I remember this as The Invicta Ballroom not that it was particularly ballroomish. There was a flat balcolny with a decorative wrought iron rail at the front, flat main floor with small stage at the back.
The programme at the time, 1962, was pop bands and music acts of the day. Those I saw and remember were Screaming Lord Sutch and The Savages, many who gained world fame in their own right later were members of The Savages including Ritchie Blackmore,Jimmy Page, John Bonham, Jeff Beck. Lord Sutch moved to politics in 63 starting the Monster Raving Loony Party becoming a regular at main elections and by elections for many years.
BUT……. The major claim to fame for the Invicta was that The Beatles appeared there in February 1963, dressed as had been their practice in back leather. Their 1st Parlaphone record Love Me Do had been a minor hit following release in Oct 62 so they were filling time playing dance hall dates up and down the UK before the release of their next Record Please Please Me in March which of course was the beginining of their world wide fame.
I moved on from Sth Norwood Odeon in 1970 joining Rank Leisure Services Training Dept then based in the offices over the Croydon Top Rank Suite. The chap who took over from me, was son of someone at Head Office and had an Aston Martin!
Sth Norwood Odeon was situated in a dead end road, the bottom being occupied by Sth Norwood Station so at rush hour could be very busy with pedestrians coming and going. I managed the Odeon in 1989 when on a very windy day a very large corner piece of the Vitra Glass external fascia panel cladding fell at about 5.00pm, it was both a very solid and large approx 2ft x 18ins, very lucky not to land on passing pedestrians. It didn’t break so I think must have slide down the wall before bouncing off the canopy before landing on the pavement. It had been stuck to the wall with 2 large dollops of some sort of putty like glue on the back. Having rested in my office for a couple of months it was eventually re-fixed after the whole frontage had been checked for further loose panels.
An interesting side activity being at the Odeon was periodically invited by the Police Station opposite to take part in identity parades (naturally when they needed good looking young men!)
Interesting to see mentioned above how the Gaumont State did duty as a company training centre making use of the dressing room space back stage which had been converted into meeting rooms. I was seconded to the Dept in 1970 having previously managed South Norwood Odeon, the company Training Dept HQ was at Croydon Top Rank Suite, heavily committed to staff training at the time across the group other base’s tended to be at hotels.
The State had a magnificent stage which would be the envy of any west end producer. On a number of occasions when using the State I had the opportunity to go in the auditorium when the organ was being used in full throttle.
I remember Bill Weir as Theatre Manager well his ambition was always to get in to the company West End Group, he was a bit annoyed when I left the Training Dept to rejoin building operation in 71, at Victoria’s New Victoria (now Apollo Victoria) and Metropole which were run as one operation sharing staff across the 2 sites. Both had great stage facilities (the New Vic of course now being a full time theatre) the Metropole however had a 70mm screen and 5 channel stereo sound installed which prevented occasional stage use. The Metropole was sold to Virgin Group in the late 70’s becoming The Venue, a music venue when the stage capability was in use again. Sadly the Metropole subsequently closed and before listing protection was knocked down.
The Astorian mentioned in one of the entries above was the house magazine of each of the Astorias. I have a copy of the 4th April 1932 vol 4 for the Old Kent Road Astoria found when I had the sad job of going in to aid the closure and clear out.
My youngest son is Box Office Manager at the 02 Academy Brixton, its nice to see the building in regular use and the magnificent stage being used for live performance, but sadly
the interior is not in good state.
I Managed the New Victoria together with the Metropole across the road in Victoria Street 71 to early 74 including in addition to the regular one nighters and dance seasons the last London Run of the Black and White Minstrels for which the Theatre was redecorated, I hesitate to say lavishly, in a colour scheme similar to that on opening. I also introduced in this time the closure of the FOH doors except for exit only on the Vauxhall Bridge Road side of the building having got fed up with the public using the foyer as a short cut to and from the station particularly at afternoon rush hour. It is nice to see on a recent visit that this is now a firmly established practice. The New Victoria is a great theatre, wonderful auditorium and not known to the public, spacious back stage production and dressing space. There is a complete set of properly lite architects photographs taken at the time of the theatre opening held by and available for view, at the National Photo Archive in Saville Row.
