Palaseum Cinema

Located in east London on the block of Commercial Road, between Anthony Street and Fenton Street. Designed in a Moorish style, when built it had two domes on each end of the facade, with a central dome over the entrance. This central dome had a decorative minaret located on each side. The 1,000 seat Fienman’s Yiddish Theatre, opened in March 1912 with productions of "King Ahab" and "Rigoletto". It was soon also screening films, and in 1913, it was re-named Palaseum Cinema.

It was taken over by the United Picture Theatres chain in May 1928 and they were taken over by Gaumont British Theatres in July 1930. In 1934 it was taken over by Associated British Cinemas(ABC) as part of their Regent circuit, and passed fully to ABC in 1935.

On 26th March 1949 it was taken over by Southan Morris S.M. Super Cinemas chain, who were taken over by the Newcastle based Essoldo Circuit on 26th August 1954. The Palaseum Cinema was closed on 19th June 1960 with Dorothy Dandridge in "Tamingo" and Randolph Scott in "Commanche Station".

It was re-opened by Essoldo and re-named Essoldo on 18th October 1961 with Orson Welles in "David and Goliath" and the documentary "Blitz on Britain". The Essoldo closed on 1st September 1966 with Elvis Presley in "Girls, Girls, Girls" and Jerry Lewis in "The Bellboy".

It then re-opened as the Palaseum Cinema, screening Indian ‘Bollywood’ films. The Palaseum Cinema finally closed in October 1985, and was later demolished. In 2008, a recently erected building on the site contains a Tesco Express supermarket, with flats above.

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