Everybody's Theatre, Princes St, Dunedin

The building known by Dunedinites as "Everybody's Theatre," or the "old DEKA," or "McKenzie's" was built about 1880 as "Hislop's Exchange Court" building.  After 30 years as office space for lawyers ad estate agents the motion picture boom led to its conversion into a picture palace.  Most living Dunedin residents will remember it, and the building next door,  as a department store.  

TENDERS

EXCHANGE COURT THEATRE

TENDERS are invited till 2 p.m. of MONDAY, 29th March for the ERECTION of PICTURE THEATRE in the EXCHANGE COURT.

Plans may be seen at the Office of the undersigned, where tenders may be lodged.

E W Walden, Architect, Dowling St.  -Evening Star, 13/3/1915.

SALES BY AUCTION

DISMANTLED MATERIAL OF EXCHANGE COURT. 

S C U R R & CO. have received instructions from Mr W. McLellan (contractor for the new Exchange Court Picture Theatre) to sell by auction as above, 

The Dismantlings of the Old Building, comprising: 

Kauri doors (all sizes), sashes, frames, architraves, slides, mantelpieces, grates, glass partition, strongroom doors, basins, sinks, chimney pots, and the whole of the fittings of the old court. 

Also, Strongroom, cased with double steel doors. The material throughout is perfectly sound and of the highest quality. 

Open for inspection on Friday afternoon and morning of sale.

 SCURR & CO., Auctioneers.   -Otago Daily Times, 5/5/1915.

LATE ADVERTISEMENTS

WANTED. THOROUGHLY COMPETENT PIANIST For "Everybody's" Continuous Picture Theatre, Exchange Court Buildings, Princes street, Dunedin. 

Applications, with testimonials (which will be treated as strictly confidential), must reach the undersigned by noon on MONDAY, 16th August 1915. 

JOSEPH O. HOPCRAFT, Secretary. 12 Octagon.  -Evening Star, 7/8/1915.

SITUATIONS VACANT

MANAGER WANTED 

FOR "EVERYBODY'S" CONTINUOUS PICTURE THEATRE, EXCHANGE COURT BUILDINGS, PRINCES STREET, DUNEDIN. 

Must be a first-class showman, with previous experience, and possess necessary qualifications. Applications, with copies of testimonials, close with the Undersigned on SATURDAY, 21st August, 1915. 

JOSEPH O. HOPCRAFT, Secretary. 12 Octagon. Dunedin. 

PICTURE ENTERTAINMENTS

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE.  (abridged)

This new picture house in Princes street is fast nearing completion, and will be in readiness for opening on Thursday next. The first feature film to be presented is a five-act drama by the World Film Corporation, the title of which is 'The Dollar Mark.' The story is of the life and death struggles of two big men for wealth and the power it brings and for a beautiful woman. These are the swift-running currents which carrv George Broadhurst's play, 'The Dollar Mark,' rushingly along through virile and fascinating scenes to its climax.  -Evening Star, 8/11/1915.

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE

OPENING THIS EVENING. 

Another attraction in amusements will be set in motion this evening, when the superb picture palace in Princes street, situated on the site of the old Exchange Court, will be opened to the public with a strong programme. Occupying a prominent place in the public view, and being admirably adapted for a place of entertainment, it is safe to say the new theatre will soon claim its quota of the pictureloving section of the community. No expense has been spared to make the building comfortable, upstairs and downstairs, and a wide exit has been provided into Rattray street, which enables the hall to be cleared in a very few minutes. Last night, when the premises were inspected by the directors and a number of friends, many complimentary remarks were passed concorning all the arrangements.

The building is spacious, the area covered by the ground floor being 100 ft by 33ft. On the ground floor are 500 leather upholstered seats, and upstairs 350, and a feature of the place is that, as there are no pillars, every patron may obtain an uninterrupted view of the screen. The ceiling is of fibrous plaster, beautifully designed in three bays and domed. The vestibule at the entrance is roomy, and a wide staircase with thickly-carpeted steps leads upstairs. On what is known as the intermediate or mezzanine floor are the manager's room, store rooms, and Ladies' cloak rooms. The building is neatly and solidly finished throughout in picked Oregon. Special care has been taken with the ventilation, fresh air being circulated by means of a network of tubes let in the walls. There are ample fire escapes of steel. The new theatre reflects credit upon the architect (Mr E. Walden) and the contractor (Mr W. McLellan). Messrs J. J. Marlow (who is responsible for the seating), Messrs A. and T. Burt (lighting and plumbing), Messrs R. S. Wardrop and Co. (decorations), Mr S. Aiken (painting), and Messrs Scoullar and Chisholm (furnishings) also deserve a word of praise for their share in the fitting up. The lantern apparatus forms an important part of a moving-picture show, and in this respect the management of Everybody's has left nothing to be desired. A selection of films was run through the machine, which worked well, all the views being excellently presented. The management intends to adopt a policy of frequent changes of programme, and no effort will be wanting to place a high-class entertainment before patrons. Everybody's will be a continuous exhibition, opening at noon daily. Mr Roderick McCallum, who has been appointed manager, was a former resident of Dunedin. For the past nine years he has been managing picture theatres in Sydney and Brisbane.

