Alexandra Picture Theatre

geofflev on March 3, 2024 at 1:28 pm

JailhouseJoe Thanks for letting us know. I expect Alexandra was a popular name from the Edwardian Queen

geofflev on August 4, 2017 at 1:34 pm

My father ran the Alexandra Cinema when he returned to Leeds after WW1, until it bankrupted him in 1924! In the Court papers he is described as a picture house proprietor. “lately carrying on business at the Alexandra Picture Theatre, Camp Road, Leeds”

Initially he managed it for somebody else and then took it over when the other person decided to get out. We used to have some small cans of film around the house when I was young, in the 1930s. Also in the house was his top hat and silver headed cane which were part of his attire when welcoming customers and enticing others off the street.

My mother met him there, as she was a pianist and had the job of playing the mood music for the films. A lot of the music was extemporised, but I remember her saying that William Tell Overture was a favourite for galloping horses. Derum, derum,derum dum-dum.

About 25 years ago I managed to talk to an old uncle who had helped out in the ticket office. He told me that, in terms of old pence (d), where 2.4d=1new p, ticket prices were 3d, 4d and 9d. First house might take about £1, second house about £5, but a really full house for a special film could go up to £11. Rent was £7~8 a week.

There were a lot of problems with films breaking, generally due to operators cutting sexy stills out of films and not joining them properly.

My father blamed some of his problems on the development of the major new cinema chains in the city centre, where comfort and latest equipment made it difficult for the others to compete.