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On June 26 Council announced that Acknowledgements:
repair work to the damaged south-west My thanks to Russell Campbell, A Roll Call of Regents
wall, and waterproofing of the Octagon manager of the Regent Dunedin, to Rob The building program of the J.
frontage would start soon. In July the Hamill and the Otago Theatre Trust. C. Williamson group and their
theatre hosted the New Zealand Brass Sources: associates in Australia and New
Bands Competition, followed by the Otago Daily Times 4 June- 1928 Zealand set the standard for a
successful International Film Festival, Williamson’s Weekly News Vol. II No. Regent theatre.
which boasted increased attendances. 43, 10 January 1930. The name was not exclusively
J. C. Williamson Picture Corporation:
Two weeks before major restoration theirs, but it was through the
Monthly in-house newsletters 1934 to
work began the New Zealand Film efforts of Williamsons and their
1940.
Archive presented a program of films associates that the link between the
The Regent Review (Dunedin)
dating back over 100 years. On 14 word and a superior venue was
No. 308 June 1936.
September they showed the Alan Film Weekly Directories 1945-1970. engrained.
Roberts Collection of early films, Cinemas Dunedin and Districts 1897 - Other architects designed
collectively called Under the 1974. Regent theatres, and in many
Macrocarpa Tree, for this was where Hocken Library Dunedin, styles, but after the Williamson
the Hawkes Bay collector stored his Film Research, Wellington. efforts public expectation could
films. The one-off show was deter a theatre owner from using
accompanied by pianist Eli Gray- the name, unless it was for a
Smith, and played to a very building a cut above the ordinary.
appreciative audience. The masters of the form were
By the end of September 2006 the Cedric Ballantyne and Charles
restoration work was in full swing. This Hollinshed from Australia, and as
required the temporary re-allocation of this article shows, Millar and
offices and Ticketek Booking. White of Dunedin deserve special
Refurbishment of the old Regent mention.
Chambers was the first stage of the In the case of Ballantyne, with
project. The second stage in November big projects coming one upon
saw the installation of new toilets. another, it is not surprising that
In December the Ticketek Call some design characteristics were
Centre moved back and in February repeated again and again.
2007 two flights of steel stairs were Collectively, the trans-Tasman
lifted by crane and lowered into the output (with opening date) was:
Octagon through the lightwell beside
Cedric Ballantyne
the lift area. These three-tonne stairs
Melbourne (South Yarra)
were then positioned to link the ground
25 April 1925
and first floors.
Wellington 10 December 1926
In March the front-of-house ticket
Sydney 9 March 1928
sales people were back in the foyer.
Because of prior bookings the theatre Ballarat 7 April 1928
has been in use all through most of this Adelaide 29 June 1928
work, although World Cinema David Lascelles Collection Melbourne (City)*
Showcase, which played the theatre 15 March 1929
from 19 April to May 5 was interrupted
Charles Hollinshed
for two days while specialist work took
Fitzroy 30 March 1929
precedence.
Brisbane** 8 November 1929
According to Dunedin City
Palmerston North* 4 July 1930
Council’s property manager Mr. David
McKenzie, everything is on schedule
for completion in May. * Survives intact as a theatre.
Looking ahead, the Otago Theatre ** Greatly modified as a cinema.
Trust hope to totally reseat the building
Regent Auckland, Regent
within the next twelve months.
Christchurch (NZ) and the
Dunedin’s ‘Lady of Elegance’ shines
Regent Perth (Aust.) were the
again, just as she did all those years work of other architects.
ago. ★
THE NEW THEATRE WITH THE NEW STANDARDS
THE REGENT
IN THE OCTAGON.

An early tag line.

CINEMARECORD 2007 21