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The Capitol - 2 Magnificent” was during the school holidays
of 1924/25 when my grandparents took my
The article on the Capitol Cinema (CR93, seven year old father Tom and his elder brother
page 6) claims that Village Cinemas re- Steve to see The Ten Commandments at
opened the Swanston St. theatre in 1965 and Melbourne’s first true picture palace.
continued with the lease until 1987, but this is
incorrect. The reduced size Capitol was Sadly I never saw a film in the original theatre,
reopened in 1965 by Prudential Theatres but I celebrated my 21 birthday at the new
st
which held the lease until 1974 when Village Capitol Theatre in September 1975, when I,
took over then. and a group of friends saw the blockbuster,
disaster picture, The Towering Inferno. I saw
Earl Martell. many more films there before I left Melbourne
Cape Clear, Vic. in 1990.
The Capitol - 1
The Capitol - 3 In my record collection, I have an original
I found Graeme McBain’s article on recording of the final recital of the Capitol
Melbourne’s Capitol Theatre in the last issue In CR #93, the Capitol Theatre article refers to Theatre organ, which took place on Sunday
very interesting. Not only did Burley Griffin "the Art Deco light fixtures". The Capitol was afternoon 17 November 1963. The record
design one of the more unusual and distinctive built and opened well before Art Deco came cover photograph shows the original stage
Australian cinemas, but its part preservation is to Australia. The fittings are in fact inspired by curtains pre mid 1940s.
astonishing given the spate of demolitions that Frank Lloyd Wright's style of architecture,
occurred with undue haste in the 1960s. under whom Walter Burley Griffin studied in Peter Woolnough
the USA. Kyogle, NSW.
Graeme listed the principal builder as John
Monash and the Reinforced Concrete and John Clark. Cinema Names
Monier Pipe Construction Company. I Northmead, NSW.
immediately wondered if this was the famous There are probably several examples of
World War I General, Sir John Monash. The Capitol and the Dendy cinemas being named the same as a street or
Research of the net confirmed that John other town feature. But are readers aware of
Monash had trained as a civil engineer and I thoroughly enjoyed reading issue 93 of any streets being named after a cinema? I know
founded the above-named company in 1906 CinemaRecord. The articles on two of the of one.
with two partners. While commanding theatres covered, the Brighton Dendy and the
Australian troops in France during World Melbourne Capitol, brought back many happy In Wollongong town centre, Globe Lane runs
War I, he was knighted Commander of the memories, including two significant birthdays. between Church Street and what is now Crown
Order of the Bath by King George V on the Street Mall. The lane was originally known as
battlefield, an extraordinary honour since such In September 1967, I celebrated my 13 th William Street. In July 1911 Henry Marriott,
action by the monarch had not happened for birthday at the Dendy with school friends, licensee of the Commercial Hotel, erected the
200 years. where we saw Munster Go Home. My name Church Street Garden Picture Palace on the
was read out on stage and the organ played southern corner of William and Church Streets,
In addition, Monash was made a Grand Officer Happy Birthday. behind his hotel. The name changed to Star
of the French Legion of Honour, Grand Officer Theatre in January 1912 and Globe Theatre
of the Order of the Crown (Belgium), and Another occasion I remember well was in July 1915. For unknown reasons
received the US Distinguished Service Medal. attending a very special screening of a restored Wollongong Council renamed the
print of The Kid, starring Charlie Chaplin and thoroughfare as Globe Street in 1929 but it
It could be said then that the Melbourne Jackie Coogan. The film was divided into two came to be known as Globe Lane probably
Capitol has special heritage significance halves, the first section had the soundtrack because of its short length and relative
because of its association with one of turned off and the organ was used as it would insignificance.
Australia’s most distinguished war heroes. have been in the “Silent Days” and after
Many readers will be aware that his name is interval, the film’s sound track was used and As readers of my book on Wollongong and
more prominently commemorated in Monash the organ was silent. Illawarra theatres will recall, the Savoy
University, City of Monash, Canberra suburb Theatre was erected on the site in 1936, but
of Monash, and several other institutions and I cannot remember exactly when The Kid was Globe Lane remained unchanged. The Savoy
sites. In 1950 a bronze equestrian statue of Sir screened, but I think it was over a weekend in was demolished in 1964 to make way for
John was unveiled in King’s Domain, the late 1970s (Can anyone verify the date and David Jones’ department store which extended
Melbourne. year?) from Crown Street and over the lane which
remained opened to traffic.
Robert Parkinson Now onto the Capitol Theatre: My first
Turramurra, NSW. family connection to the “Theatre Robert Parkinson. Turramurra, NSW.

CINEMARECORD # 94 5