Ritz Cinema

Station Road,
Leeds, LS15

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Star Cinemas

Architects: J.P. Crawford

Styles: Art Deco, Art Nouveau

Previous Names: Picture House

Nearby Theaters

Ritz Cinema

Originally named the Picture House, it was designed by architect J.P. Crawford of Albion Street, Leeds. Seating 800 patrons, it opened on Thursday 5th August 1920. The first film to be shown was “Master of My Fate” with Murrtoe Sailsbury.

The name of the cinema was changed to Ritz Cinema in October of 1938 and the building was given a new Art Deco style façade. The cinema’s last operators were the Star Cinemas chain, who closed the Ritz Cinema on Sunday 16th May 1965 after showing “Hell to Eternity” starring Vic Damone. It was then demolished. To serve cinema customers, a sweet and tobacco shop was part of the cinema building.

Contributed by Chris Dobson

Recent comments (view all 3 comments)

jrhine
jrhine on February 22, 2008 at 5:23 pm

The organ in the Ritz was a 3/10 Compton.

Russellsrigs1
Russellsrigs1 on February 5, 2018 at 9:28 am

I was 7 years old and saw gold finger

vickifairfax
vickifairfax on December 29, 2021 at 5:05 pm

My grandfather, Herbert Stevens, was cinema manager of The Ritz throughout the war beginning there in 1937 and so would have overseen the new Art Deco refurbishment. He left around 1952/53 and moved to Bournemouth to run a hotel. He was previously cinema manager at The Strand in Cleethorpes. I have come across a photo in the Grimsby Evening Telegraph dated 30/07/2017 showing a billboard advertising the “Grand Opening of Union Cinemas Ritz” in 1937. I’d be grateful to hear if anyone has any other information about these two cinemas.

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