Anyone with memories of the BEST cinema ever
in Sheffield (even now)
Can't remember when it opened but I was there at
the first ever film to be shown there.
I was only a kid but my mum got a couple of
tickets for the UK premiere of a romantic
comedy called "Don't Bother To Knock".

Widescreen films shown there were superb
because of the size of the cinema you could
get some distance between you and the screen,
unlike the smaller venues of today.

Progess ?????

The ABC Cinema, Angel Street
This was the last large screen cinema that was built in Sheffield. Initially it had one large screen in the main auditorium and the concourse restaurant, upstairs, which was later converted into a smaller screen. It was built in 1961 and closed in 1989, and then demolished soon after to make way for a new retail development, which has still not been built 10 years on! and to add insult to injury is still an unmade temporory pay and display car park.
When it was opened in 1961 it was claimed to be the most modern cinema in Britain. Featuring the most up to date projection and sound equipment, and a very large 60 foot screen, which was one of the largest in the country.
The 1300 seats were laid out in a Stadium plan, where the circle was slightly raised from the stalls, with a thick dark wall between, instead of the more conventional balcony.

Go here for more (http://www.rocknroll.force9.co.uk/cinemas/cinemas.html)

Fantastic - remember the queues lining all the way up the tunnel around the corner?

I remember going to the Saturday morning picture show & the popcorn breaks!

But my fondest memory is of dashing down to the Gaumont to queue up for Star Wars! :thumbsup:

I'll always remember going to see Monty Python and The Holy Grail there when it first came out - and sitting straight through it twice.

I remember going to see Monty Pyton's 'Meaning Of Life' at the ABC when I had just turned 16 - it was an 18 film, and there's no doubt the woman in the ticket office knew we were all under age.

"I just hope we don't get raided," she said as we sheepishly trooped in.

We were sat just behind the tunnel entrances, and I nearly cacked myself when I saw a couple of peak-capped figures emerge out of the gloom. I thought they were coppers - but they were just St. John's ambulance!

Originally posted by Hal9001
The ABC Cinema, Angel Street

The 1300 seats were laid out in a Stadium plan, where the circle was slightly raised from the stalls, with a thick dark wall between, instead of the more conventional balcony.

Sorry to be pedantic but there were 1327 seats. I should know as I (was supposed to) walked each row every morning when on duty and flip each seat squab (the bit yer backside goes on) to check for damage. Then I checked the lav's for soap and toilet paper. Good fun, heh!

i saw the Exorsist there in 1970blob and the queues were right
up the side backing onto Cockaynes ,alsp st johns ambulence ppl were there to help with the fainters .
Also saw The sound of music there much earlier than that with my Mum
It was a wonderful cinema

and then demolished soon after to make way for a new retail development, which has still not been built 10 years on! and to add insult to injury is still an unmade temporory pay and display car park.

In fact it is now a hotel with Fox's superstore below it.

I have fond memories of the Saturday morning matinee in the 80's which cost 50p :)
I recall seeing Beat Street and Spiderman on the big screen and taking my little brother to see Ewoks: Caravan of Courage on the small screen.
I wish the cinema was still there as the tiny ones we have these days have just lost that atmosphere :(

I remember the "Minor's Matinees" on a saturday morning, with Those awful films starring a very youthful Keith Chegwin, ("Young Robin Hood", among others!!)

I remember it cost five pence (!) to get in to the Minors Matinee, and my first boyfriend (we were 13!) was a rotten skinflint (lol), and he'd make me pay my five pence myself! (what?? I'll meet you inside??!! pah! can't you guess... he didn't last long!)

You'd be brought out onto the stage with your cards if it was your birthday, and they's sing happy birthday and that dire song about "the minors of the ABC!" aand the manager always used to look uncomfortable as he tried to control the little hoolicans chucking boiled sweets at him and the birthday boys and girls, such as Dixon's mint-rock. Crikey, it was bedlam!

Do you remember, you got badges with letters of the alphabet on them, if you were a regular attender, and you tried to build up the whole alphabet..?

Plain Talker

I remember going to the ABC years ago for the Tufty Club on a Saturday morning!
Anyone else used to go?