Subsequent to the screening of the films the visitors were entertained at a light supper, when a number of toasts were honoured.  -Otago Daily Times, 11/11/1915.

Photos from a  set of interior shots I took some years ago, with a borrowed digital camera.  I have made attempts in recent years to gain access and take better photos but have not been able to get permission.

Each of the conical plaster mouldings connects with a ventilator tower on the theatre's stepped roof.

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. 

"Everybody's" is not the least ambitious of titles to give a picture theatre, but anyone who saw the new Princes street house on Saturday evening would have been tempted to the belief that the name came pretty near the truth. The attendances throughout the day were big, but at night the theatre was packed, and people were waiting before 7 o'clock. The fine picture "The Dollar Mark" will be retained during the next few days, but the supports will be changed, the new subjects being a Pussy Foot comedy "Your Name Brown" and the latest Topical Budget, replete with war and other events.   -Otago Daily Times, 15/11/1915.

AMUSEMENTS

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. 

The success of the new picture theatre in Princes street was again marked on Saturday, when great crowds again assembled and much difficulty was found in obtaining seating accommodation. The patience of the waiters, however, was inexhaustible, the people apparently having made up their minds that they were going to get in sooner or later. There will be a complete change of programme to-day, when a fine drama in four acts, "Mother," will be screened. The story shows the fine loyalty and love to her family shown by a patient little woman upon whom has devolved the rearing of a large family, with all its worries and cares, and something more to put up with from the boys than fortunately falls to the lot of all women.   -Otago Daily Times, 22/11/1915.

TALKING PICTURES.

ADDITIONAL THEATRES FOR DUNEDIN. 

FULLER CORPORATION’S ENTERPRISE. 

As a result of the taking over of the control of all Fuller-Hayward theatres by Sir Benjamin and Mr John Fuller, Dunedin will within the nest few weeks have two additional “talkie” houses, equipped with the most modern sound reproducing plants. In the course of conversation with a Daily Times reporter last night, Sir Benjamin Fuller, who arrived in Dunedin yesterday, said that it was the policy of the newly-formed organisation to cater for every purse and every taste, and in view of this it had been decided to install up-to-date sound reproduction plants in the Strand and Everybody’s Theatres. The preliminary arrangements had been completed, and it was expected that the latter house would be reopened in about a fortnight, while the installation in the Strand Theatre would be ready to operate a week or so later. This theatre, of course, would be closed down for sufficient time to allow the necessary improvements to be effected. “We intend,” said Sir Benjamin, “to cater for every purse and every taste, and to this end we are instituting the lowest possible prices at Everybody’s Theatre — prices which I hope will allow everyone to view the latest talking picture at a very moderate tariff. With our associates, we are assured of a plentiful supply of the latest film from all parts of the world, and both the Strand and Everybody’s Theatres will have a weekly change of programme. The Princess we propose keeping as a “long-run” house where we shall show outstanding pictures for so long as the public desires to see them.” 

“We propose also,” concluded Sir Benjamin, “catering for our patrons in the smaller centres, and already Western Electric plants have been ordered for our theatres in Ashburton, Waimate, and Oamaru.”  -Otago Daily Times, 5/5/1930.

NEW TALKIES THEATRES

STRAND AND EVERYBODY'S REOPENING

The Strand and Everybody’s Theatres will reopen next Friday as first class talkie houses. The former theatre, after presenting a number of talkie programmes, closed last Saturday for the purpose of installing the very latest Western Electric sound equipment. 

When the electricians at the Strand have completed their work, which will be about Thursday next, the theatre will again be open to the public, which will bo treated to a well-selected programme of sound films, headed by 'The Isle of Lost Ships.' 

Many a big film success has ushered into the cinema hall of fame half a dozen little-known players, but it is said few screen hits have added so much to the fame of well-known actors as ‘The Isle of Lost Ships’ has contributed to the renown of Virginia Valli and Jason Robards. This First National Vitaphone special presents these popular young stars in an intriguing love story against the eerie, colourful background of the unexplored Sargasso Sea. Here, in a little colony of derelict humans living on an island of derelict ships, a startling drama is evolved. It is so startling, in fact, that it makes the lively beginning of the story, with our hero being taken by a detective to justice, and the electric chair, for an alleged crime of which he is innocent, seem tame in comparison. Miss Valli and Robards fall in love during these stormy scenes, and nothing in their past careers equals the emotional power of their unique affair depicted in ‘The Isle of Lost Ships.’ The picture, of course, has all sound and dialogue, and their voices, too, are in perfect harmony. Noah Beery is the villain; Robert O’Connor plays the role of the detective; and the large and capable supporting cast contains many familiar favourites of stage and screen. 

Everybody’s Theatre has been closed for many months, and the recent announcement to the effect that it would be made a talkie house was received very favourably by the public. This theatre is now in the hands qf painters and the entire interior of the building being repainted, while electricians are busy putting in a talkie plant. 

