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five weeks of work and that the Western
Electric sound system cost 6,000 pounds,
(that’s $42,000 in today’s money.)
(7)
To attract audiences in the Depression
years, management continued with live acts
including ‘a new jazz orchestra under the
direction of Mr J Kost’, ‘The Brunswick
Harmonica Band, 22 performers for one
week’ and baby competitions. There was
also this tug at the heartstrings:
Each Regent was given a distinctive The Leader was also prepared to judge
proscenium. At Thornbury, the square-edge boorish conduct: ‘The individuals who last The Leader ran as a news item that Hoyts
version is so typical of the work of Henry Saturday night sat in a box at the beautiful directors would present a prize of 75-pounds to
White that perhaps Sam and Jim liked what new Regent and consumed fish and chips the manager of the theatre ‘who shows the best
they had seen when the firm was at the were mentally incapable of appreciating the business for May’. Taking this a step further,
Princess in 1922. (See Ren Millsom’s history taste and comfort of the theatre itself. Why do the manager of the Regent ‘stated that he
of the family association with theatres some people go to theatres for their meals? himself, if the prize came to the Regent, would
in this edition.) Which brings us back to the old proverb of add ten pounds and donate the whole sum to a
pearls and swine.’ committee for distribution throughout Preston,
The width of this stage would later be a Thornbury and Northcote for blankets and food
perfect setting for CinemaScope, which gave The Regent backed up its screen fare with for the workless.’
Thornbury the second-widest screen after the a strong line-up of vaudeville talent. They
Victory in St Kilda. Advertising firm Val included The Big Four, The Ansteys and The story continued, ‘Naturally this will
(4)
Morgan and Sons paid this stage a compliment The Campbell Boys – all contracted to the require the closest cooperation between the
when, for a decade, slide presentations in every Tivoli Theatre circuit . In August 1925 public and management in order to win the
(6)
Hoyts Suburban Theatre began with an image of the Savoy Havana Band was described competition, and for this Mr Melvin makes a
the Thornbury interior. Perhaps it photographed as ‘the most expensive act ever billed in a special appeal. Specialty attraction programs
best for transfer to a glass slide. suburban theatre.’ The South Yarra Regent would be arranged. Special matinees are

also offered prologues, but Thornbury seems to be held for children, and all children are
On-going snippets in the Northcote Leader to have publicised them more assertively. asked to join the Childrens’ Cinema Club,
show that the citizens of Thornbury were entrance to which is free’.
(8)
proud of their theatre. ‘Everybody knows the The merger of Associated Theatres with
Regent and the splendid entertainment you Hoyt’s Pictures in 1926 meant that Thornbury There was no need for special pleading
will always have there.’ (It helped that the became a Hoyts Suburban Theatre in every once the war started. At one Horror Night
(5)
Regent was a big advertiser.) practical sense. in 1941 a Health Department inspector
found 50 – 80 people sitting in the upstairs
Talkies came to the Regent in August 1929, aisles. The manager claimed that the temper
one month before any other theatre in the of the clambering crowd was such that he
district. The tag-line became The Theatre feared damage to the theatre if admission
of Perfect Sound and Projection. The paper was refused. Some minor damage was
reported that wiring the theatre had taken reported anyway. (2)

Photographs this page
Top: An alternative view of the interior.
The orchestra pit is now covered.
Remastered by Barrie Wraith.
Above: Val Morgan advertising slide.
Image: Peter Ricketts.

Right: Theatre Orchestra 1929’ is much more;
the entire staff celebrate a win. Front row,L-R
is Orchestra leader Charles Vita, John Kost,
Bert Munyard and Agnes Tyer; the only people
identified. Source: SLV, remastered by B. Wraith.

CINEM AREC ORD 2012 11