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Birmingham Cinemas

Hi All,
that card was sent to me by Gwen Green the Kiosk / Ice cream lady at the Sheldon Cinema as a reminder of the time when I used to help her fill up her tray for the final push around the stalls, and as she went to walk off she stopped suddenly and said "Chris quick !!!! the elastic in my knickers has gone !!" so we went into one of the side exits at the front and I held the tray while she removed the offending garment, she then said to me "put these in your pocket if ever I pull them out while giving change I will be totally embarrassed" So what happens after the sale finishes I am giving her knickers to her when the Manager walks in, everyone had a good chuckle.
Regards Chris B
 
Chris B said:
just a few more pics to bring back some memories
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Thanks for the picture of the Palace. I dont suppose you have any of the inside?

I remember as a girl (in the early 60's) that in the Bham Mail there would be a list of all the cinemas and what they were showing. There were quite a few in the list as I remember.
 
Chris B said:
Hi All,
that card was sent to me by Gwen Green the Kiosk / Ice cream lady at the Sheldon Cinema as a reminder of the time when I used to help her fill up her tray for the final push around the stalls, and as she went to walk off she stopped suddenly and said "Chris quick !!!! the elastic in my knickers has gone !!" so we went into one of the side exits at the front and I held the tray while she removed the offending garment, she then said to me "put these in your pocket if ever I pull them out while giving change I will be totally embarrassed" So what happens after the sale finishes I am giving her knickers to her when the Manager walks in, everyone had a good chuckle.
Regards Chris B
Click to expand...

That gave me a good laugh.
 
Hi All,
here are 2 pics of The CAPITOL Cinema at Alum Rock, if you look closely you will see a difference in the signage and the shades on light fittings on the canopy, but more importantly there is a rectangular building that has appeared on the roof, this is infact the projection room that was used untill closure. The reason for this was the same as what happened to the Beaufort, because of the exceptional business done they decided to extend the auditorium, this is why the Capitol looked very long and thin, the original projection room was under balcony projection, but after the extention the projector beam clipped the balcony overhang, so you had two choices make the screen smaller or move the projection room. So obviously you couldn't have a fiddly little screen stuck at the end of such a long auditorium, so the projection room was rebuilt on the roof so as to retain a large screen. The projectors had a very steep rake so to compensate for the keystone effect on the picture this produced, special lenses had to made.
Regards Chris B
 
Thanks Chris for the pics of The Capitol and the informative piece explaining the changes. It was a long narrow cinema and was never on a par with The Beaufort. Furthermore, the trains rumbling by adjacent to the cinema spoilt the concentration and brought reality back to the patrons!
 
Just thought of another cinama in Erdington on the corner of Gravelly Lane and chester Rd Boldmere end went there once can,t remember it,s name though i,m sure some one will turn a light on in my head. Dek
 
not thinking of THE PAVILLION Wylde Green that went over to ten pin bowling before if finally closed are you ?
 
Thats the one thought it was Erdington but on reflection it,s got to be Wylde Green i did use the bowling alley on occasions after the knocked it down they built a leasure center at the back used to play squash there.DEk
 
Going back to the Odeon Perry Barr, I heard something new to me wo weeks ago. The building contract cost so much that Oscar Deutsch hadn't the money to pay the architect for the Odeon Perry Barr, so they settled that he would be given shares in the company, which came in quite handy in the 1950s, when he sold them. According to this source, Oscar Deutsch had previously had a market stall in or near the Bull Ring. I can't say how accurate this is.
Peter
 
I have never heard that one before about the market stall, as far as I know Oscar Deutsch was a member of the family that owned Deutsch & Brenner the steel company around the back end of Aston or thereabouts, and that is where he worked until he became fed up with the steel and scrap metal business, he then went on to be interested in cinemas together with a mutual of friend of his, buying the "Silver Cinema" somewhere out Worcester way to start with.
Regards Chris B
 
nice pic' never seen the old Green Lane in all its glory, I used to pass there every day on my way to work at A.J. Gupwell in Bradford Street, the shop fitting firm, it was a furniture store then (in the 60s)
Regards Chris B
 
List of cinema opening & closing dates. Len.
The Apollo (Tyburn Road) - opened March 1930 – closed April 1960
The Atlas (Stechford) – opened March 1938 – closed May 1959
The Beaufort (Ward End) – opened August 1929 – closed August 1978
The Castle (Castle Bromwich) – opened August 1940 – closed May 1963
[The Cameo – Coleshill – no information found]
The Capitol (Alum Rock) – opened April 1925 still operating in 1988.
The Erdington Picture House – opened 1913 – closed 1956 (now Wilton Market)
The Grand (Alum Rock) – opened May 1914 – closed August 1959
Kingstanding Odeon – opened July 1935 – closed December 1962 [Grade 2 Listed]
The Palace (Erdington) – opened December 1912 – closed August 1962
Perry Barr Odeon –opened August 1930 – closed May 1969
The Plaza (Stockland Green) – opened December 1927 – closed September 1978
The Ritz (Bordesley Green) – opened November 1927 – closed September 1962
Sutton Coldfield Odeon – opened? 1930’s still showing films (4 Screens)
(Source Victor F Price – Birmingham Cinemas – 1988)
 
