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Birmingham Cinemas

Yes Alf a Jewel, the original facade can be seen, the later facade, if you can call it that, had no character
 
I haven't seen that photo before Len, so thanks for posting it. Such a shame that all these great old buildings were pulled down.
 
Has anyone watched Film 24 Channel 158 I get it on Satellite I don't have Sky its a Freeview channel or others you can pick up.
It doesn't show Films for 24 hrs but the Films its show are usually very good.

One I saw last week was The Royal Wedding (1951) a Musical with Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, its a weak plot but you can forgive that just to Watch Fred Astaire Dancing on the Walls and Ceiling, fantastic. If anybody likes his dancing its here.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzdYsxfIJLQ&NR=1"]YouTube - Fred The Genius[/ame]
 
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Joined today.It may be of interest I was a projectionist at the Pavilion Stirchley,before going into the Army in 1956 On demob I worked at The Orient Aston, returning to the Pavilion later. I married an Ice Cream Salesgirl in 1955 and we are still married today.
Ray
 
Hi

Lencops picture of the Scala reminds of the time I took
my younger sister to see Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock at the Scala.
We lived in Shirley so we took the Bus to the Midland Red
Bus station. Walked towards what I thought was the Scala.
It was pitch black but the Scala was clear. We crossed
what is now the Smallbrook Ringway but was a virtual
Building site. Just like Lens Picture.
How we got there was amazing. Our shoes were covered
in mud. It was black picture I remember.

Mike Jenks
 
Alf said:
Has anyone watched Film 24 Channel 158 I get it on Satellite I don't have Sky its a Freeview channel or others you can pick up.
It doesn't show Films for 24 hrs but the Films its show are usually very good.

One I saw last week was The Royal Wedding (1951) a Musical with Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, its a weak plot but you can forgive that just to Watch Fred Astaire Dancing on the Walls and Ceiling, fantastic. If anybody likes his dancing its here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzdYsxfIJLQ&NR=1
Click to expand...
hi Alf just watched the Fred Astaire,clip just amazing i,ve a channel you can watch the latest films on for free on thr net.
regards derek.
 
I was very interested to see the photo of the Scala cinema. I went to see Island in the Sun on my first date with the young man who became my children's father. Has it been knocked down?
This is such an interesting forum.
Sheri
 
Sheri. The replacement cinema in 1960-also called for a while the Scala-is still there but derelict for about 15 years. When i get back from work tonight I'll feed in some more info, and pictures if possible.:)
 
Hi Derek didn't seem to have much luck my Sons going to have a look when he gets up, he worked late last night.

I could only get a couple of minutes when I tried.:)

I watched a 1938 Film this morning on Film24 Tarzans Revenge Ross Lederman I had never heard of him.

https://www.nndb.com/people/142/000135734/
 
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I bowled my first Ball at a Tenpin there and got a pair of Bowling Shoes and still have them. Is it really 45 years ago:boohoo:
 
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Alf said:
Hi Derek didn't seem to have much luck my Sons going to have a look when he gets up, he worked late last night.

I could only get a couple of minutes when I tried.:)

I watched a 1938 Film this morning on Film24 Tarzans Revenge Ross Lederman I had never heard of him.

https://www.nndb.com/people/142/000135734/
Click to expand...
:)hi alf https://watch-movies.net/
this is how it is when i log onto it and i,ve get the whole nine
yards,everything is there to watch when ever.
regards derek.
 
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Scala Superama

Richie said:
Sheri. The replacement cinema in 1960-also called for a while the Scala-is still there but derelict for about 15 years. When i get back from work tonight I'll feed in some more info, and pictures if possible.:)
Click to expand...

Mini-resume to date:

1.Opened initially as "Scala" in 1914.

2.Closed 1960 for total reconstruction, re-opening as "Scala Superama" on 23 November 1964.

3.Re-named "Odeon,Ringway" on 22 Feb 1970. Early "Ringway" photo here:

https://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/cavalcade/birminghamor.jpg

4.Re-named "Odeon,Queensway" June 1972.

5.Closed permanently 18 September 1988.

*Between 1964 and 1977 structurally amalgamated bit-by-bit with the next door private cinema club;) by the name of Compton, and its subsequent more mainstream incarnation "Cinecenta"*.

More details and photos to follow in due course.
 
Hi Richie, Thanks for the picture and the info. I only remember the old Scala as I moved from Birminghamin 1960. Sheri
 
Yes Alf....I just loved watching them not realizing how talented they were together. I remember "The Christmas Tree". Another one where they were
acting as maids and asked the question of the people they were serving "Would you like the salad dressed or undressed" The reply was undressed and so Stan appeared in a lace up corset carrying the salad...brilliant. One more was when they were trying to get a piano across a wood and rope bridge in Switzerland. ..."Swiss Miss". Great fun at the Saturday matinee at the Plaza Stockand Green way back when.:)

There are lots of clips of them on youtube.com.
So great to watch them again. No one like this pair around these days.
 
The Regal was on Soho Road, now a supermarket. The cinema on Rookery Road became the Plaza dancehall in the'60s. There were a couple of other cinemas on Soho Road, the Gaumont + another near Handsworth library which l can't remember the name of right now, but it'll come back to me as soon as l've posted this.
 
Goldie - The cinema near Handsworth Library was the Elite. What a shame that the lovely old Regal is now a supermarket - I used to go there a couple of times a week often in the 50s, and always on a Sunday afternoon. I think last time I visited Handsworth it was DIY store!

The other cinema on Soho Road were The Grand a bit of a fleapit from what I remember. There was Albion at the New Inns and the Palladium at Hockley, but there was no Gaumont on Soho Road, only the one in Steelhouse Lane. There was also the Villa Cross in Villa Road.

Judy :)
 
Actually, the Villa Cross WAS a Gaumont cinema, taken over by the Gaumont chain as early as 1928, but the decision was taken then to maintain the Villa Cross name because of its strong local connections,in exactly the same way as the Picture House in Harborne. The Villa Cross transfrred to Asian ownership in 1970, and then closed completely in 1984.

Think I've posted this photo before somewhere of the Villa Cross, but anyway here it is again:-

https://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/cavalcade/handsworth.jpg

Might be able to find others, and maybe regarding the Elite too; but I prefer to get clearance from particular authors which may take a few weeks.

With the exception of the Gaumont Wednesbury(and of course the Gaumont in Colmore Circus),the only other Gaumont-signed cinema in what is now the 0121 telephone exchange area was in Windmill Lane,Smethwick. Can list a photo of that,but the only one at present is a distant image.

Have got one which just about includes the Palladium,Hockley in its late picture-showing days, if anyone is interested.
 
Yes,Lloyd. One of my other regular sites has been updated and some great new Odeon pictures posted. I'll sort out the more local ones and list them soon. Especially if you like 1930's Art-Deco!
 
The old Odeon Ipswich was closed years ago and another modern one built on the same site about 15 years and that closed 5 years ago.

The Gaumont Ipswich had been converted to the Regent well before we came 20 years ago.

Now they have some great shows on, one I must mention is The Moody Blues they are here in September.
 
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