CAARP
Cinema and Audience Research Project

Originally called Fullers New Amphitheatre when the theatre opened on April 6, 1912. The theatre opened with a musical variety show, but it soon switched to screening silent films (Todd 1997). The theatre went under a name change after it was rebuilt, reopening as the Palace in 1916. At this time it was successful showing musicals, melodramas and vaudeville.

The venue was redecorated and opened as the New Palace on 31 March, 1923. It started screening films on Boxing Day, 1929. There were several name changes following this date: the Apollo Theatre in 1934; and the St James in 1940. Metro-Goldwyn Mayer Theatres purchased the St James in 1941.

"On December the 17th 1952, another name change came, this time to the Metro Bourke Street Theatre. There was no closure of the theatre - one day it was St. James and the next The Metro Bourke Street." (Walters 2009). Many of the films screened during the 50s were revivals that had already screened at the Metro Collins Street.

Under the management of Metro-Goldwyn Mayer Theatres the theatre ran until 1971, the last screening held on April 14. (The last MGM film screened was ‘Kelly’s Heroes’ in October 1970.) During the next few years it returned to a live theatre, which included a 39-week season of the musical "Hair" (1971 –72). It re-opened as the Palace Theatre in 1974 and once again started showing films.

The theatre closed in 1978 and was sold to Figgins Shoes and leased to Tony Zeccola.
It was sold yet again in 1980 and later purchsed by the Revivalists Church. The Revivalists Church sold it in 1987 to a private business group that subsequently operated the venue as the Metro Nightclub.

On 4th December 2007, the current owners (former owners & operators of St Kilda's Palace Entertainment Complex) moved in and began the restoration of the building and is now known, once again, as the Palace Theatre.

The 1915 V.P.O.D. lists the theatre as 'Brennan's Amphitheater Ltd.'

Film Weekly records the following changes in capacity:
1946/7 = 1424
1947/8 = 1320
1948/9 = 1350
1953/4 = 1421
1954/5 = 1403
1956/7 = 1387
1958/9 = 1422
1966/7 = 1479
1969/70 = 1379

Film Weekly records the following exhibitors:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1946/7=1968/9)
Greater Union Org. (1969/70)

References

Australasian Cinema (19 December 1980, p. 34.) reports that the Palace theatre has closed again, 8 March 1980.

Cinema & Theatre Historical Society 1997, CInema index : Melbourne cinemas, suburban cinemas, Victorian drive-ins. CATHS, Victoria.

Film Weekly, Film Weekly: motion picture directory, Film Weekly, Sydney. 1946/7-1971

Film Weekly (7 April 1952, p. 3.) briefly references the premiere screening as the Metro.

Film screenings advertised in The Herald until Jan 1979

Atwood, A 1980, 'Moving religion', The Age, April 24.

Byrnes, A 1989, 'Metro falls victim to slump', Australian, July 22.

Kumm, E 1994, 'What's in a name?: The history of Brennan's Amphitheater/ National/ Palace/ New Palace/ Apollo/ St James/ Metro/ Palace/ Revival Centre/ Metro', Trust News, v.23, n.3, December, p.20.

Manzie, K 1951, 'Support made Grade-A hit with Press and public' ,Film Weekly, 29 November, p. 26.

Manzie, K 1953 'Near record in Easter changes: 10 new bills' Film Weekly, April 9, p. 16.

Manzie, K 1953 'Jackpot query on MGM theatre lease,'Film Weekly April 30, 1953.

Manzie, K 1953 'Three-D in suburbs: Latest Melbourne moves, Film Weekly September 3, 1953, p. 12.

Manzie, K 1953 'Devil debut provides grade-A pubcy material, Film Weekly, May 14, 1953, p. 13.

Manzie, K 1953 'Bess, on panoramic screen, made lively Melbourne entry',Film Weekly, June 18, 1853, p. 5.

Murphy, D 1980, 'Palace enlists the help of phantom of the opera', The Age, March, 5.

Page, F 1989, 'Metro Bourke St.' Kino: journal of the Australian theatre historical society, no. 29, pp.14-6.

The Argus (23 November 1940, p. 8.) references the name change "when the St. James' opens its doors on December 21..."

Tod, L 1997, 'Metro Bourke Street' Kino: journal of the Australian theatre historical society, no. 62, pp.12-9.

Walters, T 2009 ,The picture palaces of Melbourne. pp.190-2.

'The Palace returns at the top of Bourke St.', 1974- Bertrand, I Cinema file: 283 Bourke St. (unpublished research)).
Letter from Ada Rewe to the Melbourne public, dated July 1922- Bertrand, I Cinema file: 20-22 Bourke St. (unpublished research)).