Queen's Cinerama Theatre
Northumberland Place,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE1
Northumberland Place,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE1
9 people
favorited this theater
Showing 19 comments
Hi Peter, Good to hear from you, sorry for the delay in replying… yeah I loved working at the Queens, great cinema to be part of, I began my job here 1974, before transferring to the Odeon in 1975 but came back following training, 1977, You must have worked around 1965, to show SOM… I understand they had two prints as the first, lost colour over time.. How long did you work here… Derek Passed away in 1995, Cec too around 2007 I think ? did you know Bill Furness (chief Odeon ) Brian is still around… Best. Neil.
Hi NThomson, sorry don’t know your first name, thanks for getting in touch. Yes Derek was a great guy, he loved his photography. I remember he had a dark room in his office on the right as you entered the projection room. I am Amazed we both worked with the same people. When I started working at the Queens I had just missed the three projector system. Wow 55 years ago. Do you remember the live showing of the boxing matches in The Odeon, and the special projector that was used. I think it was called Eidathor. It was hired in and was hauled all the way up into the projection room. Unfortunately I don’t have any photos of my time at The Queens. The only thing I have is my evidence of my attending The Rank training academy in London and the short sample of one third Cinerama footage of How The West Was Won.
Hi Peter, nice to see another name added to the projection team, I began my job at the Queens in the box in 1974, until closure… I worked with Derek (super guy) and Brian, and Theo. I knew Cec who worked with me at the Odeon. John Henderson I recall too.. Have you any pics of the Queens.
I worked at The Queens Cinerama as a projectionist using the DP 70 projectors. I showed The Sound of music twice a day for two years. Con Dougherty was the manager, Derek was the chief also worked with Brian, Cecil and John. Im pleased to see Mr BTH has the DP 70s. I still have a small roll of 35mm which is one third of How The West was Won.
Whilst the Queen’s is probably most famously associated with ‘The Sound of Music’ which ran for 140 weeks from 18th April 1965, it was also the venue where, 5 years earlier in 1960, Hitchcock’s biggest commercial success, ‘Psycho’ had an extended run (photo uploaded).
It is exactly 60 years since the film’s New York premiere whilst August 4th this year will mark the 60th anniversary of the start of its engagement at the Queen’s
Hi there Mr BTH, I
m probably one of the last projectionists from the Queens Cinerama Newcastle, Im thrilled to hear the original projectors are still around and in working condition.I have the 2 Philip’s DP70 projectors from the Queens. I have spent the last 8 years restoring them to full working order. I would like to contact any of the projectionist from the Queen.
My favourite movie being the 1969 War Blockbuster:– “Where Eagles Dare” and I remember seeing this at the Queens in 1974 just before I began my career here, all its glory on the 70mm giant screen… never forget it… nothing ever compares to this presentation….
Photo of original auditorium uploaded.
My first visit to this wonderful cinema was a school trip to see a film about the Bolshoi Ballet which would have been 1955 ish. I then saw many shows in the years after in all it’s formats. Presentation always impressed me in those days, not any more! The multiplex way seems to be just slap it on the screen!
I first saw “Lord Jim” and “Fall of the Roman Empire” at The Queen’s and was spellbound by the experience. I became a cinema projectionist, but not in such a grand cinema. The present generation has no idea what has been lost and what they are missing.I would love to see the Cresta Run sequence from “Cinerama Holiday” again. If only it could be at “The Queen’s” in Newcastle!
Must agree about the sound quality.
I remember ducking when the sound of shellfire came from behind me while watching ‘Ryan’s Daughter’ in 1970.
Hope you all enjoy the two photos which I`ve uploaded from my personal collection of the Queens Cinema…
I would just like to second the comments made by N Thomson. As a youngster I saw all the original 3 strip cinerama films and I was so impressed that I made a point of travelling over from Sunderland every time a new widescreen film came out. 2001 a space oddesy was fantastic albeit in 70 mm. I think the sound quality in this theatre was second to none and blows the socks off the latest compressed gimmicky sound you get these days in the “cubicles”. Cinerama still lives if you can make a trip to Bradford media museum. They are shown on the first saturday of each month. Fill your nostalgia boots folks. Queens Theatre, forever in my heart!
I began my working life as a projectionist here back in 1974,
before been transferred to the odeon in pilgrim street….
I don
t think we will ever see a giant screen like it again... During a 70mm screening, there was nothing to compare it.... Picture and Sound quality were outstanding.... Screen size:- 75x 31`.I will remember the Queens with great affection….
This site has a number of pictures of this theater over the years: View link
Outstanding colour interior shot here:
View link
Reminds me of the Astoria cinema charing cross road London in the late 1960s
This was an awesome cinema and sadly we will never see anything like it in the North East again. I remember going with my parents to see the remake of Lost Horizon there and feeling slightly dissapointed as they showed the trailer for Live And Let Die which was playing at the Odeon – ‘'why could'nt I watch that instead of this musical rubbish’‘ I asked of my parents ? – despite this dissapointment I could appreciate the grandeur and scale of the cinema.
I did visit the Queens before it closed to see the cartoon version of Lord Of The Rings – I was really impressed with the epic showmanship that the Queens was capable of – If only it was still around when Peter Jackson’s trilogy was released – Now that would
have been something !
Sadly missed and thanks for listing this forgotten classic of a cinema – Thank You
A vintage photograph of the Queen’s Hall in August 1949, playing the Gaumont release:
http://www.mawgrim.co.uk/cavalcade/newcastleq3.jpg
The Queen’s Hall, photographed in March 1956, playing the Gaumont release:
http://www.mawgrim.co.uk/cavalcade/newcastleq2.jpg
The entrance to the Queen’s Cinerama Theatre, playing a Cinerama Roadshow presentation in 1971:
http://www.mawgrim.co.uk/cavalcade/newcastleq.jpg