did anybody ever visit the studio 7 cinema on the wicker and how about the classic cinema in fiztallan square what were the others called the abc was one of them the gaumont,oden does anybody know where the oden once stood and can anybody remember abbeydale cinema or the heeley cinema and can anybody tell me where they all once stood now that sheffield as changed beyond recognistion. can anybody remember where the whimpy cafe's use to be in sheffield you watch someone will come out with the statement there was know whimpy cafes in sheffield but oh yes there was in the 60's and early part of the 70's infact if you walk just up from boots the chemist on your way to W H Smiths you would have passed one where I think is the game shop now stands can anybody remember the sarsaparilla shop on abbeydale road it was near abbeydale cinema when I was a kid and I use to go swimming at heeley baths the one place we would head for was the sarsaparilla shop when we came out of the baths you could buy the drink in either half pint glasses or pint glasses to look at it you would think it was a very flat stout, I wonder how many other people will remember it.

Originally posted by bigkev

does anybody know where the oden once stood and can anybody remember abbeydale cinema or the heeley cinema and can anybody tell me where they all once stood now that sheffield as changed beyond recognistion. can anybody remember where the whimpy cafe's use to be in sheffield you watch someone will come out with the statement there was know whimpy cafes in sheffield but oh yes there was in the 60's and early part of the 70's infact if you walk just up from boots the chemist on your way to W H Smiths you would have passed one where I think is the game shop now stands can anybody remember the sarsaparilla shop on abbeydale road it was near abbeydale cinema when I was a kid and I use to go swimming at heeley baths the one place we would head for was the sarsaparilla shop when we came out of the baths you could buy the drink in either half pint glasses or pint glasses to look at it you would think it was a very flat stout, I wonder how many other people will remember it.



The Odeon is now the Kingdom nightclub......the ABC is now a Travel Inn. WIMPY bars...there were TWO in SHeffield City Centre, one was on Fargate and became Burger King after a few other changes, the other was at the top of the Moor going towards the Peace Gardens....not sure which shop front it was but it was a big place that went back for quite a bit with a huge long counter. Very popular.......it was on the right hand side lookinn down the Moor before Debenhams.....maybe somewhere near that second hand electrical/musical junk shop place which has been there for years and years.

Originally posted by bigkev
can anybody remember the sarsaparilla shop on abbeydale road it was near abbeydale cinema

The Sasparilla bar is now an antiques shop I think, but under the front window, there is still a sign in the wall which says Temperance Bar

Was Pondsfords (chesterfield road) a cinema once? I know there was a car showroom there a few years ago.

Originally posted by Agent Gypo
Was Pondsfords (chesterfield road) a cinema once? I know there was a car showroom there a few years ago.

The cimema was more or less smack-bang beside the railway bridge. it was called the Heeley Picture Palace.

It burnt down, gosh, twenty-odd years ago, now.

The newer building of Ponsfords , with the fancy shmancy bridge linking it to the older shop building is actually on the foundations of the cinema.

PT

Two more cinemas and a drinks shop :-
The Star Cinema was at the bottom of William Street at the junction with Ecclesall Road.Later became a petrol station. Spent many happy hours in The Star---first as 8 and 9 year olds,in 1950-ish,watching Roy Rogers....etc..... on Saturday afternoons.Then about 8 years later going in with friends to partly watch the film[any film!] but mainly to try to sit next to and chat up, a girl.The drinks shop [sarsparella...etc...] was almost opposite the Star but a bit nearer Town.
Another one was the Greystones cinema,which later became Napoleon's nightclub and Casino. Near both cinemas there were good chip shops. The one near the Star was Middleton's at the corner of Ecclesall Road and Summerfield Street.I went to school with the son ,David. Very,very lively area that in those days.Seems kaput now.

I saw Zulu with my younger brother at the studio 7 that was the last time I went into that picture house,I went to the Gaumont to see Rollerball.That was a cracking film on it's day,I used to go to the Heeley Picture Palace as that was closer to my home,some great memorys of all the Cinemas

Forgot to mention part of an old cinema.This was the "Gods" in the Hippodrome on the corner of Wellington St. and Cambridge St. I read somewhere that it had the biggest seating capacity in Sheffield and had started out life as a theatre.
I put "part " of a cinema because when I used to go with a mate of mine[both aged about 8,9 and 10] we could only afford to go in the "Gods",which cost about 10 old pence,[ about 4 new pence ].At that time a labourer would perhaps earn about 15-20 new pence per hour.
"The Gods"were usually a riot of noise and bad behaviour. If the film was even mildly boring,the audince would shout,joke and sling things over the balcony.This was the era of the Teddy Boy and even at 9 and 10 years of age,we tried eo copy them as far as possible.Had my first cigarette in there,I think---at least I remember smoking. There were no seats ,as such, just rows and rows of wooden benches !
There was an attendant who didn't even have a uniform---only a peaked cap ! He was getting on a bit and had no chance of controlling the mob. He'd keep disappearing and re-appearing and very occasionally he'd try to sling someone out but they'd usually sneak back.
At one stage,we were going to the Hippodrome about 3 times a week. If it was an A film,we'd wait outside and ask one of the Teddy Boys to take us in.It also had a sliding roof for very hot daysand probably to let the smoke out too.
Reminds me a bit of that brilliant Italian film, "Cinema Paradiso "
!

The Odeon was originally at the top of Pond Hill (think its a Bingo now) and there was another Wimpey on Commercial Street, right hand side going towards big islandQUOTE]Originally posted by goldenfleece
The Odeon is now the Kingdom nightclub......the ABC is now a Travel Inn. WIMPY bars...there were TWO in SHeffield City Centre, one was on Fargate and became Burger King after a few other changes, the other was at the top of the Moor going towards the Peace Gardens....not sure which shop front it was but it was a big place that went back for quite a bit with a huge long counter. Very popular.......it was on the right hand side lookinn down the Moor before Debenhams.....maybe somewhere near that second hand electrical/musical junk shop place which has been there for years and years. [/QUOTE]

I can remember the ABC on High Street, the Gaumont where mothercare is now near the City Hall and the Classic, what was the one on flat street was it the cineplex or Cinecentre or something like that, can anyone remember?

it was both. first it was the cineplex then they changed it over to the cinecentre that is one picture palace I was glad when they shut it down for good. You will have heard the saying men in old dirty raincoat brigade well that place was full of them cant tell you what they got up to not here anyway, it doesnt take much to work it out what with them showing all them swedish films.The first time I went in there I was taken aback of what went on it was even worse when one of them tried it on with me now I am over 6 foot tall and even then I weighted 17 stones but it was not fat you dont get much fat working in the heavy forge or rolling mills because of the sweat what you lost and the weight, I told him politely to move but he took no for answer so I just grab his meat and two veg and he screamed I was asked to leave but when I was going this limp wristed person says to me you can come back to my pad and we will get it on if you like didnt thump him just lifted him of the floor and said oh yes do you want to be bowed legged for the rest of your life because I will kick you where you you wont like it so I walked out. it was even worse at night going past there at 23:00pm the things that was happening If I remember correctly it used to stop open all night from 20:00 until 07:00am.

the ABC was on Angel Street, where the travelodge hotel is now, (at the side of the Argos store).

the Classic was in FitzAlan Square.

there were two seperate cinemas on flat street,
there was teh odeon, which is now a mecca-bingo place, and the one further down, on the landings above pond street bus station, was called the Cinecenta (not sure about the spelling, there)

PT

I remember the 'Classic' in Fitzalan Square when it was called 'The News Theatre'. They ran continous news reels between comedy films like Three Stooges and Laurel and Hardy etc. I think the programme ran for about two hours but you could sit in there all day if you wanted. There was a bar down some stairs at the side used to sell draught Bass and Worthington beers - think it was called the King's Head.

There used to be two cinemas in Barker's Pool, the Gaumont and the Cinema House, and of course the Hippodrome round the corner on Cambridge Street with a pub nearby called the Barley Corn, which had the unsavoury reputation of being a 'knockin' shop'. There was another cinema in town on Union Street - opposite the stage door to the Empire, - I think it was called the 'Union Palace' but not really sure now.

In Heeley Bottom there were two cinemas...the Heeley Palace just past the railway bridge, but a little way back towards town on the same side was the Heeley Coliseum which was a bit of a 'flea-pit'.

The Abbeydale and the herbalist shop were well known to me as my grandfather lived just round the corner I too used to use Heeley baths on Broadfield Road every Saturday morning - usually the first session at 7.30 am.and then call on my grandad for a big mug of tea and a couple of thick slices of toast and jam :D The Abbeydale also had a large snooker hall in the basement which I used as a teenager, and another snooker hall above a cafe on the corner of Broadfield Rd. and London Rd. on Heeley Bottom.

Went to the Star on Ecclesall road only occasionally as well as the Chantry in Woodseats, - usually to see a film we'd missed at a local cinema. I was away from Sheffield for fifteen years from 1960 so missed many of the major changes.

Originally posted by Plain Talker
the ABC was on Angel Street, where the travelodge hotel is now, (at the side of the Argos store).



You've no idea how sad that makes me feel. She (and she was a she, just like the great ocean liners) was younger than me. Opened in 1961, what a short life. She had the most fantastic ceiling of any mid-twentieth century picture house. It looked a bit like the starship enterprise. And the screen!! Watching the curtains and the masking run out from the Pearl & Dean adverts (in wide screen) to to it's full width to show a 70mm feature was worth the ticket money by itself. Even better than watching a flick in cinemascope.

Modern multiplexes are but a mere imitation of the true cinematic experience.

Originally posted by Greybeard
I too used to use Heeley baths on Broadfield Road every Saturday morning - usually the first session at 7.30 am.and then call on my grandad for a big mug of tea and a couple of thick slices of toast and jam :D The Abbeydale also had a large snooker hall in the basement which I used as a teenager, and another snooker hall above a cafe on the corner of Broadfield Rd. and London Rd. on Heeley Bottom.


Good Good News Greybeard. If your grandad is still alive, you could still do all that.

Langtons snooker is still there, and so is their cafe,
Abbey snooker as it is now called, is in the old ballroom and half of the billiard room of the Abbeydale cinema, and the friends of Abbeydale cinema can show you around the whole building if you go on an open day. And Heeley baths is in fine fettle, with specialist early morning sessions, adult only, and women only sessions too.

Here is a website with all you need.
Here (http://www.rocknroll.force9.co.uk/cinemas/cintable.html)

can anybody remember going to see cinerama in sheffield, I once went with my dad when I was younger the place where they had was up division street straight past what is now the frog and parrot up to where the hornblower use to be well across the road was a big open space this is in the late sixties so there would have been some alterations going on, anyway what I can remember is that it was in a very big tent with seating inside well you can imagine what it was like not seeing cinerama before the first film was that you was on a tobbogan and hurtiling down the sledge run at the front all these people who had come to watch it well they was going from side to side as you would, then the second film was you was on a plane going to land on a aircraft carrier I have never been so frightened in my life then there was the roller coaster a runaway train and then there was a bloke in a tower crane who had just had a drink out of a bottle when he dropped it and as you looked up you though it was going to hit you and if I remember correctly you was in a racing car going round the track at some breakneck speed.Boy I wish I could see cinerama again and take my kids to see it they would get a right thrill out of it I think the nearest I would get to it would be the IMAX screen at the photography and television museum in bradford.

I saw Cinerama here (http://www.nmpft.org.uk/film/cinemas.asp) at Pictureville. The film you saw was 'This is Cinerama'. It was amazing wasn't it? They may show it again. The Cinerama installation is still there.

