Odeon Richmond

http://www.cinephoto.co.uk/

Follow this link for some behind the scenes views of the Odeon Richmond

I just returned from a visit to England. During a trip to Richmond, I happily stumbled upon this wonderful facade. Walking up from the historic Richmond Bridge that traverses the Thames, the theater really dominates the streetscape and provides a terrific, and very well preserved, landmark on its own. I just wish I could have caught a film here – but time was not on my side. (And the Fanatical About Films sign was also terrific to see.)

Two more photos of the Odeon taken in March 2009.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/3337612592/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/3337612334/

I saw the Odeon Richmond a few days ago from the window of an aircraft landing at Heathrow. Its quit a sight to see the huge auditorium so detached from the main foyer building. Maybe someone on here us able to put up the Google map of it?

Here are updated links for the photos posted on Sep 14, 2005:

Photo1

Photo2

Here is a recent photo of the Odeon Richmond.

A vintage 1949 exterior photograph of the Odeon Richmond here:
View link

A 1971 exterior photo here:
View link

The auditorium of the Odeon Richmond can be seen in the British film “The Smallest Show on Earth” (1957) starring Virgina McKenna, Bill Travers, Margaret Rutherford & Peter Sellers.

In the film, the young couple who have inherited a closed down ‘flea-pit’ cinema go to the local movie palace to see how things should be run. The exterior of the ‘Grand’ is actually the exterior of the Gaumont Palace, Hammersmith in West London (later known as the Odeon) and today in live theatre use as the Apollo, Hammersmith. On the display boards outside, the movies playing that week were Danny Kaye “Knock on Wood” and Stephen Murray “Guilty?”.

When inside the ‘Grand’ (filmed in the Odeon Richmond, which is located just outside London on the Western side), the couple are seated in the circle and there are good views of the stage area, plus you see the Compton organ rising from the orchestra pit.

The exterior of the ‘flea-pit’ Bijou cinema in the film is actually a mock facade that was set up between two railway bridges in Kilburn, North London (the site still remains today. The interior of the Bijou was studio set