Image courtesy of Victa Cinemas Victa Cinema - Entertaining the Fleurieu since 1923 (victacinemas.com.au)
The Victor Harbor Times and Encounter Bay and Lower Murray Pilot, p. 3, 23 November 1923 Image courtesy of trove: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/163313738?searchTerm=%22%20victor%20theatre%22
On the 24th November in 1923 the original Victor Theatre Opened. D.H. Griffin & Sons saw an opportunity, they set about converting their garage into a picture theatre that would hold 700 people. (History - Victa Cinema (victacinemas.com.au)). It would cost £10,000 to build (The Advertiser 15 January 1934).
Image courtesy of Victa Cinemas Victa Cinema - Entertaining the Fleurieu since 1923 (victacinemas.com.au)
The Victor Theatre would open just a month before the Wonderview Theatre also in Victor Harbor. Originally it was run by Griffin Pictures, but there would be a number of owners over the years; from National Theatres (who also looked after the Wonderview Theatre) to Ozone Theatres Limited in 1928 (ibid).
On the14th January 1934 the theatre was extensively damaged in a fire that started in the rear of the building (The Advertiser 15 January 1934). The fire was reported by a Mr. Fred Sweetman at about 12.10am (Victor Harbor Times 19 January 1934), it would spread to the adjoining Bells Department store too. The building suffered extensive damage, most notably to the ornate ceiling at the rear of the building (The Advertiser 15 January 1934). Luckily the cinema had insurance and so the rebuilding of the Victor Theatre could commence.
Image courtesy of Victa Cinemas Victa Cinema - Entertaining the Fleurieu since 1923 (victacinemas.com.au)
The Victor Theatre would have many owners throughout its life and would be impacted by the introduction of television and also a locally operated Drive-In theatre, leading to closure throughout the winter months in the mid-1960s (History - Victa Cinema (victacinemas.com.au). In 1996 it was renamed the Victa Cinema and today the cinema is owned by The City of Victor Harbor (ibid). It remains a beautiful example of the Art Deco period of buildings and is open Wednesday through Sundays.
References:
"Fire at Victor Harbor Theatre; Midnight Blaze' The Advertiser (Adelaide) 15 January 1934 p. 9. retrieved from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97251109?searchTerm=%22%20victor%20theatre%22
"Fire Brigade make good save" Victor Harbor Times, 19 January 1934, p. 1. retrieved from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/167137100?searchTerm=%22%20victor%20theatre%22
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