St Christopher's Roman Catholic church at Panania used to be an art deco (1930s) cinema, The Panania Star (thanks Jill!) . It's one of the oldest buildings in this quiet Sydney suburb.
What else is there to say about Panania? Well, cricketing twins Steve and Mark Waugh were Panania boys who attended Panania Public School; and actor Bryan Brown hails from here. The nearby Revesby Workers' Club has held a Bryan Brown Film Festival (now called the Reel Deal Film Festival, with Brown as patron). It also provides a $5000 film study scholarship called the Bryan Brown Film Scholarship - so budding film-makers, get the details here!
If you've never heard of Bryan Brown - here he is. In this article, Bryan said: "When I was growing up, no one ever thought about being an actor," he said. "I went to Panania Pictures and it was Tarzan or westerns or Rin Tin Tin."
And if you haven't heard of Mark and Steve Waugh, then you are from a non-cricket country; otherwise you've been under a log for a few decades! (Waugh fans - click on that link - it's great! I'm a fan - my son was coached tennis by their dad at one time. ) . Haven't got a quote from the Waughs about whether they frequented the Panania Star as well.
I'm off to Milperra now, home of another Australian sporting great. . . see you tomorrow.
Hello, Sally.
ReplyDeleteI'm Japanese amateur photographer, RELAXIA.
I can't read and write English well.
But I enjoyed your photos in Sydney.
Your photos is nice.
Linked your blog from my blog.
http://relaxia.blogspot.com/
I know about Bryan Brown because of "A Town Called Alice" which I want on DVD, if only it existed. He was amazing in that role. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteRecycling old building for new occupants is a smart idea. Theater to church, and sometimes church to other venues: homes, apartments, storefronts. Interesting!
ReplyDeleteBeing a local, I live in hope that it will one day be recycled again as the "Panania Dendy"! I hear that the gentle slope is still there- for rolling jaffas?
ReplyDeleteThis is interesting. I'm all for recycling buildings,(even began a series on them.) While I am pro-church I hate some of the things they have done to buildings.
ReplyDeleteI've heard about churches recycled in apartments, but never of a story like this one.
ReplyDeleteWhat a grand idea! Love your photos of the recycling project!
ReplyDeleteMy PAD and
Guelph Daily Photo
I'm not from a cricket country, so I didn't know about Waughs..., but this post tells an amazing story. Learned a lot! Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI like the use of the building instead of it being demolished. I like it when a home can be made out of a lighthouse or a barn. It seems like there is not enough of it going on.
ReplyDeleteI published a bunch of nothings today - a little of this and that.
In France there are enough ancient churches that we don't need to recycle any cinemas into new ones - gotta love Australia for this creativity!
ReplyDeleteHi Joe Here, The St Christophers Church used to be a Cinema, panania star Cinema,Built as a pair to which nearby Padstow Star was its twin, both built back in 1952, the Cinema wss closed in 1964 with its last saturday matinee Disneys "The Moonspiners"
ReplyDeleteThe Church aquired ownership from its parish priest the late
Fr P.Landers who i had a detailed conversation with during a walk through the old church, he talked of how back in its heyday the cinema projectionist would untangle film layed out in the adjacent school grounds.
The cinema back in 1966 was converted partially into a church with still the stalls and seating remaining original toward the rear of the Cinema/Church including it's projection booth, which was mereley obscured by a wooden partition wall which remained this way until 2004 when total renovations were made to the building removing the projection booth.
i was privilegded to obtain old junk on a spring cleanup in 1987 to which i helped Fr Landers open up the deep bowels of the building and clean it out, there were alot of cinema treasures found there such as seating, films, glass slides, signs, candy bar, and the original marquee among projector parts and a spare housing, picture frames and a chest drawer containing unfolded film posters from the early 50's, newsreels, and mgm cartoon films, serials such as the invisible man and the G-men, and superman.
Reminances of what the Original Panania Star Cinema looked like can be seen clearly at the Old Padstow star now a Video Shop, Padstow Star closed its doors as a cinema in 1984 with its final film on Friday Night being "The Pirate Movie" and has not had much removed from its interiors.
