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and Hoyts’ plans for Regent theatres
                                                                               did not initially stop with Brisbane, but
                                                                               the Depression ended further grandiose
                                                                               thinking.
                                                                                  The first time I set foot in this
                                                                               cinema was well over three decades
                                                                               ago; seeing even the most mundane
                                                                               film was offset by an old-world
                                                                               ambience impossible to forget, and
                                                                               impossible to recreate in bricks and
                                                                               mortar.
                                                                                  Brisbane attitudes also made this
                                                                               Regent different. Liberal smoking
            QUEENSLAND’S                            MONUMENT                   regulations permitted lighting up in the
                              TO                    MOVIES                     auditorium, actions outlawed in the
                                                                               southern states. The pungent aroma of
                                                                               nicotine permeated throughout the
                                     By Ian Hanson
                                                                               entire cinema, even when it was empty!
                                                                               Planning, Construction and
            Brisbane’s Regent was the last  ‘Regent challenge’ held no attraction, a  Fitting Out.
          grand example of a commitment to a  situation obvious to both men.
                                                                                  Land acquisitions for this theatre
          specific style, built on a scale and with  The directors of the joint venture,
          an attention to detail guaranteed to win  J.C. Williamson Ltd. and Hoyts Theatres  were unusual. The address was 167
          admiration. As such it qualifies as a  Ltd., turned to another architect at the  Queen Street, with the building to
          subject for more than one history, but  forefront of theatre architecture. Born in  extend one block to Elizabeth Street.
          apart from Ross Thorne’s entry in his  1899, Charles Neville Hollinshed was  The frontage on Queen Street was
          Cinemas In Australia Via USA, its  articled in Brisbane in 1917, studied for  narrow, about 12m.wide. This portion
          merits have not been widely discussed,  six months at the Architectural  was purchased by Hoyts. Access to the
          especially in the southern States. This  Association, London and for four years  larger site, the auditorium section, had
          Regent is now unique; still a dedicated  at Sydney University. On returning to  to be negotiated with another owner,
          cinema (albeit much changed), and still  London, he worked for the firm Gibson  James O’Neil Mayne. The result was a
          run by Hoyts, the company that built it  and Gordon and later for Charles Lamb  50-year lease on this land.
          (also much changed.) It has a special  in New York.                     The partnership deal saw several
          fascination for me, and I claim some                                 investors raise the 300,000 pounds
          familiarity, after spending two years in                             ($600,000) to erect the building. Sir
          it as an assistant projectionist.                                    George Tallis, the Chairman of both
                                                                               J.C.W. Ltd. and Hoyts, and F. W. Thring,
            The Regent Brisbane is usually
          viewed as a re-working of the Regent                                 Joint Managing Director of Hoyts,
                                                                               personally invested in the project.
          in Melbourne, and this may be why it
                                                                                  The Architecture and Building
          has received less attention. It was
                                                                               Journal of Queensland shows plans of
          however, more than a clone of its
                                                                               the exterior in 1927. At this time the
          southern cousin.
                                                                               name carved in the stonework was
            After studying cinema design in the
                                                                               Capitol Theatre.
          United States, Cedric Ballantyne
                                                                                  A.J. Dickinson of Brisbane was
          applied his  knowledge to the design of
                                                                               awarded the building contract and
          four Regents for Hoyts in Australia:  C. N. Hollinshed. Image: Frank van Straten
          South Yarra (a suburb of Melbourne),                                 construction was announced in August
                                               Hollinshed became an Associate of  1927. The project took nearly two years.
          Ballarat (regional Victoria), Sydney and
                                            the Royal Victorian Institute of
          Adelaide, as well as some in New                                        Although of mainly local materials,
                                            Architects in 1923 and achieved
          Zealand.                                                             this Regent was one of a group of
                                            success with his first theatre
            Hoyts’ Joint Managing Director,                                    theatres beholden to the genre of the
                                            commission, the Comedy in Melbourne
          F. W. Thring was delighted with these                                American movie palace. Three
                                            (1928) for J.C. W. Ltd. He followed
          achievements and invited Ballantyne to                               engineers from the U.S.A. were
                                            this with designs for three Regents:
          accompany him on a world cinema tour                                 brought out; two for construction and a
                                            Fitzroy Melbourne (CR 43)
          in 1927. It was on this trip that Thring                             third for the installation of a new
                                            Palmerston North New Zealand and
          visited the Capitol New York and                                     technology - air conditioning. Hoyts
                                            Brisbane.
          decided that it would be the template for                            brought their  electrical engineer Trevor
                                               A project this size required
          the Regent Melbourne. Ballantyne                                     Hedberg from Melbourne, where he
                                            collaborators, and Hollinshed turned to
          worked hard to realize Thring’s dream,                               had worked on the complex lighting
                                            Aaron E. Bolot (who would later
          and it is possible that after the success of                         systems at the Regent, Capitol and the
                                            design the Liberty in Bourke Street),
          this commission, the prospect of another                             Palais St Kilda.
                                            and Richard Gailey of Brisbane. JCW
          12  2005 CINEMARECORD
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