Kingsford Odeon
448 Anzac Parade,
Sydney,
NSW
2032
448 Anzac Parade,
Sydney,
NSW
2032
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previous Names: Reno Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Kingsford is a small suburb about 5 miles south of Sydney’s cbd. It was originally called South Kensington but renamed in honor of aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. According to state records films were shown here starting in 1914 and the first genuine picture palace was the Reno Theatre, built and operated by E. J. Coleman. It was a true family theatre which presented live “pantos” - musical comedy stage shows based on classic children’s stories, along with features and cartoons.
On May 21st 1947 the Reno Theatre screened its last program and on the following day became an Odeon, operated by the Acme Theatres circuit. The debut program was “The Desert Song” and “Black Angel”. Acme ran a circuit wide club for kids which was inaugurated at the Odeon along with the big Australian made hit “The Overlanders”.
The Odeon was destroyed by a fire in the early hours of 21st October 1965 and the remains were demolished, making way for the Castellorizian Club, an organisation serving the large Greek immigrant population.
Contributed by
john gleeson
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
The Castellorizian Club was built in 1972 and as of June 21, 2013, the image shown on Google Earth is the construction of a new, larger club
Paul Brennan who was in the theatre biz in the Botany-Mascot-Kingsford area recalls the Reno having a retractable roof in its early years so it didn’t always have a ceiling over the midsection. The Odeon closed with “The Fall Of The Roman Empire” and fell victim to a deranged arsonist who also set fire to the Daceyville school on the same night.
My Father’s long association with the film industry began at this cinema as an usher in 1950. He went on to manage many of Greater Union'n cinemas and drive-ins