Orien Cinema

Located in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. The Oriental Cinema was opened on 6th June 1921 with Victor McLaglen in “Call of the Wild”. Designed in an Oriental style, with dragons & scrolls, and painted panels in the auditorium depicting palm trees and oasis scenes. The proscenium was 22 feet wide and the stage 15 feet deep. The stage was occasionally used for variety acts, and there was a reed organ, as well as a piano and small orchestra to accompany the silent films.

It was equipped with a Gyrotone sound system in December 1929 and the first ‘talkie’ to be shown here was Al Jolson in “The Singing Fool”. A Western Electric(WE) sound system was installed in November 1931.

In 1947 it was taken over by new operators and was re-named Orien Cinema. Equipped with CinemaScope, the first film to play here in that format was “The Robe” on 11th July 1955. The Orien Cinema was closed on 17th January 1959 with Jack Palance in “The Man Inside”.

It was converted into a dance hall and roller rink. It had been demolished by 1992.

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