lencops said:
List of cinema opening & closing dates. Len.
The Apollo (Tyburn Road) - opened March 1930 – closed April 1960
The Atlas (Stechford) – opened March 1938 – closed May 1959
The Beaufort (Ward End) – opened August 1929 – closed August 1978
The Castle (Castle Bromwich) – opened August 1940 – closed May 1963
[The Cameo – Coleshill – no information found]
The Capitol (Alum Rock) – opened April 1925 still operating in 1988.
The Erdington Picture House – opened 1913 – closed 1956 (now Wilton Market)
The Grand (Alum Rock) – opened May 1914 – closed August 1959
Kingstanding Odeon – opened July 1935 – closed December 1962 [Grade 2 Listed]
The Palace (Erdington) – opened December 1912 – closed August 1962
Perry Barr Odeon –opened August 1930 – closed May 1969
The Plaza (Stockland Green) – opened December 1927 – closed September 1978
The Ritz (Bordesley Green) – opened November 1927 – closed September 1962
Sutton Coldfield Odeon – opened? 1930’s still showing films (4 Screens)
(Source Victor F Price – Birmingham Cinemas – 1988)
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Gosh weren't we lucky to have all thse cinema's. Does anyone know how many cinema's Brum had at it's peak?
 
Alf said:
The first Odeon was in Perry (Pear) Barr (Hill).
Opened on 4th August 1930 by Oscar Deutsch the name ODEON derives from part of his name,
Oscar Deutsh Entertains Our Nation.
He was Born of Jewish Hungarian Parents in Balsall Heath 1889 Died 1941.
How many Cinemas do you have stories about and what was your favorite story of that cinema.
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Alf, I never knew that, ta! I've occasionally wondered where the name originated. Marvelous site this! :)
 
maggs said:
Gosh weren't we lucky to have all thse cinema's. Does anyone know how many cinema's Brum had at it's peak?
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maggs

I can tell you that in 1939 there were 98 Cinemas in Birmingham, with a total seating capacity of 117,000. That was the peak from then on it was a downward trend.

Phil
 
The Electric Cinema in Birmingham celebrates 100th anniversary

Dec 3 2009 With thanks to the Birmingham Mail. Len.



the-staff-of-the-electric-cinema-on-december-24-1887-678873138.jpg

Britain’s oldest working cinema has been congratulated in the House of Commons as it celebrates its anniversary.
The Electric Cinema, in Station Street, Birmingham city centre, first opened its doors on December 27, 1909.
MPs Tom Watson (Lab West Bromwich East), Khalid Mahmood (Lab Perry Barr) and Richard Burden (Lab Northfield) highlighted the cinema’s achievements in an official Commons motion.
They said the House of Commons “recognises the value of independent cinemas to the cultural and social life of local communities; celebrates the continued success of Britain’s oldest working cinema, The Electric in Birmingham; notes that on 2 December 2009 a centenary celebration is taking place for the cinema that started life as a silent movie theatre, became a news theatre during the Second World War and succumbed to dereliction in 2003.”
They congratulated the cinema’s owned, Thomas Lawes, who they said had “lovingly restored the cinema to its former Art Deco glory whilst preparing it for the new age of digital content; and calls on the Government to confirm its support for independent cinemas which are a vital part of Britain’s cultural film heritage”.
The Electric has been through a series of changes since its early days showing silent films.
It was closed in 1931, with the building used as an amusement arcade, only to re-open in 1937 as a news theatre.
In the 1980s it survived by offering customers horror films and soft porn.
In 2004, it was bought by Thomas Lawes Media Ltd and underwent a major renovation.
The building was restored to its Art Deco look from the 1930s, while the interior was outfitted with the latest cinema technology.
The Electric has also boasted a number of different names over the decades, including The Jacey, The Classic and Tivoli. It was returned to The Electric, the name it started with, in 1993.
 
Peter W said:
Going back to the Odeon Perry Barr, I heard something new to me wo weeks ago. The building contract cost so much that Oscar Deutsch hadn't the money to pay the architect for the Odeon Perry Barr, so they settled that he would be given shares in the company, which came in quite handy in the 1950s, when he sold them. According to this source, Oscar Deutsch had previously had a market stall in or near the Bull Ring. I can't say how accurate this is.
Peter
Click to expand...

Oscar Deutsch. and Mrs Deutsch Only ever had £100 worth of shares at the start in any of the the Odeons he built. He and his wife made money out of each opening...... Each Odean was a seperate company.... Mrs Deutsch designed all the furnishings carpets, seat fabrics, Stage Tabs etc...
Shareholders in these Cinemas could only sell their shares to the Directors of the individual Odean Company......
It was common that builders, seating, Film Projectors sound etc got paid so much in cash and shares..

The Finace system was thought up by Sir Sydney Clift.. of Clifton...... who had Offices in the same buildings as Odean in Temple street..

When opening an Odean of Clifton it took a few days only to raise money to build one....

The Odean Kingstanding and Warley where not real Odeans at the start. They where Cliftons..... and later sold to Rank....
 
Correction \pre 1930 It opened as "The Cinema DeLuxe" The company that had it originaly was Cinema Properties Ltd., Leon Salburg (of Alex theatre) Sydney Clift... Joesph Cohen of Jacey) They fell out I believe and sold the circuit to ABC... Then with the money each built new cinemas around Birmingham..
 
hi all
my dear old dad used to take me on a saturday to the news theatre to see the disney cartoons, I remember when only 6/7 while dad got the tickets, sneaking up to the two big doors and peering through the the red glass to see donald duck flickering on the screen, I remember the smart uniforms of the door men and usherettes and the plush red carpets everywhere, a magical place to a kid who lived in a council house .
paul
 
The Heath Cinema was comondered by "The Ministry of food during the war and never reopened as a cinema and had no war damage...

The Heath Cinema was on washwood heath road Washwood heath Not Aston
 
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