Not a member yet? Register now.

Search

Theaters News Links

Advanced search
 

Theater Guide

Now listing 26,627 theaters & 1,598 photos… more
Browse by...
• Architect
• Chain
• Firm
• Function
• Location
• Newest
• Photo
• Screens
• Seats
• Status
• Style
• Updated
• VR
 

Add Your Cinema Treasure!

Add Theater
Add Photo (offline)
Add Theater News
 

Newest Theaters

Nov 21 Cinemas West 4
Nov 21 Pathe Vaise
Nov 21 Vis Pathe di…
Nov 21 Louisville…
Nov 21 Grand Cinema
Nov 21 Broadlands Cinema
Nov 21 Miners' Welfare…
Nov 21 Miners' Welfare…
Nov 20 Welfare Hall…
Nov 20 Starlighter…
more new theaters
 

Recent Comments

Nov 22 Colony Theatre (32)
Nov 22 Square Theatre (20)
Nov 22 Loew's Jersey… (1232)
Nov 22 Broadway Theatre (25)
Nov 22 Normandy Theatre (16)
Nov 22 Kenton Theatre (2)
Nov 22 Egyptian Theater (3)
Nov 22 Walnut Park… (3)
Nov 22 American Theatre (3)
Nov 21 Rialto Theatre (4)
 

Updated Theaters

Nov 21 Colony Theatre
Nov 21 Village Playhouse
Nov 21 Hollywood Theatre
Nov 21 Egyptian 24
Nov 21 Odeon Lakeshore
Nov 21 Donner Theatre
Nov 21 North Adams Garden
Nov 21 Hudson Movieplex 8
Nov 21 Glenwood Theatre
Nov 21 Seville Theatre
more updated theaters
 
 
   Discover. Preserve. Protect.
Home » Theater Guide » Location » United Kingdom » England » Doncaster, South Yorkshire » Cannon Doncaster
Also known as ABC, Movie World

Cannon Doncaster

Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England
Cleveland Street
, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom DN1
(map)
Status: Closed/Renovating
Screens: Triplex
Style: Unknown
Function: Unknown
Seats: 813
Chain: Unknown
Architect: C.J. Foster, Alan Morgan
Firm: Morgan & Branch
Add a photo for this theater!
The ABC was built by Associated British Cinemas(ABC) as a replacement for their Picture House Cinema which had opened in 1914. It opened on 18th May 1967 with Omar Sharif in "Doctor Zhivago" presented in 70mm. It is situated in the middle of the town centre just 5 minutes walk away from Doncaster interchange. Designed with 1,277 seats arranged in a stadium plan by the architectural firm Morgan & Branch, with input by architects C.J. Foster & Alan Morgan. It was decorated in a modern 1960's style.

Closed in January 1981 for conversion into a triple screen it re-opened on 9th April 1981 with seating in the 3-screens for 477, 201 and 135.

The Cannon Group took control in the mid-1980's and it was re-named Cannon and it closed on 18th June 1992, screening its opening film "Doctor Zhivago".

The building has stood empty and unused since then, but in 2007, it was bought by Movie World for just £150,000. It is reputedly being re-modeled with extra screens beeing added, however by 2009, only a clean-up of the interior has been achieved.
Contributed by Danny Broome, Ken Roe

YOUR COMMENTS

 
The ABC Doncaster, a vintage photograph from 1978 when it was still a single screen:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcinemaphotos/2515668625/
posted by KenRoe on Jul 9, 2008 at 3:14am
A vintage photograph of the ABC, taken on its opening day in 1967:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcinemaphotos/2561189230/
posted by KenRoe on Jul 9, 2008 at 3:20am
what a fabulous cinema the doncaster abc was, especially as a single screen cinema. i have great memories of 70mm presentations there, in my view the best cinema in britain, in its day.
posted by mike 2001 on Jul 26, 2008 at 6:02am
The ABC Doncaster was indeed a fabulous cinema (as a single unit) inside but the outside must be one of the plainest and ugliest ever built. Saw 'Doctor Zhivago'there on the first Saturday after it opened (May 18th 1967) and it was an excellent 70mm auditorium.
Little did I know then that 18 years later I would be the Manager there. By then of course it had three screens.

abcman
posted by Richard Roper on Sep 19, 2008 at 2:53pm
Any update on the cinema re-opening. I was told by someone who lives in Doncaster that its roof had been removed so that rates didn't have to be paid and it was due to be demolished in the Doncaster redevelopment scheme.
posted by Richard Roper on Sep 26, 2008 at 9:32am
hi, i live in doncaster too and i know for a fact that the roof is still in place, also, the building does not fall within the redevelopment area.
posted by mike 2001 on Sep 26, 2008 at 10:22am
Thanks Mike for the news.Obviously I was told some wromg information!
posted by Richard Roper on Sep 26, 2008 at 3:06pm
Hi, Does anybody know about if it is going to be re-opened again? thanks.
posted by Daniel Hodson on Mar 17, 2009 at 5:13pm
Have tried to find out, but no one seems able to say, would be great if it could reopen as a single screen again, ( those really were the days.)
posted by mike 2001 on Mar 18, 2009 at 3:28am
A vintage photograph of the auditorium, as seen at the opening of the ABC in 1967:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcinemaphotos/2955160484/
posted by KenRoe on Mar 21, 2009 at 10:29am
wow, remember the photo, ( posted by kenroe,)from an edition af abc film review magazine. many thanks for posting this.
posted by mike 2001 on Mar 21, 2009 at 12:25pm
it may be of interest. This year ( 2009 ) marks the 40th anniversary of the release of, "KES," Kes was given it's World Premiere at ABC Doncaster ( later cannon, ) It was quite an evening, one i shall never forget,
posted by mike 2001 on Jun 12, 2009 at 1:03pm
An amendment about KES. Although filmed in 1969, KES was only given private press screenings that year. The World Premiere was,on Wednesday March 25th 1970, at ABC DONCASTER, with cast, crew, film studio executives & the Mayors of both Doncaster & Barnsley attending, along with members of the public, who could buy tickets to the event.
posted by mike 2001 on Jun 21, 2009 at 6:56am
Comment
*

Notify me when someone replies to my comment?
Note: Please read our comment policy before posting. Comments which are off-topic, obscene, spam, or personal attacks will be removed. Help us keep the discussion productive!