CAARP
Cinema and Audience Research Project

The Fink/Lieberman/Birch group purchased a department store and converted it to two theatres - My Fair Lady and the Embassy. The My Fair Lady Theatre opened on December 9, 1964 with the premiere screening of My Fair Lady. Embassy / East End 2, Melbourne also opened in 1964 and was built next to My Fair Lady Theatre (a carpark driveway seperated the two theatres).

My Fair Lady was renamed the Palladium on September 15, 1966.

The cinema operated from 1964 under Stardawn Investments until a partnership with Village Theatres had the venue refurbished and renamed East End Cinema 1. (The Embassy became East End 2.) East End 1 & 2 opened on June 30, 1972.

Later, 1974, a third cinema East End 3, Melbourne, was built in the foyer of East End 1.

Stardawn maintained an interest in the cinemas (continued to own the property), although operationally they were under the guidance of the Village banner.

The site was sold in 1988.

References

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

Film Weekly (24 December 1964, p.1) reports on the opening of the Palladium Entertainment Centre housing two cinemas - My Fair Lady & Embassy. The complex includes a Restaurant and under-cover parking.

Walters, T 2009, The Picture Palaces of Melbourne, p. 231