I visited the Cremorne Hayden Orpheum picture palace in Sydney again yesterday. Its Art Deco decor is stunning and it was such a pleasure wandering around the foyers and stairs admiring all the detail. I took some more pictures of some of the Hayden Orpheum light fittings which capture the spirit of the place.
Hayden Orpheum refurbishment
The Orpheum was restored by entrepreneur Mike Walsh and reopened in December 1987 as the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace. John Love created the Orpheum project with Bill and Avgoulla Hendrickson. This included the creative concept for the original auditorium and the five new cinemas in addition to the ancillary areas. The restoration of the old light fittings, as well as the planning of all new ceiling and wall light creations, interior and exterior doors, were manufactured by Bill and Avgoulla Hendrickson.
Light in corridor to toilet
Main foyer light
Small main foyer lights
Light outside main auditorium
Another light near the toilets
A fitting final photo
Many thanks from Bill and Avgoulla Hendrickson, and myself, for your kind words about the Orpheum.
It is very rare that we ever get such feedback from anywhere and your comments are really greatly appreciated – very much!
Kindest regards,
John David Love
Thank you for the feedback David. I appreciate your kind words. I’m surprised that you rarely get compliments for the Orpheum restoration. It is simply the most stunning theatre in Sydney and a fine legacy of the artistic vision of Bill, Avgoulls and yourself. Bravo!
Sad new David!!!! My lovely, valued friend and great associate Avgoulla Hendrikson passed away is Lismore Hospital in February at the relatively young age of 54 years. What a loss!!!! What a great talent!! She has been ill for several years, but none of us ever thought she was so near the
end of her life. She did some drawings for a theatre-cinema in Montana, USA I had become associated with in 2003. Our saddest thing was that we never did the art deco organ surround
that you helped to develop the design for. Let’s hope that some time soon we can get together and finish this a tribute to this special lady!~
Sad news indeed John. She has left a great legacy in the work restoring the Orpheum to the Art Deco gem it is today.