For more info on Cinerama, go here (http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/wingcr1.htm)

Originally posted by muddycoffee
Good Good News Greybeard. If your grandad is still alive, you could still do all that.

Langtons snooker is still there, and so is their cafe,
Abbey snooker as it is now called, is in the old ballroom and half of the billiard room of the Abbeydale cinema, and the friends of Abbeydale cinema can show you around the whole building if you go on an open day. And Heeley baths is in fine fettle, with specialist early morning sessions, adult only, and women only sessions too.

That's amazing ! - it was 1950 I started going to Heeley baths. My dad's idea of killing two birds with one stone, - to make sure I got a bath [and it was an education sitting in the slipper bath listening to the old men :P ] and to learn to swim. Learning to swim usually meant being tossed in the deep end by a gang of bigger lads, - but we weren't allowed to drown :rolleyes: . Grandad would be 120 years old this year !

The snooker craze was from 1953 - 56, on the way home from school, but we couldn't have long in the Abbeydale because we had to be out by the time they opened the bar....so I think that's when we started going to the one on Broadfield Road.

Will have to have a look around my old haunts...wonder if that Youth Club at the bottom of Heeley Station approach is still open ?...great juke box they had, - Bill Haley and the Comets, Little Richard, Frankie Lane etc etc :D

Ooops - gone way OT ;)

Me and my late wife used to queue for what seemed like hours at the ABC and The Gaumont. We always used to make a day of it when we were courting, going to the cinema in the afternoon and then on to the town centre pubs. The first film I remember seeing at the original Odeon was The Sound of Music. They also had live shows at the Gaumont and I saw Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and the Beach Boys there, not all on the same show.
When technicolor and cinemascope first came in it was fantastic,but of course, DVD, Video, Sky,etc. has got rid of a lot of that.
Coming more up to date, I think it was a shame when they closed the UCI Cinema at Crystal Peaks. It was on the doorstep for a lot of people including me and my family. UCG is quite good, but on some of the days that I,ve been we,ve had to park in the overspill at the back.
Course going back to town centre cinema heyday, I didn,t have a car and we bussed it everywhere. Safe as houses in them days. ------ and do remember the continuous films when you could stay in and watch what you'd missed or even watch the film again if you wanted to.

how long as the cinema at crystal peaks been shut I remember going to see the full monty with my ex wife and my daughter and son in law. Mind you I have only ever been to crystal peaks once after we went to see the film are they going to do something with the cinema or is it going to be turned into more shops why do they always shut something down and then leave the building instead of making something good out of it. I wont go to the cinema now too expensive I would rather watch my dvd's on my pc at least if I get bored I can turn them off and play my games on the pc I have got over 150 dvd's mind you there are mostly railway stuff thats on them and I think I have watched maybe 20 of them.doesnt bother me watching films I dont even watch tv or read newspapers if I want to know the news then I read it on the internet.

It's interesting, but I've just been up to Holmfirth Picturedrome to see a film (Ladies in Lavender, in fact) and the place was *packed*! It's a proper old picture-house, and the building is, I imagine, pretty much unchanged, but now they have a little bar at the back so you can have a pint while you watch the film! Other cities and towns have small cinemas - Leeds has two, and they show lots of arthouse-y things at at least one of them; even Penistone has a cinema. I definitely think that some of the old cinemas in Sheffield would be a success if they re-opened. I think Abbeydale is the nicest building out of the ones I've seen (thanks for the link, Hal9001!), but the location probably isn't the best for success in this day and age. Which do people think would be the best option, to re-open?

Originally posted by Elyndys
I think Abbeydale is the nicest building out of the ones I've seen (thanks for the link, Hal9001!), but the location probably isn't the best for success in this day and age. Which do people think would be the best option, to re-open?

The Abbeydale was quite grand in it's hey-day, - it served the wealthier suburbs like Eccy Rd South, Whirlow, Dore, Millhouses & Nether Edge etc. It had it's own car park at the back of the adjacent shops and ISTR the admission prices were more on Friday and Saturday nights than they were on Monday to Thursday.

My first time there was to see Walt Disney's 'Song of the South' which was 1948 I think. Architecurally it was certainly one of Sheffield's best looking cinemas.

Reply to BigKev,

They are well into building a new bigger Sainsburys.
My wife used to work at the original one. The new one is going to have a cafe. The building will take up all the area that was the cinema and the Indian Restaurant, in fact there is only the Pizza Hut left out of all the eating places,and Macdonalds on the upper floor and they've also got a new cafe by the entrance to the existing Market.
There is a plan to look at on the lower level which shows the building and surrounding architecture and grounds from an artist's impression.
It all looks quite impressive, but it's taken up a lot of the car parking area and it's a nightmare to park when Crystal Peaks is busy. It looks as though Sainsburys might be on two levels, but I've been told that the Market will be going into their old building.
As you go in by the filling station you've got to be careful 'cause there's a lot of mud on the road from the contractors vehicles.
They had to dig out all the foundations.
Funnily enough, if you ring up Crystal Peaks managers number you get an answer phone and it still mentions the opening hours to include the UCI Cinema which has been gone for at least 18 months.

Take Care
from Alanbro

I know I've gone off the Old cinemas of sheffield plot, but we've just been to the UGC Cinema at Centretainment and there was a queue stretching almost outside. If we'd have queued we'd have missed the film we wanted to see anyway. Bring back the old cinemas!
The first Cinema I went to was the Scala at Walkley. I was a little Alanbro then, I suppose you could call me Big Albro now!

There used to be a Cinema on Eastern Ave Arbourthorne Estate closed round about 1964? Last movie was Moby Dick?

Originally posted by Alan52
There used to be a Cinema on Eastern Ave Arbourthorne Estate closed round about 1964? Last movie was Moby Dick?

That cinema was "the Carlton", also known as "the Icebox" as it was reknowned for being Bl**dy freezing in cold weather.(according to my grandparents, who used to go there)

It was a shame that it went to rack and ruin, from the late 70's on, because it was an architecturally interesting building.

The construction was concrete, but it was used in an innovative method for the 20's/30's when it was built.

As I understand it it was the only one of it's kind (and maybe should have been listed, and preserved, rather than being left to rot, as it was.)

I know a little bit of the history of it from the 70's onward.

It became a warehouse for a light-bulb factory (it was called "omega" and owned by a Sikh chap.

That had gone by the early / mid 80's. the building became more and more derelict. Kids were brealing in, and setting fire after fire, throughout the building, and because of the heat, the concrete became structurally unsound (As I understand it).

I lived beside the cinema, and my heart was in my mouth, daily, when I saw the youngsters who had broken into the building, running around, and clambering, on the narrow parapet, four-or-five storeys up. (I had visions of one of them falling the sheer drop onto the pavement beneath , and being killed, or maimed.)

from 1989, we local residents pleaded, and pleaded with the council to tear the building down as it was dangerous, unsightly, and beyond repair.

The council's response was to claim that their hands were tied.

Until they could serve a compulsory purchase notice in the owner, they could do nothing, they claimed.

we responded that the Dangerous premises act gave the council the powers to demolish a dangerous building, and demand payment from the owner.

they would not do it, bless them!!

About five years ago, the council finally traced the bloke in Brighton, who owned the building. They could finally serve the compulsory purchase order on him.

once the land and the building were acquired, the council demolished the cinema, cleared the land, and the land to the side of the cinema, where the garages to the flats had been.

On the land now, is a large-ish cluster of retirement/ sheltered flats, called "Carlton Mews".

PT

I remember the abbeydale cinema, it was on abbeydale rd, can't remember exactly how we got to it.. the heeley cinema was on what was called heeley bottom, I think it is called london rd, I'm not sure. as for whimpy's there was once one on the moorOriginally posted by bigkev
did anybody ever visit the studio 7 cinema on the wicker and how about the classic cinema in fiztallan square what were the others called the abc was one of them the gaumont,oden does anybody know where the oden once stood and can anybody remember abbeydale cinema or the heeley cinema and can anybody tell me where they all once stood now that sheffield as changed beyond recognistion. can anybody remember where the whimpy cafe's use to be in sheffield you watch someone will come out with the statement there was know whimpy cafes in sheffield but oh yes there was in the 60's and early part of the 70's infact if you walk just up from boots the chemist on your way to W H Smiths you would have passed one where I think is the game shop now stands can anybody remember the sarsaparilla shop on abbeydale road it was near abbeydale cinema when I was a kid and I use to go swimming at heeley baths the one place we would head for was the sarsaparilla shop when we came out of the baths you could buy the drink in either half pint glasses or pint glasses to look at it you would think it was a very flat stout, I wonder how many other people will remember it.

Originally posted by all4_ofus
I remember the abbeydale cinema, it was on abbeydale rd, can't remember exactly how we got to it.. the heeley cinema was on what was called heeley bottom, I think it is called london rd, I'm not sure. as for whimpy's there was once one on the moor


last film i saw there was mary poppins around 1972 btw did the abbeydale cinema turn into a rock disco in the 80s ?

Originally posted by panda79
last film i saw there was mary poppins around 1972 btw did the abbeydale cinema turn into a rock disco in the 80s ?
The Ballroom became KGB for a while which you can read about on www.rockreunited.co.uk

Thank-you muddycoffee I was just about to scream, the ballroom was the Court school of Dancing for many years and had possibly the best sprung floor in the city, it became the Kay Gee Bee and did indeed hold 'rock nights' the word 'disco' just doesn't sound right when put with 'rock'.
The Friends of Abbeydale Picture Palace are holding guided tours of the interior this weekend according to Calendar.

back to the original them the wimpy bar on the moor was near the bottom of cambridge st the building is now the nottingham building society i think

Used to work at the studio 5-6-7 for 2 years and left to work at the new odeon cinema (now kingdom).Just after i left the place closed down because the owners werent paying any taxes...in fact they werent paying for anything (inc the rental fee for the films!).
The owner and his wife were unfortunatly both major drug addicts and used to live in his very small office...very sad.

Originally posted by bigkev
did anybody ever visit the studio 7 cinema on the wicker and how about the classic cinema in fiztallan square.
I¡¦ll put my hand up to the classic¡Kbut not studio 7¡K.you¡¦ll have to ask muddy about that. Studio 7 use to show soft porn¡K¡K.bugger so did the classic ƒ¼

The Classic once showed Brue Lee films all through the night. Halfway through we was served hot soup¡K.

Hillsborough had the Kinema, Pheonix and at the top end the Park Cinema. I remember as a lad around 1949-50 getting in free if you took 2 jamjars, complete with the rubber seal.

Remember the Rosco on Shalesmoor...nicknamed the bug hut. The ushers used to come round in the interval and spray everything and the audience with dissinfectant...your mates knew where you had been cos they could smell you a mile off..I once got a clip off my mam and told " keep art o theer or thal catch summat"She wernt daft ,she could smell the "perfume"And knew there was a "mucky "film on....

i cant remember the where each was but i remember studios 5,6,7 on the whicker always seemed to show porn.
the gaumont, the odeon, abc....just trying to fit the rest in locations, there was one near the back of the courts - abc?....when that one shut we were gonna squat it and put on punk gigs lol

the odeon was up from the moor where the tv company building was, is? round the corner from the wap

gaumont opposite the little peace gardens near the city hall??

and didnt the gaumont change into the odeon??

