CAARP
Cinema and Audience Research Project

"The Capitol Theatre on the corner of Payneham Road and George Street at St. Peters was described by The Register (5 February 1925) as being "the largest of its kind in any suburb in Australia". It was the grandest picture house Dan Clifford had ordered to be built to that date. The builder, W.H. Hagger, had been the contractor for the Parkside Star and was later to build the New Unley Star.

Costing nearly £20,000, the Capitol had a seating capacity of 1,900. The dress circle was fitted out with 750 leather upholstered seats and had a richly curtained stairway leading to it. The lavishly carpeted dress circle lounge was furnished on the style of the Jacobean period. The interior designer, local resident A.V. Adlam, adopted the old English style for the lounge because he felt that the patrons would appreciate "an atmosphere of homely welcome."

The Capitol boasted the largest orchestra used in any suburban theatre in South Australia. The seven musicians were conducted by another local resident, Miss L. Foote. In addition to the orchestra, there were seventeen attendants. This staff was managed by Dan Clifford's sister, Mary, who prior to the opening of the Capitol had managed the Parkside Star." Dylan Walker, Adelaide's Silent Nights

Talkies Ltd screened at this venue in 1936.

References
1925 'ST. PETERS NEW THEATRE.', The Register, 5 February, p. 11, viewed 1 November, 2011, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63731824