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Home » Theater Guide » Location » United Kingdom » England » Kingston upon Thames, Surrey » ABC Kingston upon Thames
Also known as Regal Cinema, Union Cinema

ABC Kingston upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England
22-30 Richmond Road
, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England, United Kingdom KT2 5ED
(map)
Status: Closed
Screens: Single Screen
Style: Art Deco
Function: Bingo Hall
Seats: 2445
Chain: Unknown
Architect: Robert Cromie
Firm: Unknown
Add a photo for this theater!
The Regal Cinema was built on an extended site of the Cinem Palace (1909-1931) which was demolished. It was built by the County Cinemas circuit in a lavish style.

It opened on 15th February 1932 with Sydney Howard in "Splinters of the Navy" and Garry Marsh in "Keepers of Youth" plus Laurel & Hardy in "Our Wives". The magnificent Wurlitzer 3Manual/12Rank (with grand piano) organ was opened by Reginald Foort. The other facilities included a large stage and many dressing rooms and a cafe with a dance floor.

It was taken over by Union Cinemas in 1936 and the name was changed from Regal to Union in March 1937. Union Cinemas were about to be taken over by Associated British Cinemas (ABC) and when they did the take-over, the name changed back to Regal Cinema in 1938.

Regular stage shows were held over the years and broadcasts and recordings of the Wurlitzer organ were numerous with famed organists Phil Park, Sydney Torch, H. Robinson Cleaver, Harold Ramsay, Dudley Savage and Joseph Seal.

In 1940 a German bomb did some damage to the cinema and the organ, but these were repaired.

It was re-named ABC from August 1961 and in October 1972 the Wurlitzer organ was removed to be installed in the Musical Museum, Brentford, Middlesex. The ABC closed as a cinema on 17th July 1976 with "Blondie" and "Adventures of a Taxi Driver".

It was converted into a Coral Bingo Club and from 1991 it has operated as a Gala Bingo Club.

The building is Listed Grade II.
Contributed by Ken Roe

YOUR COMMENTS

 
An exterior photograph from 1988:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/141621217/
A view of what is now the bingo auditorium as seen from the stage:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/141621215/
posted by KenRoe on Jul 11, 2007 at 4:18pm
A set of photographs of the Gala Bingo Club (former Regal Cinema):
http://www.scottishcinemas.org.uk/uk/london/kingston_regal/index.html
posted by KenRoe on Nov 13, 2007 at 12:09pm
One of those one-in-a-million unrelated subject photos with our topic in the frame!(1970?):-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22455491@N02/2373264603/in/set-72157604307836334/
posted by smoothie on May 18, 2008 at 1:26am
Three more photos from 1988 here:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/2706642686/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/2705824433/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/2706642444/
posted by Ian on Jul 27, 2008 at 7:08am
Some upto date (March 2009) photos here:-

Exterior
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/3378814506/

Interior
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/3378815170/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/3378814816/
posted by Ian on Mar 23, 2009 at 2:07am
This is a 2001 exterior view.

posted by Lost Memory on Aug 12, 2009 at 9:40am
The Regal's Wurlitzer Organ being played at the Brentford Musical Museum in August 2009.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2532/3871730536_2f3499153a_b.jpg

posted by JimLin on Sep 13, 2009 at 4:03am
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