Correction Time. 20th Century did not take over the Theatres. There was an agreement as in THX to-day.. When Cinemascope and 4 Track came out Rank would not spend the money on the instulation… So Fox went to the leading Independant in the City or Town and gave them the release if the owners spent the money on the needed alterations We did the same in Walsall (Empire) (Clifton) Wolverhampton.. Regal Leamington.. and a few others in our chain.. The Futurist and Scalas in Both Liverpool and Birmingham was controled by Alderman Levy… Liverpool Theatres sold to ABC Birmingham much laters was sold to Shipman and King which at the time ws owned by Lew Grade…
G. Hewittson who owned the company.. Apart from the DIY store also made sets for television and stage.. I remeber going there to look at some sets. The Iron was down (Safty curtain) with doorways knocked through to the stage..
In 1956 The Broadway Cinema was Taken over by the Rodgers Family (Victory Playhouse Group) Who bought it with another 2 Cinemas Warwick Acocks Green and the Era Cinema.. at an auction selling 1 Week later to Jacey Cinemas..
I remember being at a meeting with an executive of AMC of America. When He told me that they had the first 2 screen cinema in the World… I had great pleasure in asking him. What was Regal Mancester doing in the early 1930’s… being a twin cinema in the UK.. :o) giving my best smile…
Of All The Cinemas I have worked at in 40 years. This was my favorite. I did 6 ½ years as Assitant Manager under Frank W. Attoe. before going to Work for The Birmingham Cinema Owner B.T.Davis becoming his General Manager and Having Cinemas of My Own..
Just checked my files. Seating capacity was 594. Stage depth was 30ft not 45ft scope picture was 25ft Projection Equipment BTH phone number had been Wells 3195
Minor correction. The downstairs was fitted out and ran by “STAR BINGO” This is one of the theatres I usd to cover the Manager for his time off and Holidays while I was with ABC…
Correction Myth 2. The Architects was Satchwell and Roberts with John Cecil Clavering.. Harry Weeden was just shown the plans by Deutsch and was basically told he wanted all his projects done like this… If You look at the work Satchwell and Roberts it proves my point. and Satchwell and Roberts where far bigger then Harry Weeden at the time..
Correction of Myth.. The Theatre Opened under Clifton Control “The Beacon Cinema (Kingstanding) Ltd., The Sidney Clift Faction controlled the Majority of Shares. Oscar Deutsch only had £100 in Shares, so had no say.. The same with "The Warley” From my memory as my family and I had interests in a number of Theatres and Cinemas.. It did not become a full Odeon untill around 1941 when J. Arthur Rank took over Oscar Deutsch’s
interests although they where badged as Odeons before this date. Hope this makes it clear..
If My memory is correct the theatre was hit by a bomb during the war. The luck thing was it did not explode. The person defusing the bomb was awarded a medal that allowed him to go free to any Odeon Cinema in the country
somewhere in my files I have a picture of the interior which I shall post. when I find it
Hmmm The Company I worked for as one of its General Managers, bought The Strand Bideford We had around at one time 50 or so Cinemas on BTH Supers and had very little problem with most of them. Provided they where kept free of Carbon Dust and oiled Daily.. they where never any problem. In 1974 if my memory is correct we installed one of the 6 sets of Brand new Westrex 7000s equipments in Bideford.. Which ended up being replaced in most of our the Theatres very quickly.
Have added picture of view of stage 1966 experiment I did taking 2 shots…
Loaded a view from the stage end on the re-opening night 1967
Have load a view from the stage end. just before the grand opening
Have loaded Stage view..
Have put a photo view of the Stage just before the opening…
Correction. ABC was NOT taken over by ODEON… ABC bought out Odeon and as the Strongest name brand was Odeon they chained the whole chain to Odeon..
