Wallis Cinemas
Encyclopedia
Wallis Cinemas is a South Australia
n company that operates cinema complexes, cinemas and drive-ins in the city of Adelaide
and its suburbs.
in South Australia. The Blueline was the state's first drive-in theatre. Wallis Theatres expanded rapidly, opening drive-in theatres throughout South Australia over the next decade. The company operated the following drive-in theatres in Adelaide:
Wallis Theatres also catered for country South Australia, with drive-in theatres established in the Riverland
, Barossa Valley
and mid-north. Wallis' six country drive-ins were:
The company opened South Australia's first multi-screen cinema in 1971 when the single-screen Glenelg Ozone was purchased and transformed into what is now the Glenelg Cinema Centre. In 1972, Wallis Theatres saved the Chelsea Cinema at Marryatville from demolition. This cinema is now heritage-listed. The company's growth continued when Wallis Theatres purchased a warehouse in Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide
, and converted it into a twin cinema. A further three screens were built in 1980, and the complex was named Academy Cinema City.
Wallis Theatres purchased the single-screen Forum Cinema at North Adelaide
in 1983. This location was redeveloped into the Piccadilly Cinemas, although the company sought to maintain the heritage and architecture of the building. The company built and opened the five-screen Noarlunga Cinema Centre in 1991, the Mount Barker Cinemas in 2003, and the Mitcham Cinemas in 2007.
Wallis Theatres had closed and sold most of their country and suburban drive-ins by the early 1990s. Of their remaining drive-in locations, the Blueline closed in 1998 and the Valleyline in 2003. However, Wallis continues to operate the Mainline drive-in.
The company closed their single-screen Oxford Cinema at Unley in 2001. In 2007, faced with dwindling audience numbers, Wallis Theatres also closed down their five-screen Academy Cinema City complex, which has since been demolished. Competition from the Greater Union
cinema complex at Marion resulted in falling numbers of patrons to the Glenelg Cinema Centre, which was closed in February 2009.
In 2005, Wallis Theatres changed their branding for all public advertising purposes to "Wallis Cinemas". Officially, however, the company was still known as Wallis Theatres. This changed in late 2007 when officially it was changed to the new name Wallis Cinemas.
.
Wallis Theatres owns and operates Auchendarroch House and the Wallis Tavern, both located at Mount Barker adjacent to Wallis' cinema complex. Auchendarroch House is an 1800s mansion that has been restored by Wallis to serve as a function centre.
Wallis also provides services to independent cinema operators in South Australia (including the Capri Theatre
and Victor Harbor theatre), such as programming.
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n company that operates cinema complexes, cinemas and drive-ins in the city of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
and its suburbs.
History
This family-owned company was established as "Wallis Theatres" by its founder, Hugh Wallis, in 1956 with the opening of the Blueline drive-in theatre at West BeachWest Beach, South Australia
West Beach is a seaside suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in both the City of Charles Sturt and the City of West Torrens.-History:...
in South Australia. The Blueline was the state's first drive-in theatre. Wallis Theatres expanded rapidly, opening drive-in theatres throughout South Australia over the next decade. The company operated the following drive-in theatres in Adelaide:
- Blueline, West BeachWest Beach, South AustraliaWest Beach is a seaside suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in both the City of Charles Sturt and the City of West Torrens.-History:...
- Oceanline, Christies Beach
- Mainline, Gepps Cross
- Parkline, Mitchell ParkMitchell Park, South AustraliaMitchell Park is a suburb south of Adelaide. It shares common boundaries with Marion, Bedford Park, Clovelly Park, and Ascot Park. In recent years it has undergone major redevelopments through a program of urban renewal which included the renovation of many properties owned by the former South...
- Valleyline, St AgnesSt Agnes, South AustraliaSt Agnes is a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is around 15 km northeast of the city centre. It is located in the City of Tea Tree Gully....
- Harbourline, Outer Harbour
- Hi-line, PanoramaPanoramaA panorama is any wide-angle view or representation of a physical space, whether in painting, drawing, photography, film/video, or a three-dimensional model....
- Hollywood, SalisburySalisburySalisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
Downs
Wallis Theatres also catered for country South Australia, with drive-in theatres established in the Riverland
Riverland
The Riverland, is a region of South Australia. It covers the area near the Murray River from where it flows into South Australia downstream to Blanchetown.The major town centres are Renmark, Berri, Loxton, Waikerie and Barmera...
, Barossa Valley
Barossa Valley
The Barossa Valley is a major wine-producing region and tourist destination of South Australia, located 60 km northeast of Adelaide. It is the valley formed by the North Para River, and the Barossa Valley Way is the main road through the valley, connecting the main towns on the valley floor of...
and mid-north. Wallis' six country drive-ins were:
- Bonneyline, Barmera
- Murrayline, BerriBerri, South AustraliaBerri is a town in the Riverland region of South Australia. It is 238 kilometres north-east of Adelaide, the capital of the state of South Australia. It is primarily an agricultural and viticultural town on the north bank of the Murray River...
- Northline, ClareClare, South AustraliaThe town of Clare is located in South Australia in the Mid North region, 136 km north of Adelaide. It gives its name to the Clare Valley wine and tourist region.-History:One of the first settlers in the area was John Horrocks, in 1839...
- Riverline, LoxtonLoxton, South AustraliaLoxton is a town on the south bank of the River Murray in the Riverland region of South Australia. At the 2006 census, Loxton had a population of 3,431....