THANKYOU for your wonderful memories Anon, and helping bring this to life even more! Fascinating stories.
ReplyDeleteHi Anon again..Joe Here..I do have old pictures taken inside the Old Panania Star give to me By Fr Landers If anyone wants any email me at Panavision@bigpond.com
ReplyDeleteMore Insight into The Panania Star Cinema St Christophers Church History Can Be Found Here>>.
ReplyDeletehttp://simiana-digital-media.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!81E95773F17DDA73!1647.entry
Hello Anon
ReplyDeleteA message from Bill Collins (former
projectionist from Panania Star Theatre). After reading your blog
I can tell you there is a lot of misinformation in your blog.
To begin with, no projectionist would ever unravel film in an outdoor area. Fr Landers was with me in the projection room (biograph box) whilst I was unravelling a Disney short film called "Disneyland After Dark". Also, all of the photos that Fr Landers gave you were actually taken by me as I gave them to him.
The photo from the Cinema Heritage Series Number 4 by Kevin Cork was also photographed by me. May I also point out that Panania Threatre was never considered an "Ärt Deco" Theatre. Rather it was considered a "Stadium" Threatre. Your other misinformation was the dismantling of the projection room equipment. I was present when National Threatre Supplies removed them and sent them to The Star Newsreel in Melbourne which was owned by Tom Virgona. At present they are located in a private museum. The
seating was removed by me personally (row by row, week by week) and sent to the Ascot Theatre in Sydney which is now demolished. As to the Star sign, it was taken down whilst I was still working at Panania Theatre and replaced by me with coloured carnival lights. The sign was actually rented and it was too expensive and would often break down so that is why I replaced it.
Thanks.
@ Bill Collins Joe Here wish i can get intouch with you and get the correct information about the Panania Star, i would very much like to have a lengthy interview with you, and get it first hand from you, as you were there, as Fr Landers is now passed on, and people i have spoken too regarding Panania Star have been a bit vaigue in recalling about it, i would love to get it right and amend the blog i wrote on Panania Star, you can reach me on panavision@bigpond.com would love to talk to you, Regards Joe !!
ReplyDeleteBILL !!!, JOE HERE, I WOuLD VERY MUCH LIKE TO TALK WITH YOU IN DETAIL REGARDING PANANIA STAR SOME INFO ON THE OLD CINEMA I GOT SEEMED A BIT ODD, O WOULD LOVE TO CORRECT AND AMEND ANY INFO I CAN, THANKS FOR COMMENTING BILL !!
ReplyDeletePLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME AT PANAVISION@BIGPOND.COM
REGARDS
JOE
Hello Joe
ReplyDeleteThis is Bill Collins here (former projectionist Panania Star Theatre - 1960) in response to your blog on Panania Star Theatre. If you have any questions regarding Panania Star Theatre or any of the associated theatres (ie. Owned by Tom Virgona..Padstow Star Theatre, Melody Riverwood (Herne Bay)), Please don’t hesitate to email me with all of your questions and I will be only too happy to answer them as I worked at all of these theatres. I met Fr Landers in 1960 and he also performed the marriage ceremony
of my wife and I in 1966 and it was my wife who worked in the Candy Bar of the theatres.
My name is Steve Mills, I was the projectionist for Padstow Star from July 1968 until October 1986, when it closed it's doors for the last time. I worked along side of paul Dravet and and Alan Wilson. Bill, the seating you speak of that went from Panania to the Ascot ended up at Padstow Star around the mid 1970's; I helped install them. I saw "The Ten Commandments" and "Ben Hur" at Panania cinema, I was around 10-12 years old and I remember thinking at the time, I want to run the movies; my dream came true. Padstow Star was taken over by Bruce Paterson around 1966, after Tom Virgona's death. When Bruce died, early 80's Mark, last name escapes me, bought it. He also had interest with the Randwick Ritz, along with his sister. Those were the days... I miss it to this day.
ReplyDelete