Films generally open at the Odeon Mezzanine and are shown as part of general release and con-current with other multiplex cinemas. Occasionally one of the screens will take a movie when it has finished its run in the main Odeon located next door.
Art house movies are played in the Odeon’s, Panton Street and Wardour Street (both located a stone’s throw away off Leicester Square). Both these cinemas have 4 screens each, which are double the size of the Odeon Mezzanine screens!
I went to see Sandy Duncan in “Peter Pan” here in the 1980’s (I had a seat in the balcony). If memory serves me right, the auditorium was painted a light shade of blue and I bleieve there were painted murals of cherubs and clouds on the ceiling. The auditorium struck me as being rather charming.
When I next went to see a show at the Lunt-Fontaine Theatre around 2000 (“Titanic-The Musical”), the interior had been painted matt black and there was no decorative features at all. There was a crystal chandelier in the centre of the ceiling. All very disappointing.
The original architects of the Empire Theatre were Otto Simonson of Baltimore and W.H. McElfatrick of New York. The original seating capacity was 2,400 and it opened as a burlseque and vaudeville theatre on 25th December 1911 with “Follies of the Day”.
The current Art Moderne interior was a re-model in 1946 by architects John J. Zink and Lucius R. White and it re-opened as the Town Theatre on 22nd January 1947 with James Stewart attending ‘in person’ a premier screening of “It’s A Wonderful Life”
The Metro Theatre had a Wurlitzer 3Manual/13Ranks theatre pipe organ installed. It was opened by organist Charles Parkhurst who came over from London, UK. He remained organist at the Metro, Johannesburg for 5 years until he went over to the new Metro Cinema that had been opened in Durban, Natal, SA in 1937.
The Metro Cinema, Calcutta is almost identical to the Metro Theatre, Adelaide, South Australia (Architect;Thomas W. Lamb). To see a photo of the Metro, Adelaide go to; /theaters/1588/
Gary;
I have just added the Metro Cinema, Cairo to Cinema Treasures
Not listed in the Film Daily Yearbook, but it is shown as operating in the 1943 edition as having a seating capacity of 400 seats. The 1950 edition has a seating capacity given as 340.
Built and planned by MGM as a showcase for their films in Bombay, the Metro Cinema opened in March 1938 with a Premier presentation of “Braodway Melody 1938” starring Eleanor Powell and George Murphy.
The New York based, Scottish born architect Thomas White Lamb teamed up with another Scottish architect David William Ditchburn to create an American style movie palace in a stunning Art Deco style. Thomas Lamb of course was well known in America for designing hundreds of cinema theatres.
The Metro remained in the control of MGM until the late-1970’s when it was sold to a local operator.
The 1941 & 1943 edition of F.D.Y. are consistant with the seating capacity given as 744 under the operation of a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures. By the 1950 edition Paramount are out of the picture and the seating capacity is given as 846.
The Film Daily Yearbook 1941 & 1943 editions give the same information as stated above. In the 1950 edition it is listed with a seating capacity of 1,154 and the subsidiary of Paramount Pictures are no longer operating it.
The same details are given as above in the 1941 and 1943 editions of F.D.Y. and the Princess is the only theatre listed for Beckemeyer, IL. In the 1950 edition the only theatre in town (population 900) is the 250 seat Clinton Theatre. A new name for the Princess Theatre?
The Hollywood Theatre is shown as operating in the 1941 and 1950 editions of the Film Daily Yearbook with 400 seats. Strangely, the 1943 edition gives a seating capacity of 350.
In the Film Daily Yearbook’s 1940 and 1943 the Gem Theatre is listed as ‘Closed’ with a seating capacity of 850.
In the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed with 650 seats.
Films generally open at the Odeon Mezzanine and are shown as part of general release and con-current with other multiplex cinemas. Occasionally one of the screens will take a movie when it has finished its run in the main Odeon located next door.
Art house movies are played in the Odeon’s, Panton Street and Wardour Street (both located a stone’s throw away off Leicester Square). Both these cinemas have 4 screens each, which are double the size of the Odeon Mezzanine screens!
I went to see Sandy Duncan in “Peter Pan” here in the 1980’s (I had a seat in the balcony). If memory serves me right, the auditorium was painted a light shade of blue and I bleieve there were painted murals of cherubs and clouds on the ceiling. The auditorium struck me as being rather charming.
When I next went to see a show at the Lunt-Fontaine Theatre around 2000 (“Titanic-The Musical”), the interior had been painted matt black and there was no decorative features at all. There was a crystal chandelier in the centre of the ceiling. All very disappointing.
