Page 10 - CR-90

One disappointment for patrons on opening
night was that all the auditorium lights were
temporary, because ‘an immense electric
(4)
candelabra’ was still on its way from
America. The other ceiling lights were planned
as smaller versions of the same design.

The night ended ‘in time for a relay of special
tramcars which were in attendance to take the
visitors homeward.’ (4) This quaint phrasing
accurately reflected the transport situation for
years afterwards. With the Malvern tram depot
close by, the evening timetable may have been
devised to take into account the needs of New
Malvern patrons. The projectionists at
Malvern were said to look down their noses at
their colleagues at the Crystal Palace for two
reasons: they had to take the main feature first,
and they allegedly sped up their projectors to
better match their tram timetables.

Live music held more sway at the New
Malvern than in most suburban theatres. After
sell-out performances at the Melbourne Town
Hall in 1922, the Verbrugghen State Orchestra than 5,000, this claim would seem to be A ban on smoking in cinemas was in force in
of Sydney (72 musicians) chose the New exaggerated. When the City of Malvern some municipalities, but St Kilda and Malvern
Malvern for their first (and perhaps only) organised a parade to celebrate the centenary councils had been lax. Non-smokers seem to
performance in the suburbs. The motivation to of Melbourne in 1934, the New Malvern float have been tolerant of their addicted
choose a picture theatre as a venue was in shamelessly promoted a Shirley Temple film. companions up to a point, but tolerance has its
(7)
accord with the philosophy of the orchestra’s limits. ‘My enjoyment of the programme was
founder Henri Verbrugghen, who wanted to spoiled completely by the volume of smoke
bring classical music to the widest possible 61 Years as a Hoyts Suburban Theatre from cigars, pipes and cigarettes. The
public. A concert by the Sistine Choir Soloists atmosphere was so poor that at interval the
was another attraction. In the 1930s, Al Fitch The supremacy of the New Malvern as the lights gleamed dimly through a thick pall of
and his 10 Musicians were replaced by The local entertainment mecca may have seemed smoke. I am a smoker myself –even it might be
Bohemians under the leadership of a Miss under threat when the Embassy opened in said a heavy smoker – but I recognise that a
Luena Doherty, ‘for early-comers on Saturday 1935, one km north on Glenferrie Road. In the crowded picture theatre is not a suitable place
nights’. Request numbers were welcomed. same month, the Camden Caulfield opened for indulgence in the habit’. (8) It wasn’t until
one km south on Hawthorn Road. Both in the 1943 that Malvern council passed a regulation
independent group, the novelty of improved
Picture-theatres were now an integral part of to prohibit smoking on Saturday nights!
their communities. In 1924, one report design features made them immediately Another concession during the war years was
claimed more than 5,000 children were popular. standing-room at the rear of the stalls.
transported to the New Malvern, Victory
Malvern and Crystal Palace for a picture Luckily, attendances were on the rise
show to celebrate Empire Day. Since the everywhere, and with some families attending
combined seating in the three theatres was less twice a week, the reality seems to have been a
win-win in ticket sales for all
three theatres. The
competition no doubt speeded
up some improvements to the
New Malvern. These
included a reconfiguration of
the floor of the lounge section,
and replacement of its tip-up
seats with luxurious chairs.
Every Hoyts suburban ran
with precision. A visit to one
could have been a visit to any
other in terms of the sequence
of the night’s entertainment.
Also methodical were the
technical and comfort
upgrades which rippled down
through all but the peripheral This chandelier was a late addition to the main foyer
outlets in the chain. These
improvements included the By the 1950s, the Health Department was no
installation of the Hoyts neon longer prepared to turn a blind eye to long-
(a roll-out beginning in 1933), standing inadequacies in all the older theatres.
foot-plate heating (1935), and Chief among them was the poor standard of
replacement seating (three the sanitary conveniences (their phrase).
iterations).
Conditions at the New Malvern were as
backward as anywhere. For example, there was
no lavatory for men in the balcony foyer,

10 CINEMARECORD # 90