• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Birmingham Cinemas

Agree Bill not much detail but most of the Folks on here had filled in a lot of detail.:)
 
There have been a few mentions of The Apollo on Tyburn Road. I'm not sure if I've put this on before (shades of Alf's problem :D) but here it is. While at school I worked part time at the Fine Fare supermarket which replaced it.
 
I remember the Cinema well, didn' Fine Fare show any films David:D

Screaming Skull & Party Girl both made in 1958:)

Can't find your posting David I've had a good look your memory is alright at the moment
 
Last edited:
No, but as I was "in charge" of the Saturday part-timers I got some "bonus" times in the store room with the pretty ones.:cool: I actually went out with a girl from there, a really pretty Irish girl who lived with her parents in the cottages by Castle Bromwich Station. I remember going to the La Pom at the end of the garden in the dark hoping not to fall down through the wooden seat into the pit!:rolleyes:
Unfortunately she chucked me after a couple of months.:crying:
 
Di.Poppitt said:
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..............
Click to expand...

I remember going to see this same film at the Edgbaston cinema, I would be two or three yrs older than you, when we came out we were all given a sample sachet of what must have been the 'New Cadbury's drinking chocolate'. We had that when we got home and it was lovely, I hung on tight to the sachet all the way home on the No8 bus.

Maggs
 
The Grange "Super" Cinema corner of Grange Rd/Coventry Rd, Small Heath. Len.
 
Last edited:
Alf I read that Doris Day wouldn't be pictured from any side but her right. She claimed it was prettier than her left face side. Anyhow, I loved her to, and saw all her films. They don't come up on TV often enough. when they do it's the same old ones. In fairness to the men she certainly had some cracking looking men to act with, I always thought it was such a waste when I learned about Rock Hudson!!!
 
She was the only Film Star that I sent to the Studio for a photograph and Mom framed the photo and it was on my Window sill in the Bedroom till I went in the Army, what happened to it who knows.
Unless Mom decided to hide it away when I started courting.:)
 
The Gala Cinema in 1979. Showing is "Flesh Gordon" with "Shivers" on the following week. It had been open as The Gala since 1977 but will always be best remembered as The Broadway and to a lesser extent as The Cinephone. It later became the Climax Cinema.

It stood on the junction of Wrentham Street and Bristol Street. Currently in 2004 a car dealer stands on the site. Len.
 
PICCADILLYFLICKS.jpg

The Piccadilly was on the Stratford road in Sparkhill. It opened in 1930 and closed as an english cinema in 1972 , it was Asian cinema for while then a Bingo hall Len.
 
Last edited:
The Coronet Cinema corner of Coventry Rd/Watts Rd, Small Heath, now demolished. Len.
 
Last edited:
Alf, The Lady in Black is married to The Man in Black and she sells the tubs of ice cream in the cinema!!. Len.
 
hi all
any one remember the news theater next to new st station in brum, dad would take me some saturdays to see the cartoons, I am sure he once said it was the oldest in brum. ALSO THE ROYALTY in harborn, and the oak in selly oak, he wob in weoley castle.
regards paul stacey
 
maggs said:
Alf I read that Doris Day wouldn't be pictured from any side but her right. She claimed it was prettier than her left face side. Anyhow, I loved her to, and saw all her films. They don't come up on TV often enough. when they do it's the same old ones. In fairness to the men she certainly had some cracking looking men to act with, I always thought it was such a waste when I learned about Rock Hudson!!!
Click to expand...

Ooh! Was Rock Hudson already married? We don't want to tarnish Doris' reputation do we? :D
 
Does anyone know exactly how many cinema's were across Birmingham. Looking at the Forum I didn't realize that there were so many. Of course we tended to go to the ones in our own vicinity didn't we? As a child I remember being taken to see Alice in Wonderland at the Odeon in town, and we had to queue for what seemed to me hours to get in. However, it was worth it, how I was longing to see that film.

Maggs
 
I don't know Richie, Can't say I remember anything about a wife. I thought he was gorgeous anyway, but as I said disappointing to find out the truth. My most favourite man was James Garner, he was the only pin up I ever had. I think Doris Day has the best of all the blokes to act with.
 
maggs my post is above yours telling you about a wife, click the link:)

MAGGS your post #741

Since the late 1890s nearly 200 Cinemas may be more have existed in Birmingham
 
Last edited:
Watched that Alf, smashing eh? When I hear her sing 'It's Magic' it gives me goose bumps. I honestly don't think she did a film that I didn't see. Were you referring to Rock Hudson being married Alf?
 
Do you remember that Cinemas ran non stop performances so you often saw the end of the feature and then sat all the way through from the beginning.
The queues were waiting for people to come out as they got to the point where they went in.
You could stop in all day and see the whole programme twice or even three times, how we waited to get on the back row!!!
I don't think we had separate performances until we had the start of the big feature CinemaScope films.
 
Yes David I do remember that? It didn't seem to worry us to much though did it? Whatever did you want the back row for???? Perhaps we should draw a veil over that eh?
 
Alf, am I having a senior moment again? Did I miss something about Rock Hudson being married then? Was the there an Odeon cinema at Quinton? I remember going to an Odeon out that way, where the road divides to go to Wolverhampton and Dudley. Is there a pic of it somewhere?
 
Last edited:
I am not sure about this Odeon Alf. The map is rather too modern from the time I used this cinema. There was no M5 there then. Certainly at that time it wouldn't have been addressed as Blackheath. I shall go on studying the map. I prefer the old map's of Brum, I know where I am with those. Thank you for sending it though

Maggs
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top