No ones mentioned The Oxford.Opposite the cinema on Addy St. was a sweet shop called Cinema Daintees.My wifes grandparents owned this shop.Does anyone remember it and have any photos of it?

Originally posted by melthebell

gaumont opposite the little peace gardens near the city hall??

and didnt the gaumont change into the odeon??

The Gaumont in Barker's Pool was closed in 1984. The site was redeveloped and two small cinemas, known as Odeon 1 & 2 incorporated in the development with access from Burgess street.

These closed down in the early nineties I think when the Odeon complex on Arundel Gate was opened...1992 ?

Wow the gaumont, a friend of mines gran used to work there.
I remember getting free tickets to go and see The Karatie Kid!!

Wax on Wax Off!! :D

My Gran took me and my sister to see Moira Shearer in the 'Red Shoes' at the Gaumont in 1948.....bit of a soppy film for a boy I thought ;) , but my sister was mad on ballet.

The cinema at Heeley Green used to be a
theatre and was known as the Leg and Tit.
We were in there when the sirens went off
for the first Blitz. I was 3.

my nan use to tell me about the building on barnsley road ( lane top end) that now is a carpet place ,she said that use to be an old cinema..i dont know the name of it has i dont think i was born then.

Originally posted by spinny
my nan use to tell me about the building on barnsley road ( lane top end) that now is a carpet place ,she said that use to be an old cinema..i dont know the name of it has i dont think i was born then.

this cinema has been mentioned before; it was (IIRC) the Essoldo.

PT

Yes the Carlton became an Essoldo in1950 and Vogue at the end of it's life

Carlton Page on lost sheffield cinemas website (http://www.rocknroll.f9.co.uk/cinemas/cinepho10.html)

Originally posted by redlionblade
No ones mentioned The Oxford.Opposite the cinema on Addy St. was a sweet shop called Cinema Daintees.My wifes grandparents owned this shop.Does anyone remember it and have any photos of it?

I remember the Oxford and your grans shop very well - I lived up Addy Street just below Crookesmoor school.

I was in your grans shop when they heard the news of the Aberfan disaster - funny how tragedies like that give you immediate focus. I remember I was buying some chocolate peanuts on the way back from Upperthorpe library.

this has reminded me - I remember I was at a Cub Scouts fair at Eversley House (just at the bottom of Oxford Street) when a guy rushed in and shouted "someones just shot President Kennedy" a lot of people told him to shut up and not be daft - he was right tho.

Sorry I digressed - I dont have any pics for you - I have seen one of the Oxford knocking about in another thread on this site.

Great link from (hal9001) but noticed one picture house missing ( I can't recall its name) one we went to walking from windmill lane (shiregreen) in the 40s. It was, as I recall on upwell Street not far from a coking station where you could get in for a jam jar and a penny (I think)..someone from that area will no doubt recall its name. other locals were Sunbeam roxy paragon and capitol

Hi Graybeard, I remember the news theater.hipperdrome gods.I think I saw Dr NO and Jail house rock at the odeon

Originally posted by desmitch
It was, as I recall on upwell Street not far from a coking station where you could get in for a jam jar and a penny (I think)..someone from that area will no doubt recall its name.

I believe it was called the 'Victory', - closed 1957.

does anyone remember the rex saturday afternoons

Anyone remember park bug house cinema off duke street near bug house swimming baths, we used to go on sat morning to watch batman and when the baddy came on every one would swear and gob at the screen, it was 2 bob to get in but if it was an X and you were under 12 it was 4 bob, many a time i got an iced jubbly at the back of the head or a slopdosh bomb, it was a riot, then you would go to the bug house baths and you could guarantee there would be a "King richard" floating about.
O what joyus days
Nostalgis an't what it was

Yes, greybeard, my Bro had confirmed that it was indeed called The (Vic) Victory or bughut

I remember many years ago, walking down from Weston Park, toward Infirmary Road and passing a cinema called the Weston. After frequenting luxurious places like the Roscoe, I was suprised to see a place even smaller and, dare I say it, more deserving of the title 'bughut'. I can't recall ever seeing it listed on the inside page of the 'Star', with all the rest of the cinemas and theatres. So what was the history of it?

Originally posted by Texas
I remember many years ago, walking down from Weston Park, toward Infirmary Road and passing a cinema called the Weston. After frequenting luxurious places like the Roscoe, I was suprised to see a place even smaller and, dare I say it, more deserving of the title 'bughut'. I can't recall ever seeing it listed on the inside page of the 'Star', with all the rest of the cinemas and theatres. So what was the history of it?

the weston was , like many flea-pits christened " Bug' ut!"

my father, when he was courting my mother, convinced her that the weston took all their seets out, weekly, and scrubbed them down! lol

If i remember my parents' / grandparents' tales, right, the weston had the smallest rise, from the stalls to the balcony in history! it was just one step!

PT

Originally posted by Elyndys
It's interesting, but I've just been up to Holmfirth Picturedrome to see a film (Ladies in Lavender, in fact) and the place was *packed*! It's a proper old picture-house, and the building is, I imagine, pretty much unchanged, but now they have a little bar at the back so you can have a pint while you watch the film! Other cities and towns have small cinemas - Leeds has two, and they show lots of arthouse-y things at at least one of them; even Penistone has a cinema. I definitely think that some of the old cinemas in Sheffield would be a success if they re-opened. I think Abbeydale is the nicest building out of the ones I've seen (thanks for the link, Hal9001!), but the location probably isn't the best for success in this day and age. Which do people think would be the best option, to re-open?



Yes I've been to the one at Penistone, it's like going back in time.

Originally posted by Texas
So what was the history of it?

Opened 1914 closed 1957.

1957 was a bad year for Bug Huts :D

OK, admit it, who remembers going to Studio 7 down the Wicker in the 60s?
Black and white French films on Friday night, shows used to start about 11o'clock.
Gang of mates, pi**ed out of your skull, great days.

Hi coyleys, used to go to that picture house on Duke St. on Saturday mornings.
It was called Norfolk Picture House and you got in for think it was 6d. Two black and white films, one of 'em was always a cowboy.
Park Pictures was down South Street, behind Park Hill Flats.

Was regular at Park Baths as well.

I've asked this on another link somewhere, but where exactly was the Unity? I guess it was somewhere on Langsett Road but I can't just picture it.

does anyone remember the Union on Union street. I went to see The King and I there in the 50's, Yule Brinner was the King of Siam I think the female star was Audrey Hepburn

I think it was the 'Palace' on Union Street , is'nt it there anymore? I saw the same film.

Originally posted by Jan39
does anyone remember the Union on Union street. I went to see The King and I there in the 50's, Yule Brinner was the King of Siam I think the female star was Audrey Hepburn

The King of Siam was, indeed played by YUL Brynner, but the part of Anna Leonowens was played, I think, by Deborah Kerr (or was it Carr? i always get Deborah Kerr and Deborah Carr mixed up)

I love the old musicals! Oklahoma!, The King and I, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, carousel, and West Side Story...

and as for "Singin' In The Rain!" well... I am enraptured! lol
(le sigh!)

PT

I lived on Arthur Road as a teenager across from the Sasparilla shop and the Abbeydale cinema. The billiard hall was a bit classy as was the cinema. We liked the drink shop cos it was like a pub to us. The Heeley Picture Palace was next to Ponsford's and the Heeley Coli just down the street. The Star was advertised as the first one in Sheffield with air conditioning.
I use to enjoy the Sunday night queue at the Hippodrome. It was more entertaining than the movie. Used to be a Scottish bagpiper walk the line playing his pipes. One night somebody let off a banger right under his kilt. He sure played a bum note when that happened!

Originally posted by redlionblade
No ones mentioned The Oxford.Opposite the cinema on Addy St. was a sweet shop called Cinema Daintees.My wifes grandparents owned this shop.Does anyone remember it and have any photos of it?

Was never out of the Oxford myself remember the saturday afternoon matinees when you came out with your duffle coat fastened round yer neck smackin your backside as though you were riding a horse.

Also do you remember the Unity on Langsett road it had an impressive arch enterance. My grandparents had the sweet shop and coach garage opposite.

Desy you've stopped an old man going nuts. So the Unity was on Langsett Road, where exactly? I have'nt been in Sheffield for years. I can remember the Rosco/a, Wicker, Don, Rutland, Coliseum, loads of 'em, even the poor old Weston, God bless it, but I'm damned if I can place the Unity.

Originally posted by Texas
Desy you've stopped an old man going nuts. So the Unity was on Langsett Road, where exactly? I have'nt been in Sheffield for years. I can remember the Rosco/a, Wicker, Don, Rutland, Coliseum, loads of 'em, even the poor old Weston, God bless it, but I'm damned if I can place the Unity.

If you got to the top of Wood Street traffic lights going up Langsett Road. Come back on your right hand side there was a shop first at the door to the dance school upstairs, then another shop, double entrance on 2 shop fronts a cafe (now a chippy/cafe. Then the Unity was flush up to the road it is now the top side of the car park to Mecca bingo. Was later a carpet showroom until ir got pulled down.

As some of you know, I have an interesting Old Cinemas of Sheffield Website (http://www.rocknroll.f9.co.uk/cinemas/cinemas.html)

But I am announcing a new section which features a collection of 70 year old photographs which were taken, mainly of the " Next week Film displays " by the Assistant manager of the Regent Cinema ( Later known as Gaumont ) in Barkers Pool Mr H.G. Chamberlain in 1935 and 1936.
His son who lives in the midlands, has been in touch with me and sent me his valuable photographs so I can add them to the site and present them to Sheffielders and former Sheffielders who might find them interesting.

I'm sure you agree they are fascinating..
And once again I would like to thank Mr Chamberlain for his contribution.

Regent Display Archive (http://www.borracho.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/regent/)

MC

Originally posted by bigkev
did anybody ever visit the studio 7 cinema on the wicker and how about the classic cinema in fiztallan square what were the others called the abc was one of them the gaumont,oden does anybody know where the oden once stood and can anybody remember abbeydale cinema or the heeley cinema and can anybody tell me where they all once stood now that sheffield as changed beyond recognistion. can anybody remember where the whimpy cafe's use to be in sheffield you watch someone will come out with the statement there was know whimpy cafes in sheffield but oh yes there was in the 60's and early part of the 70's infact if you walk just up from boots the chemist on your way to W H Smiths you would have passed one where I think is the game shop now stands can anybody remember the sarsaparilla shop on abbeydale road it was near abbeydale cinema when I was a kid and I use to go swimming at heeley baths the one place we would head for was the sarsaparilla shop when we came out of the baths you could buy the drink in either half pint glasses or pint glasses to look at it you would think it was a very flat stout, I wonder how many other people will remember it.



The first Odeon is stll standing on Flat St its now a Bingo Hall. The first Wimpey in town was on the bottom end of Pinstone St in the very early sixties.

I worked at Studio 7 in the Wicker from 1966 to 1969 when it was owned by the Star Group.

I remember a fire which destroyed most of the auditorium in Dec 67??.

Prior to the fire the cinema was in need of renovation.

The cinema was rebuilt and reopened early in 1968 showing such films as 'The Mikado' and 'La Boheme' as well as the more normal fare. Plus there were a number of 'Northern Premiers' as well with visits from such stars as Linda Hayden. In early 1969 (I believe) late shows were put on on Saturday nights. Mind you I dont remember being paid anymore to stay later.

I left in the eary summer of 1969 and reading some of the previous Posts I am glad I left when I did.

I also visited a few other cinemas that were owned by Star including 'Pavilion Attercliffe' and The Abbeydale. And helped close a couple down when they were due for conversion to 'Bingo Halls'.

