Saturday morning matinees of the 60s

[cal1943 10]

Hi,

I used to go to the Plaza Saturday mornings in the 50's. They showed mostly cowboy films and cartoons. It was sometimes like a madhouse! The usherettes always walking up and down the aisles with their torches, trying to keep the rowdy kids quiet. The big lights would be going on and off all the time. When it was over we would go for threepeneth of chips at the little chippy at the top of Handsworth. (gone now). Then all race down Church Lane, through the cow fields to the Ballifield Estate. Lovely innocent days!!

[allthegearno 10]

I used to get two bob (two shillings)10 pence after decimalisation spending money and used to go to the tanner (sixpence)or 2 and a half pence after decimalisation matinee at the ABC in town we watched some great things like Flash Gorden and The lone ranger.we would always sing the we are the ABC minors song and all of us stood as a mark of respect when the Queen appeared on screen on her horse after ice cream and bus fare i would still have tuppence left 2p after decimalisation enough for a penny lucky bag that was full of sweats you also got a toy and a copy of the Beno or Dandy happy days

[deedar 10]

Rex Cinema 1968 ish. Used to go to the Sattdy Mattneys to watch old Westerns and some supporting features, cartoons etc. Me and my pals used to go mainly to lob popcorn. Even as a 9 year old I remember thinking they were milking it a bit showing these ancient old films.

[Beesa rider 10]

The Gaumont circa 62/64 ???

I can't remember much about the films other than westerns being shown but I can remember Ronaldo the accordion player who used to feature at some point and was pelted with jelly babies and the like (not in the nice way that the Beatles later enjoyed) Perhaps we also had Laurel and Hardy ?

 

It was also scene of my first ventures into the world of girls and I do have some vivid memories of a few attempts (failed) at making new friends in those cinema seats.

[soft ayperth 11]

I used to go to the Plaza in Handsworth late 50s early 60s.I used to have a shilling to go with .9d to get in and 3d for an ice lolly.I used to see Roy Rodgers ,Lone Ranger and Hopalong Cassidy .They are the only ones i remember.

My husband used to go to The Star on Eccelsall Road in the 60s .

 

Me too. Plaza early 50s. I remember those cheap war movies. German U boat settings with actors speaking in heavily accented guttural English. All the kids would boo whenever those scenes came up and cheer when the Allies were shown blowing them up. Cowboys and Indians, same reactions. The cowboys being the good guys of course. It wasn't just the film that was black and white.

[depoix 11]

Rex Cinema at Intake. The matinees were usually cowboys and indians. Rin Tin Tin was the best. Rin Tin Tin was a lassie-type dog and the closing scene was always the same - the dog pelting along at top speed, closely followed by the US Cavalry - every kid in the audience on his feet going bezerk.

i used to go in the rex and the manor , zoro ,the kids would all turn out of the pictures with the duffel coats fastened only by the top toggle and fence each other all the way down pit lane ,or the coat could be turned into a superhero cape, sometimes i would be shoved in the cartoon theatre in the square if my mum was shopping in town

[ukdobby 225]

Used to go to Ritz,Forum and sometimes Capital,always came out running slapping our thigh(Hi oh Silver)and shooting with our fingers,do kids still do this today?

[nosy nellie 10]

We used to go to The Oxford and The Roscoe in the fifties,I think it was sixpence and if we had no money we used to take bottles back or run errands for the neighbours.

The films were Flash Gordon remember Emporer Ming forgot the ladies name I think it was Dale something.

Hopalong Cassidy,Smilie Burnett, The Three Stooges,The Bowery Boys,The Little Rascals,

Ther Lone Ranger and Tonto.

Also we had a sing- a- long follow the bouncing ball does anyone remember that,the word came up on the screen and the bouncing ball followed the words:hihi::hihi:It was sometimes called The Tanner Rush.

[Joanl 12]

Me too, I used to go in the late fifties and can remember all the ones nosy nellie mentions. It was the Pavillion I went to and I remember going on my birthday and went up on stage as a birthday treat. I was taken into the projector room where I was allowed to switch on the projector......

As I went off the stage they all sang "I married Joan" which was the title song of a comedy programme that was on telly at the time.

[daisy2 10]

Early 60s at the Gaumont Saturday club, used to sing "We come along on Saturday morning greeting everybody with a smile, We come along on Saturday morning knowing it's well worthwhile...........etc"

Spent much of the time ducking missiles being thrown at the screen.

[shaznay 10]

The Essoldo was on barnsley rd I used to go there and the abc in town

 

I used to go there but it was saturday afternoon

it was 9 punce to get in (I think anyway)

 

It would start with a cartoon, usually Looney Tunes

There would be a feature film, I liked the ones from The Childrens Film Foundation best, hated the westerns or historical stuff

Then there would be the serial, Flash Gordon or I remember the Famous Five which was better.

 

The cinemaa was thirties art deco, the smell was very fusty and cig burns in the seats...

 

There were 2 thirties style satues on either side of the cinema up on the wall

they were of women dressed in thirties style dresses, I used to love those, I think they had torches in their hands...

[Plain Talker 11]

the Saturday morning matinee I used to go to was the Minors Matinee at the ABC, Angel Street.

 

I remember my "boyfriend" (we were 13) being so tight, he'd say "I'll see you inside" so he didn't have to pay the 5p it would have cost to get in. (Now, that's 5p in new money! Not 5d!! a whole Shilling! The tight-fisted sod! :hihi:)

 

(oh, and he'd spend the whole time messing about with his mates, fighting, and throwing sweets and popcorn about)