O2 Apollo Manchester
Stockport Road and Hyde Road,
Manchester,
M12 6AP
Stockport Road and Hyde Road,
Manchester,
M12 6AP
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We had the press screening for ‘On The Buses’ at the Apollo. I was the assistant manager at the time and spent that afternoon chauffeuring Reg Varney around Manchester City centre.
Screened the World premiere (as ABC Ardwick) of the movie “On the buses”.
In answer to joncas, above, the entrance on Hyde Road was a common ploy used where many cinemas were located at busy corners. Though the main frontage is on Stockport Road, it was originally thought advantageous for the building to also have a presence on Hyde Road, directly opposite the popular Manchester Hippodrome theatre. As Ken’s photos show, with the removal of all the surrounding shops and cafes, this now looks very odd. In the original context it looked rather splendid. Both entrances were, originally, similarly decorated and both contained box-offices. The Hyde Road entrance also gave access to the integral cafe and ballroom. Some attempts were made to run it as a separate venue but it is currently abandoned.
I carried out Managerial relief duties there on a number of occasions whilst it was an ABC. At the time I was based at the almost as large ABC Wigan which still seated 2,280 (original capacity 2,560).
Wigan Ritz is just a distant memory now but I am delighted that the Apollo continues to thrive as a live venue.
Last August we celebrated 80 years of the Apollo
Some photos from August 2018 here:–
EXTERIOR
AUDITORIUM TOWARDS STAGE
ROOF VOID
AUDITORIUM FROM STAGE
BALLROOM
Can anyone help me please? I am looking to find the name of the cook in the Cafe around 1962 or 63. I believe her surname was Sherratt but need a first name. She worked with my mum Anne Smalley who was her kitchen assistant. She was small and blonde if that helps jog anyone’s memory. Any info however small will help. Fingers crossed. Thank you.
From The British Pathe Library: The Beatles Live 1963:–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_GRLfW9PI4
From The British Pathe Library: Premiere of ‘Hell Is A City’ 1960:–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWwqR4UOonM
I remember that Wimpy Bar, food was awful, and it was run by some female dragon whose name escapes me.
Apollo Did put screen in the cafe. My associate supplied the Projection Equipment
It was a Wimpey Bar in my time during the late 60’s
What was the building round the corner on Hyde road another entrance or another cinema
I worked at the Apollo as Assistant Manager under Ken Cooper, someone I will always consider my mentor, in the 70’s. It was by far my favourite cinema and I loved the proscenium arch with it’s changing colours. Those changing rooms below stage could tell a few stories!
The ABC Ardwick doubled as a cinema and as a district office for the ABC Cinemas group. Dougie Revis was the charming, sensitive, avuncular District Manager until 1969 when he was replaced by Jimmy Gold who was by comparison charmless, aggressive and (many people believed) altogether better suited to gangland thuggery than to cinema management.
One of the usherettes was Anna Ingham, an attractive and very presentable teenager who had clearly blossomed since junior school, where she had been well-known for having an almost-permanently runny nose.
left here in 1982,also showed The song remains the same.
Some photos from 2004:–
EXTERIOR
AUDITORIUM FROM STAGE
AUDITORIUM TOWARDS STAGE
AUDITORIUM ACROSS
AUDITORIUM LOGES
i have worked at the apollo as a projectionist to show some of the pop concert films like pink floyd the wall and the song remains the same the projectors are ross gc3s on carbon arc and westrex valve sound i worked there in 1983
and the district number was J14.
The Beatles did indeed play there and Pathe News either did their first colour newsreel or cinemascope ratio for that concert
ABC Ardwick used to be the District Office for the Manchester area
Nice theatre and THE BEATLES played there.
I have been to the Apollo many times as a concert-goer, it was the first building to start my interest in old cinema buildings, it is absolutely stunning inside, fantastic surroundings to see a band in! So glad that it has been kept!
Here is the link to The Beatles live at the ABC Theatre (as it was then) in 1963:–
View link
……..and here is a clip of the British première of ‘Hell is a City’ at the ABC Apollo (as it still was) in 1960:–
View link
There is a newspaper ad for “Hell is a City” at the Apollo about halfway down this site. I couldn’t figure out where most of the theaters were that they were discussing here.
http://www.levyboy.com/cinema.htm
a photo of the side entry and ballroom building from 1989 when it was the Inn on the Green pub
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/3390633122/
and of the front of the building
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/3390634358/
More photos here.
Exterior:-
View link
Interior:-
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