But the names have long gone from my memory.

Maurice

The Odeon is now the Kingdom nightclub......the ABC is now a Travel Inn. WIMPY bars...there were TWO in SHeffield City Centre, one was on Fargate and became Burger King after a few other changes, the other was at the top of the Moor going towards the Peace Gardens....not sure which shop front it was but it was a big place that went back for quite a bit with a huge long counter. Very popular.......it was on the right hand side lookinn down the Moor before Debenhams.....maybe somewhere near that second hand electrical/musical junk shop place which has been there for years and years.


The original Odeon was what is now Mecca Bingo in Flat Street, and was fantastic inside.

Forgot to mention part of an old cinema.This was the "Gods" in the Hippodrome on the corner of Wellington St. and Cambridge St. I read somewhere that it had the biggest seating capacity in Sheffield and had started out life as a theatre.
I put "part " of a cinema because when I used to go with a mate of mine[both aged about 8,9 and 10] we could only afford to go in the "Gods",which cost about 10 old pence,[ about 4 new pence ].At that time a labourer would perhaps earn about 15-20 new pence per hour.
"The Gods"were usually a riot of noise and bad behaviour. If the film was even mildly boring,the audince would shout,joke and sling things over the balcony.This was the era of the Teddy Boy and even at 9 and 10 years of age,we tried eo copy them as far as possible.Had my first cigarette in there,I think---at least I remember smoking. There were no seats ,as such, just rows and rows of wooden benches !
There was an attendant who didn't even have a uniform---only a peaked cap ! He was getting on a bit and had no chance of controlling the mob. He'd keep disappearing and re-appearing and very occasionally he'd try to sling someone out but they'd usually sneak back.
At one stage,we were going to the Hippodrome about 3 times a week. If it was an A film,we'd wait outside and ask one of the Teddy Boys to take us in.It also had a sliding roof for very hot daysand probably to let the smoke out too.
Reminds me a bit of that brilliant Italian film, "Cinema Paradiso "
!


The Hippodrome was originally a theatre, and unique in the fact that it had a sliding roof, which could be opened on those hot summer nights, or to get rid of the cigarette smoke.

this cinema has been mentioned before; it was (IIRC) the Essoldo.

PT

Before it was the Essoldo it was The Capitol. The advent of World War 2 delayed its opening by a week or so, then the government closed all places of entertainment. That was a mistake and they were all reopened minus frontage lights etc.

Essoldo gets its name from its founder Mr Solomon Sheckman. His
wife's name was ESther, his SOLomon, and their daughters DOrothy. That is the truth.

Can anyone remember the old Cinema that used to be in Woodhouse. It was still there (derlict) about 38 years ago in the village before the precinct was built.

Yes the Carlton became an Essoldo in1950 and Vogue at the end of it's life

Carlton Page on lost sheffield cinemas website (http://www.rocknroll.f9.co.uk/cinemas/cinepho10.html)

Sorry, not Carlton, it was Capitol.

does anyone remember the Union on Union street. I went to see The King and I there in the 50's, Yule Brinner was the King of Siam I think the female star was Audrey Hepburn


No, not Audrey Hepburn - Deborah Kerr.

Late 50s/ 60s used to go to flicks on park st south (i think), at the end of Granville st, it was really run down but you could get in to see the "A" certificate films and we were'nt even 16 "WOW". Heady stuff in those days.
I remember one of the gang falling asleep during the film, we left him there when it ended, he did'nt get home untill very and he was not best pleased.
Hmm! Seem to recall we had a fight the next day, happy days.

The Odeon is now the Kingdom nightclub......the ABC is now a Travel Inn. WIMPY bars...there were TWO in SHeffield City Centre, one was on Fargate and became Burger King after a few other changes, the other was at the top of the Moor going towards the Peace Gardens....not sure which shop front it was but it was a big place that went back for quite a bit with a huge long counter. Very popular.......it was on the right hand side lookinn down the Moor before Debenhams.....maybe somewhere near that second hand electrical/musical junk shop place which has been there for years and years.


The original Odeon was what is now Mecca Bingo in Flat Street. A marvellous cinema.

did anybody ever visit the studio 7 cinema on the wicker and how about the classic cinema in fiztallan square what were the others called the abc was one of them the gaumont,oden does anybody know where the oden once stood and can anybody remember abbeydale cinema or the heeley cinema and can anybody tell me where they all once stood now that sheffield as changed beyond recognistion. can anybody remember where the whimpy cafe's use to be in sheffield you watch someone will come out with the statement there was know whimpy cafes in sheffield but oh yes there was in the 60's and early part of the 70's infact if you walk just up from boots the chemist on your way to W H Smiths you would have passed one where I think is the game shop now stands can anybody remember the sarsaparilla shop on abbeydale road it was near abbeydale cinema when I was a kid and I use to go swimming at heeley baths the one place we would head for was the sarsaparilla shop when we came out of the baths you could buy the drink in either half pint glasses or pint glasses to look at it you would think it was a very flat stout, I wonder how many other people will remember it.
I remember it well kev (abbeydale cinema), i cried my eyes out there at 'bambi', saw 'chitty chitty bang bang' there just before i started at primary school, it was a monthly treat for me n my brother if we behaved ourselves :P , last time i passed it was Drakes snooker hall :thumbsup:
I must be too young to remember the sarsaparilla shop though, but heeley baths was brill! :)

The cimema was more or less smack-bang beside the railway bridge. it was called the Heeley Picture Palace.

It burnt down, gosh, twenty-odd years ago, now.

The newer building of Ponsfords , with the fancy shmancy bridge linking it to the older shop building is actually on the foundations of the cinema.

PT


The Heeley Palace became a skate boarding venue about two years before if went up in flames.

did anybody ever visit the studio 7 cinema on the wicker and how about the classic cinema in fiztallan square what were the others called the abc was one of them the gaumont,oden does anybody know where the oden once stood and can anybody remember abbeydale cinema or the heeley cinema and can anybody tell me where they all once stood now that sheffield as changed beyond recognistion. can anybody remember where the whimpy cafe's use to be in sheffield you watch someone will come out with the statement there was know whimpy cafes in sheffield but oh yes there was in the 60's and early part of the 70's infact if you walk just up from boots the chemist on your way to W H Smiths you would have passed one where I think is the game shop now stands can anybody remember the sarsaparilla shop on abbeydale road it was near abbeydale cinema when I was a kid and I use to go swimming at heeley baths the one place we would head for was the sarsaparilla shop when we came out of the baths you could buy the drink in either half pint glasses or pint glasses to look at it you would think it was a very flat stout, I wonder how many other people will remember it.

The original Odeon is now Mecca Bingo in lat Street opposite the old GPO.

There was a book published some years ago about the History of all the Sheffield Cinemas You could probably see a copy in the Local Studies Dept of the Central Library

I remember the Capitol in Barnsly Rd. backing into Parson Cross, it was brand new then.Anyone remember the terrible fuss over sunday showings.When I lived in Shiregreen our saturday morning kids show was at the Paragon Firth Park, Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, Tex Ritter & many more. My first film I remember was Paul Muni in The Good Earth.There were several cinemas at Pitsmoor whos names escape me.All the cinemas showed two programmes during the week, mon. tues. weds, & thur. fri. sat. a seperate programme on sundays.

Great link from (hal9001) but noticed one picture house missing ( I can't recall its name) one we went to walking from windmill lane (shiregreen) in the 40s. It was, as I recall on upwell Street not far from a coking station where you could get in for a jam jar and a penny (I think)..someone from that area will no doubt recall its name. other locals were Sunbeam roxy paragon and capitol
The cinema in Upwell St. was the Victory, at the back it had a billiards room. it was pulled down and turned into a petrol station about 1959/60, I know my dad painted the walls of the garage in 1964. Almost opposite was another cinema called the Regent, I only know of this one because my dad told me about it. I don't know if it is still standing but it was a sort of garage workshop at one time. It was the opposite side of the gennel to The Ball Inn.

Who remebers the Classic and The Rex cinemas? I saw Jaws and Doc Savage at the classic and Grease at the Rex.
I can remeber in the Classic the lady selling ice creams, sweets, and cigarettes etc on a tray hooked over her neck then were the days.
I also remeber the Saturday kida matinee at the cinema near Schofileds on Snig hill but can't remember the name

Who remebers the Classic and The Rex cinemas? I saw Jaws and Doc Savage at the classic and Grease at the Rex.
I can remeber in the Classic the lady selling ice creams, sweets, and cigarettes etc on a tray hooked over her neck then were the days.
I also remeber the Saturday kida matinee at the cinema near Schofileds on Snig hill but can't remember the name

The cinema at the side of Schofields was the ABC.

In the late fortys there were some 50 odd cinermas in sheffield
there is a list on this forum i think about 14 months ago you might like to see if you can findit

Abbeydale Picture House must have been one of the best in it's day.

Capitol Parigon best at my end of town
local bug hut Victory upwell st
best fo courting Darnall cinema double seats on back row

The cinema at the side of Schofields was the ABC.

If I remember correctly the kids cinema on Saturdays was called the ABC Minors, I used to go most Saturdays.

Who remebers the Classic and The Rex cinemas? I saw Jaws and Doc Savage at the classic and Grease at the Rex.
I can remeber in the Classic the lady selling ice creams, sweets, and cigarettes etc on a tray hooked over her neck then were the days.
I also remeber the Saturday kida matinee at the cinema near Schofileds on Snig hill but can't remember the name

Living near Gleadless Town End, the Rex was one of my two local cinemas that I visited as a child. The other was the Manor. The Rex was always a class above, but then again it was newer.
The Classic Cinema was originally opened as The Electra Palace but that's before my time. I do remember it as The News Theatre and then the Cartoon Cinema. Movietone and Pathe newsreels were shown in the days before TV, along with old comedy films like Laurel & Hardy and cartoons. The programme was shown on a continuous loop so you could go in at any time when it was open and stop as long as you wanted.

there used to be a cinema type thing on Eastern Avenue in Arbourthorne. It was shut down years ago but i can still remember the building from when i was around 5. and im 16 now:]

;5664169']there used to be a cinema type thing on Eastern Avenue in Arbourthorne. It was shut down years ago but i can still remember the building from when i was around 5. and im 16 now:]

Where abouts I lived there in the seventies and can't remember it?

;5664169']there used to be a cinema type thing on Eastern Avenue in Arbourthorne. It was shut down years ago but i can still remember the building from when i was around 5. and im 16 now:]

It was The Carlton. I think it became an electric light bulb manufacturing company before it was demolished.

it became the Omega light company (I dont know what year) but was left derelict for many years

The adelphi and there was one further down from it the name escapes me at the moment but they were great with boxes just like the theatre.

Red

This is an interesting website: http://www.thewookie.co.uk/cinemas/cinemas.html.

I remember the old Classic of 1960 this shot don't look familier tho?????:o

The Ritz on Wordsworth Avenue oh what memories. The doorman used to dress in a red uniform and if he didn,t think you was the right age for the film that was showing he would refuse to let you in. He was in charge!!. My sister took me to see " Old mother Riley", l was frightened to death and she had to take me back home, she wasn't best please and gave me a few nips and clouts.

I remember the old Classic of 1960 this shot don't look familier tho?????:o

Maybe this one (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s21322) is more like it..:) Some of us are old enough to remember it as the News Theatre (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s08054)..:(

The adelphi and there was one further down from it the name escapes me at the moment but they were great with boxes just like the theatre.

