CAARP
Cinema and Audience Research Project

"The Bryson Cinema was the second house in a proposed capital city chain of Universal first release cinemas. The Ascot Theatre in Sydney was the first. MCA Universal acquired the two other partners for the Melbourne project namely Capacity Cinemas and GTV 9. Capacity Cinemas at the time operated the Capitol 1 (the rebuilt 1924 Capitol) and Capitol 2 (the former 1941 Century Newsreel) both situated on Swanston Street.

The Bryson cinema was situated in the new multi storeyed building constructed on the former Bryson Industries car dealership at 184 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, on the the southeast corner of Little Bourke Street. The new tower included a new Bryson Industries showroom, a public carpark, The Bryson Cinema (First Floor) and the 24 level Bryson Hotel.

The application for approval to open was dated December 1, 1972. The theatre was promoted as the "Beautiful Bryson" and opened on December 8, 1972, showing the Peter Sellers film Where Does It Hurt?" (Kennedy p. 8)

Village aTheatre and Capacity cinemas formed a circuit, which included the Australia 1 & 2, Capitol 1 & 2 and the Bryson. In 1983 Village relinquished their direct interest in the Bryson and began to be listed in the Independent Theatres section of the Age. The Bryson theatre was closed a short time later.
References

Argus 3 October 1896 (p. 13) lists 'Skating Rink' at 184 Exhibition Street

The Australian Poster Album by Brian Carroll has on p.90 a copy of an advert for the 'Melbourne Athletic Club' at 184 Exhibition Street.

Australasian Cinema, 16 December, 1983

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

Kennedy, G 2000, 'Bryson Cinema - Melbourne',CinemaRecord Cinema and Theatre Historical Society Victoria, no. 28. p. 8.

'Running this cinema is a one man show', The Age, November 11 1972.