Monico Cinema
Pantbach Road,
Cardiff,
CF4 1UG
Pantbach Road,
Cardiff,
CF4 1UG
2 people
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Opened on 19th April 1937 with Gary Cooper in “Lives of A Bengal Lancer”. It had an original seating capacity of 950 in stalls and circle and after a period of operation as an independent it became one of the small Splott Circuit’s suburban cinemas in Cardiff.
The Monico Cinema survived as a twin screen cinema (seating 433 and 156) until closing on 30th January 2003 under the management of Circle Cinemas. The building was demolished and a block of flats was built on the site.
Contributed by
geoff
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Recent comments (view all 24 comments)
It is interesting to note Eric Evans mention of an organ at the Monico Cinema. I knew the hall quite well from the time I started work at Warner-Pathe in 1955 until I left Cardiff around 1963. I’m one hundred per cent certain that the Monico did not boast an organ whilst I visited the cinema; firstly as a spectator and later as a casual projectionist. Looking back over my career as a jobbing projectionist, I can only ever recall visiting two cinemas in South Wales that boasted working organs.Those were the Capitol and Park Hall cinemas in Cardiff. Alas! I never had the oportunity of working these halls as they did not employ jobbers.
Brian Bull installed an electronic organ in the larger screen when he twinned the Monico. I think it was a “Conacher”(or something similar). It was placed in front of the screen curtains as if it was a Compton or Wurlitzer.
If anyone has the date when Circle Cinemas acquired the Monico it should be possible to find the press cuttings advertising the 4-track magnetic sound screenings which probably took place before the twinning and Dolby installation.
Update to the opening film still awaited!
The Monico’s four track magnetic sound system was in place when I was doing casual work at the cinema in the early part of the 1960s. I can never ever recall it being used or even a hearing a mention of it being used in past times. The amplifier, in a tall silver cabinet, stood at the back of the box adjacent to the tall black cabinet that contained the Westrex Sound System. The grey magnetic sound head pickup boxes on the projectors were located below the optical sound heads. The Westars and optical boxes required a two finger loop between the feed sprockets. The magnetic units requiring a three finger loop. The Monico projectors had a fast take up from the start so it was common to lace the leaders with six in the gate.
The Plaza Swansea had a magnificent organ.
Just had another look at my video,there was an organ as verified by Element54,could not tell the make of the instrument. I never saw the Monico inside or out except for photographs but I had no reason to make this up.
Any pics anyone can post here????
Hi SeanP, Unable at the moment to transfer my video on line, hope to do so soon.
Hi Sean,
I have a 2003 Wales This week 25 minute special on the Monico closing (it’s all in English). It’s similar to the one aired for years earlier about Plaza closing, but more solely about the Monico.
I’ll try and post it to my YouTube channel in the next few weeks and send a link here too.
Alex
Thanks Alex, that would be great!
This page needs an update too!