“Close Encounters of the Third Kind” had a ‘Gala Premier’ at the Odeon Leicester Square, London, England, UK on Monday 13th March 1978. It was presented in 70mm and Dolby Stereo.
It has been announced that the magnificent Grade II* Listed Gaumont State Theatre has been purchased by Ruach Inspirational Church of God, who have their current base in Brixton, south London. This is the UK branch of the Ruach Ministries, evangelical church.
While this is ‘sort of’ good news, in that the building won’t be left empty and rotting away, concerns are that public access could now be compromised, and it will only be evangelical Christians who will be admitted, to enjoy the building. Will the Wurlitzer organ be maintained to playable condition, as it currently is?. Will the building be available for inspection on the annual ‘Open House’ architectural days, as it has been in recent years?.
I presume that the matter will now go to Brent Council to approve a change of use to a Grade II* Listed building. When the UCKG church purchased the EMD Cinema (former Granada) Walthamstow, permission to change of use to a church was refused and the building has remained empty for the past five years.
If planning applications are approved, Kilburn High Road will then have three former cinemas in religious use;the Grange Cinema(2,028 seats-Grade II Listed) is now a UCKG church, the Maida Vale Picture House (1,001 seats -Grade II Listed) is now a Mosque, plus the Gaumont State Kilburn?
A vintage photograph from the late 1940’s showing a close-up of the entrance to the Savoy: View link
A full view of the Gaumont, playing the Gaumont release films in April 1956: View link
As the Odeon in around 1967: View link
Thanks for your corrections. Please feel free to add further details about the Astor Cinema…seating capacity, architect, types of movies played, chain. style of decoration…. etc.
The 1914-1915 edition of American Motion Picture Directory has a Naval Family Theatre, 211 Sands Street, Brooklyn. The 1926 edition of Film Daily Yearbook lists the Navy Theatre, 211 Sands Street, with a seating capacity of 300.
The Gold Theatre, 178 Sands Street seems to first appear in the 1927 edition of Film Daily Yearbook. The Navy Theatre is still listed that year.
The 1930 edition of F.D.Y. has the Gold Theatre listed but not the Navy Theatre, nor is there a High Theatre in any listings that I have.
In 1941 the Gold Theatre is at 176 Sands Street and the seating capacity has increased to 544 (498 in 1943).
By 1950, there are no theatres operating in Sands Street.
Could the High Theatre be a later a name for the Navy Theatre? If screening Spanish Language movies it may not have got into the listings.
A vintage photograph of the exterior of the Regal Cinema in early 1932, soon after opening: View link
A March 1952 view, note the ABC ‘triangle’ sign: View link
The auditorium in 1970: View link
The closed Regal Cinema in May 1983: View link
A closer view: View link
A vintage photograph from October 1949 showing the Odeon release and some possible war-time damage and grime on the facade: View link
A vintage photograph of the Odeon in April 1956 playing the Odeon release film: View link
Playing the Rank release in May 1971: View link
“Close Encounters of the Third Kind” had a ‘Gala Premier’ at the Odeon Leicester Square, London, England, UK on Monday 13th March 1978. It was presented in 70mm and Dolby Stereo.
It has been announced that the magnificent Grade II* Listed Gaumont State Theatre has been purchased by Ruach Inspirational Church of God, who have their current base in Brixton, south London. This is the UK branch of the Ruach Ministries, evangelical church.
While this is ‘sort of’ good news, in that the building won’t be left empty and rotting away, concerns are that public access could now be compromised, and it will only be evangelical Christians who will be admitted, to enjoy the building. Will the Wurlitzer organ be maintained to playable condition, as it currently is?. Will the building be available for inspection on the annual ‘Open House’ architectural days, as it has been in recent years?.
I presume that the matter will now go to Brent Council to approve a change of use to a Grade II* Listed building. When the UCKG church purchased the EMD Cinema (former Granada) Walthamstow, permission to change of use to a church was refused and the building has remained empty for the past five years.
If planning applications are approved, Kilburn High Road will then have three former cinemas in religious use;the Grange Cinema(2,028 seats-Grade II Listed) is now a UCKG church, the Maida Vale Picture House (1,001 seats -Grade II Listed) is now a Mosque, plus the Gaumont State Kilburn?
