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oday  the  sleepy  North  Queensland
                                                 Ttown of Brandon has a small population
                                                 of  around  1200  residents.  However  a  rich
                                                 history  in  the  local  sugar-cane  industry
                                                 with its Pioneer Sugar Mills and Delta Iron-
                                                 Works  Foundry  once  made  for  a  bustling
                                                 community and all the amenities that went
                                                 with it – including its own picture-show.

                                                 The first movies were held in Closky’s Hall,
                                                 a  very  basic  structure  built  in  1901  which
                                                 served  the  town  well  until  a  new  purpose-
                                                 built theatre was constructed.     The  Renown  was  originally  an  open-air
                                                                                    theatre, until November 1957, when it was
                                                 In 1949 Victor and Alf Green together with   remodelled and completely roofed-in. In this
                                                 their families, opened The Renown Theatre.   period, the theatre also served as a venue for
                                                 The first programme on opening night was   a Night Tennis Court.
               Fred Fanning.
                                                 The Dolly Sisters and Renegades.
                                                                                    Just prior to 1949, the Fanning family had
               Renown - open - air days.                                            moved  from  a  farm  just  past  Payard’s
                                                                                    Lagoon, to a house in Spiller Street, a few
                                                                                    houses down from the theatre.

                                                                                    Fred’s  mother,  Kate, became  a  cleaner  at
                                                                                    the  Renown  with  Fred  starting  in  1951
                                                                                    as the spool boy. Wilf Watson of Banister
                                                                                    Street,  Brandon,  was  the  projectionist.
                                                                                    Working beside Victor was his wife Silvia
                                                                                    and  their  son  Russell,  together  with  Alf
                                                                                    and his wife Mollie.































               Roof under construction.


              14   2012  CINEM AREC ORD
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