Quote: "William Hobler and his son, Harold Learmonth Hobler, were pioneers of the motion picture theatre business in Rockhampton. William Hobler had a half share in the building and ownership of the Arcadia Theatre, Musgrave Street, Rockhampton, in 1914. In 1916, a film called 'Kalka' was presented at the Arcadia which depicted army life in an annual Volunteer Defence Corps Camp. The film was intended to portray a model camp of 670 officers and men, and camp life and activities, including drill and exercises. The Arcadia functioned as a theatre until 1931. After the death of William Hobler, Harold Hobler became manager of Tivoli Talkies Ltd and the Arcadia Theatre. He later became the owner of the Tivoli Talkies, which was renamed the Tivoli Theatre. This had its own generator, a feature at the time. The Tivoli was an open-air theatre until 1935. The first talking film shown there was 'Rio Rita' in 1926. From that time, Hobler's extensive promotion of coming films prompted letters of appreciated from Columbia Pictures in the 1930s and from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the 1940s. In 1931 he comprehensively promoted the film 'Dirigible' and included a mock-up airship on display at the Tivoli, an aeroplane fly-past, newspaper advertising, shop window displays, and a goat parading with sandwich-board advertisements. This promotion earned Hobler a commendation from Columbia Pictures and a silver model airship. In 1939, Hobler leased the Tivoli Theatre when the government ordered him to Brisbane to work during World War 2. He sold the Tivoli Theatre after 1945, but continued to manage it and the new Liberty Theatre until he retired." by Mrs Mary Clare Hobler.
(Source: AHRR Online Database - http://www.nla.gov.au/) |