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Taken on: January 25, 2011

Uploaded on: July 2, 2023

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Photo - The Media Resource Centre (MRC)

When TV came to Adelaide in late 1959, theatre attendances began to dwindle. In 1961 it was decided to reduce the size of the theatre and six shops were built along one side of the stalls, facing out onto the laneway at the side of the theatre.

At that stage 298 stalls seats were lost but still left the theatre with 1,964 seats. Further plans were drawn up in 1967 to create an arcade in the stalls area which would accommodate 38 shops at ground level. At that stage the grand Wurlitzer organ was removed and installed in its new home at the Memorial Hall at St. Peters College.

The newly revamped Regent Theatre re-opened on 30th May 1968 and whilst it still incorporated the former ceiling and side walls of the original dress circle, some of the white marble from the grand staircase which led from the foyer, and most of the original 1928 facade, it was in fact, a shadow of its former self.

The much smaller theatre now seated only 894 on a one raked level, using the former dress circle area. The latest projection equipment capable of most film formats was installed, including Cinerama on the 70 foot screen.

The Regent Theatre’s future was in doubt for quite some time before it closed on 28th January 2004. The building was further gutted internally to become part of the shopping centre - by Bob Byrne on October 5, 2014 in Places.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -