Amusu Theatre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Amusu Theatre |
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Amusu Theatre, 2018
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| Location | 17 Derowie Street, Manildra, Cabonne Shire, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1936 |
| Architect | Allan Tom |
| Owner | Cabonne Council |
| Official name: Amusu Theatre; Amusu Cinema | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 26 November 1999 |
| Reference no. | 1308 |
| Type | Cinema |
| Category | Recreation and Entertainment |
| Builders | Jim Fullerton |
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The Amusu Theatre is a special old cinema and theatre located at 17 Derowie Street in Manildra, Australia. It's in the Central West part of New South Wales. This historic building was designed by Allan Tom and built in 1936 by Jim Fullerton. It's also known as Amusu Cinema. The local government, Cabonne Council, now owns it. The theatre was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on November 26, 1999, which means it's recognized as an important historical place.
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The Story of Amusu Theatre
Movies first came to Manildra around 1910. By 1914, films were shown in a place called Fleeting's Hall. Allan Tom, a true movie pioneer, started showing silent films. When "talkies" (movies with sound) arrived, he quickly updated his equipment.
Allan Tom: The Travelling Picture Show Man
Allan Tom was famous for being a "travelling picture show pioneer." From the early 1920s into the 1940s, he travelled all over central and western New South Wales. He took his movies to distant towns like Cobar, Bourke, and Hillston. During the Great Depression, he even showed movies in a tent. This brought much-needed fun and support to people in remote areas.
Allan Tom moved his movie shows to different halls in Manildra over the years. In 1936, he built the Amusu Theatre on Derowie Street. It had seats for 300 people. The name "Amusu" came from an equipment supplier he met in the early 1930s. Allan worked with a local school teacher to design the theatre. He cared a lot about sound, so he used a special material called Donaconna board from the USA to make sure the theatre had great acoustics. Jim Fullerton, a local Manildra resident, built the cinema. For 20 years, Allan also ran theatres in Millthorpe and Tullamore.
Allan Tom faced many challenges, like droughts, floods, and the rise of television. He kept showing movies, eventually only on Saturday nights. He continued to run the Amusu Theatre until he passed away in 1995 at 93 years old. His family kept the theatre going, even after a short closure for safety repairs.
The Tom family has a long history in the area, linked to early settlers and the first discovery of gold. Allan Tom's middle name was "Australia," showing his family's strong connection to the country.
The Theatre Today
In 2003, the Cabonne Shire Council bought the theatre and the garage next door. Today, a committee runs the Amusu Theatre. They show new movies on the third Saturday night of every month. You can also arrange special screenings.
The old Tom's Garage next door has been turned into a movie poster museum. It has an amazing collection of 30,000 posters! This was made possible with help from a $50,000 grant from the state government.
A Timeline of Amusu Theatre and Allan Tom
- 1902: Edwin Allan Australia Tom, the future owner of Amusu, was born.
- 1905: Allan's family moved to Manildra.
- 1914: Tom's garage business started. Allan Tom, though underage, helped with a horse and cart.
- 1915: Allan left school at 13 to work in his father's bike shop.
- 1918: Allan got his driver's license at 16. He kept it until he passed away in 1995!
- 1923: Allan Tom started his first silent film show in Manildra. He used an Australian-made projector. His mother played the piano for sound.
- 1926: Allan changed an Oldsmobile car into a mobile projection room for his travelling shows. He also used a Chevrolet truck to carry tents and seats.
- 1927: Allan married Dorothy McDonald. They had five daughters and one son.
- 1930: Allan Tom brought "talkies" (movies with sound) to Manildra by updating his equipment.
- 1931: Allan started regular tours of Western NSW, lasting 4 to 6 weeks. He even wrote his own posters!
- 1932: Allan bought a large tent (marque) and folding chairs because it was hard to rent halls.
- 1936: Allan Tom built the Amusu Theatre in Manildra. He also built a theatre in Tullamore.
- 1937: Allan had to take over the family garage business after his brother Jim passed away. He hired a crew to run the touring movie show until 1949.
- 1940: Allan rebuilt the garage next to the Amusu Theatre.
- 1942: Allan opened the Millthorpe Amusu theatre.
- 1949: Allan's daughter Lynette and her husband Jeff Woodhart took over the touring movie business.
- 1965: Allan Tom started running the NRMA (a roadside assistance service) van for several towns. He did this until he was 90 years old in 1992!
- 1983: Allan Tom celebrated 60 years of showing movies. He received congratulations from the Prime Minister and the NSW Premier.
- 1987: The Amusu Theatre was used for a promotional video by Hoyts Entertainment.
- 1993: Allan Tom received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his amazing contributions to Manildra and nearby communities. He was also noted as the oldest living "picture show man" who toured NSW.
- 1994: Allan Tom showed his last film on May 6.
- 1995: Allan Tom passed away on May 20 at 93 years old. His daughter Lyn and son-in-law Jeff Woodhart took over the Amusu.