Red

There was The Globe, same side as Delphi and then the Pavillion on opposite side.. I think they both had boxes :huh: but can't be sure.
My grandma worked at Adelphi for 21 years, took the tickets as you went in and then sold the ice creams during interval.
It was very embarressing taking boyfriends there cos she used to stand at the end of the row, flashing her torch at me and shouting, "Joan...Joan.....do you want choc ices or lollies?" :roll:.......Bless :love:

Maybe this one (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s21322) is more like it..:) Some of us are old enough to remember it as the News Theatre (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s08054)..:(

Say these are good shots but I don't remember the Classic as being dead on the corner...thought it was like the older shot here. The Bells rings a bell (LOL).

I worked at the Sleep Shop which was right next door...any shots of this place anywhere?

In fact a shot of the full parade there would be handy...anyone? :love: :love::love:

Say these are good shots but I don't remember the Classic as being dead on the corner...thought it was like the older shot here. The Bells rings a bell (LOL). The Classic wasn't on the corner - it just looks like this in the photo as the building to the left of it (the old Barclays Bank) had been demolished in the early 1970s and nothing yet built in its place. This photo (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s00014) shows the old bank building next to the Classic.

I worked at the Sleep Shop which was right next door...any shots of this place anywhere? In fact a shot of the full parade there would be handy...anyone? :love: :love::love:

This photo (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=v01991) (click on Zoom to enlarge) shows the Barclays Bank - Classic - Bell Hotel - Sleep Shop sequence. Here's another view (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s16070).

The Classic closed in 1982, and the empty building was gutted by a fire in 1984. This revealed the old façade (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s11252) under the modern "fascia".

The Classic wasn't on the corner - it just looks like this in the photo as the building to the left of it (the old Barclays Bank) had been demolished in the early 1970s and nothing yet built in its place. This photo (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s00014) shows the old bank building next to the Classic.



This photo (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=v01991) (click on Zoom to enlarge) shows the Barclays Bank - Classic - Bell Hotel - Sleep Shop sequence. Here's another view (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s16070).

The Classic closed in 1982, and the empty building was gutted by a fire in 1984. This revealed the old façade (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s11252) under the modern "fascia".

Say thanks here buddy.....errie looking at a bit of mi past life like this kiddo! :confused:

There used to be a cinema in West Bar which I think was opposite the fire station

Abbeydale Picture House must have been one of the best in it's day.

It was the equal of the Gaumont and Cinema House for luxury and comfort in the 1940s/50s when I knew it.

Built to attract the wealthy residents of Nether Edge, Millhouses, Dore and Abbey Lane etc.

This is an interesting website: http://www.thewookie.co.uk/cinemas/cinemas.html.

The Roscoe on Infirmary Rd was a close to work one for me. Near the Junction with Penistone Rd

that was the DON opp the fire museam

The Roscoe on Infirmary Rd was a close to work one for me. Near the Junction with Penistone Rd

Yes I remember it well; like many other former cinemas it became a bingo hall and eventually was demolished. The Shalesmoor tram stop is now on the site of the cinema, shown with a red circle here (http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=sheffield&countryCode=GB#map=53.3887,-1.47777|19|32&bd=useful_information&loc=GB:53.38888:-1.47746:19|roscoe). Roscoe Road is nearby.

this cinema has been mentioned before; it was (IIRC) the Essoldo.

PT

at the reopening ceremony as a bingo hall (in the late 70's I think) Len Fairclough from Coronation St did the honours

Hi the regent opp the vic cinema was a small theater i think owened by a steel company and was used as a works repertoire used to put on plays I used to go as a lad with my mum
the cinemas the area sunbeam, roxy, paragon,capital,ritzs just a few of the 52 pictures houses in sheffield in the 40s

That cinema was "the Carlton", also known as "the Icebox" as it was reknowned for being Bl**dy freezing in cold weather.(according to my grandparents, who used to go there)

It was a shame that it went to rack and ruin, from the late 70's on, because it was an architecturally interesting building.

The construction was concrete, but it was used in an innovative method for the 20's/30's when it was built.

As I understand it it was the only one of it's kind (and maybe should have been listed, and preserved, rather than being left to rot, as it was.)

I know a little bit of the history of it from the 70's onward.

It became a warehouse for a light-bulb factory (it was called "omega" and owned by a Sikh chap.

That had gone by the early / mid 80's. the building became more and more derelict. Kids were brealing in, and setting fire after fire, throughout the building, and because of the heat, the concrete became structurally unsound (As I understand it).

I lived beside the cinema, and my heart was in my mouth, daily, when I saw the youngsters who had broken into the building, running around, and clambering, on the narrow parapet, four-or-five storeys up. (I had visions of one of them falling the sheer drop onto the pavement beneath , and being killed, or maimed.)

from 1989, we local residents pleaded, and pleaded with the council to tear the building down as it was dangerous, unsightly, and beyond repair.

The council's response was to claim that their hands were tied.

Until they could serve a compulsory purchase notice in the owner, they could do nothing, they claimed.

we responded that the Dangerous premises act gave the council the powers to demolish a dangerous building, and demand payment from the owner.

they would not do it, bless them!!

About five years ago, the council finally traced the bloke in Brighton, who owned the building. They could finally serve the compulsory purchase order on him.

once the land and the building were acquired, the council demolished the cinema, cleared the land, and the land to the side of the cinema, where the garages to the flats had been.

On the land now, is a large-ish cluster of retirement/ sheltered flats, called "Carlton Mews".

PT

Is this straight from a book?

Anyone remember the Kinema on Proctor Place, Hillsborough - saw Elvis in Blue Hawaii - seem to remember they had love seats(two seaters)

does anyone remember walkley palladium on south road

does anyone remember walkley palladium on south road

hiya some months ago i started trying to remember the old cinemas in sheffield, and the number was fifty cinemas when i mentioned this number to my grandchildren i think they thought i was telling porkies, i hadn.t included the cinemas in my thinking that were on the edge of sheffield,i gave the list on another thread sometime last year.as for the hippodrome one summers evening we were sat in the gods and couldn't get our breath we had chance to go on the roof at the interval between films, the sliding roof was open and what we saw it was no wonder we couldnt breath, the opening was spewing the air and smoke out like a chimney down the steelworks

I came across an interesting item the other day regarding the 'Coli' on Spital Hill, now sadly, I believe, no more. Apparently it had a 'Tuppenny Rush' on Saturday afternoons in the late 20's- early 30's for local kids. For me this is a revelation, because, although it was the first cinema I ever went to, being born in 1933, I thought that the Saturday shows for kids only started in the 40's ( Well, I would wouldn't I?)

Saw my first film there, Bambi. Probably around 1947

does anyone remember walkley palladium on south road

Is this straight from a book?

It was straight from living next door to it for years, dear! as per that line in the middle of my ( five-year-old) post where I talked about ivng next door to it, and our campaign to get it demolished.

ps, did it really take you five years to think that one up?

I've asked this on another link somewhere, but where exactly was the Unity? I guess it was somewhere on Langsett Road but I can't just picture it.

to the left at the top of wood street a few yards they had a chucker out called biley bill and a front section which cost tuppence I lived o penistone rd you could only go to the 2nd house if you were 14 or with an ugrown --an adult

What I would really love to see again is a good colour photo of the Cinecentre (Cinecenta?) sign on Flat Street. I was far too young to go in the cinema but always remember the sign which the lights moved to make it look animated (sort of!). Wonder what happened to that sign in the end???

The only photo Ive ever found online is this one:

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/uploads/monthly_10_2008/post-822-1225381895_thumb.jpg

Has anyone got any other photos of the sign?

What about the Rex at Intake? I remember seeing 'Diamonds are Forever' there, on the back row with a girl . . . also 'A Clockwork Orange'. I seem to remember it was 30p to get in! (I know - I was done...) I did a drive by recently and went to and fro a few times thinking 'I'm sure it was here somewhere . . .' but eventually concluded it had been pulled down. Well - it was a bit of a flea pit wasn't it?

I am a 'stranger' to Sheffield................I arrived here in 1974 and initially lived at Firth Park and one night found the cinema just down from Lane Top which according to previous threads was probably the Vogue, although I can't remember that. I always remember the film I saw on that night was Papillon which I really enjoyed. When I was leaving, the manager was at the door and asked whether I enjoyed myself, and I asked why weren't there any trailers for future films, only to be told 'we close tomorrow'.

My only experience of a local cinema in Sheffield

there's an excellent reference book at Weston Park Museum, with fine photos of old Sheffield cinemas

What about the Rex at Intake? I remember seeing 'Diamonds are Forever' there, on the back row with a girl . . . also 'A Clockwork Orange'. I seem to remember it was 30p to get in! (I know - I was done...) I did a drive by recently and went to and fro a few times thinking 'I'm sure it was here somewhere . . .' but eventually concluded it had been pulled down. Well - it was a bit of a flea pit wasn't it?

Did you notice a supermarket while you were driving by? (Co-op I think - while since I've been up that way). The Rex stood on what's now the Co-op car park I believe.

Yes, the Rex cinema was on the corner where the Co-op car park is now. I passed it loads of times in the 70s and 80s.

Regarding books on old Sheffield cinemas, there is/was a book in Crystal Peaks library as Ive looked through it a few times. However I dont remember what it looks like, what its called and whether it is still there or not!

Two more cinemas and a drinks shop :-
The Star Cinema was at the bottom of William Street at the junction with Ecclesall Road.Later became a petrol station. Spent many happy hours in The Star---first as 8 and 9 year olds,in 1950-ish,watching Roy Rogers....etc..... on Saturday afternoons.Then about 8 years later going in with friends to partly watch the film[any film!] but mainly to try to sit next to and chat up, a girl.The drinks shop [sarsparella...etc...] was almost opposite the Star but a bit nearer Town.
Another one was the Greystones cinema,which later became Napoleon's nightclub and Casino. Near both cinemas there were good chip shops. The one near the Star was Middleton's at the corner of Ecclesall Road and Summerfield Street.I went to school with the son ,David. Very,very lively area that in those days.Seems kaput now.

The old cinema at stocksbridge used to be a Star cinema, then it became Palace cinema & closed in 1966 & became a bingo hall until the mid eighties, then it was converted into a shopping mall & is still in use today as a shopping mall

I used to live practically in the shadow of the Abbeydale Picture Palace, I used to play about in the car park and up and down the concrete ramp around the back that was a fire escape.
One afternoon whilst round the back of the cinema me and my mate Barclay heard cry and yells for help, a girl had got stuck in the ladies toilets and asked us to help get ther out...the dilemma however was that we shouldn't have been around the back of the cinema and debated whether or not to tell someone inside about the trapped girl for fear of getting into trouble (or getting done).
We went inside and told someone about the girl and was given a packet of Spangles for our trouble.
As for the Rex Cinema at Intake, I moved to Intake aged 11 and remember the final years of the Rex Cinema and a couple of days after the place had closed managed to sneak back inside through a fire door at the back to find the place empty but with the snackbar still stocked up, we daren't take anything but remember how eerie the place was.

