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    The address of The Mayfair Cinema was: 208 Nepean Highway, Gardenvale, VIC 3185. It opened in 08-08-1925 and the name of the cinema was called: New Gardenvale Theatre. The first time of the cinema changed the name in 04-10-1939, and called: North Brighton Gardenvale. The second time and it was also the last time for the cinema changed the name to The Mayfair Cinema in 05-07-1946, and the cinema used this name until it demolished in 1960. Therefore, there were three names meaning the same cinema in total.

    Hoyst Theatres Ltd was the lessee of the cinema  from it opened in 1925 until 1945. After that, Selleck and Ward was the lessee of the cinema with the name ‘The Mayfair Cinema’ from 1946 until the closure of the cinema in 1960. Before the Selleck and Ward becoming a lessee of the cinema, the cinema was closed for a couple of years during it’s depression.

    There were not much audiences and the cinema could not find the faithful audiences, therefore the cinema could not make more profits and this was one of the reasons causing the budget problem in later years. The arrival of television was a reason causing the budget problem. Because of the cinema could not make much profits, so the cinema never own a set of amamorphic lenses.

    Accordingly, the manager of the cinema, Mel Elliott, brought the cinema into a partnership with West Brunswick and made an arrangement for borrowing the lenses from West Brunswick. Mel worked with Selleck and Ward successfully, however, the cinema still could not make much profits. It was a hard period of time to operate a small and not very well-known cinema.

    Source: Cinemarecord 2002 Issue 37

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    posted by:
    themayfaircinema
    date:
    Jun 8, 2012 (a Friday)
    time:
    4:33:00 (11 months ago)

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    This picture published in the Herald in 2 May 1936 and it shows that, when the theatre was still named ‘The New Gardenvale Theatre’, it had transferred to the Independent Suburban Theatres column. Most of the independent suburban theatres were relied on day bills and posters in different shopping centres, and this cinema was so hard to operate and the profits of the cinema were not much. Source: Cinemarecord 2002 Issue 37

    This picture published in the Herald in 2 May 1936 and it shows that, when the theatre was still named ‘The New Gardenvale Theatre’, it had transferred to the Independent Suburban Theatres column.

    Most of the independent suburban theatres were relied on day bills and posters in different shopping centres, and this cinema was so hard to operate and the profits of the cinema were not much.

    Source: Cinemarecord 2002 Issue 37

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    posted by:
    themayfaircinema
    date:
    Jun 8, 2012 (a Friday)
    time:
    3:58:53 (11 months ago)

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    After showing Sweethearts, the major characters were Jeannette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. The cinema was closed for five weeks and presumably for the renovations.

    Source: YouTube, IMDb, Cinemarecord 2002 Issue 37

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    posted by:
    themayfaircinema
    date:
    Jun 8, 2012 (a Friday)
    time:
    3:56:00 (11 months ago)

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    After the shut off of the cinema in 1939 after showing Sweetheatrs, The Citadel was the first film to screen in 14 October 1939 for the re-opened night.  

    Source: YouTube, IMDb, Cinemarecord 2002 Issue 37

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    posted by:
    themayfaircinema
    date:
    Jun 8, 2012 (a Friday)
    time:
    3:49:00 (11 months ago)

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    Partnership between The Mayfair and West Brunswick

    There was a budget problem of The Mayfair in 1953. The manager of the theatre, Mel Elliott changed the system to run and manage the theatre. He also brought the theatre into a partnership with the West Brunswick, which was a theatre under Frank Selleck. It helped the theatre to earn profit because Frank Selleck was very experience of screening European films and Mel Elliott was quick-witted and took the best benefit for the theatre (Smith 2002, p.6).

    Source: Cinemarecord 2002 Issue 37

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    posted by:
    themayfaircinema
    date:
    Jun 8, 2012 (a Friday)
    time:
    3:40:00 (11 months ago)

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    This is a video of how to control the projector in late 1940s. The Mayfair was lack of budget, therefore the cinema was never owned a projector or a set of anamorphic lenses for CinemaScope films. The manager of the cinema, Mel Elliott had to ask for a help from the industry to smooth over the budget problems. He also made an arrangement with West Brunswick in order to borrow the lenses.

    Source: YouTube, Cinemarecord 2002 Issue 37

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    posted by:
    themayfaircinema
    date:
    Jun 8, 2012 (a Friday)
    time:
    3:36:41 (11 months ago)

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    This is a picture from The Herald in 17 January 1945, talked about changing suburb of the cinema. The cinema was named New Gardenvale Theatre before and until 1939, the cinema changed the suburb from Gardenvale to Brighton North and also name as ‘North Brighton Gardenvale’. There was another name called ‘The Nepean’ which means the same cinema with the name ‘North Brighton Gardenvale’. The cinema was using this name until 1946, and it had another for the cinema, called ‘The Mayfair Cinema’ and the cinema kept using this name until it demolished. Source: Cinemarecord 2002 Issue 37

    This is a picture from The Herald in 17 January 1945, talked about changing suburb of the cinema. The cinema was named New Gardenvale Theatre before and until 1939, the cinema changed the suburb from Gardenvale to Brighton North and also name as ‘North Brighton Gardenvale’. There was another name called ‘The Nepean’ which means the same cinema with the name ‘North Brighton Gardenvale’. The cinema was using this name until 1946, and it had another for the cinema, called ‘The Mayfair Cinema’ and the cinema kept using this name until it demolished.

    Source: Cinemarecord 2002 Issue 37

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    posted by:
    themayfaircinema
    date:
    Jun 8, 2012 (a Friday)
    time:
    3:15:00 (11 months ago)

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    The Mayfair was screened the continental films after Mel Elliott brought the cinema into a partnership. Moreover, it was a running start to screen continental films and subtitled films after it became an independent suburban theatre. Schools took the benefit of screening the subtitled films and continental films. They booked a special matinee for the students to brush up the conversational French or German. Source: Cinemarecord 2002 Issue 37

    The Mayfair was screened the continental films after Mel Elliott brought the cinema into a partnership. Moreover, it was a running start to screen continental films and subtitled films after it became an independent suburban theatre.

    Schools took the benefit of screening the subtitled films and continental films. They booked a special matinee for the students to brush up the conversational French or German.

    Source: Cinemarecord 2002 Issue 37

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    posted by:
    themayfaircinema
    date:
    Jun 8, 2012 (a Friday)
    time:
    3:05:08 (11 months ago)

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    A plan of the cinema for the renovation.

    Source: Cinemarecord 2002 Issue 37

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    posted by:
    themayfaircinema
    date:
    Jun 8, 2012 (a Friday)
    time:
    2:52:16 (11 months ago)

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