Queen's Cinema

Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales

92 Queen Street

, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom CF10 2XN

(map)

Status:	Closed/Demolished
Screens:	Single Screen
Style:	Unknown

Function:	Unknown
Seats:	1253
Chain:	Unknown

Architect:	Unknown
Firm:	Unknown

One of the first purpose built cinemas in Cardiff, subsequently extended and adapted, It opened as the Cardiff Cinematograph Theatre on 19th July 1911.
Remembered as the first to be converted for "talkies" attracting huge audiences for Al Jolson's "Singing Fool".
Taken over by Savoy Cinemas circuit in September 1925, it was re-named Queen's Cinema. Savoy Cinemas became part of the Associated British Cinemas(ABC) chain and they operated it for the remainder of its cinematic life. Their trademark 'ABC' triangle covered over the original name on the white tiled frontage. The Queen's Cinema was very much second-best to the ABC owned Olympia Cinema, a short distance away, after that building had been substantially rebuilt and extended.

In the 1930's the Queen's and the Pavilion Cinema (then also operated by ABC) often showed the same programme.

By the 1950's the Queen's was showing re-runs and submitted a planning application for a very simple adaptation for a 30feet wide CinemaScope screen, attaching a photograph of the existing layout. There is no evidence that the work was carried out as the Queen's closed on 29th October 1955. Demolition followed some time later (around 1958) for shops to be built.

Contributed by Geoff

YOUR COMMENTS

As a cinema mad child in Cardiff in the early 1950s, I was taken to the Queen's Cinema many times by members of my family. It was a warm comfortable cinema that mainly specialised in second run family orientated features.It had the lowest prices in Queen Street which made it attractive to families that were not too well off. After the Coronation in June 1953, the Queens ran a full length film of the Coronation event for several months. I saw the film many times and remember the long queues waiting to gain admission. After closure it was quickly converted into a Wyman's newspaper and book shop.

posted by Editha Pearce on Mar 28, 2009 at 7:52pm

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Queen's Cinema

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