D
DAVE BRICK
Guest
I've woke up this morning, [you will be pleased to know] and remembered it, it was the Cinephone, Bristol Street.
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Birmingham Cinemas
- Thread starter Alf
- Start date
The Regal was on Soho Road, i used to go on Saturday mornings to watch Flash Gordon. I saw Help, Hard Day's Night and Let it be at the Villa Cross remember back then you could if you wanted to sit through a film several times and when it came to the Beatles i sure did 
Odeon New Street, Here we go round the Mulberry Bush, The Graduate, we had to sit on the steps as all the seats were taken. The Scala on Smallbrook Ringway but i can't recall the name of any films we saw. It seemed to be far more exciting back then to go to the cinema now half the time i wait for the DVD to come out.
Odeon New Street, Here we go round the Mulberry Bush, The Graduate, we had to sit on the steps as all the seats were taken. The Scala on Smallbrook Ringway but i can't recall the name of any films we saw. It seemed to be far more exciting back then to go to the cinema now half the time i wait for the DVD to come out.
John Young
master brummie
Nice one PAM,, yeh i remember all them + the screaming Gals at the Beatles Film,, Eh THEY couldn,t hear you mob :roll: But I went Deaf 8) (Ok, ok As well as DAFT :lol: Smashing at the Pics then,, Wow high priced today, So We wait for DVD,s too :wink:
D
DAVE BRICK
Guest
Yes I remember Ming, Flash Gordons arch enemy. But why was he frightened of him, all he had was a stiff collar.
D
DAVE BRICK
Guest
Me and my mate were going to the Cinephone and we run to catch a bus at the bottom of Hill Street. I got on but my mate was too slow, so I jumped off again when the bus was doing about 20mph, I fell in the road, broke off my cuban heel and hurt my backside.
But we still carried on with our night out even going to the pub after the film with me limping with one cuban heel on and one in my pocket.
But we still carried on with our night out even going to the pub after the film with me limping with one cuban heel on and one in my pocket.
Di.Poppitt
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
We don't often go to the pics now, but I do like to see a real biggie on the biggie screen.
I remember going in half way through a film Pam, then you sat through the whole of it again.
Do youngsters know what The Pictures are, or do they all call it the Cinema.
I remember going in half way through a film Pam, then you sat through the whole of it again.
Do youngsters know what The Pictures are, or do they all call it the Cinema.
Oisin
gone but not forgotten
DAVE BRICK said:
I remember being daring enough to got there when I was about 14 to see an X film. I think it was Violent Ecstasy or summat. I think it starred Elke Somer. Three of us went in trench coats with the collars turned up (in mid-summer).
The film turned out to be such a load of old cobblers we came out halfway through.
The Regal was my home-base (see Handsworth main site) where, as a scally, I'd pick up all sorts of strange girls. It was till they were in daylight that I'd discover they'd have faces like a bag o'spanners (or worse).
sylviasayers
master brummie
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.
Di.Poppitt
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Yes I do remember Sylvia
Just like can I mind your car, on Saturdays when Villa were at home.
Just like can I mind your car, on Saturdays when Villa were at home.
H
hmld
Guest
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:
Sid Walker
knowlegable brummie
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]
Oh Happy days.[/quote]
sylviasayers
master brummie
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.
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.
Peter Walker
gone but not forgotten
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
Peter
Peter Walker
gone but not forgotten
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
Peter
J
Jerry
Guest
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
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
K
Kandor
Guest
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..
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..
K
Kandor
Guest
LOL
Peter Walker
gone but not forgotten
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
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
Di.Poppitt
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
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.
We were drifting along on Moon Light Bay..............
We were drifting along on Moon Light Bay..............
F
Frantic
Guest
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).
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).
Alf
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
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
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