I was a great fan of the cinemas in Sheffield.
When we moved there from an RAF base in Lincolnshire in the early sixties as a teen-ager and not having a Sheffield accent I used to spend a lot of time in the cinemas.
One of my favourites was the News theatre in Fitzalan Square,you could spend all day in there if you wanted.This later became the Classic.
Another was the Wicker,they showed all the X classifictions and you had to be at least sixteen to get in.
The first time I went in I was fifteen, but I was carrying a Crash helmet and got away with it because you had to be sixteen to have a motor bike license.
I think the film was one of those Japanese Horror-monster shows,Gorgo or something.
The stuff that little kids watch on the telly now.
Another favourite of mine was the Pavilion Attercliffe,saw Zulu there.
Further up the Common was The Adelphi,just set back off the main road.
Saw my first stereo sound film here it was Carousel and the sound effects had people turning round in their seats as voices seemed to come from behind them.
Further up the main road and round the corner on Staniforth Road was the Regal.I remember seeing Calamity Jane there.
Going up Staniforth Road was The Balfour,which became a Carpet wharehouse.
Over the back was Darnall Main road and the Lyric.remember seeing the The time machine,the original Absent Minded Professor and Ring of Fire with David Jansen.
Going further afield I used to go to the Abbeydale Cinema a lot.I remember taking a Girl friend to see Roustabout with Elvis.Then later seeing a few Richard Burton/Elizabeth Taylor films one of which was the Sandpiper,remember the song "The shadow of your smile"from that picture.
Later the Wicker became the Studio Seven and the film quality improved saw many great films in there when that happened.
My favourite Pub was the Bull and Oak in the Wicker and I recall on many occasions the Projectionist from the Studio 7 would nip in for a Pint when the film was running.
Sadly now just memories, but at the time it was great!

nobody seems to have mentioned the manor pictures which is now tesco at manor top remember going there as a kid sat mornings .

nobody seems to have mentioned the manor pictures which is now tesco at manor top remember going there as a kid sat mornings .

I remember taking a date there to see what was then a very risque film - Peyton Place. What was I thinking of? No need to answer that. ;)

in my area start at middlewood. park cinema hillsborough kinema pheaonix unity with the famous chucker out biley bill walkley paladium crookes palace oxford weston roscoe don I can remember a few more in other parts of town which were not visited by us bottom rooerd lads

Also do you remember the Unity on Langsett road it had an impressive arch enterance. My grandparents had the sweet shop and coach garage opposite.

I remember waiting outside the Unity with friend and asking someone to " take us in", if it was an A film.
Image doing that today with a complete stranger.:o
I can't remember the sweet [spice ] shop across the road from the Unity
but I remember the one on the same side on the corner of Wood Street I think. McConnickies.

I can't remember the sweet [spice ] shop across the road from the Unity but I remember the one on the same side on the corner of Wood Street I think. McConnickies.A 1940s directory shows "Gladys Burrell, confectioner" at 51 Langsett Road, which would have been across from the Unity (which was at 40 Langsett Road). An odd thing about the Unity was that you went in at the front (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s02703.jpg), under the impressive arch, but came out at the side, in Gertrude Street.

in my area start at middlewood. park cinema hillsborough kinema pheaonix unity with the famous chucker out biley bill walkley paladium crookes palace oxford weston roscoe don I can remember a few more in other parts of town which were not visited by us bottom rooerd lads

did"nt hillsborough kinema have chucker out called big don?.sat and sun nights in the six"tys used to be a laugh,some of the things that called out .its the only movie house iv'e ever been to where iv"e heard hecklers get applause.

nobody seems to have mentioned the manor pictures which is now tesco at manor top remember going there as a kid sat mornings .

the ornate ceiling is still there albiet very yellow from years of fag pollution

The Odeon is now the Kingdom nightclub......the ABC is now a Travel Inn. WIMPY bars...there were TWO in SHeffield City Centre, one was on Fargate and became Burger King after a few other changes, the other was at the top of the Moor going towards the Peace Gardens....not sure which shop front it was but it was a big place that went back for quite a bit with a huge long counter. Very popular.......it was on the right hand side lookinn down the Moor before Debenhams.....maybe somewhere near that second hand electrical/musical junk shop place which has been there for years and years.

I remember the old Wimpy Bar down the Moor. Best cheeseburgers I ever tasted. They used to fry the onions and the burgers totally filled the huge breadcakes, which were toasted. Can still taste them now. Heaven. McDonalds' can't hold a candle to those.

The Gaumont in Barker's Pool was closed in 1984. The site was redeveloped and two small cinemas, known as Odeon 1 & 2 incorporated in the development with access from Burgess street.

These closed down in the early nineties I think when the Odeon complex on Arundel Gate was opened...1992 ?
The Gaumont closed in 1987ish, and reopened shortly after as the Odeon. ETA: Actually, fact-checking reveals that it was late '85 when the Gaumont closed, and 1987 when the Odeon opened.

The Odeon 7 opened in March 1992, incorporating the two small cinemas from the Fiesta (which had been running in conjunction with the Odeon on Burgess Street from at least 1989, and probably before. Before it was absorbed into the Odeon 7, the Fiesta mostly used to run the films that weren't judged big enough to open at the Odeon, and films which had completed their run at the Odeon).

The Odeon on Burgess Street didn't close when the Odeon 7 opened; it shared its management with the Odeon, and several Odeon staff were transferred down there. The Odeon closed in 1994, I think, or perhaps a little earlier.

Anyone remember the 'Crookes Picture Palace'. As you entered the foyer, the steps to the left of the ticket office lead up to the balcony, the doors to the right lead down to the stalls. You would always enter the auditorium to the music 'Moonlight And Roses' being played over the sound system. I think it must have been the only record they had! I remember going with my mum to see 'Seven Brides For Seven Brothers' way back in the mid fifties and Saturday mornings with my pals to see 'The Siscoe Kid', 'Davy Crocket',
'Flash Gordon', 'Roy Rodgers' etc. I vaguely remember us kids being given a free lolly (boiled sweet type, not frozen) on entering. I'm sure this sort of entertainment wouldn't be of any interest to kids of today but to us kids of the fifties, it was great!

Hi JOHN.P - This 1950s photo (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s02788.jpg) might take you back!.:)

Thanks hilsbro,
Thats the one! 'Crookes Picture Palace' with 'Ballins' drapers shop next door.
Yes, it does take you back. Thanks.

Well, you live and learn. I didn't know that my grandad's friend Hyman Ballin (1882-1974) had a shop at Crookes - he also had one on Langsett Road.

The picturesheffield.com (http://www.picturesheffield.com/database_search.php) site has some excellent photos of old Sheffield cinemas.

Hi hillsbro,

The 'Ballins' shop on Crookes was owned by 'Morris Ballin'. I knew Morris as I owned a shop directly across the Crookes main road to him. (Prestons, formally Leapers). I think 'Hyman Ballin' and 'Morris Ballin' were related but I could be wrong although it would seem highly likely.
As you say, 'You live and learn'. It's amazing the facts you can discover on this forum!

Drove past one today on Parson Cross on the way to Grenoside. A big place on the junction all boarded up, don't know the road name but must have been a magnificent place in it's day.

Two more cinemas and a drinks shop :-
The Star Cinema was at the bottom of William Street at the junction with Ecclesall Road.Later became a petrol station. Spent many happy hours in The Star---first as 8 and 9 year olds,in 1950-ish,watching Roy Rogers....etc..... on Saturday afternoons.Then about 8 years later going in with friends to partly watch the film[any film!] but mainly to try to sit next to and chat up, a girl.The drinks shop [sarsparella...etc...] was almost opposite the Star but a bit nearer Town.
Another one was the Greystones cinema,which later became Napoleon's nightclub and Casino. Near both cinemas there were good chip shops. The one near the Star was Middleton's at the corner of Ecclesall Road and Summerfield Street.I went to school with the son ,David. Very,very lively area that in those days.Seems kaput now.

That was Hastley’s Soft Drink Shop. I too spent 1/- at The Star on Saturday afternoons watching Tarzan, 3 Stooges, Laurel & Hardy, etc. My uncle took me to see "Rebecca" at the Greystones cinema.

Hi hillsbro,

The 'Ballins' shop on Crookes was owned by 'Morris Ballin'. I knew Morris as I owned a shop directly across the Crookes main road to him. (Prestons, formally Leapers). I think 'Hyman Ballin' and 'Morris Ballin' were related but I could be wrong although it would seem highly likely.
As you say, 'You live and learn'. It's amazing the facts you can discover on this forum!

They were father and son. The parents committed suicide (by gassing - before the days of natural gas) behind the Crookes shop where they lived. Morris also went the same way in Whitely Woods clinic, as I believe at least one of his adopted children did. Very, very sad story, Morris was a larger than life character with a good (and very Jewish) sense of humour and an extremely persistent salesman, if you went in his shop you were very lucky if you got out without buying something. Much missed.

Drove past one today on Parson Cross on the way to Grenoside. A big place on the junction all boarded up, don't know the road name but must have been a magnificent place in it's day.

Maybe the Ritz?

If you got to the top of Wood Street traffic lights going up Langsett Road. Come back on your right hand side there was a shop first at the door to the dance school upstairs, then another shop, double entrance on 2 shop fronts a cafe (now a chippy/cafe. Then the Unity was flush up to the road it is now the top side of the car park to Mecca bingo. Was later a carpet showroom until ir got pulled down.

So the Unity my first film, bugged my mother to take me about 1936-7 and not a talkie ,but always thought it was top of Wood st and turn LEFT also thought Wood ended at Langsett dont tell me Sheffield as been doing some st changer's :roll::roll:

So the Unity my first film, bugged my mother to take me about 1936-7 and not a talkie ,but always thought it was top of Wood st and turn LEFT also thought Wood ended at Langsett dont tell me Sheffield as been doing some st changer's :roll::roll:

They didn't change things, at least not this time. The Unity was to the left of the top of Wood St. There was a dance school above it, and Wood St. did end at Langsett Rd.

did anybody ever visit the studio 7 cinema on the wicker?

Did we ever??? One night in '55 a group of art students visited The Studio 7 cinema to see a new French comedy, “Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot” (1953) starring Jacques Tati. All of us were doubled-up with laughter, tears streaming from our eyes. At the end of the performance the cinema was empty save for a row of seats filled by ourselves plus a few disreputable gents wearing raincoats and a couple hard at it on the back row. After all, Studio 7 was a normally a rather disreputable place featuring rather 'dirty' foreign movies and this film wasn’t one of them!

A few weeks later those same students piled into an ex-WD armoured staff-car left over from WWII and drove 3,000 miles to Italy. Judging from the sand-coloured paint and deep-tread tyres, the car had served in the desert campaign with Montgomery’s army in North Africa. The headline in ‘The Star’ read, ‘Students with Jazz, Art Ideas off to Rome’.

:D

I took a blind date to see Jailhouse Rock there. Might have been called the Wicker Cinema bk then though.

Did we ever??? One night in '55 a group of art students visited The Studio 7 cinema to see a new French comedy, “Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot” (1953) starring Jacques Tati. All of us were doubled-up with laughter, tears streaming from our eyes. At the end of the performance the cinema was empty save for a row of seats filled by ourselves plus a few disreputable gents wearing raincoats and a couple hard at it on the back row. After all, Studio 7 was a normally a rather disreputable place featuring rather 'dirty' foreign movies and this film wasn’t one of them!

A few weeks later those same students piled into an ex-WD armoured staff-car left over from WWII and drove 3,000 miles to Italy. Judging from the sand-coloured paint and deep-tread tyres, the car had served in the desert campaign with Montgomery’s army in North Africa. The headline in ‘The Star’ read, ‘Students with Jazz, Art Ideas off to Rome’.

:DIs this the same Studio 567 where i will have watched Rocky 4 for about 75pence ?

