The theatres have been listed in chronological order of opening of the building, which in the early cases usually pre-dates their use as a cinema. The date of a cinema's first screening is give (in brackets) for those where known.

Canterbury Music Hall, Royal Theatre [1861-1908]
Canterbury Music Hall, Gaiety [1864-1891]
Opera House AKA: Saint James, Odeon (1930) [1883-1983]
Cinematographic Salon (7 November 1986) [1896-1896]
Canterbury Hall AKA His Majestys Theatre, Civic [1900-1917]
Castle Theatre [1906-1907]
Cyclorama [1906-1907]
Royal Theatre 'Live Theatre' (1916) [1908- ]
Choral Hall [1908-1912]
Colosseum Theatre [1908-1915]
Orange Theatre AKA: Kosy (Hornby) [1908-1967]
Kings Theatre [1910-1915]
Open Air Theatre (New Brighton) [1910-1911]
Empire Theatre AKA: Kings (Sydenham) [1911-1936]
Globe Theatre [1912-1917]
Queens Theatre [1912-1929]
Grand Theatre AKA: Embassy [1913-1959]
Washington Theatre (Addington) [1915-1915]
Everybodys Theatre AKA: Tivoli, Westend [1915-1994]
Starland Theatre [1916-1918]
Joyland Theatre AKA: Princess (New Brighton) [1916-1946]
Premier Theatre AKA: Roxy, Lido (New Brighton) [1916-1975]
Harbourlight [1917- ]
Premier Theatre (Papanui) [1917-1924]
Strand Theatre AKA: Plaza [1917-1963]
Liberty Theatre AKA: Savoy [1917-1993]
Crystal Palace Theatre AKA: Carlton [1918-1986]
Memorial Theatre AKA: Empire, Barclay (Papanui) [1923-1975]
Radiant [1928- ]
Majestic Theatre [1930-1970]
Regent Theatre [1930-1996]
State Theatre [1935-1977]
Mayfair Theatre AKA: Cinerama [1935-1985]
Avon Theatre [1935-1989]
Rex Theatre AKA: Avenue International (Riccarton) [1937-1983]
Hollywood Theatre (Sumner) [1938- ]
Metro Theatre (Sydenham) [1939-1964]
Century Theatre (St Albans) [1940-1968]
Little Theatre [1957-1959]
Museum Theatre [1958-1987]
Vogue Theatre (Spreydon) [1959-1969]
Ilam Theatre (Fendalton) [1960-1969]
Christchurch Town Hall [1972- ]
Roxy Theatre (New Brighton) [1977-1985]
Academy Theatre [1978- ]
Northside Theatre (Papanui) [1980-1986]
Skyway Theatre AKA: Pantages (Hornby) [1981-1991]
Midcity Theatre AKA: Lumiere [1982-2000]
Fernland [1983-1988
Metro Theatre, Creation [1986-]
Downtown Theatre [1986-1994]
Clocktower Theatre [1989-1993]
Cinema 3 (Hornby) [1991- ]
Hoyts 8 [1993- ]
Cloisters Theatre [1994- ]
Northland 6 (Papanui) [1996- ]
Regent on Worcester [1996- ]
Rialto [1996- ]
The Door Theatre [2003- ]
Reading (Shirley) [2003- ]
Cinecafe [2004- ]
Westfield (Riccarton) [2005? (Under Construction)]

Village Theatre (Harewood) [????-????]
Village Theatre (Halswell) [????-????]

Dr. Hight of Canterbury College taught his students the duty of recording truth as far as we could ascertain it.

Researched and compiled by Hugh R R Taylor,
37 Sullivan Avenue, Roimata, Christchurch 8002,
New Zealand; tel (03) 389-2879

Help is acknowledged from the following:

Karen Beanland, Graeme Gorton, Ted Mulcock, Canterbury Museum, Air Blake, Clarrie Jackson, Nick Paris, Canterbury Public Library, Bill Brittenden, Morris Jackson, Jim Payton, Chch City Council, Robert Jackson, The Press, Gavin Willis, Christchurch Star, Trevor King, Jack Sinclair, Thelma Strongman, Bob Dyer, R C Lamb, Max Whatman, N Z Federation of University Women, Paul Evans, Ian Lochhead, S V Whitta, Bill Gamble, Lang Masters, John Wilson, N Z Fire Service

All transcription errors in these pages are mine.

Additional information was found in Robert Jackson's pamphlet and the Cinema Tour (NZ) web-page, as well as various newspaper articles.

helps support the activites of the CANTERBURY FILM SOCIETY