I have vague memories of the Tufty club. I seem to remember you were given red, amber and green lollipops.

He was the predecessor of The Green Cross Code Man presumably because squirrels have a hard time crossing the road or something.

Wasn't it 'Look left, look right, look left again and if it's all clear then cross the road.' ? A lot simpler than all that looking and listening palaver of later years.

Originally posted by Vanbast
I
Wasn't it 'Look left, look right, look left again and if it's all clear then cross the road.' ? A lot simpler than all that looking and listening palaver of later years.

Not quite, but as near as dammit. it was "look right, then left, look right again and if all's clear, quick march!"

that was how I was taught it

PT

i saw the Exorsist there in 1970blob and the queues were right
up the side backing onto Cockaynes ,alsp st johns ambulence ppl were there to help with the fainters .
Also saw The sound of music there much earlier than that with my Mum
It was a wonderful cinema


I could be wrong but I thought The Sound Of Music was at the Odeon, Flat Street, where it had a two years run.

In fact it is now a hotel with Fox's superstore below it.
Even fox`s isn`t there now, it`s the 99p shop. When was that thread posted about it being a car park? It`s been Argos and the new hotel for years.
I can remember queuing up to see Saturday night fever and as we didn`t get in for the first showing, had to wait until the next one wich was about 2 1/2 hours. Also got conned by the now wife into seeing Last snows of spring. It was about a terminally ill boy which i hasten to add i didn`t know. I think i must have been the only lad in their, it was full of girls bawling their eyes out.
Had a few nice fumbles on the back row too :hihi:

it was left as a car park until about 4 years ago, I know this because the Shopmobility Scheme was run from a Portakabin in the car park where the cinema used to stand. Shopmobility moved into its current premises in march 02.

The store did indeed open as a "Fox's" (as Vanbast said, in the quoted post, which, incidentally was from 4-2-2004 -drat these Burke And Hare posts! lol ;) ) but, about a year/28 months ago it became the 99p shop, after fox's closed down.

I have fond memories of the Saturday morning matinee in the 80's which cost 50p :)
I recall seeing Beat Street and Spiderman on the big screen and taking my little brother to see Ewoks: Caravan of Courage on the small screen.
I wish the cinema was still there as the tiny ones we have these days have just lost that atmosphere :(Still got my ABC minors badge! My mom, god bless her, was an usherette there for long enough so me and my bro used to get in free once a week. Seems like a good deal but the films were on for weeks on end. I could actually play the part of Mary Poppins! Happy days though :)

Still got my ABC minors badge! My mom, god bless her, was an usherette there for long enough so me and my bro used to get in free once a week. Seems like a good deal but the films were on for weeks on end. I could actually play the part of Mary Poppins! Happy days though :)
Wow! my mom worked there too Jane! (how about logging off ):hihi:

we used to go in there after it closed, had gret big holes in the floors
we found loads of old emi jackets, so we used to wear em with our coloured mohicans etc

I remember the crazy queues when waiting to see Jaws, not for a few days but for weeks on end.

Also I remember seeing Earthquake with the special sound system, which made everything in the cinema rumble.

Ah proper cinema as I prefer it, not like these micro cinemas.

I remember the crazy queues when waiting to see Jaws, not for a few days but for weeks on end.

Also I remember seeing Earthquake with the special sound system, which made everything in the cinema rumble.

Ah proper cinema as I prefer it, not like these micro cinemas.I remember that well. Surround sound what an innovation!!!! Loved it :)

Anyone with memories of the BEST cinema ever
in Sheffield (even now)
Can't remember when it opened but I was there at
the first ever film to be shown there.
I was only a kid but my mum got a couple of
tickets for the UK premiere of a romantic
comedy called "Don't Bother To Knock".

Widescreen films shown there were superb
because of the size of the cinema you could
get some distance between you and the screen,
unlike the smaller venues of today.

Progess ?????
i remember going on sat morning to the abc minors

I remember going to the ABC years ago for the Tufty Club on a Saturday morning!
Anyone else used to go?
it was also the abc minors

I could be wrong but I thought The Sound Of Music was at the Odeon, Flat Street, where it had a two years run.
yes the sound of music was at the odeon

yes the sound of music was at the odeon

Wow! my mom worked there too Jane! (how about logging off ):hihi:

Funnily enough, mine didn't....!

