Comments from Mike_Blakemore

Showing 326 - 350 of 670 comments

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Clifton Ludlow on May 20, 2014 at 6:31 am

Our Associtaed company.. The Clifton Cinema (Ludlow)Limited. They had a big problem when building the cinema. They could not raise all the finance needed.. If You notice the odd frontage. They just chopped off the right hand side of the frontage. The Projection Beams came from the corner of the Cinema.. The apperture plates where unusual to cope with the keystone…

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Regal Cinema on May 11, 2014 at 9:24 am

In 1961.. The Theatre was taken over by The B.T. Davis Circuit based in Birmingham. Rank for some reason had removed the GB Kalee Equipment.. The BTH came from a Clifton Cinema that had closed around that time.. This was intended only to be a short term measure. This was bought as a Job Lot of Cinemas BT had bought off Rank which included Chepstow.. Lydney.. Cinderford and Monmouth, Monmouth (Savoy) is still owned by B T Davis Daughter and Grand Children

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Palace Cinema on Apr 26, 2014 at 9:25 am

The Shell of the Old Palace Cinema had now been demolished

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Vue West End on Apr 19, 2014 at 5:20 pm

Hmm. I’m an Ex ABC man From the Sir Philip Walter era. When ABC was at it best…

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Odeon Birmingham on Apr 11, 2014 at 10:18 am

Hmm. Just a Thought.. an odd piece of Trivia. The Freehold of the Odeon New Street is owned by Oscar Deutsch’s old school “King Edward Grammar”

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Vue West End on Mar 12, 2014 at 7:23 pm

Hmm.. Vue as a Theatre name. It do’s not sound right. Nearly as bad as “Cannon”

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Hippodrome Theatre on Feb 25, 2014 at 8:14 am

Dave is right. The Fred Butterfield achives also noted it would have cost £125,000 to do a rebuild.. The Family Still own and have maintained to a very high standard 2 theatres The Richmond and the Boscombe Hippodrome.. As an Independant Theatre & Cinema Owner myself. I must admire for trying to keep his circuit going as long as he did…

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Hippodrome Theatre on Feb 25, 2014 at 8:01 am

The Last Owners of the theatre was “The F. J. Butterworth Circuit”

@ Davethehistorian I remember my Nan went as part of a works outing. And she was known for turning up at the last performances of Theatre and Cinemas before they burned down. She missed the Last show of the Odeon Walsall by a Fluke I had a bad cold,. I cut out a picture in the Express and Star to put on the Schools news board at the time. Will have to do some more research on the Theatre

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Clifton Sedgley on Feb 10, 2014 at 9:47 am

Yes Steve… You are right.. they where BTH Supers.. you receive 10 points ;o) That side of the Clifton Chain where re-known for being cold…

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Odeon Bloxwich on Jan 28, 2014 at 5:54 pm

Oscar Deutch only leased the Theatre off the Collins Family Not purchased by Rank until the 1947 period when they set out to clear up the Odeon mess of the 300 companies involved…

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Odeon Bloxwich on Jan 28, 2014 at 5:47 pm

The J. D. Wetherspoon chain have lodged plans for conversion into a Pub…

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Regal Cinema on Jan 21, 2014 at 3:29 am

There are only snipits in Youtube.. I had to open my wallet and buy it on ebay.. :o)

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Regal Cinema on Jan 20, 2014 at 6:46 am

@ Peter. Les Castree is Still Alive and appears on the Vd called “The Last Projectionist” The Chap in the Van was Rodney Ballard..

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about staff parade 1938 on Jan 12, 2014 at 10:44 am

The Checking of Staff every day was the norm for All Circuit Cinemas.. even the Clifton Circuit. Leslie Holderness ended up working for the Clifton Group as a Supervisor..

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Grainger Cinema on Jan 12, 2014 at 10:36 am

The Entrance of the Grainger Cinema was to the right of The FAS Stores..

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Essoldo Birkenhead on Dec 22, 2013 at 11:57 pm

“Billy Fury” Started his Career here… The supporting act did not turn up.. He had asked to see the Promoter to see if he could get future work.. He was auditioned in one of the Exits.. Hmm Ended up n stage that very night.. and the rest is history..

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Cannon Great Yarmouth on Dec 19, 2013 at 10:52 am

@ Terry. I am ex ABC (Started in Sir Phillip Walters time..) I agree with you.. “Cannon” the worst name in Cinema..

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Cannon Coventry on Dec 19, 2013 at 10:44 am

@ Sisu. (The DB 70 was an extremely heavy piece of Kit which was a pain in the neck to move around. I was involved with the removal of the Gaumont Birmingham’s) I did 68 till 1974 with ABC… Then went Independant. then BT Davis’s General Manager and shareholder. This was part of “Theatre Administration Ltd., which had the Cinemas in Leamington and around another 20 Theatres around the country.. I was involved in dealing in Projection equipment on the side :o) My Last Theatre was Savoy Monmouth retiring 2007 Hmm 39 years.. Paid years.. Family involved in owning theatres from 1880..

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Cannon Coventry on Dec 18, 2013 at 5:38 am

The Projectors in Both Screens was Phillips DP75.. Screen 2 was only mono sound.. DP70’s where not fitted, as they where a very expensive system.. I received a memo just before the Cinema Opened. The Wage offered was a basic of £2,000 pa.. The company knew how to spoil us :o)

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Cannon Bristol Road on Dec 9, 2013 at 10:23 am

@ Steve Sidway.. It was Jim Hunt… A Boring Exterior ?? It was designed by Hurley Robinson Still tastes differ. The Cinerama Interior was plain but that was the modern solution at the time.. Hmm the “Lyttleton Cinema” used a lot of bricks from The demolished Theatre in Walsall. Our family had an interest in..

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Imperial Cinema on Nov 28, 2013 at 12:20 pm

The Theatre did open in 1868… I beleive there was a mix up in the date due to an earlier theatre in “The Square”. which was still standing when I was a child..

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Imperial Cinema on Nov 28, 2013 at 7:51 am

Hmm SNAP!! Stuart So am I

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Odeon Luxe London Leicester Square on Nov 18, 2013 at 4:48 am

@ FanaticalAboutOdeon .. Yes I know what you mean. Alas its been a long time since I last visited the Theatre Which is what I would call a semi Royal premier. With the Duchess of Kent as guest of Honour. with Myself sitting right behind her. Thankfully she did not block the view.. (These people that drop names. Get on my nerves.. as I said to the Queen the other day.. :@) Hmm. I wonder if I could use my Cinema Veterans Pass on an Afternoon Matinee :o)

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Palace Cinema on Nov 18, 2013 at 4:25 am

The Little building to the Left is the Cinemas Tiolets.. which was a common idea around Nottinghamshire at that time period

Mike_Blakemore
Mike_Blakemore commented about Avion Super Cinema on Nov 14, 2013 at 4:00 am

For me. I believe the interior is the most important part of the building The extorior is ok for those that never went inside any cinema..