Mike, hello, the deLuxe opened in December 1912. There is an artists sketch of the Palace as originally built in the Wasall Advertiser of april !2 (I think) 1910 and a pretty building it was, with a single storey lobby surmounted by a dome and a statue of Electra! Apparently, in the first days, “singing pictures” were shown. Now, I know that various unsuccessful means of adding sound to pictures were around from long before 1927 and I wonder if this was one of them? During the switch over to sound, I have found an ad. in which the Palace boasts “real live people” will provide songe to accompany the fims. With your family connection to WTC, I wonder what other gems of information lie at your disposal? By the way, The Palace had closed before I came to live in Walsall and I only remember it as part of the Observer works. It closed when I was seven, so you can do the maths!
Hello, Mike,The first purpose built cinema in Walsall was the (Electric) Palace in the Square which opened in April 1910. The Cinema de Luxe, later Classic, opened in 1912, I think. I can soon verify this, as I am researching the history of Walasll cinemas in my spare time.
This was my favourite cinema in the sixties. I thought it held 1,500 or so, but I may be wrong.It was the first full-time cinema in the town, having shown films part of the time since 1908; the towns first purpose-built cinema was the Palace ( oringinally Electric Picture Palace ) in the square.
The shell of this building still stands as part of what was the Tesco store. It is still visible from the upper floor of the Old Square, but looks like it will soon disappear under plans for re-development.
KS
Mike, hello, the deLuxe opened in December 1912. There is an artists sketch of the Palace as originally built in the Wasall Advertiser of april !2 (I think) 1910 and a pretty building it was, with a single storey lobby surmounted by a dome and a statue of Electra! Apparently, in the first days, “singing pictures” were shown. Now, I know that various unsuccessful means of adding sound to pictures were around from long before 1927 and I wonder if this was one of them? During the switch over to sound, I have found an ad. in which the Palace boasts “real live people” will provide songe to accompany the fims. With your family connection to WTC, I wonder what other gems of information lie at your disposal? By the way, The Palace had closed before I came to live in Walsall and I only remember it as part of the Observer works. It closed when I was seven, so you can do the maths!
Hello, Mike,The first purpose built cinema in Walsall was the (Electric) Palace in the Square which opened in April 1910. The Cinema de Luxe, later Classic, opened in 1912, I think. I can soon verify this, as I am researching the history of Walasll cinemas in my spare time.
This was my favourite cinema in the sixties. I thought it held 1,500 or so, but I may be wrong.It was the first full-time cinema in the town, having shown films part of the time since 1908; the towns first purpose-built cinema was the Palace ( oringinally Electric Picture Palace ) in the square.
The shell of this building still stands as part of what was the Tesco store. It is still visible from the upper floor of the Old Square, but looks like it will soon disappear under plans for re-development. KS