Howzabout YOU logging me off? ;)

Wow! my mom worked there too Jane! (how about logging off ):hihi:


My aunt was the manager there when it closed

Wn abiding memory of that place is the smell of roasting coffee from the concourse.The beginning of a love affair undimmed after 40 odd years.

the abc a real cinema my dad dragged me to the highest seats
i crapped myself but when the film was on you forgot about the clouds
and birds around your head [lol]
i watched loads of films there a complete tragedy when this
awesome cinema disappeared we have these crappy micro cinemas
to cope with i would love to pay todays ridiculous prices to watch a film
with a massive screen compared with micro screens no contest

Are you sure you didn't mean The Gaumont or The Odeon? The ABC did not have a balcony, just a rake (slope) floor from its projection box to its screen - no real height involved.

I was interested to read some of the comments about the ABC. I actually worked there as a trainee projectionist from 1964 -66, when I left to go to the Odeon on Flat Street, as 2nd projectionist.
The ABC was as many have said a cinema before its time. I am going to mention a few names now that I can remember (sorry if I've missed any) .
The Manager at the time was Reg Helley, Chief projectionist was the great Don Sykes, Peter ? , Barry Fellows, my first job was as non-sync boy where I had to play the pre show, interval (sorry intermission) and title music from record and time it to the finite second for the film soundtrack to start, if it didn't I got a telling off from the chief. My first film I worked on was "the Spy who Came in from the cold" Richard Burton and Claire Bloom and we had our share of 'Road Films' having a long run with Dr Zhivago in 70mm.
The ABC as a cinema was fantastic. For anyone interested there is a Pathe Newsreel about the opening on the web. here's how to find it.....google itnsource,, click onto Welcome to itn...on home page select British Pathe..... enter in search "new Cinema for sheffield the click on welcome new cinema and the original Pathe news will play..click on view assiated and there are a host of other cinema openings, most with views of the holy of holy's the projection room.

I am interested to here from anyone who can remember the Odeon and the Abbeydale cinemas around this time.. I worked at both

A book about my exploits in the cinema will be available foc to anyone interested in early 2008.............................................. ..:heyhey:

Nothing ever stays the same, I guess that is progress for you. I can remember waiting in the tunnel to watch He-Man the movie at the ABC Cinema. So that shows the ABC was still there in the 80's.

A couple of things I remember about the ABC when it first opened (or possibly re-opened). Unlike most large cinemas, there was no balcony, just a steeper tier of seats starting half way back. The first two rows at this level were the most expensive, at £1, and had armchair seats. It was the only cinema with a small cafeteria known as the Concourse, complete with the novelty of piped music. I remember being entertained by the organist prior to the film programme starting. The organ was a pinkish colour and was in front of the screen, on the left hand side. I only saw this once or twice after the opening, perhaps to get interest in the new cinema.

I saw "2001 a Space Odyssey" there in about 1968. It was only a U certificate film, but it frightened me to death. We we got home we were forced to read the review in the Star to try to find out what the hell it was all about, but the local film critic didn't know either. (Please don't bother to reply, I've subsequently found out!)

I remember seeing the first showing of Superman at the ABC. Remeber coming out and everyone looking at the sky lol

My mum Jetta Collins was an usherette there about 1961-1963 and my dad was Paul Gregg, he was the Assistant Manager there and this is how they both met. Does anybody have any memories of them both?

I used to go to the Saturday morning club, where we would all sing the ABC with the bloke stood on the stage, then we settled down to watch a film. I went to see Grease and Star Wars there (which dad snored his way through) :)

... I remember seeing Earthquake with the special sound system, which made everything in the cinema rumble.

I also remember seeing Earthquake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_(film)) there with the "Sensurround" system that gave 1500 watts of low-frequency sound. They had notices up disclaiming any responsibility if anyone had panic/heart attacks etc. At the time I thought that this was just for publicity, but apparently someone did suffer cracked ribs as a result of the vibrations, as described in the link above and also here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensurround).

