Birmingham Cinemas

[Delyawindsor21]

Thanks, Jenny, all a long time ago but such lovely memories..

 

[wam]

Around here they tend to be pulled down but some have been concert venues and one became an arts centre for a few months.

 

[Delyawindsor21]

Around everywhere Hun, no blooming respect for our memories !!

 

[albion88]

Anybody remember a picture house in the back streets of Langley Green . Went to see ' Way of the Dragon ' there in the 70s .

 

[Mike Blakemore]

The Cinema was "The Regent" Last Owner I remember was a Mr Gupta. Who owned a Car dealership.... Projectors where GB Kalee 21s British Accustic Sound. English Films booking was done by Jonny Brockington. When I worked with him at the ABC Cinema New Street..

 

[Chris B]

Hopefully a pic of THE REGENT Langley Green, I even contemplated buying this at one time when Gupta owned it but it was to run down.

 

[albion88]

thank you Chris. got the pic too. what was the name of the road it was in ?

 

[albion88]

sorry Mike . I thought you sent message and the pic. thanks for the information . ill ask you the same question too . what was the name of the road it was in?

 

[Chris B]

I think it was CROSSWELLS ROAD. Albion88

 

[Vivienne14]

Look at this lot! The West End cinema in 1900. Never heard of it, but obviously this lot had! Viv.

 

[Mike Blakemore]

THE WEST END CINEMA



Viewing: Photo | Street View
The Curzon Hall opened in 1864 as an exhibition hall. In 1899 Waller Jeffs began screening his ‘Living Picture Shows’ in the building which at that time had a seating capacity of 3,000. It was later re-named New Century Picture Theatre as a full time cinema. It was closed during World War I and was used as a recruiting office for troops.
In 1925 it was extensivly altered by architect Frederick J. Pepper and re-opened as the West End Cinema and Dance Hall on 9th March 1925. The opening programme was "Zeebrugge" and Jack Holt in "Wanderer of the Wasteland".
From 1st May 1926 it was taken over by Provincial Cinematograph Theatres(PCT) and a Wurlitzer 2Manual/8Ranks theatre organ was installed, opened by organist Charles Willis. In later years the popular organist Reginald Dixon was resident here. From February 1929 PCT were taken over by Gaumont British Theatre Corp. and they operated the West End Cinema for the remainder of its life, via the GB take-over by the Rank Organisation.
Apart from the West End Dance Hall the building also contained a restaurant for the patrons to enjoy. The West End Cinema was always a popular city centre cinema and during the mid-1960’s it played several 70mm ‘Roadshow’ presentations.
The West End Cinema was closed on 27th March 1965 and the organ was removed. However, the cinema got a reprieve and the Rank Organisation re-opened it a few weeks later. The building had been sold for re-development and it finally closed on 18th March 1967 with Yul Brynner in "Return of the Seven" and Hugh O'Brien in "Ambush Bay".

This Item was produced by Ken Rowe. Who I collaberate with .. The Cinema was Birminghams First Full-Time Cinema...

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Mike. That's interesting, a sizeable cinema. Viv.

 

[paul stacey]

Funny never heard of the "West End", in all my years in Birmingham, was it called something else??, confused. Paul.

 

[sospiri]

Always called the West End, Paul - certainly from 1937-1961 when I lived in Brum. However, I didn't go there that often as its choice of films was not always very exciting.

Maurice

 

[A Sparks]

I never went to the cinema but I do remember the building as I went to the West End ballroom a couple of times on a Saturday afternoon, must have been 64/5

 

[paul stacey]

Thanks Maurice, of course I have heard of the West End Dance hall, but never put the two together, Happy New Year.paul

 

[Phil]

The West End when it was Curzon Hall, and later as the West End Cinema & the West End Dance Hall.

 

[rosie]

I travelled past the Royalty in Harborne today and it had a notice of auction dated September but no "Sold" sign. It's in a bad state of repair with a carwash in front.
My Nan use to play bingo there as the bus-stop was right outside.
rosie.

 

[paul stacey]

I have written many times about the "Royalty", and its impact on my early life. I lost my old school demolished, The old Harborne Baths, The duke of York Pub, looks like I am about to lose the Royalty, I do wish the powers to be would stop demolishing everything in Birmingham and start preserving things instead. sad day. Paul

 

[handlebar]

I used to go to The Picture House Harborne. It was a real old fashioned place with little emergency gas lamps on both walls. There was no balcony and the front doors opened straight onto a small vestibule with a small ticket office and double entrance either side. It had no proscenium arch as you would normally expect, and the curtains (silver) hung from a track on the ceiling. Occasionally, the film broke and we'd stamp our feet and whistle till the picture returned. When Cinemascope arrived, they couldn't install a wide screen as there were exit doors either side, so they put in a big square screen with descending masking that left a strip of picture across the bottom. Not quite what 20th Century Fox had in mind. When I first started attending they had a curtain winder. As the film was finishing, he'd walk down the aisle and duck behind the little curtain stretched across the bottom of the screen. You could see him looking for THE END. Then he'd wind the handle to close the curtains. He stayed there till the censors certificate for the next film appeared on the curtains, then he'd open them. When we look at the multiplexes today we realise what a long way we've come.

