3 photos uploaded including a very rare shot of the auditorium.
Also one taken on the Front of House in the 1960’s:–
Manager, Walter Aylen is on the left making a presentation to Assistant Manager, Ken Close as he transferred to another Rank Theatre. Walter was a seasoned Rank Manager who started at the Palace Sunderland (a Gaumont theatre) in the 1930’s. I knew Ken as Manager of the Odeon Halifax when I used to take over as Relief Manager at the ABC in the same town in the mid 1970’s where we had some good times. I heard from Ken recently and he is still alive and well and living in Halifax.
The Eden Theatre profile photo appeared in an article about Bishop Auckland in the ‘Northern Echo’ many years ago which placed great emphasis on its “big city feel” on market days namely Thursday and Saturday. The cutting was given to me by my dear deceased friend, Brett Childes, a Rank Manager who, following a period as House Manager at the mighty Odeon Newcastle, became Manager of the Odeons Hartlepool and Sunderland respectively. Following the closure of the latter he became Theatre Manager at the Sunderland Empire.
Re the “big city feel” quoted in the article, this was no exaggeration as thousands of shoppers converged upon the town from all the surrounding small towns and villages. Even when cinema audiences were declining and the town’s cinemas had been relegated to ‘evenings only’ venues they still operated on a ‘continuous from 1 pm’ basis on market days (and school holidays).
Sadly, the town has lost that “feel” now and this is not helped by the opening of an ‘out of town’ development at nearby St Helens Auckland which, as a young boy, I remember for its landmark mammoth gasometers and very little else. It is soon to be enhanced by a multiplex cinema, I believe……
Re the photo, I remarked to Brett about the fact that the Eden was showing films at the time which would place it in the very early 1960’s as ‘The Moonraker’ (George Baker, Sylvia Syms) was originally released in 1958 and ‘Tommy The Toreador’(Tommy Steele, Janet Munro) was the ABC Christmas attraction in 1959.
Brett’s dry response was that “Solly Scheckman must have rung Warner-Pathe and asked them what they had for a ‘fiver’ that week!”
Solly Scheckman was the founder of Essoldo Cinemas and Warner Pathe was the film distribution arm of Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) who also operated the Associated British Cinemas chain (ABC) and ABC Television (‘The Avengers’, ‘Redcap’, ‘Mystery and Imagination’ etc). The TV Company merged with Rediffusion to become Thames TV with ABC having a controlling interest.
The Eden Theatre profile photo appeared in an article about Bishop Auckland in the ‘Northern Echo’ many years ago which placed great emphasis on its “big city feel” on market days namely Thursday and Saturday. The cutting was given to me by my dear deceased friend, Brett Childes, a Rank Manager who, following a period as House Manager at the mighty Odeon Newcastle, became Manager of the Odeons Hartlepool and Sunderland respectively. Following the closure of the latter he became Theatre Manager at the Sunderland Empire.
Re the “big city feel” quoted in the article, this was no exaggeration as thousands of shoppers converged upon the town from all the surrounding small towns and villages. Even when cinema audiences were declining and the town’s cinemas had been relegated to ‘evenings only’ venues they still operated on a ‘continuous from 1 pm’ basis on market days (and school holidays).
Sadly, the town has lost that “feel” now and this is not helped by the opening of an ‘out of town’ development at nearby St Helens Auckland which, as a young boy, I remember for its landmark mammoth gasometers and very little else. It is soon to be enhanced by a multiplex cinema, I believe……
Re the photo, I remarked to Brett about the fact that the Eden was showing films at the time which would place it in the very early 1960’s as ‘The Moonraker’ (George Baker, Sylvia Syms) was originally released in 1958 and ‘Tommy The Toreador’(Tommy Steele, Janet Munro) was the ABC Christmas attraction in 1959.
Brett’s dry response was that “Solly Scheckman must have rung Warner-Pathe and asked them what they had for a ‘fiver’ that week!”
Solly Scheckman was the founder of Essoldo Cinemas and Warner Pathe was the film distribution arm of Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) who also operated the Associated British Cinemas chain (ABC) and ABC Television (‘The Avengers’, ‘Redcap’, ‘Mystery and Imagination’ etc). The TV Company merged with Rediffusion to become Thames TV with ABC having a controlling interest.
