A few years back Pastor Mark Trewavas, of the Hawera Assembly of God Church, mentioned to me that they were going to re-carpet their church, formerly the Regent Theatre.
"Why not cut up the old carpet and sell it off in carpet squares," I suggested. "This would give the locals a bit of memorabilia and be a good fundraising venture for the church to help fund the new carpet."
It was an idea Pastor Mark went for.
The carpet, a thick pile Axminster bearing the New Zealand fernleaf pattern, was laid 56 years ago when the Regent Theatre was first opened on Friday, April 22, 1955 by the mayor of Hawera, Mr FW Finer.
The first movie shown on the giant screen, which measured 37 feet by 20 feet and could show films in either cinemascope or vistavision, was White Christmas starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.
During the next few weeks movie goers watched Bob Hope in Casanova's Big Night; Paul Douglas in The Maggie; Humphrey Bogart, William Holden and Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina; Marlon Brando in On The Waterfront; Ray Milland, Grace Kelly and Robert Cummings in Dial M For Murder.
These were the days before television and the number one entertainment was going to the pictures, and I bet everyone who has gone to the Regent can tell a story, most of which are unprintable. The most common tale was the rolling of Jaffas down the sloped wooden floor under the seats.
In those good old days you had to stand for the national anthem before the movies started and the strict ushers used to shine their torches in your face for putting your feet up or talking.
Remember Mrs Goodey, who used to look after the kiosk in the 60s and 70s? She could roll a hollow ice-cream that was as hard as ice and stuck to your tongue. But she would always say "thank you" in her sharp voice as she took your pennies.
And then there were the boys who brought around the ice cream trays at half time. I was always in the cheap seats downstairs and by the time the boys had done upstairs there were never any left.
Getting a ticket in the 697-seat theatre was also a mission, especially if it was a Clint Eastwood cowboy movie, with people lined up to Union St corner. Reserved seats for the big blockbusters were a must.
It was also a place for the first date: a night at the pictures and a rum-and-coke at the Bamboo or a cup of tea at Victoria Cafe.
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The Royal Hotel was just one door down from the theatre so film-goers could pop in to the Royal for a quick 7oz beer at half-time. The Royal was later pulled down to make way for the TSB Bank.
Then there was the night that Paul McCann, who had been collecting moths for a least a week, let them go. The moths flew towards the light, causing an uproar and putting the theatre staff in a panic.
And a word of warning: don't fall asleep in the theatre or your mates will leave you there. That's what happened to Wayne Collins in the early 70s, but luckily for Wayne the projectionist was working late and let him out.
There was one big bloke, who used to go on a regular basis, who was so big that they had to take out a seat partition to get him seated. It was his special seat that no one dared to take.
They were strict on age classifications. I remember getting my older sister Margaret to buy my ticket to Birdman of Alcatraz, starring Burt Lancaster (R13), only to be thrown-out part-way through for being underage. No refund in those days.
The original doors, which were armour-plated glass with the name Regent Theatre sandblasted on, now have a new home, hanging on Councillor Mike Powell's bunker in his back garden. It would be a handy place to be if World War III broke out.
The theatre finally closed on February 31, 1987.
To have a piece of the 1950s, call in to the church office, the old Regent Theatre, and choose a carpet square, any shape or size, with the starting price of $30.
- © Fairfax NZ News BY CLIFF HUNT- SOUTH TARANAKI STAR
Last updated 10:54 08/12/2011
CLIFF HUNT
Mark Trewavas, of the Hawera Aseembly of God, with a part of the torn-up carpet.
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