 

[Banjo]

When I lived in Leamington Road, Sparkbrook in the mid 50s I was spoilt for choice for cinemas (provided it was two "U" pictures) Nearest was the "Olympia" (fleapit) in Ladypool Rd or "Carlton" in Taunton Road. "Waldorf" or "Picadilly" down on Stratford Road. There was the "Imperial" or "Picture House" (fleapit) or "Alhambra" on Mosely Road.

 

[Speedy23]

When we look at the multiplexes today we realise what a long way we've come.

We may have come a long way but have not necessarily ended up where we would want to be....personally, I look back at the old cinemas of the time - the Kingsway, the Piccadilly, the Tudor, the Alhambrah, the Robin Hood etc. - all lost forever. Going to see a film was a true experience - the modern multiplexes with the small screens just cannot match the sense of occsaion that the old cinemas used to inspire....Can anyone remember when they demolished the Maypole Cinema - I think i can remember it but can't be sure - was it post 1956?

 

[carolina]

Speedy23 I think we remember it so fondly because it was an occasion to go the 'flicks'. It was also a place where you could go on a date as well. Now we have TV and within in such a short time of a film being released you can buy the DVD. Also, pirating is very prominent.

 

[paul stacey]

I think what I remember about the cinema, was its "opulence", deep carpets, central heating, and the sense of occasion, coming from a poor working class home with only a coal fire and lino, it really was an adventure to go, not to mention the ice cream at the interval, pure luxury. Paul

 

[carolina]

Plus some great classics. Also, 2 films A and B plus Pearl and Dean.

 

[sospiri]

I think you hit it on the head there, Paul. Escapism in the widest sense of the word.

Carolina, I remember that Pearl & Dean frequently featured Peggy Lee before she had made a name for herself outside of America.

Maurice

 

[maypolebaz]

We may have come a long way but have not necessarily ended up where we would want to be....personally, I look back at the old cinemas of the time - the Kingsway, the Piccadilly, the Tudor, the Alhambrah, the Robin Hood etc. - all lost forever. Going to see a film was a true experience - the modern multiplexes with the small screens just cannot match the sense of occsaion that the old cinemas used to inspire....Can anyone remember when they demolished the Maypole Cinema - I think i can remember it but can't be sure - was it post 1956?

I remember going to see "Blackboard Jungle" at the Pavilion, Stirchley. For some reason it was an "X" certificate, so our mate had to lie about his age to take us in. We were all 15 at the time.

I think the Maypole cinema was still standing, post 1956 Speedy but it was certainly on borrowed time.

Can you remind me, where was the Robin Hood ?

 

[Jayell]

Dont forget the organ in the interval!! At the Regal in Handsworth that came up and played in between the A and B pictures. And the newsreel was only seen on screen at the cinema as there was no television in those days.

 

[Phil]

maypolebaz


The Robin Hood was on Stratford Rd at the junction of Ingestre Rd and it closed in 1970 it was demolished and replaced by a Waitrose Supermarket.

 

[Rupert]

Yeah, I suppose it started with going to see Alan Ladd beat up on Jack Pallance in Shane; with my toy pistol strapped in its holster and belt around my waist. The Rock...gone now. Later there were probably fine British 'kitchen sink dramas'...but we did not want to see them. We wanted the lavish American production that took us away from the walk there and back through drab surroundings and smoggy streets. Yeah, escapism...that's the word. We wanted the big cars and wide country and big camera pans...and kitchens that your whole house would be lost in. Of course we now know that Al. Ladd would have had to jump to hit Jack on the jaw but we did not then and it didn't matter anyway. Strange; it seems to me that Ladd died years ago but Jack was doing one armed push-ups at the Oscar's just recently.
The Rock and the Capital (for Saturday cartoons) The Beaufort occasionally. I suspect that we needed to escape and in so doing got a glimpse of better things to aim for which may have improved our lot in life...who knows.
It's the large screen telly now and guess what... the British production reigns now...kitchen sink or not. Lots of great product from the UK. Done 'ever so nicely' has hit the spot.