Wetherspoons seem to be quite arbitrary re which former cinemas are sensitively restored or otherwise; they have totally wrecked the Ritz Wallsend which was designed for ABC by the same architects as the Wallaw; a similar trashing was carried out at the Regal Rochdale which was a good example of ABC’s in house architect WR Glen.
Wetherspoon’s free magazine usually includes a section devoted to their former cinema venues and they make the proud boast that they always carry out sensitive adaptations. Whilst I am tempted to write and beg to differ I have no doubt that I would receive a rather dismissive response….
Back to the Wallaw and yes, that one was lucky, fortunately. I have uploaded a photo not of the theatre itself but of an ‘on the road promotion’ for the film, ‘Payroll’ in 1961; of equal interest is a passing ‘North Eastern Railway'goods locomotive on the embankment in the background.
Various photos uploaded mostly of the derelict interior.
In 1967 the Palladium was modernised and a luxury licensed bar was opened in a disused area above the entrance lobby adjacent to the circle foyer.
It was the second cinema in the North East to receive the wall to wall drape treatment, the first being the Queens Newcastle which, I am fairly sure, was the influence here.
Most of the drapery , as can be seen in the photos, has now fallen away from its track revealing what remains of the original elaborate decor, mostly chiseled away before the drapes were hung.
Below is a link to a site about the circuit of which the Palladium was part; its title rather unflatteringly alludes to the nickname of Thomas Thompson’s first ever cinema, the Cleveland Hall, Middlesbrough :–
2 auditorium shots uploaded to the relevant section.
I think that the main feature is ‘Cool Hand Luke’ (Paul Newman) which would date the photo to 1967.
3 photos uploaded including a very rare shot of the auditorium.
Also one taken on the Front of House in the 1960’s:– Manager, Walter Aylen is on the left making a presentation to Assistant Manager, Ken Close as he transferred to another Rank Theatre. Walter was a seasoned Rank Manager who started at the Palace Sunderland (a Gaumont theatre) in the 1930’s. I knew Ken as Manager of the Odeon Halifax when I used to take over as Relief Manager at the ABC in the same town in the mid 1970’s where we had some good times. I heard from Ken recently and he is still alive and well and living in Halifax.
‘The Moonraker’ starred George Baker and Sylvia Syms and was released in May 1958.
Vintage shot of the interior ( as the Castle Theatre) uploaded.
Exterior shot from 1964 uploaded.
2 photos uploaded.
Photo of the Christie Organ uploaded.
Exterior shot uploaded.
Photo uploaded.
Photo uploaded.
Posters of the two films showing at the time of the profile photo uploaded to the relevant section.
The Eden Theatre profile photo appeared in an article about Bishop Auckland in the ‘Northern Echo’ many years ago which placed great emphasis on its “big city feel” on market days namely Thursday and Saturday. The cutting was given to me by my dear deceased friend, Brett Childes, a Rank Manager who, following a period as House Manager at the mighty Odeon Newcastle, became Manager of the Odeons Hartlepool and Sunderland respectively. Following the closure of the latter he became Theatre Manager at the Sunderland Empire.
Re the “big city feel” quoted in the article, this was no exaggeration as thousands of shoppers converged upon the town from all the surrounding small towns and villages. Even when cinema audiences were declining and the town’s cinemas had been relegated to ‘evenings only’ venues they still operated on a ‘continuous from 1 pm’ basis on market days (and school holidays).
Sadly, the town has lost that “feel” now and this is not helped by the opening of an ‘out of town’ development at nearby St Helens Auckland which, as a young boy, I remember for its landmark mammoth gasometers and very little else. It is soon to be enhanced by a multiplex cinema, I believe……
Re the photo, I remarked to Brett about the fact that the Eden was showing films at the time which would place it in the very early 1960’s as ‘The Moonraker’ (George Baker, Sylvia Syms) was originally released in 1958 and ‘Tommy The Toreador’(Tommy Steele, Janet Munro) was the ABC Christmas attraction in 1959.
Brett’s dry response was that “Solly Scheckman must have rung Warner-Pathe and asked them what they had for a ‘fiver’ that week!”
Solly Scheckman was the founder of Essoldo Cinemas and Warner Pathe was the film distribution arm of Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) who also operated the Associated British Cinemas chain (ABC) and ABC Television (‘The Avengers’, ‘Redcap’, ‘Mystery and Imagination’ etc). The TV Company merged with Rediffusion to become Thames TV with ABC having a controlling interest.
