History of Perth W.A. Cinemas

The first screen entertainment in Western Australia took place on July 29, 1853, when a travelling showman pitched a tent in Perth and gave a magic lantern show.
The first venues to offer films were ‘Ye Olde English Fayre’ at the corner of Hay and King Streets and the Cremorne Gardens at the other end of Murray Street.
Perth film screening venues in Western Australia (concentrating mainly on the pioneering era in the CBD)…
The Cremorne Theatre and Gardens (1895-1914)
Theatre Royal (1897-1978)
Queen’s Hall (1899-1926), Regent Theatre (1927-1938), Metro (1938-1973)
His Majesty's (1904-Present Day) Now live venue only
The Melrose (1908-1922) and Prince of Wales (1922-1935)
Shaftesbury (1911-1924), Luxor (1925-1944), Tivoli (1944-1949), Perth Ice Palais (1949-1955), Canterbury Court (1955-1999)
Perth Trades Hall (1912-1985), Unity Theatre (1940-1948), Delaney Gallery (1985-2014), Trades Hall (2014-)
King’s Picture Gardens (1908-1911), Spencer’s Esplanade Gardens (1911-1928)
* Empire Picture Palace (1911-1914)
The Melrose Theatre (1911-1922)
Star Picture Pavilion (1913-1915)
Pavilion (1914-1930)
Britannia (1915-1918)
Grand (1916-1980)
Majestic (1916-1937), Plaza (1937-1965), Paris (1965-1984)
Palladium (1916-1925)
Prince of Wales Theatre (1922-1935)
Regent Theatre (1927-1938)
The Ambassadors (1928-1972)
Capitol (1929-1967)
Times Theatrette (1934-1936)
Plaza (1937-1965)
Piccadilly (1938-2013)
Metro (1938-1973)
Mayfair (1947-1968), Capri (1968-1987)
Liberty (1954-1978), Kimberley City Cinema (1978-1992), Liberty (1992-1997)
Savoy Theatrette (1955-1964), Savoy R-rated (1965-1983), Savoy (1983-1987), Sex cinema (1987-1991)
Town Cinema (1969-1992)
Academy Twin Cinemas (1975-1988), Lumiere Twin Cinemas (1989-1996)
More theatres were to follow, such as Cinema City and the Cine Centre. Hoyts also ran a number of small cinemas known as Hoyts Cinemas 1, 2 and 3.
Sadly, none of these venues, except His Majesty's (a live theatre), are operating today, with very little left to show that they existed.
This video covers the early venues used to show silent movies in Perth.
The switchover from silent to sound in the American film industry, which began in late 1927, was primarily complete by 1929 (though even in that year silent pictures continued to be produced, though at a heavily reduced rate).
In all, the silent film era lasted from 1895 to 1936. With Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times being made in 1936.
Sadly, a September 2013 report by the United States Library of Congress announced that a total of 70% of American silent feature films are believed to be completely lost.
This video was compiled by the WA TV History team for showing at a Australian Museum of Motion Picture and Television (AMMPT) meeting. Narration by AMMPT's Keith Rutherford.

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