Page 10 - CinemaRecord #11R.pdf

theatre frontage. The stalls entry was via two sets of doors. The upstairs foyer included a candy bar, managers
office, staff room and ladies and gents toilets. The circle was entered by means of a central staircase that lead
to the front of the balcony. The bio-box was located at the back of the circle and was accessed either from the
rear of the circle or by means of a direct stair case to the foyer level staffroom. The theatre was built for film
exhibition and therefore the stage area was minimal.

20th Century Theatre

A Mr. J. Freidman was recorded as the lessor and manager of the theatre. The Health Department was advised
that the theatre would open on September 11 , 1937. By 1949 Wimmera Theatres (a subsidiary of Victoria
Theatres Pty. Ltd. and later, Consolidated Theatres Pty. Ltd.) was in control of the Twentieth Century. Both the
Horsham and Twentieth Century theatres were now operated by the one company and would both be managed
by J. Friedman.

By 1959 television had made such inroads into the cinema business that the directors decided to rationalize
their Horsham operations. The decision was taken to sell the Twentieth Century and transfer all operations to
the much older Horsham Theatre. The prime retailing main street location probably sealed the fate of the
Twentieth Century. The theatre, just twenty-two years old, closed on 31 December, 1959(2). It was demolished
some ten years later to make way for an insurance office. The roof trusses from the theatre have been recycled
in the sheds at the gliding club.

The New Horsham Town Hall

Architect: Charles N. Hollinshed Builder: R.F. Anderson Opened: 29 May 1939

The new Horsham Town Hall is set behind a double storey office block on the north side of Wilson St. which, up
until 1981 , also housed the offices of the Horsham City Council. Today an art gallery occupies the former office
space. To the right hand side of the building is the entrance to the Town Hall complex. The civic buildings were
built with attractive multi coloured bricks with metal framed windows. The main entrance leads to an arcade
containing an attractive black and chrome ticket box on the right hand side. This space then leads into a
spacious foyer which includes a staircase to the balcony foyer, the main entrance to the town hall and access
to the large supper room!. All the floors in foyer area are of an attractive terrazzo finish.