I remember going to the ABC years ago for the Tufty Club on a Saturday morning!
Anyone else used to go?

Erm,i did...:blush:

as a teenager i remember films like sound of music, ben hur, spartacus, towering inferno and earthquake where the sound system made you feel you were actualy in a quake, loved going there with my girlfreind then going for a chinese at the welcome just round the corner.

Fantastic - remember the queues lining all the way up the tunnel around the corner?

I remember going to see Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1980. The queue went up and back down the tunnel. By the time I got to the front door, the queue behind me was still running up and back down the tunnel.

i remember going on sat morning to the abc minors

I went once, because "Spiderman" was making a live appearance that day. Now that was cool.

I also remember seeing Earthquake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_(film)) there with the "Sensurround" system that gave 1500 watts of low-frequency sound.

The first Battlestar Galactica TV series had it's 3 hour opening episode re-edited for overseas movie showings. I saw that film 3 times at the ABC and this had Sensurround. I must admit, it made for an impressive experience.

Had my first date with my husband at the ABC, the film was The Getaway with Ali Mcgraw and Steve McQueen that was March 1973. Been married 34 yrs.

I remember the queue to see Grease...It went up and down the tunnel,down the ramp to the hole in the road,right round and finished at the fish tank..phew.

I remember the "Minor's Matinees" on a saturday morning, with Those awful films starring a very youthful Keith Chegwin, ("Young Robin Hood", among others!!)

I remember it cost five pence (!) to get in to the Minors Matinee, and my first boyfriend (we were 13!) was a rotten skinflint (lol), and he'd make me pay my five pence myself! (what?? I'll meet you inside??!! pah! can't you guess... he didn't last long!)

You'd be brought out onto the stage with your cards if it was your birthday, and they's sing happy birthday and that dire song about "the minors of the ABC!" aand the manager always used to look uncomfortable as he tried to control the little hoolicans chucking boiled sweets at him and the birthday boys and girls, such as Dixon's mint-rock. Crikey, it was bedlam!

Do you remember, you got badges with letters of the alphabet on them, if you were a regular attender, and you tried to build up the whole alphabet..?

Plain Talker

I bet you had all the badges plaintalker and stop knocking Keith Chegwin in the CFF.s

I remember throwing Polo mints at the kids on the front row and walking down from Pitsmoor on a Saturday morning with my sis in tow

My favourites were the cartoons...Mighty Mouse :)

My Nan worked in the cafe part of the ABC and I often popped in to see her. When the manager was diverted we would be treated to tea and cake gratis

I notice that someone made a link to my Sheffield cinemas website at the begginning of this thread.
I moved it to a better webhost and now the info is here..
http://thewookie.co.uk/cinemas/gone3.html

Me and my wife to be went to the premier of Zulu and were introduced to Patrick Macnee we had a great night,the queues always went round the corner up Watsons walk and the manager always came round checking on the size.

Remember going to see Jaws when i was about 9 at the ABC, absolutely cacked myself, spent most of the movie hiding under my snorkel jacket!!! Another one i remember was Rocky 4 (sad, i know) and it was just like being at a real boxing match, everyone was up on their feet screaming and shouting for Rocky an the place eruppted when he knocked the russian down!!!

I remember seeing the first showing of Superman at the ABC. Remeber coming out and everyone looking at the sky lol

I can remember going to see this with my OH when we were courting. We lined up with everyone else in the covered passage down the side of the pictures and when we got to the front the Manager was standing here shouting"Superman to the left, Ordinary people to the right" ( the two films that were being shown) He looked bemused when everyone fell about laughing:hihi::hihi:

Remember going to see Jaws when i was about 9 at the ABC

Me too (I was 9 as well, my mum had to take me as it was a AA certificate).

Do you remember them selling merchandise in the foyer? I got a Jaws pendant thingy, featuring the head of the shark (as seen the movie poster) with a tasteful touch of red around the mouth.

I think I've still got it somewhere.

