| BACK HOME CINEMAS OF BROKEN HILL Lenard's or Ozone Pictures Screened originally at the Town Hall and later moved to Lenard's Pictureland on the corner of Chloride and Blende Streets, in 1911. Alan Jeffkins Vice Regal Orchestra supplied the incidental music. 1911: Lenard's Pictures at the Crystal Theatre. New Open Air Pictureland complete. 1912: Pictures at the Town Hall. 11/10/1912: Reopening of Pictureland - if weather is unfavourable, in the Town Hall. 7/6/1913: In Lenard's New Hall - expected to be under cover on Saturday night. 10/12/1922: Pictureland badly damaged by wind. 8/5/1930: Screen first talking films. 1936: Ozone Theatres Pty Ltd (from SA.) took over from Lenards. Name changed to Ozone Theatre. The open-air section became known as the Chinese Gardens Theatre. 24/12/1961: Destroyed by fire. Indoor section gutted. Outdoor section slightly damaged. Site was owned by the Broken Hill City Council and was leased to Theatre. The lease was not renewed after fire and the site is now occupied by the Entertainment Centre. Johnson’s Screened first at the Town Hall and then at 41 Oxide Street, on the corner of Argent Lane. It may then have been known as the Civic. 8/8/1913: Johnson's pictures at the Town Hall. 4/10/1913: Reopening of the popular Johnson's Pictures at the Town Hall under the patronage of the Mayor. 28/11/1914: New Picture Palace-open air and hall. To be built by Johnson's opposite the Masonic Club. From Argent Lane to Blende Street. Open air Theatre expected to be built before the cold weather of 1915 sets in, so that pictures may be shown outside or indoors. Main entrance from Oxide Street. 18/12/1914: Johnson's open Air Theatre expected to be opened on December 26,1914 1/4/1930: First screened "Talkies". Outdoor section closed. 1955: Extensive alterations and repairs then reopened as the Century Theatre. 12/1964: Destroyed by fire. 14/9/1967: Opened as the Silver City Cinema after the rebuilding. Later known as the Village Silver City Cinema. 16/11/1993: Final curtain, Theatre closed with a gala night and section of Oxide Street was closed for the occasion. Employees arranged to lease it and continued to show films. Aldridge Garden at Duke of Cornwall Hotel. 14/11/1911: Aldridge Picture Gardens. A contract has been entered into with Patt's Frere, Paris, for films to be shown at the Gardens. A new machine has arrived and is ready for the opening tonight. 7/12/1913; World-in-Motion Picture Company at Aldridge Gardens. Incidental music by Miss Sylvia Goetze. Crystal Gardens 18/11/1917: Sayers and Lennons Ltd new open-air resort was packed by a large crowd awaiting the initial performance last night. Mayor Alderman Hynes declared the gardens open. Entrance is from Argent Street through the Crystal Arcade. Also known as the Crystal Theatre. It was destroyed by fire November 1960 (built in 1898). Empire Picture Gardens. Behind the Empire Gardens and Empire Theatre in Blende Street between Bromide and Kaolin Streets. In 1915 an attempt was made to form a company to take over the Empire Theatre and Gardens, then being conducted by Les Haywood of the adjoining Adelaide Club Hotel. Skating Rink, Oxide Street. 1908: West's Pictures shown here. 27/11/1911: Inauguration of the Rink Pictures for the summer season. Six pence everywhere. Theatre Royal Lyceum Pictures. 1910, 1911: Sayer's pictures shown here. In 1912: Lyceum Pictures at the Theatre Royal under direction of Sayers and Lennon Ltd. Radcliffe's Peoples Pictures 14/9/1910: At the Trades Hall. nternational Pictures. 1911: Shown at See Park, Railwaytown. May 1912: Shown at Burke Ward Hall and at Hegarty's Hall, South Broken Hill. National Pictures. November 1911: Hegarty's Hall, South Broken Hill. Metropole Theatre, South Broken Hill. 2/9/1912: Metropole Pictures recently formed by the South Broken Hill Music Hall Company, opened its amusement resort to the public for the first time on Saturday night (31 August). The company's hall is the old South Baptist Church which has been removed to its present site at the corner of South and Hebbard Streets. Renovations and alterations have been carried out and it was opened by Mayor Alderman B.V. Brady. 7/12/1913: Pictures at the South open-air pavilion. Incidental music played by Mr G Maiden's Orchestra. It was rebuilt in 1927 to accommodate 950 people. CONTINUE NEXT PAGE |