- 1999: The Amusu Theatre was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register.
- 2003: Cabonne Shire Council took over the theatre and the garage next door.
- July 2020: After closing for five months during the coronavirus lockdown, the Amusu Theatre reopened its doors to the public.
What the Amusu Theatre Looks Like
The Amusu Theatre has a cool Art Deco-style front, called a facade. It has a stepped top, which was common in small country towns. The front is made of fibro and is two stories high. It has a small window in the middle with the word "Amusu" made from colorful leaded glass.
Behind the fancy front, the main part of the building is like an industrial hall. It's built with corrugated iron walls and a sloped roof. The top part of the building, facing the street, holds the projection room. This room still has its old, working equipment!
Inside the Theatre
The inside of the theatre has many original features from the 1930s. You can see the old ticket office, cool geometric light shades, and flip-up leather seats. There are even special "love seats" for two! The projection room has embossed tin walls and two old Westrex projectors from around 1936.
On the stage, you can see plaster decorations with linked "A" and "T" symbols for the theatre. All around the walls, there are exhibits like movie posters from the 1930s to the 1990s. You can also see old 33-inch sound records, original projectors, and other items from Allan Tom's "travelling picture show" days.
The theatre has a unique feel with its sloped wooden floor and old seats. This feeling is even stronger when they show old cartoons and newsreels from the 1940s, along with new movies on Saturday nights.
The theatre hasn't been completely changed over the years. Instead, it was regularly updated while keeping its original simple country hall style with some Art Deco touches. Allan Tom always wanted the newest technology, like better sound. But he kept the older equipment for display inside the theatre.
In 2010, the building was in good shape, though the roof had some leaks that damaged the ceiling, and the seats needed new covers. Some electrical work was done in 1990 for fire safety. The old movie equipment still works, and the building's inside has mostly stayed the same since it was built.
Why Amusu Theatre is Special
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The Amusu Theatre is very important because it's a rare example of a small, purpose-built cinema in a tiny country town. It has been used continuously as a cinema since it was built in 1936. For a long time, it was even run by the same family! (The local council now owns it, but it's still special).
This cinema helps us understand the early days of the movie industry and how it affected communities, especially in rural Australia, throughout the 20th century. The building is full of movie items, old fixtures, and fittings. These things help us understand its social and cultural importance. The building and everything inside it are a rare and educational resource.
The Amusu Theatre was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on November 26, 1999, because it met several important requirements:
Showing History and Culture
The Amusu Theatre is a "living icon" that shows how important films and cinemas have been to the cultural history of New South Wales. It is directly connected to the life and work of Allan Tom, the "travelling picture show man." His contributions to cultural life in NSW for most of the 20th century were recognized with an OAM award. Very few other cinemas in NSW have been open continuously since they were built in 1936.
The theatre also links to a pioneer family with connections to early farming and the first discovery of gold in Australia. It shows how the movie and cinema industry grew in Australia, from silent films to the 1990s.
Unique Design and Achievement
The theatre's small but interesting front is an important part of the street view in its small community. It shows a good level of creative design for its time.
Strong Community Connection
The Amusu Theatre has a strong and special connection with central and western New South Wales. It played a huge role in the social and cultural life of rural communities. For over 60 years, the Amusu has provided movies and entertainment to its community. When Allan Tom's "Amusu Touring Talkies" were on the road, they often provided the only entertainment available.
It's very rare for a cinema in NSW to have been run continuously by the same family for 63 years. Also, few cinemas have so many old movie items, records of purchases, and film bookings from such a long period.
Learning About History
The Amusu Theatre can teach us a lot about the cultural history of New South Wales and the role of cinemas. It shows how new technologies were adapted for tougher conditions in rural NSW. Few cinemas in NSW, besides the Amusu, still have working arc-lamp projectors from the 1930s and 1940s.
The building and its contents show how movies developed throughout the 20th century. The working equipment is very valuable because such old machines are becoming harder to find. The collection of cinema objects, once common, are now rare. The Amusu holds many memories and events that made it the social center of country towns back then. Just being inside the building, people can easily imagine what it was like to go to the movies in the 1930s.
Rare and Endangered Aspects
The Amusu is rare because it's a purpose-built, corrugated iron building that has been used continuously by the same family since it was built. While many theatres existed in the early 20th century, most are now gone or used for other purposes. It's especially rare to find one still used for its original purpose. The combination of its building materials, continuous use, and all the original items inside makes the Amusu truly unique.
Showing Key Characteristics of Cinemas
The Amusu shows the main features of cinemas as a type of cultural place in NSW. Its collection of movie items and records traces its life over 63 years.
There are many entertainment halls in the Cabonne local government area, but only the Amusu still operates in its original state. In the wider Central Tablelands and Central West Region, only a few other theatres have a similar high rating for their historical importance. The Amusu stands out because it has kept its original purpose and many of its old features.
Images for kids
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Amusu Theatre, 2018
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Heritage boundaries
