Hayden Cremorne Orpheum Theatre
Websites in North Sydney

Located in cremorne the hayden orpheum picture palace has been operating since 1935. Enjoy a diverse range of cinema including the latest from hollywood as well as smaller independent films. With 6 cinemas the venue has an art deco feel from yesteryear. Check the website for session times.

The content is very gentle and is pertinent for the complete family. No one under the age of 18 is permitted into a crated screening. Many movie posters now carry surplus information specific to a film’s content, to aid you better decide what is correct for you and your family.

Mike Walsh had purchased the instrument from a theater organ enthusiast John Robinson, who wanted the Orpheus to install this splendid instrument in memory of his slow wife. Labor included the finishing of two pipe chambers on either side of the stage, (already in place), to house the 11 ranks of pipes. A platform was built above the proscenium for the particular effects, full scale drum kit, Xylophone, Marimba and other tuned percussion plus added live sound effects originally created for quiet movie accompaniment. One of the many features of the Wurlitzer Robert Hope Jones’ organ is the sophisticated electrical switching mechanism, which connects the console at stage glossy to the many sets of pipes, percussion and special effects installed in the chambers. In reality the Wurlitzer Pipe Organ is a giant one man orchestra capable of performing most genres of classical and popular music. In its time there were more than 7,00 theater pipe organs in American cinematheatres. In 2012, less than 40 ingenious organs continue in their initial theater homes in the USA. In Vast Britain today there are over 190 pipe organs extant. In Sydney during the glory days of cinemas’ there were at minimum 20 theaters that had piped organs installed, and in five of the city venues, the organ often joined the theater’s top orchestras for stage shows, and or, quiet film presentations. When not performing, Neil is consulting and engineering virtual pipe organs for PC and MAC. When his present was declined, John turned to Mike Walsh, who was planning the restoration of the then derelict auditorium of the Orpheus theater, Cremorne. The Wurlitzer organ is a maximum versatile instrument. Church organs and pianos, often impaired in theaters, were virtually finished, as a top cinematheatre pipe organ could replace an entire orchestra, or pianist, for a hushed movie. Wurlitzer later made electric pianos, electronic organs and their famous jukeboxes. Additionally, MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is facilitated within the computer control system giving way to extended performance possibilities. Today the Orpheus Wurlitzer is the flawless marriage of the impaired and new. This specialized and complicated work is being supervised and developed below the direction of our own resident organist, Neil Jensen, who has been the resident Orpheus organist since the beginning in 1987. He is now the longest serving theater organist in Australasian cinema theater history. Neil tours internationally maximum years to perform organ concerts, and he is a large audience favorite overseas. Backstage there were dressing rooms, an orchestra pit, and a functioning fly tower to deposit and fly’ scenery. Despite the protests of some theater supporters, it was savagely ripped apart, and a second rate shopping arcade and a health gymnasium installed. Loving attention was paid to art deck restoration and creation, and a Potent Wurlitzer organ from the Fresno theater in California was installed. This was not accepted, so he decided to go down and carve fresh cinemas into the sandstone upon which the original theater was built. Today The Hayden Orpheus has six screens, all state of the art equipment.