Author Topic: Cinemas of Birmingham  (Read 146791 times)

baz

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Re: Cinemas of Birmingham
« Reply #297 on: February 05, 2019, 09:42:44 AM »
Steehouse Lane Tram Terminus 1950 - You'll have no problem finding a better pic of the Gaumont but it did prompt me to imagine what might have been showing on that day, this is the top 10 films of 1950 in descending order:
1. Sunset Boulevard
2. Los Olividados
3. Rashomon
4. All About Eve
5. In A Lonely Place
6. La Ronde
7. Cinderella (Cartoon)
8. Winchester 73
9. The Gunfighter
10. Broken Arrow
Peg.
P.S. Where do you imagine the fishermen are heading? :-\  The tram destination is Stockland Green so it would pass Salford Park, which has a huge lake.
I noticed those fishermen too. The anglers I see nowadays have so much tackle they look like they're going on an expedition up the Amazon !

Phil

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Re: Cinemas of Birmingham
« Reply #298 on: February 05, 2019, 10:18:25 AM »
I noticed those fishermen too. The anglers I see nowadays have so much tackle they look like they're going on an expedition up the Amazon !


As the 78 tram terminus was Short Heath, I would suggest either Salford Park, Brookvale Park or Witton Lakes. Please try to bring the subject back on topic and don't stray too far with this line (no pun intended).
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Peg Monkey

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Re: Cinemas of Birmingham
« Reply #299 on: February 05, 2019, 03:14:03 PM »
I thought The Gaumont (Like Lewis's) would last forever, but nothing does (not even the universe), the cinema opened in 1931 (screening Raffles, starring Ronald Coleman) and closed in October 1983 with Yellowbeard, a pirate comedy, I've nothing agianst the Python team but I think if I had owned The Gaumont I would have wanted to go out with a real bang (Some of the top films in 1983 were Return of the Jedi, Flashdance and Octopussy.
The building was demolished in 1986 when the facade was carefully taken down brick by brick in the hope it would be re-erected in the future - do you know wot? If I win the Euro lottery I might think about that!
Peg.
It's far better to look back on a rejection rather than a lost opportunity.

Peg Monkey

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Re: Cinemas of Birmingham
« Reply #300 on: February 06, 2019, 02:35:11 PM »
Palladium, Hockley Brook - does anyone know if the building is still there and its current use? I lived the first 10 years (1949-59) of my life in Heaton St, about 15 minutes stroll distant, and I went there many times with my mom (my dad had no interest in the cinema) and with friends to the ABC minors.
Ah! happy Days! O0
Peg
It's far better to look back on a rejection rather than a lost opportunity.

Edmund Fifield

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Re: Cinemas of Birmingham
« Reply #301 on: February 06, 2019, 05:20:02 PM »
It's still there Peg,it's now a warehouse.Well it was last July O0
Make every day a day to remember
Because this ain't no rehearsal
And you ain't coming back

Phil

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Re: Cinemas of Birmingham
« Reply #302 on: February 06, 2019, 07:08:18 PM »
Peg


The Palladium closed in 1965 and it opened as a Bingo hall up to the late 70's when it closed again and has remained empty ever since. It is now in a near derelict condition and I shouldn't think it will be much longer before it is demolished,


This video was made last year I believe,


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZfK6IgJgN8&feature=youtu.be
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Peg Monkey

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Re: Cinemas of Birmingham
« Reply #303 on: February 07, 2019, 09:58:01 AM »
Palladium - Ed  & Phil, thanks for the update, sad news indeed, puzzling really why the building has been so neglected, it seems to have been abandoned to its fate by the owners, whoever they are.
Better news when I checked out what was probably the last of my local cinemas - Plaza, Stockland Green, the building is still there operating as a bingo club - probably faces a change of use yet again in the future with the rise of on-line gambling.
One of these days there will be no reaon for anyone to leave their homes atall.
Peg.
It's far better to look back on a rejection rather than a lost opportunity.

Peg Monkey

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Re: Cinemas of Birmingham
« Reply #304 on: February 08, 2019, 11:38:58 PM »
Odeon, New St. - 1960s: For me a cinema destination (probably the most memorable movie: Dr Strangelove*) but for Mrs Peg Monkey (a rock-chick in her teens in the 60s) it was very much a live rock gig destination, of particular note was when she saw The Walker Bros. fronted by lead singer Scott, who was (and is) her life-long heart-throb. Unlike The Gaumont the Odeon was (is?) very flexible in the events staged, did anyone attend a business seminar there or perhaps one of Billy Graham's events?
Peg.
*Film: 1964, Dr Strangelove (Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb), Produced and Directed by Stanley Kubrick. A black cold war comedy starring Peter Sellers, who delivers stellar performances in three roles, including the title role. (I think it was shot in black & white).   
It's far better to look back on a rejection rather than a lost opportunity.

Peg Monkey

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Re: Cinemas of Birmingham
« Reply #305 on: February 09, 2019, 01:27:36 PM »
A String of Pearls, 1950s: Starting with The Palladium (at the foot of Soho Hill, Hockley Brook,) there were three cinemas in a line, two on Soho Rd , Handsworth. Catching the bus opposite The Palladium 10 minutes or so later you arrived at the elegant Elite that lived 1913-2008; 10 minutes further took you to the palacial Regal (1929-1980), with a seating capacity of 2000+ it was four times the size of The Palladium and was credited with showing the first talking picture in the city.
Peg.
It's far better to look back on a rejection rather than a lost opportunity.

Peg Monkey

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Re: Cinemas of Birmingham
« Reply #306 on: February 10, 2019, 03:42:37 PM »
Odeon, Sutton Coldfield. During the early 70s, our courtship years and early marriage years, The Odeon was a much loved destination. A Grade II listed building (with a sister cinema in Harrogate) perhaps we can be as sure as we can be of the future existance of this great building even if not as a cinema. Of the many films we saw there, one stands out for the wrong reason: Love Story (1970), I was turning left out of the car park when my door of our Mini suddenly flew open, luckily no other cars were near so no harm done. Mrs Monkey said I was so taken with the film I had been overcome with emotion and was distracted - I think I was just careless(?!) :-\
Peg.
It's far better to look back on a rejection rather than a lost opportunity.

Peg Monkey

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Re: Cinemas of Birmingham
« Reply #307 on: February 10, 2019, 06:11:15 PM »
What does ODEON stand for? I thought I knew - pay a visit to Kingstanding, where Phil explains.....
Link: http://www.birminghamforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=1753.msg672038#msg672038
Peg.
It's far better to look back on a rejection rather than a lost opportunity.


 

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