No one seems to have mentioned the Forum at Longley where the Tesco is now, believe this was also an Essoldo.
If you go into the carpet shop on an Barnsley Rd which used to be the Capitol you can still see some of the ornate mouldings on the upper walls and roof, in fact the upstairs floor appears to be the old circle area of the cinema.
Jeff

just found this thread and wondered if any one knew about hillsborough kinema where the co-op was built on its site ,it was extemely famous having been one of the first "THEMED" cinemas in the world!!!!! looked like the meadowhall italy/restaurant area outside with egyptian themed interior -built when king tut s tomb was found! personally i went with my mum to the pavillion on attercliffe and a little cinema at the side of the canal where the the overpass -m1 goes to magna turnoff,also went skating above the cinema behind the attercliffe chapel . it was a night club in the 80 s but i m damned if i can remember the name its still there -a preservation order on it.as a firparnian school kid i saw the firthpark cinema replaced by the bowling alley

They didn't change things, at least not this time. The Unity was to the left of the top of Wood St. There was a dance school above it, and Wood St. did end at Langsett Rd.

thanks JM came back to Sheffield 49 50 51 use to bike up fm Leicester for them wild sat nights saw things in the Unity that a lad could only dream about in Leicester:love::love::love:

Cinemas.

During my younger years I went to only 9 cinemas in Sheffield, some of them I visited several times. Listed below are the places and some of the films I've scene.

1. Manor Cinema - Barbarella - several visits
2. Studio 7 - On Her Majesty's Secret Service - several visits
3. Gaumont - Goldfinger - watched this from projector room - several visits
4. Classic - Can't remember - several visits - usually neets late on
5. ABC - can't remember - several visits (maybe Battle Of The Bulge)
6. Odeon - The Sound Of Music - 2 visits
7. Cinecenta - Ravaged - 1 visit - Dwarfs (Dwaves) chasing a bird in the woods
8. Roscoe - South Pacific - 1 visit - Some enchanted evening etc
9. The Rex - That Darn Cat, Space Odyssey 2001, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers - Load of visits
At The Rex to the right and left were shops, I think the left shop sold womens clothes, what did the other shop sell and who owned them?
In 1978 I went to the flicks with a girl from work in Stuttgart, I don't remember what film was on because I was too busy.
The last time I was at the pictures was to watch The Day After in Hannover in the mid 80's.

Pavillion / Globe / Adelphi / Regal all in Attercliffe.

In Town;
ABC / Odeon / Cinema House / Gaumont / Hippodrome / News Theatre (cartoons only) / Palace Union Street /

I used to go to the matinee at the pictures on spital hill ,does anyone out there remember name of picture house? while my friends and myself were waiting to go in one day i had some new shoes on that had been bought for whitsun tide ,i was swinging my foot and one of my shoes shot off into road and a bus passing ran over it, it was twice size of my foot, was i trouble.

Yes, the Rex cinema was on the corner where the Co-op car park is now. I passed it loads of times in the 70s and 80s.

Regarding books on old Sheffield cinemas, there is/was a book in Crystal Peaks library as Ive looked through it a few times. However I dont remember what it looks like, what its called and whether it is still there or not!

I went to the closing night at the Rex, brilliant film - brought the house down.

I used to go to the matinee at the pictures on spital hill ,does anyone out there remember name of picture house? while my friends and myself were waiting to go in one day i had some new shoes on that had been bought for whitsun tide ,i was swinging my foot and one of my shoes shot off into road and a bus passing ran over it, it was twice size of my foot, was i trouble.

'Twas the Coliseum, Spider. Went there many times as a lad.

'Twas the Colusseum, Spider. Went there many times as a lad.Me too. Here's a photo (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s21302.jpg) as I remember it. I'm not old enough to remember it like this (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s08049.jpg) - honest I'm not....:P

My sister and brother in law used to take me to The Carlton Cinema on was it Northern or Eeastern Ave any way it was The Arbourthorne.
I remember it because it always seemed to be freezing inside .
The films i remember always seemed to be American gangster movies and the main actor for some reason was usualy a actor called Edward G Robinson i think my bro in law was a fan, I always remember walking home to Gleadless after the pictures and Tom talking like an American mobster. I would have been about 10 at the time [mid fifties]

Here is a website with all you need.
Here (http://www.rocknroll.force9.co.uk/cinemas/cintable.html)

Sorry I haven't updated for a while, but most of the info is still valid...
:)

My favourite cinemas as a young kid were;

Abbeydale Cinema, Heeley Palace, Heeley Colisseum, Heeley Green Cinema,
The Chantrey, Woodseats Palace and The Star, when I was older I visited
The Gaumont, Cinema House, Hippodrome, Union Street Cinema, Odeon*,
and ABC.
* I saw the opening of the Odeon, Fitzalan Square when I believe the first
film shown was Reach for the Sky starring Kenneth More in I think 1956.
" Happy days"

Sorry I haven't updated for a while, but most of the info is still valid...
:)

Cheers Basil.

Hi sharrovian - yes, the Odeon opened on 16 July 1956. It only existed as a cinema for 15 years, closing on 5 June 1971. One of the first films shown there was Three Coins in the Fountain (http://www.movieforum.com/people/actresses/dorothymcguire/images/threecoinsinthefountain.gif). They had a little fountain in the foyer, the coins thrown into it being collected and given to charities.

The Odeon cinema building was started about 1937,but after all the steelwork had been completed,the war broke out and the building was stopped. It remained in that state all through the war and afterwards and was'nt completed until 1956. The major cinema in Sheffield pre war was the Regent in Barkers pool. Top price 1/10d (9P).Wages were only about £3 pw though.

Some information borrowed from the sheffield history forum:

Although work on building the Odeon commenced in 1939, the outbreak of war soon delayed this for the duration. It would be 16 years later that building would restart. The Odeon finally on 16 July 1956. The original pre-war design was changed and externally, a rustic brick facing applied. The foyer was of an unusual design rising to half the building's height with a huge advertising display above the canopy.

Internally, the auditorium was unusually wide and a continuous coving linked the walls and ceiling. Seating was provided for 2340 patrons with 816 circle seats.

Projection equipment was installed for the 70mm film format. Among these long running large screen presentations were, South Pacific, Cleopatra and The Sound of Music.

The Odeon closed for film presentations on the 5 June, 1971. It still remains a bingo hall.

i remember it well in the 60`s we used to live at the bottom of Bedale road

Doe,s anyone know who the main building contractor was on the Odeon and ABC cinema,s in Sheffield ?

I remember The Palace Union Street. Went to see Captain Horatio Hornblower with Gregory Peck. Also the Rex at Intake and The Manor at Manor Top.

Does anyone remember the old News Theatre in Fitzallen Square? I used to love to go there as a kid in the early 50's. They ran a continuous show with cartoons and news reels. They ran stuff like the 3 stooges, mighty mouse and I remember seeing the clip there when Rocky Marciano beat Jersey Joe Walcott for the heavyweight championship.
I left England in 1966. Last time I was in Sheffield was in 2006 and I got totally lost downtown. I enjoy reading the Sheffield Forum.

Does anyone remember the old News Theatre in Fitzallen Square? I used to love to go there as a kid in the early 50's. They ran a continuous show with cartoons and news reels. They ran stuff like the 3 stooges, mighty mouse and I remember seeing the clip there when Rocky Marciano beat Jersey Joe Walcott for the heavyweight championship.
I left England in 1966. Last time I was in Sheffield was in 2006 and I got totally lost downtown. I enjoy reading the Sheffield Forum.

i rememember it but can you rememberthe hilsboro kinimer and the hillsbro cinniamar.

i rememember it but can you rememberthe hilsboro kinimer and the hillsbro cinniamar.
I used to play Snooker at the Kinema in early 70s. It's now a Netto I believe

I used to play Snooker at the Kinema in early 70s. It's now a Netto I believeHillsborough Park Cinema (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s21389.jpg) is now a Netto (there was a billiard hall next door until the 1970s). The Kinema (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s02701.jpg) building on Proctor Place was demolished to make way for the shopping centre.

Hillsborough Park Cinema is now a Netto (there was a billiard hall next door until the 1970s).

Just shows how easily I get mixed up :confused:
Thanks

Hi Bushbaby - I just found this about the long-gone billiard hall on an old thread (http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10043):

There used to be a snooker hall next to the Hillsboro Park Cinema on Catch Bar Lane S6. In the 1950s and 60s it was patronised so frequently by virtually all the professional footballers from the nearby club , that it was know locally as Wednesday's Training Ground.

That's where I learned to play snooker (a sign of a mis-spent youth?).:| The funny old bloke in charge always gave us youngsters a crap table...:(

There was a snooker hall underneath The Manor Cinema at Manor Top an old guy called Tom was in charge and used to rule with an iron thumb, From memory there must have been at least 8 full size tables in there.

I suspect some of you, like me, are ex pats. This thread brought back some great memories. Here in America, the movie houses are slowly dying. The competition from movies sent to your TV for little money as against movie house prices for a show plus popcorn, soda or candy is killing the multiplexes, Most of the movies are slash and burn for the few teenagers who bother to go. My wife and I went to see " The King's Speech " last week, the first time we've been for over two years. The movie was excellent, the screen guality and sound was not. I'll wait for it to come to my satellite supplier and watch it again in HD.

Think That's the biggest disappointment at the multiplexes, the screen size.
Remember as a kid going in the 6 penny pit and sitting there with this big screen about 30ft away...
Watching all those great stars up there, head back, gob open, eyes glued dead ahead,
You weren't just watching a film pal, you were in it .....Magic

Think That's the biggest disappointment at the multiplexes, the screen size.


I'm not sure I agree with you. Screen and Sound quality at "Cineworld" in Valley Centertainment is superb

I also saw "King's Speech" and more recently "Tangled 3D" with my grandaughter.
The technical standard for both was absolutely top drawer - Screen 7 is space age stuff. Watching at home, even on a 46" Plazzy, is not as good, it really isn't!

Having experienced both, "The Hurt Locker" on Blue Ray doesn't capture half the anxiety that it did on the big screen

After years of Sky Movies and Blue Ray - I'm back to the 1/9d s

Living in Heeley we had a good choice of picture houses.Heeley Green was formally a Music Hall. Keith Mitchells mother Irene was a regular singer and it must have brushed off on the kids because they all tried their hand at singing, especially Robert. Saturday morning picture shows were always packed solid. Heeley Coliseum on Heeley Bottom had a guy on the door called Leo.He had a couple of mates who were twins.Both were not quite a full shilling.one would stand against the wall and continually rock and rock and rock. (can see you all doing it). The Abbeydale was about the best. You could go to the flicks and come out and go in the dance underneath. My two aunts were usherettes there as well as spending years at the Coli ( no freebies )

I remember when "Rock Around the Clock" came to the Heeley Palace. What a mad house. Dancing in the aisles. Oh what a night.That was 56.Then there was the Chantrey or the Woodseats Palace. Only a tram ride away. 2 Pence worth. All these are dead and gone but its good to hear that there is a move afoot to preserve the Abbeydale. What a splendid building it is

Hillsborough Park Cinema (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s21389.jpg) is now a Netto (there was a billiard hall next door until the 1970s). The Kinema (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s02701.jpg) building on Proctor Place was demolished to make way for the shopping centre.

remember in our teens and not much money used to club to and send one of lads in and he go and open side door used to sneak in one at a time about 6to 8 of us happy days until we got rumbled lol

Heeley Colly, wow, that takes me back.
Any one remember when they changed to "Cinemascope" ..:hihi:

I used to play Snooker at the Kinema in early 70s. It's now a Netto I believe no the snooker hall was a giant hut next to nettos were the car dealers lot is. and nettos was the cinema was.

