Didn`t think this one was on here, so glad I found it.
I did relief here now & again, lovely old cinema.
BTH supa change over projection with xenon lamps in a huge projection room that was through a door situated next to the bar, beneath the balcony.
The bar was decorated in a huge Walt Disney mural. Entering the cinema, the pay box was straight in front of you, and you really went back in time.
The projected picture was huge, but I think the sound let it down, rather boomy I always thought. Very nice staff, was very sad to see it go, but it never put bums on seats in its twilight years, happy days.
The projection room was accessed up a very narrow, extremely raked stairwell, culminating out onto the roof, then walk over the ventilation system into a very small room, cold.
Screen 2, the worst film presentation ever. Both projectors were in the same booth, but, 2 was projected through the dreaded periscope system, and when it was hot, those mirrors sure distorted, the picture was never very good in focus, I know, I battled with it for ages in 1976, when the projection room was never below 96deg,and in the winter, you couldn`t get number 2 warm, as the conversion was a bash job of heating, I have seen people take rugs into the place, but still my home for a long time, with very good memories.
sisu
commented about
Theatreon
Dec 21, 2013 at 5:39 am
The smallest projection room ever, as I recall.
Took some bits over to it once, as it was not far Banbury where I worked, you could not stand up straight, but a nice little theatre and still going well.
Sorry Mike, maybe my mind eye is playing tricks on me, but, I do remember the day very well, it was a long time ago, but @ least I got the Phillips bit right.
I remember when Classic took it over, as I was working for them @ the time, and considered having a go, but
Banbury, tugged @ at the strings too much.
May I enquire as to who you worked for?
Not a bad cinema, but the most awkward to get to, being located in a very large mall, with no parking near, this I would think, was it`s very quick demise.
Had the pleasure of being the very first customer, when it twinned, a smallish screen, with the dreaded periscope system. I chanced to meet the bigwigs of abc @ the time and they could see I was most interested in the running of it all, of course, I was, I was in the same game, I got to meet the chief and crew, and was taken on a tour.
Screen 2 had Phillips dp70 projectors with water cooled gates but cannot remember what screen 1 had in it, but, I do remember seeing “Killer bees” or was it “Swarm” anyway. it was in scope, with a huge screen.
I think s2 opened with “Taxi driver”.
This was the first cinema to close in Banbury followed by the Grand.
The Palace was entered by a walk through a long hall, at least you didn`t have to queue in the rain. On entering the cinema there was a large staircase on the right up to the balcony, and, projection room.
The cash desk was situated in the right hand corner of the foyer along with the array of confectionary, through a door on the left hand side of the kiosk was the main stalls entrance.
The projection room was accessed through a door on the left of the large vestibule when walking through to the balcony area. Upon opening the projection room door, you were met with a spiral staircase and at the top of it, around 20 steps, or so, was the rewind platform, with a window overlooking the main Banbury market place.it was a small projection suite.
Was always packed on children’s Saturday morning club, news reels were shared between the 3 cinemas, as they were only around ¼ mile between each. The chief projectionist did sack one of the projection staff for making a hack of one of the adverts, it was a babycham advert, ending in those immortal words, “ Id love a Babycham” the projectionist for a laugh, removed the
word “cham” exit stage left!.when chief found out.
It became a toy shop for many years, then as it is now, a bank. Google old Banbury cinemas, and you should find a picture of it.
waited year for this to be built,to try and get a projectionist position again, moved 5 yrs ago, and they damn well build it, just my luck. will take a nosey at it, when in the area again
aaaaaaahhh found it,at last, this was my home for 16 weeks as relief projectionist 1979.nice little cinema, very happy days and nice staff, made me feel welcome, with the b&b opposite it was one of the best holidays ever,still got the prezzie they bought me. happy days
this was the cinema that started my pulse racing, as a child, to see what went on in the projection box, and after leaving school, started at the classic cinema
Didn`t think this one was on here, so glad I found it. I did relief here now & again, lovely old cinema. BTH supa change over projection with xenon lamps in a huge projection room that was through a door situated next to the bar, beneath the balcony. The bar was decorated in a huge Walt Disney mural. Entering the cinema, the pay box was straight in front of you, and you really went back in time. The projected picture was huge, but I think the sound let it down, rather boomy I always thought. Very nice staff, was very sad to see it go, but it never put bums on seats in its twilight years, happy days.
