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Birmingham Odeon

ethanedwards

ethanedwards

Brummie Muso
Birmingham Odeon


New Street
Edit. Replacement image, 1950s photo from Cinema treasures site. May vary from original image.

image.jpg

Second photo from the 1980s (Birmingham Mail image)

image.jpeg

A once beautiful cinema, now divided into eight screens.
The Paramount Theatre opened on 4th September 1937
with Errol Flynn in "Charge of the Light Brigade".
The original seating capacity was for 2,439
with 1,517 in the stalls and 922 in the circle.
It was equipped with a Compton 4Manual/10Rank theatre organ
which was opened by Al Bollington.
The Paramount had a large stage, dressing rooms
and a cafe/restaurant.

In August 1942, it was sold to Oscar Deutsch's Odeon Theatres Ltd.
and it was re-named Odeon.
In 1965 it was closed for a period while major modernisation
was carried out.

The Odeon was used for many live shows during this period of time,
including appearances by The Beatles.

In May 1988 the Odeon was closed for conversion
into a six screen cinema, which re-opened in August 1988.
Unfortunately, the Compton organ,
which had still been used for concerts, was dismantled and sold.
In 1991 two additional screens were opened
in the former restaurant area and a former bar in the basement.

The cinema used to have a very ornate auditorium
until it was altered.
Now it is all very plain, including the foyer entrance.
The last refurbishment was carried out in 1998.

As previously metioned,
The Odeon was used for many live shows during this period of time,
including appearances by The Beatles.

Indeed, for many years it was the venue,
for the then many 'Package Shows',
which consisted of one main star attraction,
and several support acts.
Sometimes the package consisted of many act,
that were all charting at the time.

The star names are many and too numerous to name here,
but I have personally seen many shows,
including,
Bob Dylan, who complained loudly over the Mic,
that the stage floor was dirty,and required cleaning!
Also, Duane Eddy, The Everly Brothers, Gene Vincent,
Mickie Most, The Shirelles, Mike Bloomfield,
Darry Hall and John Oakes and many more.

Here's my ticket from the The Everly Brothers
concert

New.jpg



I even bumped into Eric Burdon of The Animals.
He was outside the front, and we had a lovely converstaion
about his brand new Ford Mustang,
that was parked in New Street.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I can add earlier stars, during the '50's I saw Ella Fitzgerald. Oscar Peterson who was playing piano for Ella, and in the same show the legendary Gene Kruper on drums. Stan Getz on Sax, they were part of a concert topur called Jazz at the Phil, and it came to Birmingham at least twice to the Odeon. On Sunday as I think we have talked about before on the forum, we all stood from 4pm in a queue that ran along New street, waiting for the doors to open.
 
About 1965 went to see Bob Dylan at the Odeon and after the pause he came on stage with a backing group, 'The Band'. What a din that was, we couldn't hear Bob singing and after the first song with this backing group we shouted that we had come to hear Bob Dylan, not 'The Band'. Bob took no notice and the din started again, everyone started throwing things and we all walked out. I was and still am a great fan of Bob's but I was the first to grab my girlfriends hand and drag her outside. Graham:)
 
Bill Haley & the Comets & the Jazz AT the Philamonic with Ella,Oscar , Gene & Stan Getz plus Dizzy Galespy? these are the ones I had the good frotune to see at that great venue.
 
saw Cliff Richard there in 1975...me and a few other 16 year old friends - we had just left school - 2 of the crowd were mad on Cliff and dragged us down the back alley to try to catch him at stage door [?]
 
Most interested in pics.and info.re.Odeon,New St.Saw the film "White Christmas"there for the first time in mid 1950s.Amazing to think the film is still being shown,albeit on telly,over 50 years later
 
I worked at the Odeon for five years in the 1980's. The General Manager was Chris Mott whose favourite performer was the medium Doris Stokes who regularly sold out for three nights solid. The only others who could do this at the time were Cliff Richard and Shirley Bassey.The Compton organ was played in regular concerts by Steve Tovey and other guest organists. On one occasion the group Kajagoogoo appeared and as the lead singer,Limahl, came on stage and instead of starting to sing he just stared open mouthed at the perspex beneath his feet, what the audience could not see was the naked, spreadeagled groupie placed there by the other members of the band
 
Nearly everyone of any note must have appeared at the Odeon in the 60's. Remember seeing Status Quo, Steveie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, The Foundations, Engie, in the late part of the decade. Probably a few I've forgotten as well.
 
