Author Topic: The Electric Cinema in Birmingham is the oldest working cinema  (Read 7797 times)

roy one

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The Electric Cinema in Birmingham is the oldest working cinema
« on: December 15, 2009, 07:31:51 PM »
The Electric Cinema is 100 years old   over the years its had Meany names and a few years back it become a blue film cinema   and on reopening they have found loads of old 35mm films shot in and around brum and now its had a make over
 
 any body got any pictures or know any history on the cinema
each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes

9teen48

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Re: The Electric Cinema in Birmingham is the oldest working cinema
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2009, 08:14:30 PM »
Hello Roy,
 
I loved this little cinema when it was known as The Tatler and The Jacey.  In the 1960s it was usually a cartoon programme, with a newsreel and a documentary like "Coalmining Today" or similar topics.  They also showed serials like the original Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon, or the Three Stooges.
 
Lots of info here:
http://theelectric.co.uk/history.htm
 
Brian
 

9teen48

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Re: The Electric Cinema in Birmingham is the oldest working cinema
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2009, 08:33:32 PM »
Roy,
 
Two pictures of The Tatler, one shows the mobile camera unit and their van.
 
Brian

9teen48

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Re: The Electric Cinema in Birmingham is the oldest working cinema
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2009, 08:35:07 PM »
Here is a photo of the same Station Street cinema when known as Classic Cinemas.
 
Brian

9teen48

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Re: The Electric Cinema in Birmingham is the oldest working cinema
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2009, 09:43:24 PM »
The cinema can be seen in this mid-1960s shot of Station Street, this time named as the Jacey News Theatre.  There were large images of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck on the wall at this time.  Note also the entrance to the Midland Red Bus Station in the Bull Ring Centre is visible on the bend.

jennyamysmith

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Re: The Electric Cinema in Birmingham is the oldest working cinema
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2013, 03:56:24 PM »
Here is a photo of the same Station Street cinema when known as Classic Cinemas.
 
Brian

Hi Brian,
Do you have a high resolution scan of this image that you wouldn't mind sharing with me? We are including the Electric in an audio walk around the city as part of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre's centenary celebrations, as it was built four years before the original Rep Theatre on Station Street. We need the image to go on flyers, and the website where the audio file for the walk is hosted, as well as a vinyl in the window of the cinema with a QR code link to the audio file. If you could send this image to me at a higher resolution and wouldn't mind us using it please contact me on 0121 245 2065 this site won't let me put my complete email as it acts as an external link, but it is jenny.smith followed by @birmingham-re.co.uk
Thanks and best wishes
Jenny

pickard.r

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Re: The Electric Cinema in Birmingham is the oldest working cinema
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2013, 07:14:58 PM »
It has been Bugging me but ever since I walked past The Electric Theartre (on the way to The German Market) that I could not understand how I had never heard of It :o  ......BUT now "The Jacey" has been mentioned the memories flood back. I haven't given that place a thought for over 40 years :-[ ...


Bobby
You can lead a horse to water but, a pencil must be lead.

Colin J Brookes

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Re: The Electric Cinema in Birmingham is the oldest working cinema
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2013, 05:46:23 PM »
The Electric Cinema is 100 years old   over the years its had Meany names and a few years back it become a blue film cinema   and on reopening they have found loads of old 35mm films shot in and around brum and now its had a make over
 
 any body got any pictures or know any history on the cinema
:)
Jacey had TWO News Theatres in Birmingham and also the Cinephone Cinema in Bristol Street. I joined the News Theatre in High Street as a trainee projectionist in 1957 and closed this lovely cinema in Easter 1960. I also ran the show many times at the Tatler when short of staff- both houses used BTH SUPA machines (carbon arc in those days of course), sadly all the programme was bashed through at the Tatler without a break, whereas at the News Theatre was far superior in showmanship, tabs (curtain) at every end and beginning, sound faded in or out, and colours to match. We also had the distinction of intermission sound off classical records (78 double turntable) indeed the last performance was Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture. When I first went there, the secondary lighting was gaslit- my job was to check all the mantles before opening at 1015 (10.15am) and closing at 2230 (10.30pm) Monday to Saturday, a continuous performance. Not much rest on Sunday as the show had to be made up for the week, but at least we finished at 2115 (9.15pm) just enough time for the Chief to make the Red Lion next door before closing time.
The Tatler was probably a bit older than the News Theatre- the latter opened in 1932 and the frontage developed post war. The Tatler had an upstairs whereas the News did not. The Tatler may well claim to be the oldest working, but not with the oldest equipment as the BTH's went from there as they did from the News. I might also be inclined to dispute newsreels being generated from Station Street as such, indeed I consider it more likely to have been High Street. Jacey Offices were in Temple Row, and they had many News Theatre's  up and down the Country.
Happy Days!
 :) Colin J Brookes

Phil

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Re: The Electric Cinema in Birmingham is the oldest working cinema
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2013, 07:09:12 PM »
Colin
 
The information I have is that the Electric Cinema opened on July 30th 1910 and was the first purpose built cinema in Birmingham. it closed in 1931 and became a amusement arcade for a while. In 1937 it re-opened after extensive refurbishment as Birmingham's second News Theatre "The Tatler"
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

roy one

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Re: The Electric Cinema in Birmingham is the oldest working cinema
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2013, 07:31:26 PM »
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia               Jump to:               navigation,                searchFor information about the Ele[size=125%]The Electric Cinema[/size]Address
47-49 Station StreetCity
BirminghamCountry
United KingdomCoordinates
52°28′36″N 1°53′55″W / 52.4766°N 1.8987°W / 52.4766; -1.8987Coordinates: [size=90%]Click the blue globe to open an interactive map.[/size][/size]52°28′36″N 1°53′55″W / 52.4766°N 1.8987°W / 52.4766; -1.8987Owned by
Thomas Lawes Media LtdOpened
1909Previous names
Select Cinema
Tatler News Theatre
The Jacey
The Classic
The TivoliCurrent useThe Electric Cinema is a cinema and sound recording facility in Birmingham, England. It opened in Station Street in 1909, showing its first silent film on 27 December of that year, and is now the oldest working cinema in the country.[1][2] It predates its namesake, the Electric Cinema in Notting Hill, London, by around two months. Originally called the Electric Theatre, the cinema has undergone a number of name changes since its opening, but returned as the Electric in October 1993.
In the 1920s, the cinema changed its name to the Select, showing a programme of silent movies. In the 1930s, tastes changed and in 1931 the cinema became an amusement arcade.[1][2] In 1936 the cinema was bought by local entrepreneur Joseph Cohen. It was rebuilt by architect Cecil Filmore and reopened as the Tatler News Theatre, the second in the
each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes

mikejee

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Re: The Electric Cinema in Birmingham is the oldest working cinema
« Reply #10 on: February 18, 2013, 11:11:19 PM »
If it was rebuilt after 1936 , then can it really be considered to be the oldest remaining?


 

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