CAARP
Cinema and Audience Research Project

The Northcote Plaza, opened as a picture theatre in 1934 and became a live variety show in the 1940's. Mr Ludbrok Owen Menck commissioned and owned the building to the end. Listed under the 'Independent Theatres' section in the Argus newspaper. For several years the Plaza was part of the independent network, screening MGM, Paramount and British product. "It was a second-week outlet, with the same program as the larger and imposing Westgarth Theatre...".
From 1941 manager A.R Harwood ran the venue with both vaudville and film programs.
The CATHS research team reports (2010) that the Plaza suspended films altogether from 17 November 1949. The Plaza re-opened 3 weeks later as a Variety house.

Films later returned to the theatre beginning in October 1953 and ran until February 1959.

In April 1960 the theatre re-opened once again showing Italian films. Closing date yet to be confirmed.

Became Elysee Reception in 1986.

Venue: Other Information
Role links based on information recorded in the Film Weekly Directories.

Italian language film screenings advertised in general terms (no film titles given) for Plaza Theatre Northcote in Il Globo on the following dates:

Friday 1960-06-10 to Saturday 1960-06-11
Saturday 1960-06-25
Saturday 1960-07-02 9 (joint advertisement with Cinestar Theatre)

See Il Globo 20 April 1960, p.10, which mentions the new initiative of "films italiani" at the Plaza, together with "Signor Alessi" as 'proprietario" of the Cinestar.

Film Weekly records the following changes in capacity:
1946/47-1949/50 = 1455
1951/52 = 1200
1952/53-1953/54 = 1455

References
Cinema & Theatre Historical Society 1997, Cinema index : Melbourne cinemas, suburban cinemas, Victorian drive-ins. CATHS, Victoria.

Film Weekly, Film Weekly: motion picture directory, Film Weekly, Sydney. 1943- 1960/61.

Manzie, K 1953, 'Three-D in suburbs: Latest Melbourne moves,' "Film Weekly," September 3, p. 12.

PROV, VPRS 7882/P1 Public Building Files, Unit 950, PB 8113.

'Plaza Variety theatre: against the odds', Cinema record Iss. 66, 2010

1935 'Plaza opens at Northcote' Everyones January 16, p. 10 (references the opening)

The Sun (22 February 1955, p. 5) reporting a series of bad luck incidences which, occurred at the theatre.