Luna Leederville facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Luna Leederville |
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Luna Leederville at night (2004)
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| Alternative names | New Oxford Theatre Nickelodeon Olympia Theatre Star Theatre Luna Cinema |
| General information | |
| Type | Cinema |
| Architectural style | Inter-War Art Deco |
| Address | 155-159 Oxford Street (corner Vincent Street) |
| Town or city | Leederville, Western Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°56′10″S 115°50′28″E / 31.9362°S 115.8410°E |
| Completed | 1927 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | S.B. Rosenthal |
| Main contractor | E.A. Allwood |
Luna Leederville is a popular movie theater in Leederville. Leederville is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. This cinema has had many names over the years. Some of its past names include New Oxford Theatre, Nickelodeon, Olympia, Star Theatre, and Luna Cinema. You can find it at the corner of Oxford and Vincent Streets.
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History of Luna Leederville
The New Oxford Theatre was designed by architect Samuel B. Rosenthal. E.A. Allwood built the cinema. Rosenthal was well-known for designing movie theaters. The New Oxford Theatre first opened in March 1927. A government official, Mr. Alex C. McCallum, opened it. The theater was full with 1,286 people.
Early Days of the New Oxford Theatre
The opening night had many different acts. There were live shows called vaudeville. These included singing, dancing, and comedy. The New Oxford Orchestra played music. There was also a short play and some funny acts. Even Miss Australia, Beryl Mills, made a special appearance. William Bellion and Mr Cunningham were the first managers.
In the beginning, silent movies were shown. A piano or organ played music along with the film. In 1929, for its second anniversary, hundreds of people could not get in. There were no seats left. This theater was the first in a suburb to get sound for movies. Sound was installed in September 1929.
Changes and New Names
In 1935, a large outdoor cinema opened nearby. It was called 'New Oxford Beautiful'. This "picture garden" could hold 3,000 people. Later, its capacity became just under 2,000. The Ampol Oil Company owned the theater for a while. Ralph Stewart ran it until 1959.
Evelyn and Bob Manorgan owned the theater from 1959 to 1966. The outdoor cinema closed in 1964. An Ampol service station was built on that spot. After Ampol sold the theater, it closed for two months in 1966. It then reopened as the 'Nickelodeon'. In 1972, it changed its name again to the 'Olympia'. For the next seven years, it mostly showed Greek and Italian films. This reflected the many different cultures in the local area.
Modern Era and Renovations
Cyril Watson took over the theater's lease. He worked with Roger Hunt and his wife Christine. They improved the theater a lot. It reopened as the 'New Oxford' on August 18, 1979. At first, they showed family movies. When that did not work well, Watson tried showing movies for older audiences. This helped bring in more people. New fittings and carpets were bought. A coffee bar also opened upstairs.
In 1981, the theater got a new roof. A large 13-meter screen was added. New projection equipment and seats were also purchased. The coffee bar and upstairs lounge became a small cinema. It could seat about 150 people. This new cinema was named 'Star Theatre'. In 1980, the cinema was renovated. Two years later, the lounge became a second cinema.
Watson started having live music on Sunday afternoons. Around this time, he showed the movie The Gods Must Be Crazy. This film became very popular. It played at the theater for three years, making it the longest-running film there. In the mid-1980s, the theater was fully updated. It started showing other independent films. In both 1998 and 1999, it was named the best independent cinema in Australia. The cinema was renamed the 'Luna Cinema' in the 1990s. In 1995, the theater was changed into two cinemas.
In 1996, a new outdoor cinema opened behind the shops next door. It could seat 200 people. Its entrance later moved to be part of the main building. The Luna Palace group took over in 1999. They did another renovation. The cinema was then renamed 'Luna Leederville'.
In 2009, a documentary called ‘The New Oxford Project’ was made. It explored the history of the New Oxford Theatre. It showed its journey from 1927 to today. The film also looked at how it affected the culture and people of Leederville. In 2012, Luna Leederville was worth about 7 to 7.5 million dollars.
Architectural Style
The Luna Leederville is a great example of a suburban cinema. It was built in the Interwar Art Deco style. Art Deco was a popular design style in the 1920s and 1930s. It often used geometric shapes and bold decorations. The front of the building has two floors. It is decorated with stucco, a type of plaster.
The front of the building is in the Art Deco style. Other theaters from the same time, like the Astor and Cygnet, used a different style called Moderne. The Luna Leederville building stands out at its street corner. The original roof has been made taller. The old verandah (a covered porch) has been replaced. The sides and back of the building are more simple and functional.
Heritage Importance
The Luna Leederville is an important building for the community. It was added to the Town of Vincent's list of important heritage places in 1995. It is also listed in the Town's planning rules. The building is not yet on the State Register of Heritage Places. However, it is recommended to be added to this list. The Heritage Council of Western Australia is currently deciding on this.
