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Birmingham Cinemas

Do you remember when an "A" film was on and you were too young to go in by yourself, you would hang around asking adults until someone took you in. Quite a scary thought today, but it was common practice then, and I never heard of anyone coming to any harm.
 
:oops:
ON TOPIC OF FLEA PITS: anyone remember the ancient cinema, surely predates Bro Cmrde Deutch's ODEON, on Moseley Rd: the Balsall Heath section, by Ladypool Rd.? Just along from that magnificent altarpiece of Victoriana at Highgate: huge three tier theatre (mostly music hall). Now a high rise block of flats on the site.
Am I hallucinating or it is a reasonable supposition that there were visionary (entrepreneurs) investors who expended that much capital to meet a cultured demand?
:wink:
 
You haven't lived unless you went to the Globe, the cheap seats. The doorman whould come down the aisle with a fly-spray full of a perfume. And the session wouldn't be complete without a black out on the screen.
Oh Happy days.[/quote]
 
The Globe Sid, every Sat, without fail, never noticed the smell.
Good times though. :lol:
 
I remember very well the chap with the disinfectant spray going round the Globe cinema, I also remember the highly polished brass rails when you went up the front steps to the "posh" seats.

One very vivid memory of going to the Globe was when I was about 13 or 14 years old, with a group of friends I used to hang about the amusement arcade at the bottom of New Street directly opposite the Globe. One night
my mother was going there and spotted me in the arcade, I had my back to the door on some machine and she got me by the scruff of the neck and marched me out and straight to the Globe - I was soooo humilated.
 
As I remember, the Birchfield always did things a bit better. Even during WW2 they handed everyone a slip of paper as a programme with their ticket. I saw 'Dangerous Moonlight' there in about 1942. Anton Walbrook not playing the 'Warsaw Concerto'. Both our mom and me were in tears.
Peter
 
This is the title of a very informative book by Chris and Rosemary Clegg from their home in Erdington in 1983. I doubt if it's still available as a new, but if you see a copy going second-hand, SNAP IT UP!
Peter
 
I've got a copy of that book Peter
If you've got a copy, or anyone else who's got a copy, if you turn to page 56 and look at the top left photo of The Grange in Small Heath, The chap crossing tthe road in front of the cinema was our Dad, we lived just down the road from the cinema
 
Well the dodgiest Picture house I went into ( the Clifton was it? )
The one up by the Library along the Walsall Rd.
It was the very last week it was open and they were showing Battlestar Galactica and Roz swore a Rat run down the Aisle right next to her..
 
Kandor said:
Well the dodgiest Picture house I went into ( the Clifton was it? )
The one up by the Library along the Walsall Rd.
It was the very last week it was open and they were showing Battlestar Galactica and Roz swore a Rat run down the Aisle right next to her..

Just one? I've seen the place full of 'em... all with only two legs.
 
There were two cinemas on the Walsall Road, the Clifton, and the Beacon past the Scott Arms. Quoting from the wonderful "Dream Palaces" book, both cinemas were owned by the Clifton circuit.
The Clifton was designed by Ernest Roberts and was opened in February 1938, having 1282 seats. It never seemed an exciting building to me, and I don't think I ever went in it, although I lived not much more than a mile away. According to the book, it was closed prematurely because of dodgy electric wiring on 10 November 1979, but continued for some years as a bingo hall.
The Beacon was designed by Roland Satchwell and was opened on 9 April the same year, with 1228 seats. As I remember the Beacon was much more impressive as a building, and had the brashness of an Odeon. It closed in 1972 and was demolished 10 years later.
Credit for all this info is due to Chris and Rosemary Clegg and their superb book.
Peter
 
I went to both of those cinemas, and one abiding memory of the Beacon was seeing Doris Day in Moonlight Bay. I was about seven, sitting at the back courtesy of a friend of mom who was an usherette. I sat through it twice before being persuaded to leave. :D
We were drifting along on Moon Light Bay..............
 
Well you shouldn't be running in the cinema sould you Kandor!! :lol:
I did my early courting at the Clifton and the Beacon. My mate and me used to alternate between the two to be fair to the girls and share our 'Snogging' talents equally and without favour. But to get back to the original post, I went on my first date with a girl from my class at Prince Albert Primary when I was eleven and we went to the ABC Minors at the 'Orient'. (Didn't know about snogging then though so we held hands).
 
In the late 40s we used to stay at my Dads brothers house at weekends and used to go to the Clifton to watch Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland pictures.
The Clifton opened Febuary 1938 & closed 10th November 1979 Lord of the Rings and Beyond Waikiki. :wink:
 
Opened 17th March 1930 with The Cockeyed World with Victor McLaglen &  Edmund Lowe closed 1959 and demolished. :(
 
Remember the "Pavilion" Wylde Green, Opened October 10th 1931, became the Midlands First Bowling Alley "THE ABC BOWL". Demolished in 1974 :'(
I bet you do Alf? O0
 
Dates are right Aston first film shown The Sport Of Kings Starring Leslie Henson.

Closed early 1960s I played my first ever game of Ten Pin Bowling there soon after and after a few tries I was hooked and bought my first pair of Bowling Shoes which I have still got after 44 years and they still fit. Used them last year at my local Bowl :D :D
 
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