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Local paper The Northcote Leader The theatre’s logo was curious. On
was one beneficiary of the competition either side of the name were three
for audiences in this northern cinema dancing figures, possibly African, in
cluster. Two big Hoyts’ theatres - tribal garb. Exactly how this
Regent Thornbury and Merri North represented the essence of modern
Fitzroy – ran ads which were dwarfed cinema is anyone’s guess.
by the photo or line drawings (on
different pages) submitted for the Plaza
and the Westgarth each week.
The first sign that MGM was no
longer playing fair with the Plaza came
in April 1937, when, instead of
identical ads for the latest MGM Cut loose by MGM, management
program, Westgarth included the was forced to improvise with a stream
statement – ‘Exclusive to Northcote of Bs. ‘Another of the New Warner
District’. On the next page the Plaza Westerns’ was Dick Foran as a singing
advertised an indifferent program. Over cowboy. Monogram, and the new
the coming weeks some lesser MGM studio, Republic Pictures, were strongly
features ran at both theatres, but represented. Universal supplied an
whenever a big MGM show came into occasional title. British product was
the Westgarth – Eleanor Powell in released through General Film
Born to Dance or the Marx Brothers - Distributors (later British Empire Films
Exclusive’ was again the operative - BEF) and ATP (Australian Talkie
word. MGM pictures finally Pictures). Most of these titles can be
disappeared from the Plaza at about the found in Maltin, Halliwell or on-line,
time the theatre ran with the slogan which says it all.
‘The Plaza for Pleasure’.
Above Ad: Northcote Leader, April 1937.

12 2010 CINEMARECORD