Hillsborough Park Cinema (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s21389.jpg) is now a Netto (there was a billiard hall next door until the 1970s). The Kinema (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s02701.jpg) building on Proctor Place was demolished to make way for the shopping centre. yes tat is correct there is a car park at the end of that road now that serves the hillsboro shopping centre.

I'm not sure I agree with you. Screen and Sound quality at "Cineworld" in Valley Centertainment is superb

I also saw "King's Speech" and more recently "Tangled 3D" with my grandaughter.
The technical standard for both was absolutely top drawer - Screen 7 is space age stuff. Watching at home, even on a 46" Plazzy, is not as good, it really isn't!

Having experienced both, "The Hurt Locker" on Blue Ray doesn't capture half the anxiety that it did on the big screen

After years of Sky Movies and Blue Ray - I'm back to the 1/9d sThen you are lucky. As I said, I hadn't visited for over two years, and in this particular case, the screen was dark and off color, with too much sound. I find the size of a 42 inch much easier to look at. I have a 32inch LED TV in my bedroom and a 42 inch Toshiba CRT in my living room which is very old and still magnificent. When or if it ever dies I will replace it with a modern set, if I can ever find anybody to carry it out. It took 5 Eagle Scouts to put it in place.:)

Then you are lucky. As I said, I hadn't visited for over two years, and in this particular case, the screen was dark and off color, with too much sound. I find the size of a 42 inch much easier to look at. I have a 32inch LED TV in my bedroom and a 42 inch Toshiba CRT in my living room which is very old and still magnificent. When or if it ever dies I will replace it with a modern set, if I can ever find anybody to carry it out. It took 5 Eagle Scouts to put it in place.:) if you move back to the cross it will take one burgular to carry it out lol.

if you move back to the cross it will take one burgular to carry it out lol.It beggars the imagination. One hooded and masked moron lying outside, screaming with a strangulated hernia.:)

Then you are lucky. )
Next time you are over here, give me a shout and I'll take you down to Screen 7. :)I am sure you will impressed.

We also have HBO here now, although it's called Sky Atlantic. The TV Gods are smiling

Next time you are over here, give me a shout and I'll take you down to Screen 7. :)I am sure you will impressed.

We also have HBO here now, although it's called Sky Atlantic. The TV Gods are smilingI don't know if you are able to watch the Emmy awards for television over there. If so you will see the power of HBO. TV of the highest quality, as good probably as we get from Britain on our public access channels, and that's hard to beat.:)The only problem I would have is Sky, one of Rupert Murdoch's creations I believe like Fox, and I can't stand Fox.

I have been tidying up my old cinemas of sheffield website, referenced thoughout this thread.
I have been reorganising the navigation so that it shows up ok on an iPhone as well as a standard PC browser.
http://www.thewookie.co.uk/cinemas/cinephoto.html

If anyone has any updates for the site please let me know

Although it's some 30 years since I lived in the city,I still have great memories of some of the cinemas.
I remember standing in huge queues at the Abbeydale(it always seemed to be raining) to see the original Sean Connery Bond films.
Likewise,my now wife,then girlfriend queued for what seemed an eternity in the covered passageway between Cockaynes and the ABC to see Night Fever.

The Odeon and Gaumont were also famous regular haunts.The Classic on Fitzalan Square although not generally living upto its name,nevertheless usually had a good film or two on.

Ther was also a multiplex which was situated either under, or at least next to,what was then the Grosvenor Hotel ,just off The Moor,although I can't remember its name.In any event those were happy days.

That "little multiplex" was the Anvil Cinema. The council run special interests cinema. It isn't needed any longer with the showroom which ticks every box in that area.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showroom_Cinema

http://www.showroomworkstation.org.uk/

see many people remember the citys cinema but how many did we have in total and can you name or remember half of them i'm thinking at 1 stage sheffield must have had 100 cinema's or more. There was the rex on mansfield road now theres a coop on the site ,top of manor now tesco,white lane now coop,balfour road darnal now carpet place,wilkinsons on darnal next to the old wigfalls was a cinema,crystal peaks had a cinema,handsworth now the plaza,adelphi was a cinema ,woodseats had 1 now a pub youv'e got 1 near train station in town , 2 in barkers pool 1 went to rank bingo,1 on the gallery what i think is part of the old fiesta,kingdom was once a cinema,well i know people have mention heeley area and parsons cross hillsbourgh ,i'm currently upto about 56 by asking older members of family what cinema's they remember weird to think how they all survived for so long seems to me each area had a least 2 within a stones throw of each other.... well thats got me onto now how many hospitals we once had anyway enough from me enjoy remenising on the good old days when things were aplenty and cost next to nothing and as children we were safe in a more sociable society

see many people remember the citys cinema but how many did we have in total..There's a list of 70+ and some useful links here (http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=311)..:)

see many people remember the citys cinema but how many did we have in total and can you name or remember half of them i'm thinking at 1 stage sheffield must have had 100 cinema's or more. There was the rex on mansfield road now theres a coop on the site ,top of manor now tesco,white lane now coop,balfour road darnal now carpet place,wilkinsons on darnal next to the old wigfalls was a cinema,crystal peaks had a cinema,handsworth now the plaza,adelphi was a cinema ,woodseats had 1 now a pub youv'e got 1 near train station in town , 2 in barkers pool 1 went to rank bingo,1 on the gallery what i think is part of the old fiesta,kingdom was once a cinema,well i know people have mention heeley area and parsons cross hillsbourgh ,i'm currently upto about 56 by asking older members of family what cinema's they remember weird to think how they all survived for so long seems to me each area had a least 2 within a stones throw of each other.... well thats got me onto now how many hospitals we once had anyway enough from me enjoy remenising on the good old days when things were aplenty and cost next to nothing and as children we were safe in a more sociable society

Was the co-op on White Lane a cinema?

Here is a list (http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u219/twigmore/Directories/Cinemas.jpg) of cinemas in Sheffield and Rotherham from the 1942 Kelly's Directory.

thanks for that information

Theres some pics of the old Palace cinema at stocksbridge on facebook, look under the palace mall, stocksbridge to find them :)

The roscoe was a proper bughut you would go up about ten steps to get in and about twenty to get out what was that about

remember coliseum spital hill going there sat nights with mum and dad about 1950 then across road for bag of chips to eat on way back to danville st
greeeat

The adelphi and there was one further down from it the name escapes me at the moment but they were great with boxes just like the theatre.

Red

The picture house further down Attercliffe towards Tinsley was the Globe Picture House and further on, on the other side of the road was the Pavilion at the bottom of Coleridge Road.

Yes I remember it well; like many other former cinemas it became a bingo hall and eventually was demolished. The Shalesmoor tram stop is now on the site of the cinema, shown with a red circle here (http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=sheffield&countryCode=GB#map=53.3887,-1.47777|19|32&bd=useful_information&loc=GB:53.38888:-1.47746:19|roscoe). Roscoe Road is nearby.

Hilly,

Thas stuck thi pin outside C&A! :huh:

Jim

Hello Jim - well, it were all reyt when I posted it. Somebody's buggered abaht wi' it....:cry:

what about studio 567 in wicker

Dear Sir/Madame,
My name is Alex Birks, a final year Masters student, studying Graphic Design at Sheffield Hallam University. I am currently undertaking a large research based study, on the rise and fall of cinema, starting from the early 1900s to the present day. I have been focusing on the many changes to film making throughout time, such as black & white silent films, atmospheric theatre, the triumph in talking pictures, Technicolor, etc. I have also been paying close attention to cinema technology and the roles of the cinema staff, required to run a functioning theatre.

I have recently visited 'The Cinema Museum' in London, where I met Ronald Grant, a cinema enthusiast who has devoted his life to preserving the cinema experience, since it began in the late 1800s. After sharing stories and speaking to him over the course of the visit, I gained a strong interest in the projectionist and how they have adapted to the changes in both technology and the requirements of cinema-goers.

This e-mail is addressed to anybody who has been involved in cinema over the years, particularly before the introduction of the multi-plex cinema, as I would like to find out more. As part of my final product I would like to document an encounter I have had with someone involved in the cinema, as a biography/information piece.

If you, or anybody you know could qualify for this position please could you get in contact with me. This will be a tremendously exiting opportunity, and a great way to share your enthusiasm with many people, both educated and non-educated in the subject.

I live in Sheffield and would be prepared to travel to meet you.

Thank you for listening to my proposal.

Yours Faithfully,

Alexander Birks


Contact details:

e-mail – alexbirks88@yahoo.com
Mobile - 07706336517

The adelphi and there was one further down from it the name escapes me at the moment but they were great with boxes just like the theatre.

Red

The Globe Cinema

Dores anyone else remember being bussed from school to see Henry V at the Gaumont in Barkers Pool ?. My school, Firth Park Grammar did it in 1945.

Does anyone remember what was built on the site of the Paragon Cinema at Firth Park. Was it Fine Fair or was it Woolies?

Does anyone remember what was built on the site of the Paragon Cinema at Firth Park. Was it Fine Fair or was it Woolies?The 1968 Kelly's Directory shows both stores in that location, with Woolworth's at No 13 and Fine Fare at No 15 Sicey Avenue..:)

Can anyone remember the name of a cinema that was situated up a little hill off Page Hill. It was on the left hand side en route to Firth Park ?

Can anyone remember the name of a cinema that was situated up a little hill off Page Hill. It was on the left hand side en route to Firth Park ?

The Page Hall Cinema then changed to the Roxy dance hall after the cinema. It was on Idsworth Road which also housed the Firth Park club which some people used to the call the Idsworth Road club

Dores anyone else remember being bussed from school to see Henry V at the Gaumont in Barkers Pool ?. My school, Firth Park Grammar did it in 1945.

I saw a screening of this film in the small theatre at the back of Central Library. It must have been around 1959.

Dores anyone else remember being bussed from school to see Henry V at the Gaumont in Barkers Pool ?. My school, Firth Park Grammar did it in 1945.
I remember that. I didn't get to go myself, but a 'chosen few' were lucky enough to go from Burngreave.

lol i was thinking about the one on the wicker today (studio 5,6,7?) no idea why never went there lol, used to walk past and see the porn films being advertised tho :o

i remember the old rex i lived across the rod then in the 70s it was owned by one maybe two old ladys who lived near it i first saw star wars there when i took my girlfriends son to see it thought the sound saw awesome especially for the rex which was so far behind with technology sound and grease was another

Forum,Capital and Ritz were the ones we went to.

As kids in the 50s we use to go to the Victory (the bug hut)
on Upwell st. On Saturday morning's we watch Flash Gordon, Lone Ranger,Deadwood Dick, and comic strips like Charlie Chaplin and the
Bowery Boys. Good times long ago.

I used to love the ABC, my mum worked there as an usherette. In those days they dressed for the film, so they dressed as flappers for Thoroughly Modern Millie. They dressed as cowboys and indians for How the West was Won. They had a promotion for Milky Bars and had a stagecoach at the top of the famous stairs. I was drafted in as the Milky Bar kid. I'm female, but had a short blonde Beatle haircut at the time.

We used to go the Saturday morning kids club and were members of the Tufty Club.

I used to love the smell of the coffee shop as you went up the stairs.

They don't have fun like that with the films now.