My mates mum worked at the ABC concourse so we used to get free tickets,must have seen Kelleys Heroes a dozen or more times

I remember watching Jaws there, the first film. I was about 11, wow what a film, seemed so real at that age. The effects, wow, when the head rolled out of that boat, sent a shock wave through me. Also when he scraped his fingers down the blackboard, my teeth hurt.

I wish I could watch films now as I did at that age, fill of wonder and delight.

Shame Jaws went silly after that, in the last Jaws film the shark was following the family around where-ever they moved too, who said sharks aren't intelligent, Jaws must have been educated at Oxford University with the intelligence he gained throughout the jaws saga.

I went with the lads to see "A Kind of Loving" starring June Ritchie and Alan Bates. The first time a woman appeared topless. We saw Junes Nipple. You could hear a pin drop.

God what an innocent time.

Me too (I was 9 as well, my mum had to take me as it was a AA certificate).

Do you remember them selling merchandise in the foyer? I got a Jaws pendant thingy, featuring the head of the shark (as seen the movie poster) with a tasteful touch of red around the mouth.

I think I've still got it somewhere.

yeah, i remember all that stuff, don't see any merchandise at the cinema these days, didn't get owt though coz my dad was a tight arse, lol

i'm sure in the days of the abc and gaumont that each cinema chain had to have deals with each film studios, like the gaumont would show, say, 20th century fox films, but the abc couldn't, which was a shame because i would have preferred to have seen the original star wars trilogy at the abc rather than (no offence) the gaumont. anyone remember which studio was tied to which cinema?

I was interested to read some of the comments about the ABC. I actually worked there as a trainee projectionist from 1964 -66, when I left to go to the Odeon on Flat Street, as 2nd projectionist.
The ABC was as many have said a cinema before its time. I am going to mention a few names now that I can remember (sorry if I've missed any) .
The Manager at the time was Reg Helley, Chief projectionist was the great Don Sykes, Peter ? , Barry Fellows, my first job was as non-sync boy where I had to play the pre show, interval (sorry intermission) and title music from record and time it to the finite second for the film soundtrack to start, if it didn't I got a telling off from the chief. My first film I worked on was "the Spy who Came in from the cold" Richard Burton and Claire Bloom and we had our share of 'Road Films' having a long run with Dr Zhivago in 70mm.
The ABC as a cinema was fantastic. For anyone interested there is a Pathe Newsreel about the opening on the web. here's how to find it.....google itnsource,, click onto Welcome to itn...on home page select British Pathe..... enter in search "new Cinema for sheffield the click on welcome new cinema and the original Pathe news will play..click on view assiated and there are a host of other cinema openings, most with views of the holy of holy's the projection room.

I am interested to here from anyone who can remember the Odeon and the Abbeydale cinemas around this time.. I worked at both

A book about my exploits in the cinema will be available foc to anyone interested in early 2008.............................................. ..:heyhey:



i remember seeing Laurance of arabia there, outside was a motorbike and sidecar which was used in the film,

There were always queues at cinemas those days. However The ABC was the best in town. We often called in the coffee bar up stairs. Sometimes before a film or just for a nice place to have a drink with the girlfriend (now wife)

yeah, i remember all that stuff, don't see any merchandise at the cinema these days, didn't get owt though coz my dad was a tight arse, lol

I'm pretty sure I got it on the day I saw Jaws. Could be wrong though.

i'm sure in the days of the abc and gaumont that each cinema chain had to have deals with each film studios, like the gaumont would show, say, 20th century fox films

I'm not sure why these arrangements existed but anything by 20th Century Fox was shown at the Gaumont, and I think, Disney films too.

ABC had Paramount and Universal stuff (and maybe Warners too?)

I remember watching Jaws there, the first film. I was about 11, wow what a film, seemed so real at that age. The effects, wow, when the head rolled out of that boat, sent a shock wave through me. Also when he scraped his fingers down the blackboard, my teeth hurt.

I wish I could watch films now as I did at that age, fill of wonder and delight.

Shame Jaws went silly after that, in the last Jaws film the shark was following the family around where-ever they moved too, who said sharks aren't intelligent, Jaws must have been educated at Oxford University with the intelligence he gained throughout the jaws saga.


God me and my mate qued for hours all the way round the corner, past the carpark, but boy was it worth it, fantastic film. You are right about the sequel total crappola, shouldn't have made it.

The commissionaire in the top hat and tailed coat was none other than Joe Scarborough, he actually features himself in his painting of the ABC.

Someone mentioned the 'armchair' seats that cost £1.00, these were called the Pullman seats.

Happy days.

My memory from the ABC is not a happy one. I was in the University orchestra and invited one of the female players to go with me to see the Hallé Orchestra at the City Hall. It was during the bad winter of '79/80 and when we arrived at the City Hall, we discovered the concert had been called off.
We had a look around for alternatives and my companion opted for Watership Down at the ABC. Not being a film buff, it was tortuous anyway but exaccerbated by her munching her way through a box of popcorns, it was a night, or should I say evening, to forget!
A much happier experience had been had when I went on my own to the Angel Street cinema to see a film "Something to Brighten the Morning" - a documentary on the legendary racehorse, Mill Reef. Now he was a star!

I have really enjoyed reading this thread, such fond memories some of which i had forgotten. I used to go to the Saturday matinee with the cartoons and they showed things like the three stooges, flash gordon and the Double Deckers. Later on i went to see Jaws with my friends and while is sat glued to the film i actually bit through my jacket toggle that i was chewing .
Later still it was Saturday Night Fever even though i wasnt old enough, i don't go to the pictures now. It doesnt seem the same.

I remember the little “star” lights in the roof, there were millions of them, well not quite but there was a lot.

I also remember the Pullman seats and being thrown out if we tried sneaking in to them

It was the Classic Cinema in Fitzalan Square for me. My mum use to be an usherette there so we always got in free, had plenty of ice-cream and lollies and got to play sliding down the stairs when there was no-one in. REALLY HAPPY DAYS

It was the Classic Cinema in Fitzalan Square for me. My mum use to be an usherette there so we always got in free, had plenty of ice-cream and lollies and got to play sliding down the stairs when there was no-one in. REALLY HAPPY DAYS

I remember the dear old Classic. In the days before VHS/VCRs, it was often the only way of seeing movies that hadn't made it on to TV yet (Dr. Zhivago made a comeback there in the 70s IIRC).

I remember seeing 2001 there, as well as a double bill of Laserblast and The Norsemen (starring Lee Majors as a viking :o, watch out for the oil tanker in the background at one point).

At the risk of taking this thread even further off-topic, what was the name of The Anvil cinema before the council took it over?

oh did i look forward to saturday mornings going to the kids show. i remember meeting a boyfriend there i will always remember him as we shared the same last name and was the same age, our brthdays was on the same day to. they was fantasic them days. and it was only 10p to get in lol

I remember the dear old Classic. In the days before VHS/VCRs, it was often the only way of seeing movies that hadn't made it on to TV yet (Dr. Zhivago made a comeback there in the 70s IIRC).

I remember seeing 2001 there, as well as a double bill of Laserblast and The Norsemen (starring Lee Majors as a viking :o, watch out for the oil tanker in the background at one point).

At the risk of taking this thread even further off-topic, what was the name of The Anvil cinema before the council took it over?


cineplex and it had 3 screens

cineplex and it had 3 screens

Ahhh that's the one, I just couldn't remember it. It tended to show second-run or "out of time" films as I recall. I saw "Superman" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" there for the first time.

There weren't that many cinemas left by the early/mid 70s and I must have been in pretty much all of them, with the notable exception of Studio 5-6-7, which always seemed to show X rated films involving ladies rude parts.

Of them all, ABC 1 was undoubtedly the jewel in the crown, although the dear old Gaumont still has a lot of affectionate memories for me.

The big screen at Cineworld is a decent enough successor in many ways, although it lacks the charm and elegance of the ABC. Or maybe it's just me getting old?

off topic here too, but i used to go to the Rex on intake a lot, next to marshalls, happy days!!!

It was the Classic Cinema in Fitzalan Square for me. My mum use to be an usherette there so we always got in free, had plenty of ice-cream and lollies and got to play sliding down the stairs when there was no-one in. REALLY HAPPY DAYS

i remember goin to see "The Empire Strikes Back" there and one of my friends threw a half sucked malteser at the screen and it stuck and rolled down and the mark it left was still there up until the cinema closed!!!

I have really enjoyed reading this thread, such fond memories some of which i had forgotten. I used to go to the Saturday matinee with the cartoons and they showed things like the three stooges, flash gordon and the Double Deckers. Later on i went to see Jaws with my friends and while is sat glued to the film i actually bit through my jacket toggle that i was chewing .
Later still it was Saturday Night Fever even though i wasnt old enough, i don't go to the pictures now. It doesnt seem the same.

No, certainly doesn't, i went with my kids to see night at the museum 2 at cineworld this morning and the atmosphere just wasn't there anymore, get the usherette back with the tray of ice creams and those orange drinks in plastic cartons!!!!:suspect::suspect::suspect:

It was the Classic Cinema in Fitzalan Square for me. My mum use to be an usherette there so we always got in free, had plenty of ice-cream and lollies and got to play sliding down the stairs when there was no-one in. REALLY HAPPY DAYS

We used to go there to watch the Kung Fu movies, they always used to have a double bill in those days. I remember that it used to be quite cold in there and once me and two of my friends went and sat in the circle when my friend nudged me and pointed to the front rail where a large mouse was running back and forth ! We spent the rest of the film sitting on our legs:hihi::hihi:

Uncle :confused:somebody or other used to compare the satday morning matinee. Before the films used to start we had the satday morning sing song

"we are the boys and girls well known as"
"miners of the abc"
"and every satyday we all line up"
"to watch the films we like to shout about with glee"

Followed by the old Flash Gordon episodes in black and white -marvelous :hihi:

I remember taking my little sister to see Cliff Richard in The Young Ones at the ABC.
The programme was continuous, so we went in at around 2pm and didn't come out till about 10pm. My sister was ecstatic but I had a thumping headache.

My mates mum worked at the ABC concourse so we used to get free tickets,must have seen Kelleys Heroes a dozen or more times

i saw Kelly's Hero's there its still even now my all time favorite film :love:

Uncle :confused: somebody or other used to compare the satday morning matinee. Before the films used to start we had the satday morning sing song...
Here are the words:

..We are the boys and girls well known as
..The minors of the ABC
..And every Saturday we line up
..To see the films we like and shout aloud with glee
..We love to laugh and have a singsong
..Such a happy crowd are we
..We're all pals together
..The minors of the ABC

And here's the music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9BBa0yok68):

Right now - all together, 1, 2, 3....:hihi:

On a visit to Sheffield ,my wife went to see 'Bullet' at the ABC cinema,whilst I went to see United play Cardiff in an midweek evening match. Can't remember the year,but the new Bramall Lane stand was under construction at the time. My wife was impressed with the cinema,I never did get to go there. Years before,The Regent was my favourite.

I have such happy memories of the ABC Cinema. Mu mum was an usherette there at one time. In those days the usherettes used to dress up for the film. She wore a flappers dress for "Throughly Modern Millie" and when a western film was on - something like "How the West was Won" they all dressed up as cowboys and girls. They had a promotion for Milky Way then and they had a wagon at the top of the sweeping staircase. I had a short beatle haircut then, so they picked me to play the Milky Bar Kid. I remember sitting on the wagon, giving Milky Bars away and shouting "THE MILKY BARS ARE ON ME".

I loved the staircase and the gorgeous smell of coffee from the coffee shop.

I was there most Saturday mornings when my mum was working and I was also a member of the Tufty club. I remember the Tufty handkerchief.

Here are the words:

..We are the boys and girls well known as
..The minors of the ABC
..And every Saturday we line up
..To see the films we like and shout aloud with glee
..We love to laugh and have a singsong
..Such a happy crowd are we
..We're all pals together
..The minors of the ABC

And here's the music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9BBa0yok68):

Right now - all together, 1, 2, 3....:hihi:

Thank you for that brings back many memories
My cousin EDIE used to be first aider stood at front

went to see LOVE STORY ..every woman and man sobbed and i mean sobb..
.
it was loverly..xxx

i remember they guy who worked there who had a big neck