The Story Of A Building: The Queens, The Hoyts Regent and The Metro

 The Story Of A Building: The Queens, The Hoyts Regent and The Metro

 

Queens Hall 001
Queens Hall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Queens Hall in William Street .Perth was opened by the Premier Sir John Forrest on the 19th April 1899 for the Wesleyan Methodist Church.

The hall was used for church purposes on weekends and hired our for lectures and musical presentations for the rest of the time.

The first film exhibition took place on the 16th August 1899 by Commandant Booth of the Salvation Army and its Limelight Unit and in October 1901 the Melbourne productions of “Soldiers Of The Cross” was presented.

 

Queens Hall 2 001
Queens Hall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Queens hall 3 001
Queens Hall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cozens Spencer screened films from 1905 .

West’s Pictures from 1908 until 1911.

Vic’s Pictures 1911 until 1919.

The hall reverted to casual hire until Hoyt’s secured the lease in 1927 for their Perth Regent Theatre.The Queens Hall was rebuilt by the Methodist Church for Hoyt’s and was reopened on 10th September 1927,  as the Hoyts Regent Theatre.

 

Hoyt's Regent 1927 001
Hoyt’s Regent 1927

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hoyts Regent 2 001
Hoyts Regent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hoyts Regent 001
Hoyts Regent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The theatre seated 2000 people and had an orchestra of 15 members.

orchestra Regent Hoyts circa 1927 001
Orchestra Regent Hoyts circa 1927

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hoyts regent c 1927 001
Hoyts Regent c 1927

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hoyt's Regent interior 1927 001
Hoyt’s Regent Interior 1927

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The principal colour scheme was a combination of mauve, cyclamen and gold. Beautiful crystal glass chandeliers were fitted at intervals throughout.

On the 4th of August 1928. a Wurlitzer Organ was installed. which survived the various alterations of the theatre until 1973.

On the 6th April 1929 the Regent screened ” The Red Dance” using sound on film and the Prince of Wales “The Jazz Singer”  on Vitaphone sound on disc.

In 1938 Hoyt’s relinquished the lease on the Regent,  and Metro Goldwyn Mayer took over on the 13th  May 1938.

The whole of the interior of the Regent theatre was gutted and redesigned and the front elevation was stripped of its former decoration and remodelled in the moderne Art Deco.

Metro Goldwyn Mayer opened the new Metro theatre on the 27th September 1938 with ” The Girl Of The Golden West”. The theatre seated 1500 people and was the first theatre in Perth to be air conditioned.

 

Metro Theatre Openeng Show 1938
Metro Theatre Opening Show 1938

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Metro Bx office 1938 001
Metro Box Office 1938

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Metro 1938 002
Metro 1938

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Metro 1938 001
Metro 1938

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

metro 4
Inside the Metro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wurlitzer organ 001
The Wurlitzer organ at the Metro with John Fuhrmann (date unknown)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1954 a new wider proscenium for Cinemascope was installed.

 

1954 001
1954

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1965 001
1965

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1965 002

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Metro continued to screen under the MGM banner until 1970 when Ace theatres took over the lease.

The Metro finally closed in October 1973 with “Gone With The Wind”

After 74 years of use the wreckers moved in and the building was demolished.

 

 

 

Scroll to Top