Page 4 - CinemaRecord #82

like many people was very sad to see the
Idemise of the Kino Magazine. Its demise
will leave a large gap in the recording of
cinema history in Australia. I can only hope
your publication will continue to record for
posterity the wonderful cinematic heritage.
Personally I am delighted to see your magazine
continues to have a section called Newsreel.
Unfortunately most of the items are of sad
nature and create many memories. Sometimes
the word progress doesn’t fit very well with
what is happening. In the last magazine
under the NSW section of Newsreel, I read
with utmost interest the piece on the Marina
Theatre at Roseberry and the Australia in
Orange. And then there is the item about
Dubbo.
Also back in 1956 I was present at the re-
I should really introduce myself. I am the son opening of the then single screen Australia
of the late Leon Samuel Snider. My father in Orange. The film was Island in the Sun.
established and operated the Western Cinemas Nearly all the group of cinemas were reopened
Group of cinemas in New South Wales. The with the Vista-Scope technology. This was a
company eventually owned and operated 35 combination of VistaVision and Cinemascope.
hard tops in New South Wales. At the time,
this made the company the third biggest cinema Personally I find the direction the cinema
operator in Australia. The Western Cinema industry is travelling down very unpleasant.
Group was only behind in cinema numbers to I guess at my age the memories remain of a
Greater Union and Hoyts. Amongst these the wonderful era in the cinema industry.
cinemas were the Marina and the Australia. I wish CinemaRecord all the very best in the
The company did operate all the hard tops in
future.
Dubbo. So you can understand my interest and
Warm Regards,
feelings.
Phillip Snider
Sydney (NSW)
With the passing of my father back in 1965
commenced the demise of the Western Cinema
Group.
Frequently I drive past the old Marina in
Roseberry. It is a very sad dilapidated old
building. Like many cinemas the Marina had
an interesting life. I remember back in about hanks again for a great magazine and also
1956 the huge opening night for Robbery
Tfor including another of my photos - I try
under Arms. At the time I was eleven years old.
and contribute as much as I can.
Even though the cinema had two levels the bio
box was on the ground floor. When the theatre What a great article on the Paramount at
closed it became a video rental outlet. Oakleigh, I went to the pictures there many
times as a kid growing up in Oakleigh. This
included Circus World, 55 Days at Peking,
Roseberry
How the West Was Won, and many others.
I remember seeing a big blue and gold banner
outside the theatre over the doors advertising
The Ten Commandments.
While not a really good looking theatre inside,
I thought it was terrific as a kid, was devastated
when it burnt down in 1979.
On my 11th birthday in 1963 my mother paid
for a few of my school classmates and myself
to a movie there, I felt king for a day.
Sorry I didn’t have any photos of the theatre to
send you, but now I have some in the magazine
to look at thanks to you.
Best Regards,
Max Pert
Invermay Park (VIC)

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