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Above: Opening night audience in the new Austral Picture-Theatre. 18th of December 1935. Pic by Tim Rowe

Above and on both sides of the Nearly 800 attended the opening The opening programme included
proscenium were fretwork designs with night including dignitaries such as the Peck’s Bad Boy and Charlie Chan in
concealed lights at the rear giving a Attorney General and Minister of Egypt. It was screened by means of
lattice effect when lit up. The curtain is Education, local politicians and town locally made Benbow projectors fitted
of heavy green velvet with a gold councilors. with a Benbow Shadowtone sound
monogram”. It was a gala night for Naracoorte! system. The projectionist was long
…“Another outstanding feature is The Mayor officially opened the new standing friend and employee, James
the effective lighting arrangements, theatre and maintained that it “... Thomson who was Caldwell’s
embracing 150 lights, which are neatly proves to us the advancement of our projectionist for 18 years and to be the
fitted to harmonise with the district and town. …This theatre will be future owner of the Narracoorte Herald.
decorations. Eight giant futuristic a place of amusement and enjoyment Alex. Harrison and Irving Cook
candelabras illuminate the main hall but I trust that as well as that, it will be leased the Austral during the
from the ceiling, with modernistic a place of education”. mid-1940s. Film Weekly lists the
bracket lights adorning the side The Attorney General expressed the theatre as the Rivoli from the 1949/50
buttresses. There are 50 coloured view that: “… Those associated with issue. This name change may have
lights in the proscenium, giving the the Education Department had realized taken place earlier when Harrison and
effect of a sunset glow when they are for some time the educational value of Cook first took over.
switched on.” films, and South Australia had been Early managers of the
The Herald reported that the theatre foremost in taking advantage of this Austral/Rivoli include Arch Humphries,
(8)
had 940 seats, 663 in the stalls and 277 latest educational facility.” Frank Dawson and later Tim Rowe.
in the dress circle, those in the circle The last listing of the Rivoli in Film
being two-toned moquette and there Weekly was 1965/66, the operator
were: “… a fair proportion of double being Les. Murphy.
seats.” Film Weekly later listed the
(7, 11)
theatre with 980 seats.

22 2010 CINEMARECORD