Star Picture House

Located in the north Birmingham district of Gravelly Hill. The Gravelly Hill Picture House was opened in June 1914. The façade of the building featured a huge rose window, very similar to the one on the Villa Cross Picture House, Handsworth, Birmingham (1913), so they could have been designed by the same architect (C. Sharp-Smith). The Gravelly Road Picture House had a 36 feet wide proscenium. Around 1930 it was equipped with a Western Electric(WE) sound system.

By 1934 it was operated by William Devey, who operated several cinemas in Birmingham, and was a player for Aston Villa Football Club. He operated this cinema for the remainder of its cinematic life.

Around 1946 it was re-named Star Picture House. In around 1955 it was given a makeover by Modernisation Ltd, and the rose window on the façade was removed and the building was given a ‘modern’ look. Unfortunately, did not increase business, and the Star Picture House was closed on 30th August 1958 with Frank Sinatra in “Pal Joey” and Anthony Dexter in “Parson and the Outlaw”.

The building was converted into a film production studio, making television commercials. It was later converted into offices and a factory. The building then lay derelict for several years until it was demolished in 1982.

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