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Rudd MP". It was during our visit to the candy bar that   Cleopatra/Paris Theatre
            the manager asked us whether we were staying for the
            second feature, for which we replied, 'it was the film we   By Trevor Walters
            wanted to see' and to their credit, they screened it.
                                                                The Cleopatra Theatre opened on the 28th of February·
            The large Hammersmith Odeon in 1981 was screening -a   1964. Opening with the big blockbuster film 'Cleopatra'
            James Bond film. This huge auditorium looked even big~   starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton,  the thea-
            ger as it turned out to be an essentially private screening   tre instantly became the flagship of the Hoyts circuit, des-
            for the two of us after the staff confirmed that we wanted   tined to screen all the long tunning 70mm presentations
            to  see the tnO\!fe. With its  near 2,000 seat capacity  we   of the day.                    ·
            certainly had our choice of seats!
                                                                But the life of the Cleopatra- Paris would be short. Born
            The cancelling of screenings due to poor  patronage is,   out of the  old  Lyceum  Theatre  (refer June  1999
            I'm sure, not isolated but it does bring into focus the hard   CinemaRecord) the theatre had a life span of only five
            times our exhibitors go through.                    years 11  months.

             ***********************************************    The build up to the opening of the film 'Cleopatra' was
                                                                enormous. There was no shortage of marketing material
                                                                as  the behind  the scenes activities  of its stars coupled
            Along Film Row - Victorian News.                    with the many production delays kept the publicity ma-
                                                                chine well oiled.
            From :The Australian Exhibitor, Sept 1 1966
                                                                'Cleopatra'  screened for  14 months.  The theatre then
                                                                closed for a couple of days and was re-opened as the Paris
            AFTER "My Fair Lady completes a record 91  weeks at   Theatre on Saturday the 17th of Aprill965 showing 'The
            the My Fair Lady Theatre, Bourke Street, Melbourne, the   Sound Of Music.
            theatre will be known as The Palladium Theatre.
                                                                After a 32 month season 'The Sound Of Music' was trans-
            Demolition works have commenced  on the site of the   ferred  across  the road to the Esquire Theatre where it
            proposed triple cinema centre which will be built by Hoyts   continued for several  more months.  But it was  time  a
            Theatres in Bourke Street,  Melbourne.              new film entered the Paris Theatre and this was  'Doctor
                                                                Do little.
             Graham Burke,  assistant to Village Theatres' managing
             director, Roc Kirby, was off duty for a few days last week   AJthough 'Doctor Dolittle' screened for six months it was
             with the flu.                                      considered  a failure, as  was  'Valley Of The Dolls' al-
                                                                though 15 weeks for this film seemed a fair return.
            Noel Henry, well-known director of Star Pictures, Port~
             land, and who is also town clerk of Portland, has submit-  The enormous success of 'The Sound Of Music' was an
             ted his resignation as town clerk effective from January   impossible act to follow, but with the release of 'Star',
             5, 1967, when he will complete 50 years service with the   another Julie Andrews film, expectations were high that
             local council. Noel succeeded his father,  the late Mr. T.   this may occur. But this did not happen and 6Staro was
             E. C. Henry, who also held the office for 50 years. Noel   also considered a failure with a five month season.
             will continue as a director of the Star company, we trust
             for many years hence.                              It was now all downhill, 'Finians Rainbow' and 'Charley'
                                                                did all right but by now .the glory days for the Paris were
             Hoyts director of theatres Allan Barr, paid a one day busi-  over. The big blockbusters would now go into the newly
             ness visit to Melbourne last Wednesday.            opened Hoyts Cinema Centre.

             Les  Randall,  Concessionaires  topper,  was  another   It was now revivals and double features  with the occa-
             Sydneysider in Melbourne. Les was here from Wednes-  sional first release that would screen there. Exactly the
             day to Friday.                                     way the old Lyceum saw out its life.

             Erik Thacker, manager of the Regent Theatre, South   The Paris  could not buy an  audience, even  the feature
             Yarra, is currently on three weeks  annual leave.  He is   version of the extremely popular television show 'Skippy'
             being relieved by George Pascoe.                   failed.  'Skippy And The Intruders', the Christmas holi-
                                                                day attraction, was meant to be the Paris Theatre's last
             Twentieth Century Fox Films Victorian manager, Bob   film, but with a first Saturday night's attendance of less
             Gunn, with his wife and family  is to be found  at Lakes   than  100 and  the  kids  staying away  through  the  day,
             Entrance for a fortnight's fishing during the school holi-  'Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines' was
             days·.                                             dusted off and closed the Paris after a three week season . .



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