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Star Theatre, Goodwood
This theatre, originally intended to be called the "Wondergraph", was opened by the D Clifford circuit (which took over the Wondergraph company in September, 1920) on 3 November, 1920 [John Thiele and Ross Lange, "Thanks for the Memory", TOSA, Adelaide, 1991, p.52]. It contained a single-manual, two-rank (Flute and wooden String) Seeburg photoplayer. Its installation date is unknown, but it may well have been there from the opening. The instrument fell out of use with the demise of silent films, and was subsequently removed and dismantled for parts. The Flute rank and one of the chests was incorporated in the Dodd organ at St Margaret's Church, Woodville.[Bill Binding, conversation with author, August, 1975], which was rebuilt by Dodd & Sons, Gunstar Organ Works, in 1946 (and again in 1973) [Bruce Naylor, "Gazetteer of South Australian Pipe Organs", Society of Organists (Victoria) Inc., Melbourne, 1974, p.15]. The piano unit was sold to Plympton RSL (Returned Services League) Club, but was later resold.
In 1941, the Clifford circuit opened the New Star Theatre (later to become the Capri) a few doors along the street, and the old Star was sold to the Ozone group. It returned to the ownership of the Clifford group which operated it for a brief period in 1955. It was then leased until 1964, when it ceased to operate as a theatre. It was renamed the Ozone [John Thiele and Ross Lange, op. cit., p.86], presumably in 1941, and then the Curzon in 1955. Its exterior still exists, the interior being converted into retail premises.
The Star Theatre's organ is described as being installed in the "Clifford Theatre, Glenelg" in a review by the late Baden Pike [Baden Pike, "Early Adelaide Theatre Organs", Vox, TOSA (Vic), Melbourne, April-May, 1964, p. 5] of some of Adelaide's early theatre organs. The Star was owned by Dan Clifford, and Goodwood is on the way from Adelaide to Glenelg, and thus confusion may have arisen. Ross Lange's comprehensive history of the Clifford circuit gives no mention of any theatre owned or operated by Clifford in Glenelg [John and Ross Lange, op. cit., p.p. 50-69].
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