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Cinema and Audience Research Project

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Whiteway / Amusua / Empire, Port Kembla

Venue Summary
Name Whiteway / Amusua / Empire, Port Kembla
Address Wentworth Street, Port Kembla, New South Wales 2505
Operation Dates 1915-05-31 - 1992-01-01
Capacity 1145
Suburban/Country Country
Purpose Cinema
Screens 1
Roles
1928-01-01 - 1964-01-01 : Exhibitor : Wollongong Theatres Pty. Ltd.
1965-01-01 - 1967-01-01 : Distributor : Markides, N.
1969-01-01 - 1970-01-01 : Exhibitor : Robbins, K. R.
1971-01-01 - 1992-01-01 : Exhibitor : Markides, N.
Venue Comments

The Whiteway (also spelled White Way) Theatre began as Port Kembla’s first theatre the Empire Hall. Later it was named the Amusua Theatre and then the Whiteway from 1928. It was used as a theatre until 1965 and then the building fell into disrepair and was destroyed by fire in 1992. (Parkinson, 1995)

In 1936 Wollongong Theatres leased the cinema. The company bought the business and premise outright in 1955. In 1965 the company sold the property. Parkinson (1995, p. 107) reports that audiences were “dwindling” by this time.

After a short period of closure The Whiteway was purchased by Nick Markides of Louis Film Co Pty. Ltd. For the next 7 years Makides exhibited continental films two to four nights weekly. In 1976 the theatre was resold in to Thirroul businessman Kosta Dimitrovski who used the venue to exhibit restricted adult movies. The cinema does not appear to have been used from around 1980 and was destroyed by fire in 1992 (Parkinson 1995 pp. 106 - 107). The façade survived the fire and remains intact.

Venue: Screening Policy
This was a venue for Greek film screenings.

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

Parkinson, R 1995, Gauffered Velour: a history of motion picture exhibition and picture theatres in the Illawarra district of New South Wales, 1897-1994, Australian Theatre Historical Society, Campbelltown, NSW.

Venue Events
Event Date Name of Venue Address Latitude /
Longitude
Capacity Suburban Purpose Screens
1915-05-31 Empire Wentworth Street
Port Kembla
New South Wales 2505
-34.1018128
141.9220574
Country Cinema 1
1922-02-13 Amusua



745 Country Cinema 1
1928-01-01 Whiteway



1145 Country Cinema 1

Screenings

Screenings
Films Distributor Dates
Kinonia, Ora Midhen 1963-09-30 - 1963-09-30
Enas Megalos Erotas 1963-10-07 - 1963-10-07
Kleopatra Itan Antonis, I 1963-10-14 - 1963-10-14
Ilingos 1963-10-14 - 1963-10-14
Amarties Goneon 1963-10-21 - 1963-10-21
Sklavi tis Miras 1963-10-28 - 1963-10-28
Mistika tis Amartolis Athinas, Ta 1963-11-04 - 1963-11-04
Agorokoritso, To 1963-11-11 - 1963-11-11
Dhakria Yia Tin Ilektra 1963-11-18 - 1963-11-18
Tha Se Kano Vassilissa 1963-11-25 - 1963-11-25
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