Regent Theatre
487-503 George Street,
Sydney,
NSW
2000
487-503 George Street,
Sydney,
NSW
2000
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An icon on George street, I have fond memories of waiting what seemed like ages, in a Christmas time queue to see the movie “Journey to the Centre of the Earth” I was very young at the time but still can just remember the beauty of the interior. Outrageous that it was allowed to be demolished but that’s the price you pay, not for progress in this case, but rather corruption. If the current building on the site was demolished no one would even remember it, just a typical modern banality.
This theatre building should not have been demolished! So much for the heritage listing!
The Netherlands Dance Theatre played there once.They are still one of the premiere ballet companies in the world. One of the ballets that they played was danced by all males and they were completely naked.They entered the auditorium from the rear and danced down the aisles naked
Worked at the old Regent as relief assistant cinematograph operator. The rake fromt the bio box to the screen was huge. The film was stored in its cans below the box, accessed by a steel spiral staircase. She ran on Guamont-Kalee 35mm projectors with RCA carbon arcs.
I worked on No No Nannette, and the original plaster proscenium was gone. Back to the structural opening. It was interesting to see the fire curtain come down at the old proscenium line. More fly lines were installed between the old proscenium and the wonderful plaster line most people remember. By now, the house tabs were flown out. There was plenty of hight under the auditorium roof.
Something Is Out There, a 1988 tv movie set in Los Angeles needed a large derelict theatre for scenes involving a giant alien crashing through the walls and used the Regent. A lot of trouble for short scenes and sad to see the grand old place come to this.
I have a large piece of ornamental plaster with three lights in it from the Regent Theatre on my living room wall that I bought from a salvager. What a wonderful place it was.
The links to the Regent Theatre Art Deco chandelier posted here in 2009 are no longer valid. The photos and historical information on the chandelier can now be found on the link http://www.smartdecorprops.com.au/replica_art_deco_chandelier.html. There is also visual footage of the Regent Theatre foyer in the film “For Love Alone” starring Sam Neal and Helen Buday. There are several upmarket restaurant scenes that were filmed in the theatre foyer areas. I know, I was there ;–).
It remains untouched and is now a church. It is on the shopping mall side.
I can’t believe I walked past this spot so many times while I was at uni and never knew what a beautiful building once stood there. It’s really sad that so many of our cultural treasures are abandoned. Also, a little bit of coincidence: there’s also a Regent Theatre in Wollongong where I grew up that closed down and stands abandoned. Hopefully no one will knock this Regent down. I’ve been trying to find the exact location of the Regent with Google Maps but I can’t get the addresses to match up. The article above mentions that additions were made into Bathurst Street. Can anyone please tell me which side of the George and Bathurst Street corner the Regent used to stand and what’s there now?
The Regent Art Deco chandelier was sold in December 2010 and has gone overseas to an unknown buyer in Paris. Its nice to know it has gone back home however it would be great to know who bought it and where it will end up hanging.
The stage show ‘No No Nanette’ was performed here with Cyd Charise who was later replaced by Yvonne de Carlo I think it was the 1970s.
has anybody got a photo of the infamous 15 year old hole in the ground, i can remember walking past that site for like my whole young life but can’t find any.
The Art Deco chandelier from the Regent Theatre has been reassembled and restored and is being offered for sale. A picture of the chandelier hanging in the basement which has been its home for the past 20 years can be found at http://www.dwcad.com.au/gallery_metro2.html
A photo of the Regent Art Deco chandelier hanging in the foyer and a picture from the Baccarat/Christofle pavillion at the 1925 Paris exhibition can be found here.
http://www.dwcad.com.au/gallery_metro.html
I read the sad history of this theatre and its a shame that politicians are more interested in the dollar than history and beauty. It would of been amazing if this theatre had survived into the future for it could of been used to stage large scale opera and ballet and other performances.
Another missed opportunities for Sydney.
I am an ex Hoyts Projectionist and worked at the Regent and all of the Hoyts theatres both Sydney city and suburban as the relief Projectionist. I have an intimate knowledge of the Regent including how the Huge Submarine Diesel engine/generator in the basement worked ( one of two, the other is still in the State theatre ) I also worked for Greater Union for a while at the State, Lyceum, Barclay, Capitol, and many others. I have so many stories about all of the Hoyts City theatres that to list all of them I would be here for days. But my favourite place to work was the Regent. I only have a couple of photo’s of the Projection room circa 1973.
Over a number of years I have been slowly researching and collecting information on this history of the Regent, my interest was aroused during the fight over the demolition and it has remained an ongoing interest since. My intention is to one day publish a book, I am interested in the recollections or information that may be out in private archives. In particular I am after any photos or video that may exist of the theatre in its final years. Please feel free to contact me if you can assist.
I don’t work in the city but happened to go past the site a couple of days ago and noticed a building under construction. Looks like it will be called ‘Regent Place’.
The chandelier referred to above was made by Baccarat and featured in the 1925 Exposition of Decorative Arts in Paris, and is of world significance.
The Regent Theatre,Sydney was located at the address of 487-503 George Street,Sydney,not 575 George Street.The theatre was demolished during the early months of 1990.