- Groveline, Renmark
- Barossaline, Tanunda
The company opened South Australia's first multi-screen cinema in 1971 when the single-screen Glenelg Ozone was purchased and transformed into what is now the Glenelg Cinema Centre. In 1972, Wallis Theatres saved the Chelsea Cinema at Marryatville from demolition. This cinema is now heritage-listed. The company's growth continued when Wallis Theatres purchased a warehouse in Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, and converted it into a twin cinema. A further three screens were built in 1980, and the complex was named Academy Cinema City.
Wallis Theatres purchased the single-screen Forum Cinema at North Adelaide
North Adelaide
North Adelaide is a predominantly residential precinct of the City of Adelaide in South Australia, situated north of the River Torrens and within the Adelaide Park Lands.-History:...
in 1983. This location was redeveloped into the Piccadilly Cinemas, although the company sought to maintain the heritage and architecture of the building. The company built and opened the five-screen Noarlunga Cinema Centre in 1991, the Mount Barker Cinemas in 2003, and the Mitcham Cinemas in 2007.
Wallis Theatres had closed and sold most of their country and suburban drive-ins by the early 1990s. Of their remaining drive-in locations, the Blueline closed in 1998 and the Valleyline in 2003. However, Wallis continues to operate the Mainline drive-in.
The company closed their single-screen Oxford Cinema at Unley in 2001. In 2007, faced with dwindling audience numbers, Wallis Theatres also closed down their five-screen Academy Cinema City complex, which has since been demolished. Competition from the Greater Union
Greater Union
Greater Union, Birch Carroll and Coyle, Event Cinemas, Skycity Cinemas and Damodar Village Cinemas together form a chain of cinema multiplexes across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji...
cinema complex at Marion resulted in falling numbers of patrons to the Glenelg Cinema Centre, which was closed in February 2009.
In 2005, Wallis Theatres changed their branding for all public advertising purposes to "Wallis Cinemas". Officially, however, the company was still known as Wallis Theatres. This changed in late 2007 when officially it was changed to the new name Wallis Cinemas.
Locations
- Piccadilly Cinemas, North AdelaideNorth AdelaideNorth Adelaide is a predominantly residential precinct of the City of Adelaide in South Australia, situated north of the River Torrens and within the Adelaide Park Lands.-History:...
(3 screens) - Chelsea CinemaChelsea Cinema, MarryatvilleThe Chelsea Theatre is a single screen cinema in Kensington Park, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia.The front entrance faces the Marryatville suburb and is seen as being part of the Marryatville business community....
, Marryatville (1 screen) - Mount BarkerMount Barker, South AustraliaMount Barker is an expanding city, home to 10 258 residents that is 33 kilometres up the South Eastern Freeway, east of Adelaide, in South Australia. It is the seat of the District Council of Mount Barker, is the largest town in the Adelaide Hills, and is one of the fastest growing areas in the...
Cinemas (7 screens) - NoarlungaNoarlunga Centre, South AustraliaNoarlunga Centre is a suburb in the City of Onkaparinga in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia. The suburb is purely commercial, being dominated by the Centro Colonnades shopping centre. Thus there are no private residents. The suburb is bordered by Beach Road to the north, Dyson Road...
Cinema Centre (5 screens) - MitchamMitcham, South AustraliaMitcham is a suburb of Adelaide in the City of Mitcham.Created as a village separate from Adelaide , it was ancillary to a sheep station at Brown Hill Creek belonging to the South Australia Company. Prior to European settlement the area was inhabited by the Kaurna aboriginal people...
Cinemas at Mitcham Square Shopping CentreMitcham Square Shopping CentreMitcham Square Shopping Centre is a shopping mall in the City of Mitcham, located on Belair Road, Torrens Park, an inner southern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia...
(7 screens) - Mainline Drive-in, Gepps Cross (1 screen)
Other activities
Besides operating their cinemas, Wallis Theatres works in conjunction with Big Screen Advertising. This company is involved in the distribution and screening of advertisements at cinemas. Big Screen Advertising has supplied pre-film advertising to all of Wallis' cinema locations since 2004, when Val Morgan Cinema Advertising (Wallis' previous advertising agent) was absorbed by rival cinema chain HoytsHoyts
The Hoyts Group is an Australian company consisting of Hoyts Exhibition, Hoyts Distribution and Val Morgan.Hoyts Exhibition manages 450 screens across 40 Australian and 10 New Zealand cinema complexes; making it Australia's second largest cinema chain. Val Morgan, the cinema advertising arm of the...
.
Wallis Theatres owns and operates Auchendarroch House and the Wallis Tavern, both located at Mount Barker adjacent to Wallis' cinema complex. Auchendarroch House is an 1800s mansion that has been restored by Wallis to serve as a function centre.
Wallis also provides services to independent cinema operators in South Australia (including the Capri Theatre
Capri Theatre
The Capri Theatre is a cinema in Goodwood, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia, built in the Art Deco style.It is owned by the Theatre Organ Society of Australia Inc, which bills the cinema as a "Unique Entertainment Showplace in the World".A feature of the cinema is the Wurlitzer theatre organ,...
and Victor Harbor theatre), such as programming.
See also
- Greater UnionGreater UnionGreater Union, Birch Carroll and Coyle, Event Cinemas, Skycity Cinemas and Damodar Village Cinemas together form a chain of cinema multiplexes across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji...
- competitor - HoytsHoytsThe Hoyts Group is an Australian company consisting of Hoyts Exhibition, Hoyts Distribution and Val Morgan.Hoyts Exhibition manages 450 screens across 40 Australian and 10 New Zealand cinema complexes; making it Australia's second largest cinema chain. Val Morgan, the cinema advertising arm of the...
- competitor - Reading Cinemas - competitor