Old Sheffield Picture Palaces

[willybite 10]

Apologies for questioning your spelling hillsboro. I remember, beechnut, going to see 'House of Wax' at the Hippodrome. It was a continuous programme so we were walking out mid film so to speak. We were downstairs and went around to the exit via the front. To see the audience, all attention on the screen, all wearing the same cardboard glasses, had a bizzare quality about it. Made me laugh anyhow.

Anybody see the photographs of the old Odeon cinemas in the Daily Mail? Some terrific buildings there.

 

hiya i remember the hippodrome showing the house of wax in three d my mates and me used to go to the hippo every monday night always in the gods it cost us 1s0d = 5p.

 

can anyone imagine the weston on st philips rd having a stage act i remember one in the late fourties early fifties, it was a dog, it was called the brainiest dog in the world, it could add and subtract numbers by tapping out the answer with its paws it was only for ten minutes or so,i remember because the trainer started selling its autographs, it was a dog picture with a paw mark in ink..

Edited August 5, 2009 by willybite

[willybite 10]

The cinema on the Moor was 'The Central'. I was in that shelter that was hit, I had been to the Empire theatre to see Henry Hall. Henry who? I can hear you say!

 

hiya i can remember henry hall he was quite a name on variety shows ,and radio, i remember some of the acts from the 40/50s like nat mills and bobbie,( i've got a hole in my bucket),freddy frinton, nat jackley,wilson kepple and betty( the arabian sand dancers ) , later lita rosa,frankie vaughan,shirley bassey,bill maynard and terry scott, tommy steel and the steel men l, cliff richard and the shadows eddie calvert ,acker bilk, all seen from the gods,at the second house showing i remember having to wait in the cages as we called them up the stairs.

Edited October 22, 2009 by willybite

[Roderick 10]

Can anyone tell me the name of the cinema which was in Woodhouse ? I seem to remember it was near to the stocks in the market square and its nickname was the " Stab " which I hope was short for " stable "

[Texas 10]

hiya i can remember henry hall he was quite a name on variety shows ,and radio, i remember some of the acts from the 40/50s like nat mills and bobbie,( i've got a hole in my bucket),freddy frinton,the pantomimes, soldiers in skirts just about 1945, later lita rosa,frankie vaughn,shirley bassey,bill maynard and partner, tommy steel and the steel men l, cliff richard and the shadows,all seen from the gods,at the second house showing i remember having to wait in the cages as we called them up the stairs.

I can remember (just) Henry Hall on the radio. He used to say something like 'Hello, I'm Henry Hall, and tonight is my guest night.'' And didn't Bill Maynard do a double act with Terry Scott. They had a show called ''Great Scott it's Maynard'' on TV. Nothing at all to do with Old Sheffield Picture Palaces, I know.

[trevormw 10]

Saw my first film at the Odeon cinema Barkers Pool in the late 40s Hans Christian Anderson

and my first job was as an assistant projectionist at the very same Theater early 60s. Talking of these old movie houses must bring back so many memories to us oldies, it was an event just to go out the the FLICKS...

[satman2222 10]

Nobodys mentioned the picture palace at Chapeltown, now a snooker club or the little cinema at High Green, now a carboard box factory.

[Alanbro 10]

Capitol Sheffield Lane Top. I saw Elvis's first films there. Used to go on a Sunday and into the Huntsman for a drink after. There used to be some comedians in the audience. For instance, during quiet scenes, such as romantic encounters, someone would play things like "Yellow rose of texas" on the mouth organ. On occasions when it got rowdy, the manager would come to the front and shout "Shhhhh!" Eventually the whole house was hissing! Balloons got thrown from the balcony and thrown around.

All harmless fun and nobody got hurt! Happy days! Late 1950's.

[Annincanada 10]

Woodseats and Chantrey on Chesterfield Rd

Heeley Coliseum near traffic lights at Heeley bottom plus another I can't remember the name of.

One very very old one at Heeley Green

In my teens there were 52 of em.

Best one for us was Hippodrome on Cambridge st.

It was a wonderful old variety theatre we kids got in the Gods for 3d

I think.. Graystones was 6d.. and adults used to take us in for an A film.

Miserable old spinsters ran it mostly... We got chucked out often for messing about.

Then there was the Star near the bottom of Ecclesall Rd... There was also almost always a good sweet shop or two near by... My dad bought me my own sweet shop at 16 at Bannercross and I couldn't close till 8: 30 pm till the late house at Greystones had started... I usually went dancing then at the Locarno on London Rd... Thanks for the memories.

Edited April 28, 2011 by Annincanada

[laetisha 10]

Hi Texas i think the unity was at the top of Woodstreet on Infirmary rd ,i worked in the sweet shop near the cinema for a time ,

[Alanbro 10]

I think it was the Essoldo in Ecclesfield. Went in only once with my mates and we got thrown out for messing about. It had the nickname, "Bug hut!"

That was in the late 1950's.

[Alexbirks 10]

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

[Texas 10]

I've been trawling through the thread and I suddenly thought when did the Regent become the Gaumont? Was it the late 40's?

And was the Roxy always known by that name? The Roxy, I think, was one of the first cinemas to open on Sunday in the late 40's. They used to put on some really old films, even for back then. I reckon they must've had copies in the projection room and just rummaged around to find something to use. I saw the original 'King Kong' there, and some that hardly had a sound track. I once saw a film featuring William S Hart, with his chalk white face and even whiter stetson. They even had 'Birth of a Nation' one Sunday. I think the cinema people were trying to educate us.