Ritz Cinema
Station Road,
Leeds,
LS15
Station Road,
Leeds,
LS15
No one has favorited this theater yet
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Star Cinemas
Architects: J.P. Crawford
Styles: Art Deco, Art Nouveau
Previous Names: Picture House
Nearby Theaters
Originally named the Picture House, it was designed by architect J.P. Crawford of Albion Street, Leeds. Seating 800 patrons, it opened on Thursday 5th August 1920. The first film to be shown was “Master of My Fate” with Murrtoe Sailsbury.
The name of the cinema was changed to Ritz Cinema in October of 1938 and the building was given a new Art Deco style façade. The cinema’s last operators were the Star Cinemas chain, who closed the Ritz Cinema on Sunday 16th May 1965 after showing “Hell to Eternity” starring Vic Damone. It was then demolished. To serve cinema customers, a sweet and tobacco shop was part of the cinema building.
Contributed by
Chris Dobson
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
The organ in the Ritz was a 3/10 Compton.
I was 7 years old and saw gold finger
My grandfather, Herbert Stevens, was cinema manager of The Ritz throughout the war beginning there in 1937 and so would have overseen the new Art Deco refurbishment. He left around 1952/53 and moved to Bournemouth to run a hotel. He was previously cinema manager at The Strand in Cleethorpes. I have come across a photo in the Grimsby Evening Telegraph dated 30/07/2017 showing a billboard advertising the “Grand Opening of Union Cinemas Ritz” in 1937. I’d be grateful to hear if anyone has any other information about these two cinemas.