Page 13 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

Extension League, The Romantic North
Shore was a promotion for the scenic
highlights of Auckland. To cap it off
the feature film was Manpower with
Richard Dix and Mary Brian. As a
Christmas enticement, theatre
management offered free ferry return
tickets to all child patrons that week.
The ferry was the direct link across
Auckland harbour.

Unprecedented!
As entertaining as it is unique.

Never before in any theatre in
Australia or New Zealand.
Auckland’s young womanhood,
the pride of the Dominion,
competing in mammoth
‘Ladies Diving Contest’
A barrel vault ceiling for a lounge foyer was a favorite Ballantyne touch. (Evenings only) in the Regent
Image probably 1949. Swimming Pool, constructed at
enormous cost.
Auckland’s Regent cost over 90,000 and the organ was not heard publicly
20 tons of water! 7,000 gallons
N.Z. pounds with furnishings ($7.56m. until 4 February 1927. This was in a
passing through special
in today’s dollars). The Wurlitzer organ dedicatory concert by American organist
electric heaters.
alone cost 10,000 NZ pounds Eddie Horton who played Rustle of
Gold Medals will be awarded to the
($840,000) and total capital value was Spring, The Prisoner's Song, and
winner and a Silver Cup to the
put at 160,000 pounds ($13.4m.). The selections from opera, ballet and jazz.
winning club.
first manager was Edwin ‘Eddie’ The film was Her Big Night with Laura
Who will be our diving queen?
Greenfield, who in May 1934 would La Plante. Eddie Horton stayed for a
No restriction - entry free open to
form a small cinema circuit of his own year, to be followed by Australia’s
all ladies (amateurs only) and
called Modern Theatres Ltd. In the Knight Barnett as resident organist.
conducted under the auspices of the
projection room was Jimmy Coyle On 5 March 1927 the Regent
working with Ernemann machines. Ballroom opened. What the theatre was Auckland Centre, N.Z Swimming
Association who will appoint three
On opening night the Zoe Delphine to pictures and vaudeville in Auckland,
judges each evening.
Company performed In A Paris Café, a so the ballroom and cabaret became the
dancing and novelty act touring the place to ‘cut a rug.’ The ballroom was
(Announcement 30 March 1928)
country under the banner of J. C. located on the second floor, with a huge
Williamson Celebrity Vaudeville. space for dancing and its own band. And if that wasn’t enough
English soprano Miss Hilda Nelson Refreshments were available from the excitement, Leslie V. Harvey was at the
proved that the acoustics matched the tearooms on the first floor or in the Wurlitzer and the feature film was
surroundings, with every word clearly ballroom itself. Instead of merely Clara Bow in Get Your Man.
heard. According to reports ‘…the coming to the theatre then going home,
July of the same year saw posters
qualify of her voice is as pure and patrons had the choice of finishing off
for Do Sea-Lions Think? Captain
unstrained as if she was singing in a the night with a spot of dancing and
Winston’s Water Lions and the Diving
drawing room.’ supper, or watch Mr. Theo. Trezise and
Nymphs were to execute a thrilling
After solos and harmonies from a Miss Dorothy Steele perform exhibition aquatic display in a huge crystal tank in
20-voice choir under the direction of dances. It was open to the public six support to Bebe Daniells in Feel My
Maurice Guttridge, and selections by nights a week until midnight. Evening Pulse, perhaps an appropriate reaction
the 20-piece Regent Operatic dress was compulsory on Wednesday after watching the diving nymphs.
Orchestra, the audience was treated to and Saturdays.
The swimming pool was a strange
Paramount’s Beau Geste starring Weekly program changes meant that
addition for a cinema in 1928, an
Ronald Colman. The same live show the 52nd program marked the first
imitation of the Hippodrome Sydney
and film had opened the Regent anniversary, and to celebrate, the 16
(1916), itself a pale version of the
Wellington two weeks earlier. December 1927 line-up was a better-
Hippodrome New York, where
The Regent Auckland’s Wurlitzer than-average stage show. Wallace and vaudeville, circus and aquatic events
was the first to be shipped to New Gennett performed their famous were all on display. However, the fad
Zealand by the Rudolph Wurlitzer ‘staircase dance.’ Eddie Horton was for giant water tanks was now a bit
Company. It despatched the Opus 1475 again at the organ and Maurice passé.
from New York on 26 October 1926. It Guttridge conducted the Regent
arrived in December, but installation was Operatic Orchestra. By special
not completed in time for the opening, arrangement with the North Shore
CINEMARECORD 2009 13