In this once-popular theatre it is proposed to show the finest talkies which have been billed in this city before — this meaning that only the best second-run talkies will be presented. Under this category the management has decided to screen ‘Madame X.’ on the initial programme of Everybody’s as a talkie theatre. ‘Madame X.’ was well received when shown here some time ago, and it is safe to say it will not lack support when it is screened at Everybody’s. Ruth Chatterton, that natural and pleasing actress, has the title role, in which she is seen at her best.  -Evening Star, 24/5/1930.

AMUSEMENTS. 

EXTRAORDINARY! EXTRAORDINARY! EXTRAORDINARY! 

GRAND REOPENING 

GRAND REOPENING 

GRAND REOPENING 

GRAND REOPENING 

OF

ROX Y THEATRE 

Formerly EVERYBODY’S, 

ON 

SATURDAY AFTERNOON. 

SATURDAY AFTERNOON. 

SATURDAY AFTERNOON. 

SATURDAY AFTERNOON. 

SATURDAY AFTERNOON. 

SATURDAY AFTERNOON. 

SATURDAY AFTERNOON. 

REDECORATED THROUGHOUT 

AND 

EQUIPPED WITH THE VERY LATEST up-to-date sound-recording system THAT SKILL AND MONEY CAN PROVIDE. 

THE MANAGEMENT HAVE PLEASURE IN PRESENTING FOR THE OPENING PROGRAMME Metro-Goldwyn’s Famous Epic,

'MADAME X.’ 

‘MADAME X.’ 

'MADAME X.'  

‘MADAME X.'

'MADAME X.’ 

‘MADAME X.’

'MADAME X.’

'MADAME X.’ 

‘MADAME X.’

‘MADAME X.'

The All-Talking Pictures’ Greatest Triumph is here now. A Marvellous Play, brought to the screen with a magic of direction and emotional acting that have swept all others before them. 

-Evening Star, 28/5/1930.

TO-MORROW AFTERNOON. Third Episode of “THE SPELL OF THE CIRCUS.” 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! 

All Children who have been following 

“THE LIGHTNING EXPRESS” 

“THE LIGHTNING EXPRESS”

 “THE LIGHTNING EXPRESS” 

AT THE ROXY THEATRE, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE REMAINING EPISODES WILL BE SCREENED AT THE STRAND THEATRE After the ordinary performances EACH SATURDAY, commencing TO-MORROW AFTERNOON. CHILDREN BRING YOUR CARDS AS USUAL.  -Otago Daily Times, 19/6/1931.

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WOOLWORTH’S (N.Z.) LTD.

IMPRESSIVE OPENING SCENES 

The opening of Woolworth’s (N.Z.) Ltd. in Princes street yesterday was the signal for a big rush of shoppers to the remodelled building formerly known as the Roxy Theatre, and the many members of the newly recruited staff were kept very busy throughout the day. Fifteen years ago this building was the site of the Exchange Court Arcade, where several well-known business firms were housed, and later on Everybody’s Picture Theatre started there, the name subsequently being changed to the Roxy. The site was taken over by Woolworths some four months ago, and building operations were put in hand at once, with the result that yesterday saw the opening of what is claimed to be the finest and most up-to-date shop of a steadily increasing chain. 

In August a contract was let to the firm of George Simpson and Sons, who found that the task with which they were confronted was no easy one. The time factor was of utmost importance, and the gutting of the old theatre, with its heavy galleries and falling floors, presented a number of obstacles, which, however, were overcome without waste of time. The ground floor, carried through at the Princes street level, gives a spacious basement with an entrance from Rattray street. Here can still be seen the remains of the oldfashioned brick arches, the foundations of the court. This basement has been racked to take the heavy stocks which are carried, and a broad stair gives access to the shop floor. This floor has a clear length of 160 ft. To give this clear space and to carry the heavy loading above, required the putting in of some fifteen rolled steel joists — no small job when working in a confined space. These are not apparent from the shop. 

The main features here, apart from the fittings, are a solid jarrah floor to withstand the heavy traffic, and the simple plaster ceiling with its ventilating grilles. No useless ornament is evident, and the whole effect is one of simplicity of line. A new departure is the replacing of daylight and lighting with artificial light. This gives a most effective setting to the wellstocked fixtures. Special mention may be made of the counters and fittings, in which no expense has been spared. The timber is of maple throughout, hand polished and moulded to meet the requirements of the different fittings. This work, along with the shop front, was carried out by local labour under supervision of the firm’s own specialists. The shop front strikes a new note in the general design of business frontages in the street. 

Upstairs there is accommodation for further supplies of stock, and here, too, are the offices of the branch. The staff is provided for with a wellappointed rest and dining room and kitchen. The architect was Mr R. G. Talboys, of Wanganui, an old Dunedin boy. The contract gave employment to some sixty-odd men during the past four months, and now Woolworths hope to give further employment to about seventy men and girls.  -Evening Star, 14/11/1931.