A December 2007 photograph of the closed-down Cinemas Gemelos:
View link
A photograph of the former Cine Reforma as seen in December 2007:
View link
A 2007 photograph of the former Rialto Theatre:
View link
A photograph I took in June 1965 when I was working at the Odeon Leicester as a Trainee Assistant Manager:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/245750476/
A vintage photograph from the late 1940’s showing a close-up of the entrance to the Savoy:
View link
A full view of the Gaumont, playing the Gaumont release films in April 1956:
View link
As the Odeon in around 1967:
View link
Four photographs of the Regal Cinema:
Exterior in December 2006:
http://flickr.com/photos/kevp/339869599/
Entrance and original doors:
http://flickr.com/photos/kevp/339869604/
The flooded auditorium in July 2007:
http://flickr.com/photos/jacula/888992870/
Another July 2007 photo:
http://flickr.com/photos/10427024@N05/893466948/
The former Palace Cinema as photographed in 1986 soon after its conversion into a nightclub:
http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/138490982/
Two photographs of the former Forum Cinema, taken in March 2007:
http://flickr.com/photos/hugovk/437907471/
http://flickr.com/photos/hugovk/437907412/
Thanks for your corrections. Please feel free to add further details about the Astor Cinema…seating capacity, architect, types of movies played, chain. style of decoration…. etc.
Some interior photographs I took in December 2007 during the visit I organised to New York for the Cinema Theatre Association(UK):
Foyer
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2136732448/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2135953577/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2136735214/
Auditorium from balcony
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2135957921/
Wurlitzer organ console
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2135964041/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2135965175/
More auditorium from orchesta level
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2136747036/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2136748394/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2136749824/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2136751002/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2135971999/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2135973429/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2136755260/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2136756402/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2136757626/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2136758744/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2136760018/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2136761560/
Listed as ‘Closed’ in the 1941 and 1943 editions of Film Daily Yearbook. It had re-opened by the time the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. was published.
The 1914-1915 edition of American Motion Picture Directory has a Naval Family Theatre, 211 Sands Street, Brooklyn. The 1926 edition of Film Daily Yearbook lists the Navy Theatre, 211 Sands Street, with a seating capacity of 300.
The Gold Theatre, 178 Sands Street seems to first appear in the 1927 edition of Film Daily Yearbook. The Navy Theatre is still listed that year.
The 1930 edition of F.D.Y. has the Gold Theatre listed but not the Navy Theatre, nor is there a High Theatre in any listings that I have.
In 1941 the Gold Theatre is at 176 Sands Street and the seating capacity has increased to 544 (498 in 1943).
By 1950, there are no theatres operating in Sands Street.
Could the High Theatre be a later a name for the Navy Theatre? If screening Spanish Language movies it may not have got into the listings.
An August 2006 photograph close-up of the entrance to the long abandoned Cine Espana:
http://flickr.com/photos/carlesfp/207833361/
A vintage photograph of the exterior of the Regal Cinema in early 1932, soon after opening:
View link
A March 1952 view, note the ABC ‘triangle’ sign:
View link
The auditorium in 1970:
View link
The closed Regal Cinema in May 1983:
View link
A closer view:
View link
A vintage photograph from October 1949 showing the Odeon release and some possible war-time damage and grime on the facade:
View link
A vintage photograph of the Odeon in April 1956 playing the Odeon release film:
View link
Playing the Rank release in May 1971:
View link
An exterior view from September 2006:
http://flickr.com/photos/wardi/243210240/
The Scala can be seen in this vintage 1967 postcard, night time view next to the adjacent Eldorado Cinema:
http://flickr.com/photos/pulp-o-rama/222326844/
A vintage postcard view from 1967, night view of the Eldorado Cinema, with its original facade. Also the adjacent Scala Cinema:
http://flickr.com/photos/pulp-o-rama/222326844/
More photographs
Exterior
http://flickr.com/photos/ade46/239251075/
Auditorium
http://flickr.com/photos/idleformat/1482561046/
http://flickr.com/photos/idleformat/1482560906/
http://flickr.com/photos/ashdownparkes/620086672/
Some photographs and further details on the Regent Cinema here:
http://www.lymefilm.org.uk/html/cinema.html
A small photograph of the former Sureyya Cinema:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2123482682/
A wonderful, but very sad set of photographs of the former ABC Regal Cinema, taken in December 2007:
View link
A June 2007 photograph of the Electric Palace entrance:
http://flickr.com/photos/finntasia/536923285/