The original seating capacity of the Paramount Theatre was 2,556.
The original architects of the Empire Theatre were Otto Simonson of Baltimore and W.H. McElfatrick of New York. The original seating capacity was 2,400 and it opened as a burlseque and vaudeville theatre on 25th December 1911 with “Follies of the Day”.
The current Art Moderne interior was a re-model in 1946 by architects John J. Zink and Lucius R. White and it re-opened as the Town Theatre on 22nd January 1947 with James Stewart attending ‘in person’ a premier screening of “It’s A Wonderful Life”
I have found references to the Little Harlem Theater being listed as a Negro theatre in Film Daily Yearbook’s 1946-1955.
The Metro Theatre had a Wurlitzer 3Manual/13Ranks theatre pipe organ installed. It was opened by organist Charles Parkhurst who came over from London, UK. He remained organist at the Metro, Johannesburg for 5 years until he went over to the new Metro Cinema that had been opened in Durban, Natal, SA in 1937.
The Metro Cinema, Calcutta is almost identical to the Metro Theatre, Adelaide, South Australia (Architect;Thomas W. Lamb). To see a photo of the Metro, Adelaide go to; /theaters/1588/
Gary;
I have just added the Metro Cinema, Cairo to Cinema Treasures
Copies of the book publication “Cinema Treasures” can be obtained from the Cinema Theatre Association www.cinema-theatre.org.uk
Priced £24.99 + postage from; Jeremy Buck, Sales Officer, 34 Pelham Road, Wood Green, London. N22 6LN
Cheques (£-Sterling) payable to Cinema Theatre Association or Visa/Mastercard accepted
Listed in Film Daily Yearbooks where there is a variation in seating capacities; editions for 1941 and 1943=975 seats, 1950=954 seats.
Not listed in Film Daily Yearbooks pre-1943. I have it listed in my copy of the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. with a seating capacity of 125.
Variations in the seating capaity of the Wigwam Theatre in various editions of Film Daily Yearbook; 1941=145, 1943=400, 1950=587.
Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook’s 1941 and 1943 editions as having a seating capacity of 250. The 1950 edition gives a seating capacity of 288.
Not listed in the Film Daily Yearbook, but it is shown as operating in the 1943 edition as having a seating capacity of 400 seats. The 1950 edition has a seating capacity given as 340.
Thanks lostmemory; I have sent in updates to the headers on this one, and yes, it is still open.
Built and planned by MGM as a showcase for their films in Bombay, the Metro Cinema opened in March 1938 with a Premier presentation of “Braodway Melody 1938” starring Eleanor Powell and George Murphy.
The New York based, Scottish born architect Thomas White Lamb teamed up with another Scottish architect David William Ditchburn to create an American style movie palace in a stunning Art Deco style. Thomas Lamb of course was well known in America for designing hundreds of cinema theatres.
The Metro remained in the control of MGM until the late-1970’s when it was sold to a local operator.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbook’s; 1941 300 seats, 1943 300 seats Closed, and 1950 with 300 seats.
Some pictures and history here; http://www.playhousecompany.com/history.html
The 1941 & 1943 edition of F.D.Y. are consistant with the seating capacity given as 744 under the operation of a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures. By the 1950 edition Paramount are out of the picture and the seating capacity is given as 846.
Seating capacities vary from year to year in editions of the Film Daily Yearbook for the Majestic Theatre; 1941=950, 1943=942 and 1950=935.
The Film Daily Yearbook’s 1941 and 1943 edition have the Illini Theater listed as ‘Closed’. It has totally disapeared from the 1950 listing.
Seating capacities given for the Roxy Theatre vary from year to year in editions of Film Daily Yearbook; 1941=300, 1943=400, 1950=308.
The Film Daily Yearbook 1941 & 1943 editions give the same information as stated above. In the 1950 edition it is listed with a seating capacity of 1,154 and the subsidiary of Paramount Pictures are no longer operating it.
The same details are given as above in the 1941 and 1943 editions of F.D.Y. and the Princess is the only theatre listed for Beckemeyer, IL. In the 1950 edition the only theatre in town (population 900) is the 250 seat Clinton Theatre. A new name for the Princess Theatre?
The Hollywood Theatre is shown as operating in the 1941 and 1950 editions of the Film Daily Yearbook with 400 seats. Strangely, the 1943 edition gives a seating capacity of 350.