Identity area
Type of entity
Corporate body
Authorized form of name
Regent Theatre (Brisbane, Qld.)
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
- Regent Building (Brisbane, Qld.)
- Capitol Theatre (Brisbane, Qld.)
- Capitol Building (Brisbane, Qld.)
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1929-2010
History
The Regent Building, located at 167 Queen Street and extending through to Elizabeth Street, Brisbane, was part of a grand theatre complex constructed between 1928 and 1929, designed by Charles N. Hollinshed and Richard Gailey Jr. Originally, it was to be known as the Capitol Building. Originally housing the lavish 2,500-seat Regent Theatre (to be known as the Capitol Theatre), ornate foyer, retail spaces, and offices, the complex epitomised the golden era of picture palaces. The Theatre opened in November 1929, showcasing a richly decorated interior that blended Baroque, Gothic, and Classical styles, and featured a Wurlitzer organ, imported chandeliers, and opulent furnishings. The Queen Street section included commercial tenancies and a prestigious entrance hall, while the auditorium spanned the Elizabeth Street frontage.
After declining cinema attendance in the mid-twentieth century, the Regent was redeveloped in 1980 into Hoyts Entertainment Centre with four smaller cinemas, retaining only the original foyer and entrance hall. Despite heritage efforts and public protest, most of the original theatre was demolished in 1979. The building was partly heritage-listed in the 1990s, and further redevelopment in 2010 saw the remaining cinemas removed to make way for a commercial tower, while conserving the Queen Street facade and foyer as part of a mixed-use complex. Until its final closure in 2010, the Regent played a key cultural role in Brisbane and hosted the Brisbane International Film Festival.
Places
Legal status
Functions, occupations and activities
Mandates/sources of authority
Internal structures/genealogy
General context
Relationships area
Access points area
Subject access points
Place access points
Occupations
Control area
Authority record identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Revised
Level of detail
Partial
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Revised, Kymberley Doyle, 16-Jul-2025.
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Brisbane building : the new year's programme. (1928, December 12). The Telegraph, p.8, accessed via Trove online 16-Jul-2025.
Queensland Government. (2025). Regent Building. Queensland Government Queensland Heritage Register website, accessed online 16-Jul-2025.
Maintenance notes
Revised sources and history, Kymberley Doyle, 16-Jul-2025.