A short history of the Palais Theatre

In 1913, the owners of Luna Park opened Palais de Danse. This was the first Palais building.

At the beginning of World War 1 this hall became a cinema, playing silent films with a live orchestra. In 1920, Walter and Marion Burley Griffin designed the new Palais Pictures building. This new theatre was right next door to the Palais de Danse.

The Griffins then designed a new facade for the Palais Pictures in 1925, but a fire broke out before the opening. The fire destroyed the building before it could welcome any patrons.

The Griffins then moved to Sydney, so Henry E White designed the replacement building. Opened in 1927, the Palais was the largest cinema in Australia, holding 3000 people.

Palais Pictures was one of the first local cinemas to screen talkie films. It also hosted live music and performances by comedians, actors and dancers. The Palais de Danse continued to operate as a dance hall next to the theatre for many more years.

Television became popular during the 1950s and cinemas, like the Palais, struggled. The Palais turned into a live concert venue to survive the decline in cinema attendance. Major acts included Louis Armstrong, The Beach Boys and The Rolling Stones.

The ‘Save the Palais’ campaign meant the Palais made it into ‘The Age Music Victoria Hall of Fame’ in 2014. A contribution of $13 million to restore the building was made.

The Palais continues to host a large variety of live performances and films to this day.

Keep an eye out for some of the original design elements and objects during your next visit to the Palais. In particular, the foot warmers, illuminated exit signs, stage curtains, and carved timber bench seats. These smaller parts of the theatre are a reminder of the long and winding story of the Palais.