CAARP
Cinema and Audience Research Project

Moving pictures in Richmond were first shown in a hall in Shelley Street (off Victoria) then a building was specifically built for this purpose on Victoria Street. This was the Crown Theatre.

After the Crown Theatre had been established, the owner built another in High St, Kew known as Rialto Kew.

From 1960, Victoria Theatre advertised English and Greek language films in Neos Kosmos, a Greek community newspaper in Melbourne. Victoria Theatre screened English language films up until 2 July 1966. According to advertisements in Neos Kosmos, films with Greek sub-titles were screened up until 21 August 1966.

Film Weekly records the following changes in capacity:

1946/47-1948/49 = 914
1950/51 = 872
1952/53-1958/9 = 886
1961/62 = 954
1962/63-1969/70 = 766
1971 = 712
See: Westgarth / Valhalla
Venue: Other Information
Kino (Mc Kenzie, p. 23) reports "the Richmond Valhalla closed at the end of January (1988), and screenings are now transferred to the Westgarth Theatre at Northcote"

The Australasian Cinema (24 June 1976, p. 8.) reports "The Valhalla boys opened their cinema on Thursday 16th...Now known as Valhalla Cinema, its the Old Victoria Theatre, North Richmond, but now it has a total face-lift, new carpets, seating drapes, roof and air conditioning..."

Manage role dates sourced from Film Weekly and building records from the Public Records Office Victoria

References
1987, 'Farewell to all that- or then again, perhaps not', ''Richmond Times'", March 10.

Valhalla cinema calendars,

Film Weekly: motion picture directory, Film Weekly, Sydney. 1946/7- 1971

Bunbury, S 1984, 'Valhalla makes its own film', Age, January 19.

Burchall, G 1987, 'Cinematic op-shop crosses town', Age, December 24, p.5.

Mc Kenzie, J & Cook, R 1988, Kino: journal of the Australian theatre historical society, No. 23, p. 23.

PROV, VPRS 7882/P1 Public Building Files, Unit 252 , PB 1280.

Young, J 1996 'Valhalla memories' Herald Sun 13 June, p. 54