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Home » Theater Guide » Location » United Kingdom » Scotland » Glasgow, Lanarkshire » ABC Coliseum
Also known as Coliseum Theatre, ABC Coliseum Cinerama Theatre

ABC Coliseum

Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
97 Eglinton Street, Laurieston
, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom G5 9NT
(map)
Status: Closed
Screens: Single Screen
Style: Art Deco, Neo-Classical
Function: Unknown
Seats: 1310
Chain: Unknown
Architect: William R. Glen, Frank Matcham, Leslie C. Norton
Firm: Frank Matcham & Company
ABC Coliseum
Vintage 1980s shot of the Coliseum Cinema
Photo courtesy of Ian Grundy
The Glasgow Coliseum Theatre is located on the south side of the city centre in the district of Laurieston. It was built for the Moss Empire's theatre circuit and opened on 18th December 1905 as a 2,893 seats music hall/variety theatre. It was designed by the most profilic UK theatre architect Frank Matcham. There were two balconies and a 36 feet deep stage. It began cinema use from 1925 when it was sold to Associated British Cinemas(ABC), and in January 1929 was the first cinema in Glasgow to screen 'talkies' when Al Jolson in "The Jazz Singer" played here.

In 1931 it closed for major alterations by ABC's in-house architect William R. Glen and the new decoration was in a 'Jazz Moderne'/Art Deco style. The seating capacity was increased to 3,094. The original marble proscenium arch was removed, the orchestra pit filled-in, and the large stage was removed, the seating was extended into this area.

In 1962 the front of the top balcony was partially removed to allow for the installation of Cinerama. The stalls and first balcony only were now in use, and the seating reduced to 1,310. There was wall-to-wall curtains and a new lower ceiling installed. All this was designed by architect Leslie C. Norton. The first programme in Cinerama was "How the West Was Won" which opened on 26th September 1963.

After Cinerama films dried up, the ABC Coliseum reverted to normal programming but closed on 11th October 1980 with Jack Nicholson in "The Shining". A Compulsory Purchase Order was made to allow for a new road scheme. This never happened and the building stood empty for several years until the County Bingo Hall was established here in 1987 - further altering the interior.

The bingo hall created a new inner shell within the auditorium, but there are apparently still substantial remains of the original. The County Bingo Club closed in January 2003 and since then the building remained empty and unused.

On 17th June 1986, Historic Scotland designated the Coliseum Cinema a Grade B Listed building. It was also listed on the Buildings At Risk Register.

At 01:30am on the morning of 25th May 2009, 60 firefighters fought a loosing battle with a blaze that seriously damaged the former Coliseum building. The remains of the Coliseum Theatre was demolished a couple of weeks later, in early-June 2009.
Contributed by Ian Grundy

YOUR COMMENTS

 
Does anyone know the name of the first talkie shown in Glasgow. I always thought that it was "The Singing Fool", starring Al Jolson, shown at The Coliseum in January, 1929. However, I have been told that ain't so.
Any comments?
posted by Jim Jeffrey on Feb 14, 2004 at 1:55pm
Various books list The Colly's first sound presentation as The Jazz Singer, but the cinema's ads and editorial mentions in the newspapers of the time confirm that it was The Singing Fool.
posted by hal jordan on Aug 6, 2004 at 1:09am
The address is 97 Eglinton Street (only one "G" in Eglinton). The history of this theater is here:
http://www.glasgowcinemas.co.uk/abccoliseumcinem.html

posted by Lost Memory on Mar 11, 2005 at 9:04am
When you goto the website listed in my previous message, there will be a green arrow on the upper right side of the page. Click that arrow to goto the next page where the photos are. I believe that there are four pages total on that site.
posted by Lost Memory on Mar 11, 2005 at 9:11am
One more link with photos of this former theater. The status of this theater is listed as "Was bingo hall until January 2003, closed due to structural problems. Now empty...".
http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/~gbarr/cinemas/glasgow/coliseum.html
posted by Lost Memory on Mar 11, 2005 at 9:20am
Had the privilage of paying a visit to The Coliseum a week or so ago. The interior is a bit non descript but the exterior :D

Here are a few current pics if anyone is interested?

http://urbandesertion.squarespace.com/the-coliseum/

lilli :)
posted by lillimouse on Aug 29, 2006 at 11:27am
lilimouse....Many thanks for keeping us up-dated on this historic building.
posted by KenRoe on Aug 29, 2006 at 11:47am
Some slight clarification to the history of the building - it originally only had two balconies, not three. The alterations in 1931 also involved the building of an entirely new proscenium and projection box at the rear of the top balcony, and were carried out by W.R. Glen.

The 1963 Cinerama conversion involved the removal of the front half of the top balcony, the remains of which were hidden aboved a false ceiling. For Cinerama, therefore, only the stalls and first circle were used, with an entirely remodelled interior, mostly using curtained walls and a false ceiling.
posted by Gary Painter on Oct 14, 2006 at 10:12am
I should also add that the spell of dereliction in the 1980s before becoming bingo meant that even the 1960s Cinerama interior had to be replaced, with new splay walls and a simpler false ceiling.

Like Lilli, we recently surveyed the interior, and were dismayed to find that most of the Matcham plasterwork had not survived above the later alterations, as had previously been thought, although the shadow of some decoration is still visible on parts of the ceiling.

We were also unable to get access to the balcony staircase, where some original painted glass survives, as photographed by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments for Scotland website, here:

http://lmid1.rcahms.gov.uk/scotland_screenres/903132.jpg

The link to our webpage on this cinema, as posted by Lost Memory above, has changed, and you can now find our latest material here:

http://www.survivingcinemas.org.uk/glasgow/coliseum/index.html

As well as the recent survey images, you will also find a 1911 programme, a photograph of the Cinerama interior and a link to a newsreel of the Cinerama opening on the British Pathe website. Keep checking back, as we have also recently been gifted a series of archive images showing the fairly heavy alterations in progress when County Bingo took over in the 80s, including the new walls, floors and ceilings in the auditorium, and the removal of the 1930s projection booth, and these will be added shortly.
posted by Gary Painter on Oct 14, 2006 at 10:29am
Another photo of the tower here:-


http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/394197900/
posted by Ian on Feb 21, 2007 at 6:37am
And a photo of the ABC with the Cinerama title on the front here:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/2235158444/
posted by Ian on Feb 1, 2008 at 11:03am
Here are some photos as a Cinerama theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Dec 2, 2008 at 11:13am
News and a short video of the disasterous fire which seriously damaged the former Coliseum Theatre in the early hours of Spring Bank Holiday Monday, 25th May 2009:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8066723.stm
posted by KenRoe on May 26, 2009 at 2:47am
A vintage photograph of the ABC Coliseum Cinerama Theatre, taken in October 1963, a month after conversion to Cinerama:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcinemaphotos/2320380681/
posted by KenRoe on May 26, 2009 at 3:31am
The owners of these historic buildings need to be taken to task.This is the second building recently to be allowed to rot and fall prey to serious damage - following Derby Hippodrome.
posted by Richard Roper on May 27, 2009 at 10:22am
The coliseum was 80% destroyed by an dawn blaze a few weeks ago and it is now expected to be demolished within months.
posted by Ian -'adoraKiaOra on Jun 13, 2009 at 11:40am
Now pretty much almost gone, gallery charting the demolition work can be found here:

http://www.scottishcinemas.org.uk/glasgow/coliseum/270509/index.html

I can see no reason why the tower and facade couldn't have been retained other than people taking the lazy, easy option of complete demolition.

posted by Gary Painter on Jun 14, 2009 at 4:48am
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