Interests

The Melbourne Regent Theatre on fashionable Collins Street in the heart of the city opened on March 15, 1929. It was one of the largest theatres to be built in Australia seating over 3000 patrons in opulent splendour. It was conceived by Frank Thring Snr. one of the directors of the Hoyts Theatres chain as the jewel in the crown of his empire.

On April 28, 1945, the stage and most of the auditorium was destroyed by fire. Despite war-time building restrictions, the theatre was completely rebuilt, with a modified proscenium, re-opening December 16, 1947.

In July 1970, after another long period of successful operation, the theatre was closed by Hoyts and the organ, furnishings and fittings were sold at auction. Plans to demolish the theatre for a multi-level office block were thwarted, thankfully by Union bans, and the long saga to ‘Save the Regent’ began.

After 23 years of frustration, hope and tears, property developer, David Marriner instigated a plan in 1993 to fully restore the theatre. To his credit the theatre was faithfully restored to its original grandeur, even down to the smallest detail although a few necessary alterations were made, such as a new sloping floor to improve sightlines, additional height to the flytower, and more dressing rooms.

On Saturday August 17, 1996, Melbourne’s Palace of Dreams finally re-opened in true Hollywood fashion with its third Wurlitzer organ installed. The restoration work cost around $AU37 million. Since then the theatre has been the home to some great musical stage productions including, Sunset Boulevard, Show Boat, The Lion King and Fiddler of the Roof..

November 1997 saw movies return to the Regent for the first time, with a fully restored print of My Fair Lady, which ran for an extended season together with Dennis Farrington and his band rising on the orchestra lift and Tony Fenelon at the Organ..

(Part of the advertising for the opening night)

		On the Stage:

		'CHERIO-HO''
		produced by Harry B. Burcher
		(photograph at left)
		with Dunio & Garcia, strolling musicians
		Freddie Hodges and Ivy Towe - dancers
		The Regent Beauty Ballet of 16 and
		The Regent Stage Band
		M.C. Hugh Steyne


Main Feature:-

'TWO LOVERS'
(United Artists, 1928, Silent)
starring
Vilma Banky and Ronald Colman (photographed at right) with Paul Lupas and Noah Beery

	SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE LINKS
	'A PLACE IN THE SUN'
	by Keith Dunstan "The Sun" 18/6/1970
	The last day for the Regent Theatre in Collins Street will be July 1.
	But Hoyts Theatres Ltd. is adamant. Hoyts will conduct no ceremony, no party, no obsequies.
	They say that if private parties wish to do this, all right, but Hoyts will not organise anything.
	Apparently, this is part of an old policy, formed when picture theatres were being turned into bowling alleys.
	"Make a fuss when you open a theatre, but never when you close one".
	This column finds such a policy outrageous. Surely our greatest movie house deserves a decent funeral and respectable burial.
	After all, let's go back to the grand opening. Big ads running daily for weeks telling of the glory of the coming event.
	Then for the grand opening day itself a lavish two full page spread entreating patrons to be spellbound by the pageant of stars - stars of the Screen, Music and Stage - you will truly know the new entertainment that delights London and New York.
	"You will have seen the utmost the combined arts can give: you will acknowledge the Regent's triumph."
	The opening show was 'more than a program, a pageant of stars' - Ronald Colman and Vilma Banky in "Two Lovers" in a performance "that will wipe out the memory of the finest performance you ever saw."
	I mean, don't you feel that Hoyts ought to be doing something to match all this?
	After all, the building of that 53 storey ice cube tray on the site will not be the greatest event of the world for 1971-2-3.

	The sound recording on this page is a digitally re-mastered version of Stanfield Holliday playing the 2nd of the Regent's 3 Wurlitzer organs - "Ebb Tide" originally recorded June, 1954



	The original curved proscenium arch and the auditorium


	MORE 'THE REGENT' PAGES

	PAGE 1 (This page)
	The First Programme
	PAGE 2
	Programmes March 23 - April 19, 1929
	PAGE 3
	Programmes April 20 - May 17, 1929
	PAGE 4
	Programmes May 18 - July 12, 1929
	PAGE 5
	Programmes July 13 - August 23, 1929
	PAGE 6
	Programmes August 24 - October 4, 1929
	PAGE 7
	Programmes October 5, 1929 - March 7, 1930
	PAGE 8
	Programmes March 8 - May 9, 1930
	PAGE 9
	Programmes May 10 - August 1, 1930
	PAGE 10
	Programmes August 2 - October 10, 1930
	PAGE 11
	Programmes October 11 - December 19, 1930
	PAGE 12
	Programmes December 20, 1930 - February 27, 1931
	PAGE 13
	Programmes February 28 - June 6, 1931
	PAGE 14
	Programmes June 7 - September 11, 1931
	PAGE 15
	Programmes September 12, 1931 - January 1, 1932
	PAGE 16
	Programmes January 2 - April 22, 1932
	PAGE 17
	Programmes April 23 - August 12, 1932
	PAGE 18
	Programmes August 13 - December 2, 1932
	PAGE 19
	Programmes December 3, 1932 - April 27, 1933
	PAGE 20
	Programmes April 28, 1933 - February 9, 1934

	(c) 2007 By Donald Binks. All rights reserved



	ORCHESTRA:-		ORGAN:-
	45 musicans		Stanley Wallace
	conducted by		at the £25,000
	Ernest G. Mitchell		Wurlitzer Organ
	(photograph at right)		featuring
	in selections from		"The Wedding of Mr. Melbourne
	'THE DESERT SONG'		and Miss Regent"

	Review: ("Herald" Monday, March 18, 1929)
	"All the pomp and arrogance of Spain in the days when she sought to subjugate Flemish Ghent is the motif of "Two Lovers", this week's big picture at the Regent.His best romantic role to date is played by Ronald Colman, as Mark van Rycke, the young leader of a plot to throw off the Spanish yoke from Ghent and Brussels. A forced marriage is made between Mark, the son of the High Bailiff of Ghent and Donna Lenora (Vilma Banky) known as the flower of Seville, in an attempt to achieve peace between Spain and Flanders.
	Lenora loves Ramon de Lineer (Paul Lupas) but must bow to the will of her scheming uncle, the Duke of Azar (Noah Beery), who arranges the marriage.
	With restraint and high romance, the tale is told of Lenora's discovery that Mark is the mysterious "Leatherface", the leader of the Flemmings, and how love supersedes her hate and patriotism.
	The picture is crowded with highly dramatic scenes and clever photographic effects. The secret council meeting in a crypt under the High Bailiff's house and other scenes are in keeping with the finished acting of the two stars.
	A colour film "The Love Charm" is shown and the gazette includes good pictures of the Prince of Wales in Africa.
	The stage presentation including acts by Dunio and Gegna strolling musicians, Freddie Hodges and Ivy Towe dancers, the Regent Beauty Ballet of 16 and the Regent Stage Band is original and clever."

	GO TO - MORE PROGRAMS AT THE REGENT

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i n t e r e s t s
GOING TO THE PICTURES		part 1

		PROGRAM NO. 1
		(The Opening Night Program)
		March 15-21, 1929

		Support Films:-

		'THE LOVE CHARM'
		photographed in natural colours
		'THE AUSTRALASIAN GAZETTE"
		featuring views of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales photographed in Africa.

	The Regent Theatre on Opening Night