Correction Time. 20th Century did not take over the Theatres. There was an agreement as in THX to-day.. When Cinemascope and 4 Track came out Rank would not spend the money on the instulation… So Fox went to the leading Independant in the City or Town and gave them the release if the owners spent the money on the needed alterations We did the same in Walsall (Empire) (Clifton) Wolverhampton.. Regal Leamington.. and a few others in our chain.. The Futurist and Scalas in Both Liverpool and Birmingham was controled by Alderman Levy… Liverpool Theatres sold to ABC Birmingham much laters was sold to Shipman and King which at the time ws owned by Lew Grade…
Please Note That Shipman and King was a division of the same company EMI Cinemas Ltd., same as ABC
Correction. Odeon Theatres Did not take over ABC… ABC took over Odeon… ABC renamed the theatres Odeon as it was the brand leader name..
The seating was removed. and ended up in a short lived cinema in Birmingham called “The Original Cinema” Saltley..
There is another strange coincidence…. Both Cinema had been booked by Clifton Curcuit Management.. in the past…
G. Hewittson who owned the company.. Apart from the DIY store also made sets for television and stage.. I remeber going there to look at some sets. The Iron was down (Safty curtain) with doorways knocked through to the stage..
This cinema was opened by Sydney Clifts father-in-law. Its from this Cinema, he got into the business
In 1956 The Broadway Cinema was Taken over by the Rodgers Family (Victory Playhouse Group) Who bought it with another 2 Cinemas Warwick Acocks Green and the Era Cinema.. at an auction selling 1 Week later to Jacey Cinemas..
that is very sad… Very suspicious indeed..
This was another Theatre Owned by Bertie Bull… Then sold to Essoldo…. He owned the Kings norton Cinema as well.
I remember being at a meeting with an executive of AMC of America. When He told me that they had the first 2 screen cinema in the World… I had great pleasure in asking him. What was Regal Mancester doing in the early 1930’s… being a twin cinema in the UK.. :o) giving my best smile…
Of All The Cinemas I have worked at in 40 years. This was my favorite. I did 6 ½ years as Assitant Manager under Frank W. Attoe. before going to Work for The Birmingham Cinema Owner B.T.Davis becoming his General Manager and Having Cinemas of My Own..
Just checked my files. Seating capacity was 594. Stage depth was 30ft not 45ft scope picture was 25ft Projection Equipment BTH phone number had been Wells 3195
Minor correction. The downstairs was fitted out and ran by “STAR BINGO” This is one of the theatres I usd to cover the Manager for his time off and Holidays while I was with ABC…
Correction Myth 2. The Architects was Satchwell and Roberts with John Cecil Clavering.. Harry Weeden was just shown the plans by Deutsch and was basically told he wanted all his projects done like this… If You look at the work Satchwell and Roberts it proves my point. and Satchwell and Roberts where far bigger then Harry Weeden at the time..
Correction of Myth.. The Theatre Opened under Clifton Control “The Beacon Cinema (Kingstanding) Ltd., The Sidney Clift Faction controlled the Majority of Shares. Oscar Deutsch only had £100 in Shares, so had no say.. The same with "The Warley” From my memory as my family and I had interests in a number of Theatres and Cinemas.. It did not become a full Odeon untill around 1941 when J. Arthur Rank took over Oscar Deutsch’s interests although they where badged as Odeons before this date. Hope this makes it clear..
If My memory is correct the theatre was hit by a bomb during the war. The luck thing was it did not explode. The person defusing the bomb was awarded a medal that allowed him to go free to any Odeon Cinema in the country somewhere in my files I have a picture of the interior which I shall post. when I find it
The Regal had been owned by the B.T. Davis family and Ken Jones from Late 1950’s to 1981. Then renting the Theatre out for a number of years
Hmmm The Company I worked for as one of its General Managers, bought The Strand Bideford We had around at one time 50 or so Cinemas on BTH Supers and had very little problem with most of them. Provided they where kept free of Carbon Dust and oiled Daily.. they where never any problem. In 1974 if my memory is correct we installed one of the 6 sets of Brand new Westrex 7000s equipments in Bideford.. Which ended up being replaced in most of our the Theatres very quickly.