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From the President....

This year’s celebration of Art Deco in major events
and regional exhibitions calls for recognition in these
pages too. The skill required to meld the functional with
the elegant is best appreciated by considering the interior
of a standard 1930s country hall. It's always simple, it's
certainly functional, but elegant its not.
Hoyts Albury is given more prominence in this issue
than is usual for a theatre write-up. Because it is a
superior example of Art Deco or Moderne, the photos of
this building express what was effective about the style.
The official journal of the Cinema And
Two writers offer their impressions of the theatre. John Stevens is a long-
Theatre Historical Society Inc.
time resident of Albury who, without exactly saying it in this way, makes a point
Australia
that all readers will understand: if a superior building can survive in some form
ISSN 1443-3664 • Published quarterly
★ the neglect of the generation which spurns it - ‘the dead years’ - then the next
generation, or maybe the one after that, might see it with new eyes and revive it
Editor: Ian Smith
★ in a form appropriate to a new age.
CATHS’ Julie Lord places the rise of Art Deco and this particular theatre in
CinemaRecord Artwork:
context. Julie is well placed to write on the subject. She also knew the theatre as
Bill Kerr, Optimum Design 9419 4144 a child, is a former Vice-President of the Art Deco Society of Victoria and is
★
currently one of their committee members.
The main aim of CATHS and this
Noted Italian architect Renzo Piano, who has designed six major projects in
publication is to accurately document and
the U.S. in the past five years has said, “As in music, in architecture you always
create an archive of the history of
need a kind of precision, clarity….” ‘Clarity’ is not a word often used to
cinemas and theatres.
describe a theatre, but clarity of vision was well in evidence at Hoyts Albury.
Input in the form of articles, In keeping with the Deco theme, Peter Jackson relates the recent history of
constructive criticism, and substantiated
the Astor in the Perth suburb of Mt Lawley. Peter is our Newsreel correspondent
dispute of printed matter is welcome, and in Western Australia and this is his first cinema history. Keep them coming
necessary to enable us to reach our
Peter. I would like to think that these compilations about the Art Deco style also
objective. achieve clarity in the telling. And most important: Best wishes for Christmas
Opinions expressed are those of the from your CATHS Committee. - Gerry Kennedy
Editor or contributors, and unless
expressly stated so, are not necessarily
those of the Cinema And Theatre NOW SHOWING!
Historical Society Inc.
Articles printed in CinemaRecord
should not be reproduced without the
permission of the author or the editor.
4 Letters and Newsreel
All photos are from the collection of
the person or organisation stated. Every 8 Hollywood In Melbourne? - Ross King
effort has been made to trace the Two German projectors with a history
ownership of copyright. In the event of
11 Fisher and Tui Sound Heads - David Lascelles
any questions arising as to the use of any
material, the author and publisher will be Distinctly New Zealand products
happy to make the necessary corrections 12 Metro’s Man
in future printings. Brian Quigley's story: Part Two
Contributions and suggestions for
CinemaRecord are most welcome. Please 18 A Tribute To Hoyts Albury - John Stevens
contact the Editor if you are planning
One patron's memories
to write an article for the magazine.
We may be able to assist you with 21 Nell Grant In Albury
information, contacts, etc and it will help A woman on the H.V.Taylor Team
us with forward planning.
★ 22 In the Spirit of Art Deco - Julie Lord
Hoyts Albury evaluated
Contact: Ian Smith
Telephone: 5443 0692 (1-9pm) 28 Dark Nights For Perth’s Astor - Peter Jackson
Email: iansmith8@bigpond.com Another cinema with an uncertain future
Postal Address: PO Box 476,
Bentleigh, Victoria, 3204
Images in this publication are from CATHS Archive unless credited to another source.

CINEMARECORD 2008 3