I saw Star Wars (many times) at the ABC. Also Chariots of Fire and Gregory's Girl, which played as a double bill. I can't believe this cinema is gone now.
3:13 large spoolboxes on the Westars, was it showing 3D films at the time? Nice to see mercury arc rectifiers in use. The screen at the entrance end, with the auditorium later turned around also happened at the Phoenix, East Finchley in London, in that case in 1938 I think.
Saturday morning kids shows in late 60's. Seem to show films for kids, what ever happened to those films? I think Double Deckers tv show tapped into that audience.
Brilliant piece of work. It takes me back a few years when even as a young proji I would visit boxes all around south and north London on my day off. Wish I had had the means to photograph them in the 50s. Too expensive for me.
Sadly very true. That's the one good thing about mobile phones. if we had them at that time, we would have many pics of these cinemas to look back on fondly.
I don't know if it's covered elsewhere, but there was also the Walsall Odeon in Bridge Street, which was destroyed by fire in the early 1970's, and stood derelict for some years until the George Hotel and surrounding buildings were redeveloped.
Called the Imperial in my day, known in our family in the 60's as the 'flea pit'. I didn't realise until now that it was an ABC, only knew them by their given names. At that time it was the Savoy and Gaumont (on the Bridge, an Odeon cinema) for big films, and the Empire (in Freer St) and Imperial for smaller audience stuff. The Empire regularly did kids films, so I went there very often. I never did see the end of 55 Days in Peking at the Savoy - something broke half-way through, we all sat there for about an hour or more, then went off in a sulk - can't remember if we got a refund, likely wouldn't have dared ask.
I remember watching 101 Dalmatian's Disney film there circa 1970, but being advertised was 20 thousand leagues under the sea, i would rather have seen. Sister and me christened in St Paul's church opposite.
0:40 Her Majesty's Theatre In Walsall West Midlands Near Birmingham In England Is Named After The Very Famous West End Theatre The Her Majesty's Theatre AKA His Majesty's Theatre In Haymarket Near Piccadilly Circus In London's Glittering West End In London In England In The United Kingdom Which Is The Home Of Andrew Lloyd Webber And Cameron Mackintosh's The Phantom Of The Opera. Thanks Mate. X