I remember this as The Invicta Ballroom not that it was particularly ballroomish. There was a flat balcolny with a decorative wrought iron rail at the front, flat main floor with small stage at the back. The programme at the time, 1962, was pop bands and music acts of the day. Those I saw and remember were Screaming Lord Sutch and The Savages, many who gained world fame in their own right later were members of The Savages including Ritchie Blackmore,Jimmy Page, John Bonham, Jeff Beck. Lord Sutch moved to politics in 63 starting the Monster Raving Loony Party becoming a regular at main elections and by elections for many years. BUT……. The major claim to fame for the Invicta was that The Beatles appeared there in February 1963, dressed as had been their practice in back leather. Their 1st Parlaphone record Love Me Do had been a minor hit following release in Oct 62 so they were filling time playing dance hall dates up and down the UK before the release of their next Record Please Please Me in March which of course was the beginining of their world wide fame.
I moved on from Sth Norwood Odeon in 1970 joining Rank Leisure Services Training Dept then based in the offices over the Croydon Top Rank Suite. The chap who took over from me, was son of someone at Head Office and had an Aston Martin!
Sth Norwood Odeon was situated in a dead end road, the bottom being occupied by Sth Norwood Station so at rush hour could be very busy with pedestrians coming and going. I managed the Odeon in 1989 when on a very windy day a very large corner piece of the Vitra Glass external fascia panel cladding fell at about 5.00pm, it was both a very solid and large approx 2ft x 18ins, very lucky not to land on passing pedestrians. It didn’t break so I think must have slide down the wall before bouncing off the canopy before landing on the pavement. It had been stuck to the wall with 2 large dollops of some sort of putty like glue on the back. Having rested in my office for a couple of months it was eventually re-fixed after the whole frontage had been checked for further loose panels. An interesting side activity being at the Odeon was periodically invited by the Police Station opposite to take part in identity parades (naturally when they needed good looking young men!)
Interesting to see mentioned above how the Gaumont State did duty as a company training centre making use of the dressing room space back stage which had been converted into meeting rooms. I was seconded to the Dept in 1970 having previously managed South Norwood Odeon, the company Training Dept HQ was at Croydon Top Rank Suite, heavily committed to staff training at the time across the group other base’s tended to be at hotels. The State had a magnificent stage which would be the envy of any west end producer. On a number of occasions when using the State I had the opportunity to go in the auditorium when the organ was being used in full throttle. I remember Bill Weir as Theatre Manager well his ambition was always to get in to the company West End Group, he was a bit annoyed when I left the Training Dept to rejoin building operation in 71, at Victoria’s New Victoria (now Apollo Victoria) and Metropole which were run as one operation sharing staff across the 2 sites. Both had great stage facilities (the New Vic of course now being a full time theatre) the Metropole however had a 70mm screen and 5 channel stereo sound installed which prevented occasional stage use. The Metropole was sold to Virgin Group in the late 70’s becoming The Venue, a music venue when the stage capability was in use again. Sadly the Metropole subsequently closed and before listing protection was knocked down.
The Astorian mentioned in one of the entries above was the house magazine of each of the Astorias. I have a copy of the 4th April 1932 vol 4 for the Old Kent Road Astoria found when I had the sad job of going in to aid the closure and clear out. My youngest son is Box Office Manager at the 02 Academy Brixton, its nice to see the building in regular use and the magnificent stage being used for live performance, but sadly the interior is not in good state.
I Managed the New Victoria together with the Metropole across the road in Victoria Street 71 to early 74 including in addition to the regular one nighters and dance seasons the last London Run of the Black and White Minstrels for which the Theatre was redecorated, I hesitate to say lavishly, in a colour scheme similar to that on opening. I also introduced in this time the closure of the FOH doors except for exit only on the Vauxhall Bridge Road side of the building having got fed up with the public using the foyer as a short cut to and from the station particularly at afternoon rush hour. It is nice to see on a recent visit that this is now a firmly established practice. The New Victoria is a great theatre, wonderful auditorium and not known to the public, spacious back stage production and dressing space. There is a complete set of properly lite architects photographs taken at the time of the theatre opening held by and available for view, at the National Photo Archive in Saville Row.