They carried on for a number of Years Showing Asian Films on Sunday mornings Colmore Entertainments (The Oliver’s) did very little in the way of alterations for Bingo. It was a belt and braces operation but funnily enough It was the Black Country’s busiest Bingo Hall Whilst working for ABC Cinemas I was seconded to their Bingo division and had to go out to other Bingo Halls to see how their Bingo was doing I had to reports the Prize moneys being paid out. I even had to pay Bingo. Hmm During that time I never won any money..
It is important Never to take much notice of the Kine Year Book We found it to be unreliable as it was never really kept up to date by the publishers. Problem also arises when people right books on cinemas they take it as gospel. Apart from running cinemas I did trade in Cinema Equipment
Thanks Ian. Gordon Coombes. I had met Bill Carpenter at the same meeting. Over Coffee I had a private discussion with him in regards to the ABC (Palace)Erdington and the ABC Stourbridge (I later became the General manager of the company that owned Stourbridge before ABC) I had asked to lease these off ABC. I explained Why I wanted them. They then decided to keep Stourbridge and revamp it. The Shock of having it revamped gave the Manager a Heart attack and died.
An historical point. The Chief Projectionist During the War had done some Photography of fortifications and sent to London. He was later arrested by the Germans and sent to a concentration camp where he died
Just a thought. Before the Odeon Take over. The cinema was straddled by German Bombers. Buildings in the Front of the Theatre and the Futurist at the other end of New Street Station which got hit twice Totally missing the Paramount. I suspect it was this action that made Paramount sell its Cinemas in the Provence’s
From My Experience of the Kine Year Books It was not very accurate in the listings as they were not very good at maintaining the information in it They had in Cinemas as open. But had closed years previous
This Cinemas was built in response to the Planned Odeon being built in Rhyl. I am told that Rhyl Entertainments had been approached to sell the operation to Odeon. This was refused. The Regal was built long before the Odeon was finished in response to the threat posed. Odeon had difficulties building their cinema it kept on sinking into the ground.
Oscar Deutsch became involved only by buying £100 of Shares. The Clift faction of Shareholders held the majority shares interest until 1948.. When it became a FULL Odeon Weedan did no designing of this Theatre. Satchwell and Roberts where a far bigger practics, then Weedon and where shareholders in This theatre and Kingstanding. which are the 2 Odeon oddities. The tiles frontages where done by Cliftons associated companies long before Oscar Deutsch decided to use them. Deutsch built cinemas before these 2 sites was quite non descript.. Oscar Deutsch copied Sidney Clift ideas on Finace and systems. Even down to naming his Cinemas Odeon using part of his name.. Just Like Clift of Clifton. Another point they had Offices in the same building in Birmingham. In 1941 Odeon and Clifton nearly merged on the Death of Deutsch,
The company the purchased the Bath Company assets was “The Stratford Picture House Company Ltd., which was associated with Clifton Management. Sidney Clift only had 10% stake in the company which was why it survived. The Birmingham accountants Harold Brown. Solicitor Howard Baker (also Ranks Midland Legal Man). Dr Rowe and Ken Jones Snr were the main owners Having Sir Sidney Clift on the board gave the Theatre booking power. On the big fall out 1962 Those cinemas with this ownership configuration joined up with the BT Davis Group of Cinemas to form Theatre Administration Ltd.,
Notice The Roundels in the ceiling These were used in the 1924 designs of The Capitol Alum Rock Birmingham. and a Bigger Version in “The Warley cinema
They carried on for a number of Years Showing Asian Films on Sunday mornings Colmore Entertainments (The Oliver’s) did very little in the way of alterations for Bingo. It was a belt and braces operation but funnily enough It was the Black Country’s busiest Bingo Hall Whilst working for ABC Cinemas I was seconded to their Bingo division and had to go out to other Bingo Halls to see how their Bingo was doing I had to reports the Prize moneys being paid out. I even had to pay Bingo. Hmm During that time I never won any money..
