Palladium Cinema
Lower Cardiff Road,
Pwllheli,
LL53 5NF
Lower Cardiff Road,
Pwllheli,
LL53 5NF
1 person
favorited this theater
The Palladium Cinema opened in 1935 with the film “The Camels Are Coming” starring Jack Hulbert. The cinema had a cafe attached, for the convenience of patrons.
It closed on 22nd October 1977, the final film was “When the North Wind Blows” starring Henry Brandon. It was operated by a North Wales based circuit called the Paramount Circuit, but had no connection with Paramount Pictures.
The company’s head office was in Welshpool mid-Wales. The equipment at the time of closure consisted of 2 Kalee 20 projectors, British Acoustics sound system,& 2 Kalee Vulcan arc lamps.
The screen was 35 feet on ‘scope format. It was installed in front of the old proscenium in order to ensure they had a bigger screen than the opposition council run cinema, which incidentally is still open. The Palladium Cinema or the 'palled’ as the locals called it, was converted into a supermarket, and demolished in the late-1990’s when a new purpose built store opened.
This was a great loss to this small town of ours. The chief projectionist the late John Hughes (John Palladium) was there more or less from the very beginning, until the closure.
After demolition they built a Jobcentre on the site.
Contributed by
Eric Evans
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Recent comments (view all 35 comments)
ERIC: Re Stereo – actually, come to think of it, I’m sure you’re right. I can’t recall ever actually hearing stereo at the Palladium! One thing I do remember though is how the masking around the screen had to be specially adjusted for “Strategic Air Command” which was in VistaVision. Although I can’t remember exactly what the image ratio of VistaVision was, I think it was wider than Academy Screen format but nowhere near as wide as Cinemascope.
Just to say how interesting that photo of the Palladium auditorium is – thanks for posting it. Interesting too how relatively shallow the rake was of the seating in the stalls. If the Palladium was being designed today there would be a far steeper angle to provide better sight-lines for the audience.
Yes David, one thing about these new multiplexes the sight lines are excellent, no matter where you sit, even behind the tallest of people there’s no problem. Found the other interior photo of the palladium, this one pointing towards the stage.
Eric: That new photo of the stage from the auditorium is amazing; a sight I thought I would never see again and which evokes so many memories of so many movies. As far as I remember it was usually the film certificate which was projected onto the curtain before they were drawn aside to expose the screen – not very subtle perhaps, but effective enough at the time. Of course as the Palladium featured two houses every night (at least in the period I remember) and the curtains closed at the end of the main feature and “God Save the Queen” – for which the audience stood. At the end of the National Anthem the last few seconds were projected onto the curtains as they closed. You may be able to augment my memories of this, but when the anthem ended, and the shutter was closed, I believe the projector carried on running to play a tune which I think was called “March Out” – a lively up-tempo orchestra number designed to get the audience moving out to the exits relatively quickly. I can hear it in my head even now as I am typing these notes 60 years on!
I’ve included a photo of equipment identical to the Palladium’s, also 2 of the demolition work, and another of the interior from the balcony. There are also of course photos linked under the comments, it’s no longer possible to upload them in that fashion.
Hello David, just seen your comments, you have a good memory, we at the Town Hall also opened out the credits on the curtains, the idea being you only see the screen when there’s a picture on it. Most multiplexes don’t even have curtains, everything is so automated with no showmanship. I also remember the march out music.
Hi Eric: Agree re multiplexes! There’s no finesse these days. PROJECTORS: Very interesting shot of the “box” . The projectors in your photo are very similar to the Palladium’s – (as you know they too were Gaumont Kalee) same configuration exactly except for the big switch at the rear. Unlike the Coliseum’s pair through, the Palladium’s were finished in black so they were probably older. There is a similar projector (a Kalee 40) on http://www.regalgroup.org.uk/collectiongallery.html but I wouldn’t be sure even that was exactly the same as presumably the Palladium’s projectors are the ones installed when it first opened. The layout in the Palladium was that there was a fireproof door at the top of the stairs at the right of the building (looking from the front). This led to the rewinding room where all the films were respliced and each reel held in sequence individual metal cabinets with spring-loaded doors. As you know it had all be set up back in the days when film was celluloid. Next door was the projection box with the two machines, faders, switches etc Beyond that was a room which had a big black cabinet with something like a giant radio valve in it – glowing blue. Adjoining this was John Palladium’s tv- repair work-area (a bit of freelance business). I just wish I’d taken photos of it all when I was there!
The projection box was incredibly noisy – not only were the machines noisy but the loudspeaker was always at full volume. No wonder John became hard of hearing! Being a inquisitive youngster at the time, I was probably a just a nuisance to John and his assistant but, fair-play, they put up with me many times.
We used to have to sit on the bare concrete floor to eat our fish and chips. Despite the smell of film-cement and arc-lamps and the incessant rattle of the projectors nothing ever tasted so good.
Hi David,the black cabinet with something like a giant radio valve in it, as you described it was the rectifier, the large valve or bulb was full of mercury bubbling away inside. The rectifier converted the AC supply to DC for the carbon arcs.
Eric – Thanks for that. After all these years, at last I know what that sinister thing was! I’ve just seen your pictures of the Palladium being demolished which I had never seen before. I can’t help having a lump in my throat. How could they have demolished such a beautiful building? The pictures of the proscenium arch are great! Meanwhile I have added some circa 1955 photos taken from the roof of the Palladium (the little balcony at the top right-hand side of the building looking at it from the front) looking up and down Cardiff Road and also across to the Maes. I just wish I’d attempted a time exposure photograph of the box and the projectors. ….Too late now!
Hi David, your photos are brilliant, I can see the fencing or barriers on the Maes end of the path from Cardiff Rd. We lived on the Maes for many years, and it was my Dad who suggested to the Town Council that the barriers would be a good idea as the children used to run from the Saturday afternoon matinee straight into the road at the Maes. We lived at Siop Newydd where Alan’s Hairdresser is now situated, that is where from that I photographed the Palladium photo you found on Flickr after the garage was demolished. The barriers are no longer in place, but then neither is the Palladium.