplay.  The Lyric Open Air was
                 soon closed leaving only the Paramount and Star the sole buildings for such entertainment.

             7.  Perhaps Walter McMillan s greatest venture of all was the erection of the Lyric Theatre in Maude Street in
                 1924, as he could not obtain financial assistance from banks and had to  buy  money at steep interest
                 rates from private investors at some cost of Pounds 15,000 ($30,000).  About March of 1926 he purchased
                 the Paramount Theatre.  The outdoor area of the Paramount was used as a dance venue after the films.

             8.  The Shepparton News ofThursday, February 27, 1930 states- PICTURES & DANCING at the PARAMOUNT
                 NEXT SAT., PARAMOUNT PALAIS, DANCING 2/-, PICTURES 1/-, CHILDREN 6d.

             9.  Shepparton News ad ofThursday, 9th July, 1936- FINAL DANCE IN THE PARAMOUNT PALAIS THURS.
                 JULY 9. AFTER THIS DATE ALL DANCING WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE STAR THEATRE, AND
                 THE PALAIS CONVERTED INTO A MODEL PICTURE THEATRE. COME ALONG AND FAREWELL AN
                 OLD FRIEND. GENS 2/6d, LADIES 1/6d, SUPPER PROVIDED

             10.  Shepparton News Monday July 13th, 1936
                 GRAND FINAL DANCE IN THE PARAMOUNT PALAIS- THURS JULY 23.

             11.  May 1930, the much talked of £6,000 WESTERN ELECTRIC talking picture equipment arrived in Shepparton
                 for the Lyric, where a small army of electricians and Chief Engineer, Mr. Noble from the Sydney branch
                 began installing talkies which opened on Thursday, 5th June, 1930.
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