Odeon Dee Why

896 Pittwater Road,
Sydney, NSW 2099

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Greater Union Theatres

Previous Names: Dee Why Theatre, Cinema, Elite Theatre

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Odeon Dee Why

Dee Why is one of the Northern Beaches, about 11 miles from Sydney. Its a densely populated suburb and home to Warringah Council local government. In 1919 local businessman Horace Hayman and two friends joined forces to build a theatre. The Dee Why Theatre was opened 1st December 1923.

The auditorium was built behind a shopfront lobby and showed good planning with unobstructed sightlines, a wide proscenium, an orchestra pit and dressing rooms for live shows. Four years later the theatre was sold to H.R. Miller of the Sydney Leagues Club.

Various people were brought in to run the Cinema before it was sold to the Casmi Theatre group in 1943 and finally to Acme Theatres, a subsidiary of Greater Union, who renamed it as a member of their Odeon chain and operated it from 1949 to 1959. The 1920’s style facade was converted to a plain flat style with modest signage. Following closure the theatre was used an a temporary church, an electrical store, a pool hall and a supermarket.

The auditorium was demolished and the St. George Building Society remodeled the former shopfront/lobby area as a bank and offices.

Contributed by john gleeson

Recent comments (view all 1 comments)

johngleeson
johngleeson on May 20, 2013 at 10:49 am

We appreciate the info and photographs made available by Warringah Library Services. Thank you Rose Cullen!

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