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CIVIC ADELAIDE - 1950 Film Weekly 29th June 1950 Page 22 Civic From Bob Casson

The Great Lover playing at the Civic is a 1949 American comedy film starring Bob Hope, Rhonda Fleming, and Roland Young. In the film, a scout leader takes his troop on an ocean cruise, pursues a beautiful duchess and is stalked by a murderer. It is also known as Easy Does It and My Favourite Redhead.

The Civic/New Civic Theatre, demolished in 1957 in Hindley Street, Adelaide city, was the last remnant of the Wondergraph Theatre cinema from 1913 and its ornate “Temple of dreams” façade.

The Wondergraph Theatre was built at 27 Hindley Street, Adelaide city, by C. H. Martin to the design of Adelaide architects Garlick & Jackman in 1912-1913 for £60,000. Its two distinctive domes were topped with high swan-necked lights each side of an ornate “temple of dreams” arched façade. Seating 1,800, the Wondergraph’s main hall was proclaimed the “prettiest chamber of its kind in the commonwealth” at its opening in September 1913. The Wondergraph design also provided for an arched sound board between the stage and an orchestra space of up 60 players.

Along with the Regent in King William Street, Adelaide city, it was the first cinema in Adelaide to screen talkies.

The Wondergraph theatre was taken over by Union Theatres in 1929 and renamed the Civic in 1932. While some of its elaborate exterior décor was removed, it was still regarded as a premier cinema.

In 1956, the cinema was again remodelled and renamed the State Theatre, although not reflecting the luxury of State theatres in Melbourne and Sydney. CinemaScope and air conditioning were added. The building ceased to be a cinema in 1977.

In the 1980s, the building housed the second smaller version of Downtown entertainment centre, originally at 65 Hindley Street. From 2002, it became a bar, nightclub and cabaret club, known as The Weimar Room. In 2019, after renovations it reopened as an entertainment centre also named Downtown. The former front stalls were used as an entertainment centre, the foyer as a snack bar/drinks bar and restaurant, and the former projection booth as a rooftop bar.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -