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Frank O'llalloran was quick to sec a bu!>iness opportunity. as was the case at Lake Boga. During World War 2 Lal-.e Boga
was home to a Catalina tlying boat repair depor. There were I 000 pem1ancnt personnel at the base comprising 900 Airmen
and I 00 W.A.A.F's. 0' Halloran improved and equipped the local hall ror screenings.

Some of the early o·Halloran theatre!> !>creened on Saturday nights only whibt other venue:-. operated on two or three
nights. The lir\t Swan Hill Regem (at the Town Hall) ~creened five night!> a week (not Tuesday and Sunda}) with a
Saturday matinee. The indoor theatre:-. were all grandiosely named. or renamed. Regent whilst the Drive In theatre!> were
called Swan Line at Beverford. and Park Line in Kerang. Their car capacitic!> were 360 and 260 rc!-.pectively (4). Separate
companie~ were formed to operate the Drive Tns: these were Murray Valley Drive In Theatres. at Bcvcrford. and Parklinc
Drive-In Thcatn.:l-. at Kerang.

Balranald Regent- 1998
Photo: Geny Kennedy Collection

In the earl) da)' the venue-. were mainly leased local hall\ and even outdoor venues (e.g. Warrad,nabeal). Howe\er.
O'Halloran Theatn.:-, built and operatt..:d modern well-appointed theatres in Deniliquin { 1956) and Swan Hill ( 1958). The
new theatre::. seated 784 (Deniliquin) and 990 (Swan llill) (3). For a time both the old and new Swan Hill Regents operated
with the Town Hall being renamed The Civic. The Oasis Ballroom was also included in the new Swan Hill theatre project.
This was next door to the theatre.

Frank o· Halloran wal> a canny bu\ine~sman who was not afraid to take on the film distribution companies. He refu~ed to
pay percentages and only rented film'> at tixed prices. He alc;o refused the distributors· unreasonable demands to accept
package<, of film., and he bool-.ed the movies he favoured.

O-Halloran possessed a keen lighting spirit and a strong determination. When his lease of the Warracknabeal Town Hall
became due for renewal lhe "civic fathers··. who had a grand vision of becoming successful exhibitors, refused to renew.
Undaunted by the lo.,:-. of one of his prc-;tige houses (another art-deco gem) 0' Halloran acquired a block of land to build a
new theatre: it wa., directly behind the Town Hall. However. because of the imposition of post war building restriction he
couldn't obtain a building permit for the new theatre.
Undaunted, in c.l946/47 he had a high fence built around the block and tarpaulins made to cover part of the area. He
brought in seats and projectors and shifted the Regent operation i tltO the open-air environment. At the lime the Warracknabeal
newspaper carried the headlines ..... is it a building, is it a half. is it a tent, is it a fence" ( I ). Despite screening under trying
conclitions the outdoor Regent still pulled the biggest crowds at Warracknabeal because of access to better films. ln the end
the Council gave in and o· Halloran Theatres regained the lease of the Town Hall.

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