projection room accessed via ladder just by paybox outside
The projection room was accessed up a very narrow, extremely raked stairwell, culminating out onto the roof, then walk over the ventilation system into a very small room, cold.
Screen 2, the worst film presentation ever. Both projectors were in the same booth, but, 2 was projected through the dreaded periscope system, and when it was hot, those mirrors sure distorted, the picture was never very good in focus, I know, I battled with it for ages in 1976, when the projection room was never below 96deg,and in the winter, you couldn`t get number 2 warm, as the conversion was a bash job of heating, I have seen people take rugs into the place, but still my home for a long time, with very good memories.
The smallest projection room ever, as I recall. Took some bits over to it once, as it was not far Banbury where I worked, you could not stand up straight, but a nice little theatre and still going well.
One I never got to get into, but remember the Chief very well, when she visited my cinema in Banbury one day, along with our area technician.
Sorry Mike, maybe my mind eye is playing tricks on me, but, I do remember the day very well, it was a long time ago, but @ least I got the Phillips bit right. I remember when Classic took it over, as I was working for them @ the time, and considered having a go, but Banbury, tugged @ at the strings too much. May I enquire as to who you worked for?
Not a bad cinema, but the most awkward to get to, being located in a very large mall, with no parking near, this I would think, was it`s very quick demise. Had the pleasure of being the very first customer, when it twinned, a smallish screen, with the dreaded periscope system. I chanced to meet the bigwigs of abc @ the time and they could see I was most interested in the running of it all, of course, I was, I was in the same game, I got to meet the chief and crew, and was taken on a tour. Screen 2 had Phillips dp70 projectors with water cooled gates but cannot remember what screen 1 had in it, but, I do remember seeing “Killer bees” or was it “Swarm” anyway. it was in scope, with a huge screen. I think s2 opened with “Taxi driver”.
This was the first cinema to close in Banbury followed by the Grand. The Palace was entered by a walk through a long hall, at least you didn`t have to queue in the rain. On entering the cinema there was a large staircase on the right up to the balcony, and, projection room. The cash desk was situated in the right hand corner of the foyer along with the array of confectionary, through a door on the left hand side of the kiosk was the main stalls entrance. The projection room was accessed through a door on the left of the large vestibule when walking through to the balcony area. Upon opening the projection room door, you were met with a spiral staircase and at the top of it, around 20 steps, or so, was the rewind platform, with a window overlooking the main Banbury market place.it was a small projection suite. Was always packed on children’s Saturday morning club, news reels were shared between the 3 cinemas, as they were only around ¼ mile between each. The chief projectionist did sack one of the projection staff for making a hack of one of the adverts, it was a babycham advert, ending in those immortal words, “ Id love a Babycham” the projectionist for a laugh, removed the word “cham” exit stage left!.when chief found out. It became a toy shop for many years, then as it is now, a bank. Google old Banbury cinemas, and you should find a picture of it.
waited year for this to be built,to try and get a projectionist position again, moved 5 yrs ago, and they damn well build it, just my luck. will take a nosey at it, when in the area again
aaaaaaahhh found it,at last, this was my home for 16 weeks as relief projectionist 1979.nice little cinema, very happy days and nice staff, made me feel welcome, with the b&b opposite it was one of the best holidays ever,still got the prezzie they bought me. happy days
Michael, this wasn’t @ the above cinema was it? or is my mind playing tricks.
this was the cinema that started my pulse racing, as a child, to see what went on in the projection box, and after leaving school, started at the classic cinema
my projectionist home for 20 years, many happy memmories.