The Eden Theatre profile photo appeared in an article about Bishop Auckland in the ‘Northern Echo’ many years ago which placed great emphasis on its “big city feel” on market days namely Thursday and Saturday. The cutting was given to me by my dear deceased friend, Brett Childes, a Rank Manager who, following a period as House Manager at the mighty Odeon Newcastle, became Manager of the Odeons Hartlepool and Sunderland respectively. Following the closure of the latter he became Theatre Manager at the Sunderland Empire.
Re the “big city feel” quoted in the article, this was no exaggeration as thousands of shoppers converged upon the town from all the surrounding small towns and villages. Even when cinema audiences were declining and the town’s cinemas had been relegated to ‘evenings only’ venues they still operated on a ‘continuous from 1 pm’ basis on market days (and school holidays).
Sadly, the town has lost that “feel” now and this is not helped by the opening of an ‘out of town’ development at nearby St Helens Auckland which, as a young boy, I remember for its landmark mammoth gasometers and very little else. It is soon to be enhanced by a multiplex cinema, I believe……
Re the photo, I remarked to Brett about the fact that the Eden was showing films at the time which would place it in the very early 1960’s as ‘The Moonraker’ (George Baker, Sylvia Syms) was originally released in 1958 and ‘Tommy The Toreador’(Tommy Steele, Janet Munro) was the ABC Christmas attraction in 1959.
Brett’s dry response was that “Solly Scheckman must have rung Warner-Pathe and asked them what they had for a ‘fiver’ that week!”
Solly Scheckman was the founder of Essoldo Cinemas and Warner Pathe was the film distribution arm of Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) who also operated the Associated British Cinemas chain (ABC) and ABC Television (‘The Avengers’, ‘Redcap’, ‘Mystery and Imagination’ etc). The TV Company merged with Rediffusion to become Thames TV with ABC having a controlling interest.
Wetherspoons seem to be quite arbitrary re which former cinemas are sensitively restored or otherwise; they have totally wrecked the Ritz Wallsend which was designed for ABC by the same architects as the Wallaw; a similar trashing was carried out at the Regal Rochdale which was a good example of ABC’s in house architect WR Glen.
Wetherspoon’s free magazine usually includes a section devoted to their former cinema venues and they make the proud boast that they always carry out sensitive adaptations. Whilst I am tempted to write and beg to differ I have no doubt that I would receive a rather dismissive response….
Back to the Wallaw and yes, that one was lucky, fortunately. I have uploaded a photo not of the theatre itself but of an ‘on the road promotion’ for the film, ‘Payroll’ in 1961; of equal interest is a passing ‘North Eastern Railway'goods locomotive on the embankment in the background.
Various photos uploaded mostly of the derelict interior.
In 1967 the Palladium was modernised and a luxury licensed bar was opened in a disused area above the entrance lobby adjacent to the circle foyer.
It was the second cinema in the North East to receive the wall to wall drape treatment, the first being the Queens Newcastle which, I am fairly sure, was the influence here.
Most of the drapery , as can be seen in the photos, has now fallen away from its track revealing what remains of the original elaborate decor, mostly chiseled away before the drapes were hung.
Below is a link to a site about the circuit of which the Palladium was part; its title rather unflatteringly alludes to the nickname of Thomas Thompson’s first ever cinema, the Cleveland Hall, Middlesbrough :–
http://www.bugandflea.com/
It did have a concave screen but only for 35mm presentations as 70mm was not installed (although it must originally have been a consideration).
Various photos uploaded to relevant section.
Link to photo of auditorium showing new larger screen and festoon forward of the original proscenium :–
https://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcinemaphotos/3306766454/in/dateposted/
3 photos relating to the theatre site uploaded to the relevant section.
Video footage of Stan Laurel’s niece unveiling a statue of the great man at the site of the Eden Theatre:–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcPOGVPdAbM
Auditorium photo uploaded to the relevant section.
Slideshow devoted to the Eden Theatre from ‘The History of Bishop Auckland’ website (adjust to full screen) :–
https://www.facebook.com/1688970957995928/videos/1735732943319729/
A preview of a fine watercolour by Bishop Auckland artist, Gaz Miller has been uploaded to the photos section…..
Article re the Majestic (Odeon) Bishop Auckland :–
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/history/10737118.A_Majestic_history/