Pembroke said:
Most interested in pics.and info.re.Odeon,New St.Saw the film "White Christmas"there for the first time in mid 1950s.Amazing to think the film is still being shown,albeit on telly,over 50 years later
Click to expand...

???????????? White Christmas Played at THE ABC Forum New Street... The Odeon Birmingham did not play Paramount as they where ABC Release
 
Happy days took my dear Mum to see David Essex yes she was a fan , On another note every time you got a date you always met at the Odeon
 
Saw Ian Dury there, first live band I ever saw live, Santana, who put on an afternoon concert after selling out the evening concert, Madness, where the Odeon staff kept telling people to sit down! Happy days
 
HI ALL
The last time i was in there was MARCH 3RD 1954, the film was From Here to Eternity, next day i started National Service.
The thought of joining the mob frightened me to death
KEN
 
My last visit was early '70s - Sasha Distel, Ted Rodgers, Stefan Grapelli and one song from a little known Olivia Newton John!
 
news report of when the Odeon ceased as a music venue, sad day indeed. I've often wondered how much of the original theatre remains inside:dispirited:..[video=youtube;tdujKfPRftw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdujKfPRftw[/video]
 
One of the last acts i saw there was....
[video=youtube;ypn9oKaO-3E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypn9oKaO-3E[/video]

Janis Ian.
 
Happy memories, saw Shawaddywaddy there closely followed by David Essex and Mud in the 70's
Then possibly the worst concert I have ever been to, took a young friuned to see Adam Ant in the early 80's, it's still a standing joke now that my ears never recovered, especially now he is touring again.
But by far and away the best, Chris de Burgh, who I was lucky enough to dance with at last nights NIA concert!
Sue
 
Didn't see many acts there but these were probably the best i experienced..
[video=youtube;tdCY0CgMoq8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdCY0CgMoq8[/video]
 
The Televison made an error in the report. The Manager was Chris Mott. He became the South East Regional Director of Ranks cinema Operations.. Sadley he passed away. Having a Heart Attack.. He was a good friend... even though he was a Rank Manager..
 
Must be the 2nd oldest surviving cinema in the city centre after the Electric. Dates to 1936-7 (as the Paramount as you surely know)!

Still open.
 
Info about Odeon New Street at Cinema Treasures:

The Paramount Theatre opened on 4th September 1937 with Errol Flynn in “Charge of the Light Brigade”. It was one of seven Paramount Theatres built in major UK cities by the American owned Paramount Theatres chain; Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow and London (Tottenham Court Road) were the others. The original seating capacity was for 2,439 with 1,517 in the stalls and 922 in the circle. It was equipped with a Compton 4Manual/10Rank theatre organ which was opened by Al Bollington. The Paramount Theatre had a large stage, dressing rooms and a cafe/restaurant.
On 25th August 1942, it was sold to Oscar Deutsch’s Odeon Theatres Ltd. and it was re-named Odeon on 29th November 1942. In 1965 it was closed for a period while major modernisation was carried out and re-opened on 24th June 1965. The Odeon was used for many live shows during this period of time, including appearances by The Beatles.
On 26th May 1988 the Odeon was closed for conversion into a six screen cinema, which re-opened in August 1988. Unfortunately, the Compton organ, which had still been used for concerts, was dismantled and sold. In 1991 two additional screens were opened in the former restaurant area and a former bar in the basement.
The cinema used to have a very ornate auditorium until it was altered. Now it is all very plain, including the foyer entrance. The last refurbishment was carried out in 1998 when an eighth screen was added. In 2013, it is the only one of the seven original U.K. Paramount Theatres still operating as a cinema.
Click to expand...
 
we must be the same vintage I too saw Shawaddywaddy and David Essex (swoon) also Garry Glitter (yuk) and Police (fab) Hot Chocolate and also Boomtown rats
 
Indeed Happy Days myself & my Daughter went to see David Essex there brilliant,also in the fifties the first time I went with a friend to the Odeon to see a film,we thought we were so Posh,because it was quite different to our local flea pit Jemina
 
THE QUEUE
Sunday afternoon Cinema. The Commisioner comes to the front of the Odeon and announces to the people waiting to gain entrance " Two SEATS available and three STANDING at the back ". Various groups in the queue consider this. Typical comments following this announcement would have been:
" You two girls take the seats,we'll take the standing at the back, we can join you later when the film ends ".
" It's about three quarters through the feature film,we might just as well hang on until the next session starts ".
The two Buskers where working the queue and keeping them entertained.
All part of a good afternoon out.
 
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