Scala Cinema

[Astoness]

scarla cinema...location says smallbrook..

 

[dek carr]

Re: scarla cinema

Lyn that would be Smallbrook Street.Dek

 

[sistersue61]

Re: scarla cinema

Mom and Dad remember this - Dad says down by the Horsefair, they went to watch Love is a many Splendoured Thing, but it wasn't on so they watched Salome Dances, which they said was rubbish!!!
Sue

 

[ellbrown]

Re: scarla cinema

You mean Scala.

Got demolished in the '60s for Smallbrook Queensway and Holloway Circus. And got replaced by this - Odeon Ringway / Odeon Queensway in Scala House.


Scala Building, Holloway Circus - former cinema - Odeon Queensway by ell brown, on Flickr

Odeon Queensway

The Scala Superama Cinema was built as a replacement for the old 1914 Scala Theatre which had been closed in 1960. Contained in a new office block named Scala House, the cinema was a project of Compton Films Ltd. who distributed sex orientated foreign films and operated sex cinemas and cinema clubs in London. The Scala Superama was designed as a ‘Roadshow’ house, together with the new Superama Cinema in Derby.

The Birmingham Scala Superama Cinema opened on 23rd November 1964. All seating was in a stadium style on a single stepped floor and it was equipped for 35mm and 70mm presentations. It was taken over by the Rank Organisation from 22nd February 1970 and re-named Odeon Ringway (due to its location close to Smallbrook Ringway).

It was re-named Odeon Queensway in June 1972 and re-furbished in 1983. It was at this time that the Cinecenta twin cinema next door was taken over by the Rank organisation and was incorporated into the Odeon Queensway.

The cinemas closed on 18th September 1988 and have remained empty and unused ever since.

 

[Astoness]

Re: scarla cinema

Lyn that would be Smallbrook Street.Dek

thanks dek...

 

[Pomgolian]

Re: scarla cinema

My brother, sister and about 10 of our friends went to the Scarla and many of the other 'Picture Houses' around town every Sunday evening. We would the go to one of 'The Pie carts', Hot potato', or 'Hot dog' stands, whichever was the closest. Because I was not working my brother and some of our other friends who were would pay for me to go and not miss out.

 

[DavidGrain]

Re: scarla cinema

Went to the Scala just once. Saw a Disney film about a dog. I remember the cinema was isolated with roadworks going on. Must have been about the time Smallbrook Ringway was being built.

 

[Astoness]

Re: scarla cinema

hi david...would it have looked like this when you went....dated 1959...scala pic house on the right...

lyn

 

[DavidGrain]

Re: scarla cinema

Yes Lyn that's it, or perhaps a little bit before the photo was taken, and the date is about right because I went with my mother and younger sister.

 

[Astoness]

Re: scarla cinema

Yes Lyn that's it, or perhaps a little bit before the photo was taken, and the date is about right because I went with my mother and younger sister.

thought it maybe about the right date david...looks kind of lost i think...

 

[DavidGrain]

Re: scarla cinema

The film was The Shaggy Dog. I remember it being a B & W film. It was released in 1959 although this poster says 1963
View attachment 69560

 

[sylviasayers]

Re: scarla cinema

I remember the Scala the only film I recall seeing was "Girl on a Red Velvet Swing" starring Joan Collins. It was early to mid 1950s, I posted this on the cinema thread and the late dear Peter Walker also posted with the exact date, as he meticulously kept a diary - and no I didn't go with Peter.

 

[TOPSYTURVEY]

Re: scarla cinema

 

[Vivienne14]

Article from Birmingham Post about the cinema. Remember seeing many films there. It was where I first saw a film (Gone with the Wind) on a very wide screen. Viv.

https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/creative/birminghams-hidden-spaces-photos-reveal-8317710

 

[norfolk brummie]

Vivienne 14. The closed Scala cinema. 'Gone With the Wind' sounds just about right!! Eddie

 

[cookie273uk]

My very first date with my late wife was at the Scala in December 1951, think it was some Bob Hope film (wasn't really watching) Eric

 

[Phil]

The information I have says the Scala Cinema, Smallbrook St, opened March 14th 1914 with Confederates in Crime and it had seating for 800 and price of admission was 6d & 1/- . It closed on June 4th 1960 showing the films Teenager in Love (X) & The Leech Woman (X).

The cinema that was built to replace it was the private Compton Cinema in the 60's it was later enlarged and rebuilt as The Scala Super Cinema and opened in 1964 in 1970 it was taken over by Odeon Cinemas and renamed The Odeon Queensway.

 

[farmerdave]

This picture from the Sunday Mercury of March 8 1959 shows the edge of the Scala Cinema shortly before it was demolished. Standing next to the cinema is Mr. Jesse Foster of Knowle Road, Sparkhill who had been a commissionaire at the Scala Cinema for over 35 years. "Soon he will be marshalling queues no longer as the cinema is to be razed to make way for a new road". I believe that this was all part of the new Inner Ring Road scheme. Dave.

 

[Chebalina]

My great aunt - Madelaine Whitby was an usherette at the Scala and she worked with a Manager? called John Green. I think my grandmother also worked there for a short time. This would have been in the early 50s I guess.