Those look like the original William Turner Ltd., of Birmingham Tabs
It is important Never to take much notice of the Kine Year Book We found it to be unreliable as it was never really kept up to date by the publishers. Problem also arises when people right books on cinemas they take it as gospel. Apart from running cinemas I did trade in Cinema Equipment
Thanks Ian. Gordon Coombes. I had met Bill Carpenter at the same meeting. Over Coffee I had a private discussion with him in regards to the ABC (Palace)Erdington and the ABC Stourbridge (I later became the General manager of the company that owned Stourbridge before ABC) I had asked to lease these off ABC. I explained Why I wanted them. They then decided to keep Stourbridge and revamp it. The Shock of having it revamped gave the Manager a Heart attack and died.
An historical point. The Chief Projectionist During the War had done some Photography of fortifications and sent to London. He was later arrested by the Germans and sent to a concentration camp where he died
Just a thought. Before the Odeon Take over. The cinema was straddled by German Bombers. Buildings in the Front of the Theatre and the Futurist at the other end of New Street Station which got hit twice Totally missing the Paramount. I suspect it was this action that made Paramount sell its Cinemas in the Provence’s
The Cinemascope picture was achieved by dropping the top masking
The Building was designed by Harold Seymour Scott Harry Weedon was a junior in the practice
The Brichfield had a major facelift for Cinemascope carried out by “Modernisation Ltd.,”
From My Experience of the Kine Year Books It was not very accurate in the listings as they were not very good at maintaining the information in it They had in Cinemas as open. But had closed years previous
Picture Taken By Earnest Welch of Walsall on the day of opening
This Picture was taken by Earnest Walsh of Walsall
This picture was Taken by Earnest Welsh. Wednesbury Road Walsall on the day the cinema opened.
This Cinemas was built in response to the Planned Odeon being built in Rhyl. I am told that Rhyl Entertainments had been approached to sell the operation to Odeon. This was refused. The Regal was built long before the Odeon was finished in response to the threat posed. Odeon had difficulties building their cinema it kept on sinking into the ground.
Oscar Deutsch became involved only by buying £100 of Shares. The Clift faction of Shareholders held the majority shares interest until 1948.. When it became a FULL Odeon Weedan did no designing of this Theatre. Satchwell and Roberts where a far bigger practics, then Weedon and where shareholders in This theatre and Kingstanding. which are the 2 Odeon oddities. The tiles frontages where done by Cliftons associated companies long before Oscar Deutsch decided to use them. Deutsch built cinemas before these 2 sites was quite non descript.. Oscar Deutsch copied Sidney Clift ideas on Finace and systems. Even down to naming his Cinemas Odeon using part of his name.. Just Like Clift of Clifton. Another point they had Offices in the same building in Birmingham. In 1941 Odeon and Clifton nearly merged on the Death of Deutsch,
The company the purchased the Bath Company assets was “The Stratford Picture House Company Ltd., which was associated with Clifton Management. Sidney Clift only had 10% stake in the company which was why it survived. The Birmingham accountants Harold Brown. Solicitor Howard Baker (also Ranks Midland Legal Man). Dr Rowe and Ken Jones Snr were the main owners Having Sir Sidney Clift on the board gave the Theatre booking power. On the big fall out 1962 Those cinemas with this ownership configuration joined up with the BT Davis Group of Cinemas to form Theatre Administration Ltd.,
For Me. This Theatre had just as much design merit as the School of Art.. Mutter.. Mutter… Mutter.. You can guess what I feel.
Yes I did put the note on Focus Crewe I was going to add it to here :) saved me.
The Focus sign on the front.. ended up on the front of the Focus Cinema at Bagillt North Wales
I have loaded a picture of the cinema in better times
The Interior is virtually the same as The Clifton Perry Barr The difference was the paint effect
The picture I had, had a different name on the back which I have put on.
The Cinema was owned by George Parkes who also had “The Stockland Green Playhouse Company (Plaza) and the Apollo Cinema Tyburn Road
Films Carried on until the demolition for the New Complex. I help in Projection repairs there. Sid Sipping owned the cinema
Regal Daventry was owned by Sid Sipping