ABC Cardiff
67 Queen Street,
Cardiff,
CF10 4AT
67 Queen Street,
Cardiff,
CF10 4AT
6 people
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Photo (exterior) dating from 1989 here:–
http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/328111256/
I visited this cinema many times from the late 1950’s onwards, and recall the installation of the new screen and curtains, when the old curtain was used to hide the builders scaffolding during the work.The curtains were extended along the side walls before the 70mm showing of “My Fair Lady” which exploited the very large screen and well-sited projection room to the full.
Unfortunately in mid 1966 the decision was taken to reduce the size of the screen. The masking came down and the screen widened by a very small amount for the showing of “The Moving Target” and everything subsequently shown in ‘Scope.
The triple-screen ABC was a very disappointing experience from an audience point of view and little modernisation or improvement took place in later years.
A number of architects plans for the major reconstruction in 1935 which utilised the shell of the former Andrews Hall,and installed the circle, have been preserved in the local archive.
I was there in the early sixties when it was converted to show Todd AO 70mm films. The excitement of being involved with the conversion as a lowly third projectionist has stayed with me ‘til now. After the conversion we openned with the 35mm 4 track mag sound copy of THe Nuns Story which ran for a season, This was followed by Oklahoma! In my book a new genre of film projection had started.
Sadly, all has gone now and no sign of the cinema remains.
I would also like to mention the dedicated team I worked with
Chief Frank Saunders
Second Ernie Brown
Second Ken Harvey
Third John Williams and of course myself
Mike Williams