Comments from Mike_Blakemore

Showing 151 - 175 of 658 comments

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Odeon Luxe London Leicester Square on Jun 5, 2017 at 2:16 pm

Hmm The First 7 Cinemas of what became The Odeon Circuit from Kingstanding onwards was really owned by Clifton of Birmingham . Sir Sidney Clift a Birmingham Solicitor appointed Deutch as Chair in Place of Leon Salberg of the Alexandra Theatre Birmingham who was dying. Clift being a practicing Solicitor it was not the done thing to do.. All Built Odeon had a large Clifton Syndicate presence, It must be remembered That Deutch and his wife Lillie had only 200 shares between them in each project.. Lillie ran a theatre furnishings company with Clift that supplied both Clifton’s and Odeons and that why they looked the same. J. Arthur Rank only purchased Deutch’s shares in the Management company in 1942.. 1947 Rank promoted shares in Odeon properties Ltd., During 1948 the complex process of buying out and share swapping took place. The share rights were offered to shareholders of the individual Odeon projects The Odeon Circuit history is very complex and not what it seems.. The Architects Clevering and Mather were also associates of Satchwell and Roberts Architects of Birmingham.. They created the Odeon Look. Not Weedon. Andrew Mather solely designed Odeon Leicester Square. Harry Weedon’s job was to manage the projects and produce the budget for the share holder prospectus’s

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Odeon Luxe London Leicester Square on May 31, 2017 at 8:28 pm

Granadier…. As a point of interest each Granada was a separate project.. Both ABC and Rank had money in Granada. Now Those Granada’s that had ABC money was Ross-RCA Equipped. Rank money was GB Kalee Equipped. It also has to be remembered that the Bernstein’s had a management arrangement with J. Arthur Rank whilst Rank had money invested in Granada. (A name dropping moment) I met Sidney Bernstein when I was much younger when I worked with ABC as an Assistant Manager. Granada’s head office was diagonal to ABC’s in Golden Square. ABC had some of their offices in their building.. We have to give thanks that we once had so many individually magnificent Theatres – Cinemas whatever their ownership.. Unlike the bland boring bog standard modern ones we have today. Run by people that do not seem to have the same passion as our generation did.

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Metro Theatre on May 27, 2017 at 4:54 pm

Hmm Well I have just deleted the picture the picture … There is a mystery now.. and I cannot be asked.. to solve it.

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Hippodrome Cinema on May 16, 2017 at 7:02 pm

Both of their Cinemas burned down….

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Vogue Cinema on May 16, 2017 at 7:00 pm

The Entrance was down the side passage

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Picture House Stratford Upon Avon on May 11, 2017 at 5:34 am

Photo thanks to David Mills

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Odeon Walsall on Apr 26, 2017 at 8:12 pm

1941..

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about ABC Blackpool on Apr 24, 2017 at 7:17 pm

Terry I have seen a picture and thought I had a copy. Someone had put it and a number of other pictures in a safe place

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Chase Cinema on Apr 24, 2017 at 11:29 am

This cinemas was managed by Miles Jervis Cinemas It was owned by the Original Miles Jervis wife. who lived in a caravan at the back of the cinema. and used to take a Big teapot into the staff for the tea break

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about ABC Blackpool on Apr 24, 2017 at 6:05 am

Its is a pity that there is no picture of the Proscenium end.

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Classic Cinema on Apr 22, 2017 at 8:49 pm

The Whit building shown was the Classic small old Dance Hall see other pictures.

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Classic Cinema on Apr 22, 2017 at 8:47 pm

Advert Walsall Observer 1944

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Rosum Cinema on Apr 22, 2017 at 8:47 pm

Advert Walsall Observer 1944

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Empire Cinema on Apr 22, 2017 at 8:35 pm

Advert 1944 Walsall Observer

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Forum Cinema on Apr 22, 2017 at 11:12 am

The Post Code is LL41 3UN

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Odeon Walsall on Apr 22, 2017 at 7:14 am

Thanks to Ivy Climbs for this advert

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Royal Cinema on Apr 10, 2017 at 6:46 am

Firstly. John Cecil Clavering designed the whole thing. he with Roland Satchwell created Odeon look.. There is no evidence that Weedon designed a whole cinema.. Prior to the Odeon work he was assistant architect at the Harold Seymour Scott practice. Cleaving transferred from the Satchwell & Roberts co., (they were a larger Practice) to become Head architect . 16 cinemas Later Bullivant took his place. Weedon did prepare the budgets for the eighth cinema onwards in the Odeon Chain.

Secondly.. Ambak is correct.. It was designed in a morning. The Rank engineer Mr Poole and Morgonites technical Rep Les Castree along with a Bell and Howell 631 16mm Projector a step ladder. tape measure and chalk Les Castree did rough drawings, which Ranks Architects converted to proper drawings. The big mistake Rank did was not getting Modernisation Ltd., to do the job. So you could here 3 films at once It was a Moore Bird Job.. Noted for sound breakthrough..

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Jacey News Theatre Birmingham on Apr 8, 2017 at 8:35 pm

Picture from Neville Cohen Grandson of Joseph Cohen

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Hippodrome Theatre on Apr 4, 2017 at 6:41 am

I have revamped the picture

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Odeon Newcastle upon Tyne on Apr 4, 2017 at 5:13 am

On the News today that the frontage collapsed in the street….

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Gaumont Plaza Cinema on Mar 18, 2017 at 6:26 am

popcorn pets He used to have the Ritz Nuneaton

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Gaumont Plaza Cinema on Mar 14, 2017 at 5:24 am

The Bingo Operator was Parker Bros of Rhyl

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Cannon Walsall on Feb 26, 2017 at 6:06 am

The Film Producer Euan Lloyd started as a Trainee Manager Here Noted for working on the Bond Movies and later his own. “Shalako” “Wild Geese” “Sea Wolves” “Paper Tiger” to name a few. Plus some Travel films to accompany the Bond Movies. to achieve the British Quota showings ..

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Picture House on Feb 26, 2017 at 5:49 am

The Ceiling of the Cinema survived on the upper floor that was used as a gym. The stalls floor line is that used in the arcade.

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Coliseum Theatre on Feb 26, 2017 at 5:26 am

On an odd note. Both Theatres designed by Thomas Guest got bombed in 1941 … Alexandra Theatre Hull