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Birmingham Cinemas

Just out of interest, could Postie put up a photo of THE ROCK, at Alum Rock for me ? I went there many times as a kid. BazzM
 
The Wylde Green Pavilion had double seats at the back stalls for courting couples.
We used to go to the Kingstanding Odeon, the Mayfair, the Birchfield and Perry Bar Odeon, the Beacon, the Villa Cross and others at times.
Back from national service the first film we saw was The Student Prince at the Bristol in Cinerama . E
 
Hi Alf did you ever play ten pin with John prince or this brother, they held the high score at the Pavilion for a number of years, I work with John Prince at the GEC.

Did you ever bowl at Villa Park? My Brother bowled for "auto spares" The Brewers Spare part Team,(The scrap dealers, they had a place at the Ten Arches by Aston Station also in Station Rd Erdington). He also bowled forthe other Brewers " M & B ".
The Pavilion was our lunch time relaxation, we could get just 2 games in if we had a good score or when we were on the clock, some one clocked us in.LOL ;D
They were great times.
ASTON
 
Aston I played 7 Days a week at Villa Park, including the House Team which used to play on Sunday. I know the name Prince where did they come from. I had a 267 at Villa Park on Christmas Eve 1965. In 3 years I had a Career average 184 per game. I also had a 192 average over 23 matches reported in the Argus. It wasn't my best sport that was Football.
 
This one I remember being taken to just after  the war (WWII that is) Just look at it now.
THE HEATH CINEMA WASHWOOD HEATH.
 
Bazz
Here's a picture of the Rock, not very good, it needs repairing but I haven't got time tonight, I'll work on it in the week and improve it, unless of course someone else wants to do  ;)it
 
Sorry folks, it didn't work and it couldn't possibly be my fault so there must be something wrong with the Ionisphere :mad:
I gots to go now so I'll post it again tomorrow
 
Aston

The Heath Cinema

Opened 3rd October 1915

Closed 1941 by Bomb damage during WW11

Why haven't you answered my question about John Prince?
 
This lot was not sent in by me, it's obviously some demented sneaky type person pretending to be me to get me in trouble so just ignore the whole thing - unless someone can fix it :(  DONE  O0
 
I used to go to Wylde Green Pavillion a lot in the late l950's and I remember when it closed down and became a Brunswick Bowling Centre. I learned how to bowl ten pin there and although I wasn't great at it, it was a lot of fun. I remember the double seats at the back of the theatre. They had a licensed club upstairs where I had my first alcoholic drink. Saw some great movies there...... Breakfast at Tiffany's, Summer Place, The Hasty Heart, The Apartment, Carousel and others. Happy memories of Wylde Green Pavillion and Bowling Alley. There used to be one of those musical organs in the cinema years ago as well.
 
Jerry, thanks for those, thats just as I remember it, but lovely to see it again. BazzM
 
It was at number 20 Alum Rock Road
The film showing in your photo was made in 1912 ;)
 
Jerry I thought only the Rock and the Capital was up that way was it gone before the 40's ?
 
Yeah, I'm puzzled about that myself
Apparently it was also called The Original at one time and closed sometime in the 60s and was turned into a nightclub - don't know the name. I must say I've never heard of it or seen it to the best of my knowledge, maybe somebody else can shed some light on it.
 
In 1962 No 20 Alum Rock Rd was Saltley and District Social Club, which is not far from the Pelham Arms. O0
 
Alf I did.But, I do not know were its gone? :tickedoff:
John Prince lived up by the crossways Pub, I cannot remember the road ,it may have been WITTON LODGE ROAD Top End ie "CROSSWAYS END" I worked with john at the GEC in the contracts dept, ( O we were C.A.PARSONS by that time).
Sorry you did not get the first reply. :'(
Regards,ASTON
 
As your resident film criic :p
Saltley Picture Palace 20 Alum Rock Road
Opened 1911 Dispite claims that it opened in 1900

Later known as the Orginal reinforcing the fallacy that it was B'ham's  first Cinema.
Closed 1932 when the Rock opened and became a nightclub.
On the 6th October 1979 it was opened as a Cinema with Saturday Night Fever.

Now a nightclub again
 
The Capitol cinema was still going strong in the late 1970's my wife and I lived just a little way further up Alum Rock rd. We went there especially to see War of the Words being re-run, and sat patiently waiting as the adverts and whatnot were being run. Was we dissapointed when the film started, they had got the wrong film!! they showed the Ten Commandments... after an initial bit of booing and hissing almost everyone settled down to watch but three times the film broke down. Like most people that evening we argued and got our money back and sadly never went there again.
 
As well as the Saturday mornings with my younger brother, at the Aston cinema, the first film I remember seeing at a cinema was Bambi and it was at what's now called The Electric Cinema on Station St. city centre (would that have been called ABC in the past?).
EDIT: I've just Googled...it may have been called The Jacey then, and it appears it is the oldest working cinema in the country, according to this
https://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/features/2004/03/electric_cinema.shtml

I can even remember that mom bought Poppets  :)

Second film I remember seeing (was taken to by friend and her mom), was Tom Thumb at the Perry Barr one (this is still the 60's).
Or was it the Birchfield one? Do I gather there were two, that they weren't the same?

Then, as I got older, and worked at Stockland Green too, saw lots of films at the Stockland.

In '73 (when 14 :-[) I remember queueing round the block to be admitted to see The Exorcist at The Futurist? New Street...I'm really glad that by the time we had nearly reached the front of the queue they announced they were full...and we didn't bother to try again. I'm glad I haven't seen it.

Saw 'A Star Is Born' (with Barbra Streisand) at the Bristol Road cinema, which is now McDonalds, in '76.

Used to go to the Gaumont a lot with my friends before it was knocked down...think we saw the 'rock opera' 'Tommy' there.

In about '73/'74 used to go with my friend Bridgette and her mom (who was a member) to The Forget-Me-Not social club (ex-servicemens?) on Tyburn Road Pype Hayes...and on Saturday nights they would show major films.
Saw Shaft there.
I'll never forget seeing 'Tales From The Crypt' there...
No light at all, and it was coming to a really tense, spooky bit... it was quiet...all of a sudden two blokes behind me and Bridgette brought their hands down on our shoulders, making scary noises...
course we jumped out of our skins...
good job there was a bar there to get drinks to calm us down ;D
 
Mazbeth I think the first permanent cinema to open in Birmingham was the Curzon Hall in Suffolk Street in May 1901
 
The Empire in Pershore Rd opened in 1912 closed in the early 50's then turned into a garage
 
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