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taries films about Australia which he had filmed with his 16mm moved to 639 Bridge Rd Richmond.
camera. In 1953 Stan married his wife Kay (Cassiana) in With the slowing of Greek migration, the introduction of
Greece and brought her back to Australia. In 1954 Stan again videos and the opening of the SBS (Special Broadcasting
went to Greece where he successfully produced (again in 16 Service) TV channel the ethnic cinema business was adverse-
mm) a colour travelogue called Get to Know Greece. This was ly affected. Consequently the Greek cinemas closed one after
first screened in Australia at the Assembly Hall (next to the the other. The National in Richmond, which had the honour of
Melbourne Town Hall) and did very well in Sydney and being the only Greek cinema to operate six days per week, was
Melbourne. He subsequently produced many more films for the the last to close in 1985. About this time the partnership
Australian Greek community. between Stan Raftopoulos and Peter Yiannoudes was dis-
During 1957-58 other Greek film importers became active solved with Stan retaining the rights to the Cosmopolitan
and Stan thought it would be a good idea to form a consortium name and the ownership of the National Theatre. Stan subse-
of importers to protect the interests of the existing businesses quently sold the National in later years.
by forming a company called Cosmopolitan Motion Pictures, The Ithacan connection with cinema in Australia began
which was situated at 55 Elgin St, Carlton. with the construction of the Launceston Princess Theatre
In the meantime Stan’s father Spiros had purchased the (1911) by Marino Lekatsas. His brother, Antonios, was
Victoria Theatre (former Crown) in Victoria St Richmond and involved with the building of a ten-story office block in 1922
began screening major British and along with Captain J E P Howey. This
American films such as Gone With the building, in Swanston St, was later to
Wind with the assistance of his son house the famous Capitol theatre,
Nick and Jim Anangtou. Jim tran- which opened in 1924. The Lekatsas
scribed the dialogue of up to 40 films, brothers later anglicized their name to
which he then printed, as Greek subti- Lucas and the Raftopoulos brothers,
tles, onto slides which he superim- Spiro, Platon and Demosthenes man-
posed over the English language films aged the confectionery counters in the
being screened. When the popularity Capitol Theatre.
of Greek films waned, Spiros was to Today, of all the Ithacan Greeks who
later rent The Victoria out to the inter- had connections with cinema in Victoria,
ests that became Valhalla Cinemas. George Florence, Stan’s nephew, is the
When Valhalla moved on to the only one left continuing the tradition.
Westgarth Theatre the Raftopoulos George operates a very successful cin-
family auctioned the Victoria, which ema at the Astor (St Kilda). George
was subsequently demolished. Tollis, a former partner of Stan’s
Three Greek cinema chains father, Spiros, owns this theatre.
evolved: Over the years Stan has main-
The syndicate including Spiros and tained his interest in Greek literature
Nakis (Nick) Raftopoulos, George and he has written several poetic
Tollis, Jim Anagnostou and the Lazogas works and nine novels from 1943 to
brothers owned or operated several cine- 1990. For 20 years Stan was the
mas including the Victoria (Richmond), Stan at the opening of the Greek Film founding editor of the Greek language
Astor (St Kilda), Globe (Richmond), Festival 1997 at the Forum Cinema. newspaper Ulyssess, the organ of the
Sunshine (Sunshine), Pantheon Holding his projector purchased from Ithacan Philanthropic Society (in
(Prahran) and the Pallas Theatre in Coles Mildura for 2/6, in 1939. Melbourne). He still lectures in Greek
Sydney. literature at the RMIT University in
The commencement of television in Australia in 1956 Melbourne. In 1982 he was awarded the MBE for his services
quickly led to the demise of many cinemas around the country to the Greek Community.
and their owners were keen to rid themselves of such special- Stan still has a keen interest in films and to this day main-
ist premises. The Cosmopolitan Company was able, with tains an excellent cinema in the basement of his home,
small deposits, to acquire many of these cinemas for Greek equipped to screen both 16mm and 35 mm films.
film screenings. It is interesting to note that many theatres across Australia
The Cosmopolitan group included Stan Raftopoulos, Peter were built or operated by Greek immigrants. The involvement
Yiannoudes and Andrew Papadopoulos. This company leased of the Greeks in cinema was the subject of a masters thesis
the National Theatre in Bridge Rd, Richmond from T O’Brien written, but not completed, by its author Kevin Cork before he
and this became the company flagship. Over the years the the- died in the 1998. There are no doubt many stories to be told
atres and halls in the Cosmopolitan chain included Sun about the entrepreneurs involved in ethnic cinema particularly
(Yarraville), The Cathedral Hall (Fitzroy), Globe (Richmond), the Italian (eg. the La Scala chain), Russian, Eastern
the Sunshine Theatre, Empire (Brunswick) Westgarth European, Chinese and Indian interests. ★
(Northcote), Paramount (Oakleigh), Kinema (Albert Park),
Astor (St Kilda), Galaxy (Brunswick) and the Melbourne
Town Hall as well as screens in Adelaide. References:
Jim Anangtou ran the Oxford Theatre in Sydney (city) and Odusseus magazine, December 1999.
the Odeon in suburban Taylor Square. Interviews with Stan Raftopoulos.
Around 1971 Andrew Papadopoulos was bought out by the Photographs: Courtesy Stan Raftopoulos Collection.
other two partners and the administration of the Company Cosmopolitan Pass-Out from the CATHS Archives.

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