Hoyts Regent Fitzroy

84 Johnston Street,
Melbourne, VIC 3121

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Hoyts Theatres

Architects: Charles Neville Hollinshed

Styles: Gothic Revival

Nearby Theaters

A Fine Auditorium.

Built on the site of the Solway Theatre (1911-1928). Fitzroy’s Regent Theatre was amongst the largest of Melbourne’s suburban cinemas and was opened on 30th March 1931 with Ronald Colman in “Two Lovers”. It was operated by Hoyts Theatres for most of its life. It featured a long foyer off Johnston Street, Fitzroy. The foyer possesed a barrel-vaulted ceiling painted and decorated in Gothic Revival style. The theatre’s auditorium featured crystal chandeliers, an orchestra pit, also a 21ft deep stage, two large dressing rooms and flytower for visiting singers and actors. The main house curtain was made of contured silk. Seating was provided for 2,247, with 1,443 in the stalls and 804 in the circle. The proscenium was 40ft wide.

The Hoyts Regent Fitzroy was an early casuality of television closing on 17th September, 1960 with James Stewart in “The Mountain Road”. The cinema was altered for a television studio for HSV 7. It was last used as a legit theatre in October 1975 for “The Rocky Horror Show”.

Although it was relatively intact, it was derelict for years and was demolished in 1983.

Contributed by Ian Hanson

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

ian williams
ian williams on February 27, 2012 at 11:08 am

When Chanel 7 gave up their use aas a tele theatre, there was a proposal for use as a legit theatre by the small Last Laugh theatre nearby. The local coincil insisted on x number of parking spaces which the owners could not provide and the theatre was demolished.

Granola
Granola on July 26, 2016 at 10:38 pm

OPENED MARCH 30, 1931

AlanCo4
AlanCo4 on March 25, 2019 at 4:05 am

Did they film, Time for Terry, here in the 60’s?

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on March 25, 2019 at 8:52 am

The site is now 2 accountants offices(W. F. Ticthener & Co Pty Ltd), and (Fitzroy Accountancy & Taxation Services), and a dentist(Buckley-Hutton).

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