ABC Wythenshawe
456 Palatine Road,
Northenden,
Manchester,
M22 4DJ
456 Palatine Road,
Northenden,
Manchester,
M22 4DJ
3 people
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Following the closure of this building as a leisure venue, both the ‘Forum’ name, along with the theatre and cinema facilities, were transplanted to The Forum Theatre at Wythenshawe Civic Centre, Leningrad Square, Simonsway. It opened on 3rd November 1971 and became, amongst other things, an extension for Manchester’s Library Theatre. As part of a major refurbishment, in the mid 2000s, the theatre was later ripped out and replaced by a dance studio and gym. The following photos are copyright: Ian Grundy. https://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/49551727776/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/49551727811/in/photostream/
Went past this recently in my car. Had to ask a friend to remember it’s location. Looked stunning from the outside.
Odeonesque, as Ken rightly says ,this was not the venue used for Brief Encounter.It was the Metropole Victoria but the two Wurlitzer organ consoles were very similar.Other consoles similar were at Granada Edmonton,Troxy Stepney and of course the Tower,Opera House and Empress ballroom in Blackpool.
I have just remembered, the cinema in question was the Forum and whilst I can`t say for definite that this was the one used in the film I do know that the console design of the organ was the same. Can anyone enlarge on this?
The scene set in a cinema with organ playing, in the film “Brief Encounter”, was filmed on location at the Metropole Cinema, Victoria, London (now demolished)
It certainly had a Wurlitzer organ. I was assistant/relief manager here in 1969. When I see Brief Encounter again I shall see if I recognise the site.
If I`ve got the right one this is where part of the film “Brief Encounter” was made and you see Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson sitting in the circle and Irene Handl “playing” the Wurlitzer organ.
Vintage photographs of the Forum Cinema, and the Wurlitzer organ console:
http://www.ukwurlitzer.co.cc/page8.html
Two photographs of the former Forum Cinema, taken in March 2007:
http://flickr.com/photos/hugovk/437907471/
http://flickr.com/photos/hugovk/437907412/