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The one programming bright spot requirement for live performances: a
was the consistency of Paramount. safety curtain, smoke outlets and
Westgarth and the Plaza ran the same footlight grilles.
advertising images for a Paramount Without further consultation,
show, but the Plaza went one step advertisements appeared for a program
further. Its Popeye cartoon had its own for Saturday 14 June 1941, which
graphics, (copying the Capitol, would comprise 50 percent vaudeville,
Swanston Street), and every month or compered by manager Harwood.
so the Plaza ran a special Popeye Although annoyed about this disregard
matinee. Today the mumbling spinach for procedure, home-front morale in
addict is all but forgotten, but while wartime must have had a softening
Paramount was turning out imaginative, effect on the Department, because in a
exquisitely drawn adventures, his Four windows left of the pylon were letter to the Chief Secretary they asked:
popularity rivaled that of Mickey part of a new flat for the manager, ‘Is it possible for the Chief
Mouse. which was later occupied by Mr Menck.
Secretary to issue a theatre licence for a
If the influence of Westgarth External trimmings were in limited period to allow time for the
management was the reason the Plaza turquoise, with all horizontal bands persons concerned to make the building
was denied MGM product, it had a picked out in white. The frontage at alterations necessary to enable the
problem even closer at hand. The street level was retiled and the foyer Commission to approve use of a
(7)
Northcote Theatre on the opposite side redecorated. In other words, it was now building as a theatre? This question is
of High Street was controlled by Robert the most striking cinema on High Street likely to arise in many cases at any
McLeish, an independent showman and, at least externally, as stylish as any time owing to a shortage of films’.
who enjoyed a special relationship with of the new independents in any suburb.
Hoyts. It seems obvious now that
McLeish and Hoyts had a hand in
starving the Plaza of films. No Fox
film ever graced its screen, and it was
rare in the 1930s to see anything from
Columbia, or RKO, two distributors
usually happy to accommodate the
independent exhibitor.
“I’m mad as hell, and I’m not
going to take it anymore.”

It’s easy to imagine that Peter Finch’s
declaration in Network was played out
years earlier in Mr Menck’s office. The
first foray into ‘something different’ was
in 1937, when radio station 3KZ
broadcast weekly heats of the P and A
Parade (Professional and Amateur
Parade) from the theatre on a Wednesday
night. This popular show highlighted
fresh faces, voices and musical acts. It
culminated in a concert broadcast from This first vaudeville program
the Melbourne Town Hall.
In 1941 manager A. R. (Dick) included a magician, pantomime Dame,
A lack of strong films did not stop an Harwood wrote to the Health comics, tight wire juggling, acrobats,
upgrade of the frontage, completed in Department requesting advice on how the ‘King of the Xylophone’ and the
1939. The addition of the central tower to turn the Plaza into an A-class, or Plaza ballet.
(described at the time as a pylon) fully-live theatre. He was prepared to Two years later, on a Saturday
required underpinning of the put in additional dressing rooms (the afternoon, the No 14 Air Training
foundations. The pylon was rendered, but plan of 1934-1939 does not show any) Corps (Northcote) presented ‘A Quick
the rest of the frontage was cream brick. and a safety curtain. At this time the Fire Vaudeville Revue’ in aid of the
A sculpted figure in the centre of the theatre was hosting community singing Welfare Committee. It claimed ‘20 star
façade, possibly a goddess, replaced the sponsored by the Northcote Chamber of acts, all professional overseas and local
original dancers. As well, faces were set Commerce. Harwood quoted artists direct from Tivoli theatre,
in the brickwork between five smaller attendances of 600, swelling to 1,000 in Fullers, and J C Williamson Ltd. ’(8)
verticals to the right of the pylon, said to school holidays for these sessions. In This was the last flirtation with live
represent each of the human emotions. response, Health outlined the minimum theatre for six years.

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