Cannon Lewisham
15 Lewisham High Street,
London,
SE13 5AF
15 Lewisham High Street,
London,
SE13 5AF
No one has favorited this theater yet
Showing 10 comments
Grand opening ad posted.
Did an all night relief projectionist here when it was Studios 6&7 All horror bill and someone was stabbed in screen 6!
In “Girl on approval” (1962)James Maxwell and Annette Whiteley pay a visit to the Cannon when it was known as the Rex and was showing a double bill of “Watch it, sailor” (1961) and “Treasure of Monte Cristo” (1949). Shots of exterior, foyer and box office (including uniformed commissionaire and ticket prices). Also includes shots of cinema cafe. Exterior also appears later when the double bill has changed to “The absent-minded professor” (1961) and “The horsemasters” (1961).
Not quite sure why the name heading here is given as (somewhat confusingly) “Cannon Studios 6 & 7” as they were obviously two separate names. The Leeds-based Star Group had actually taken it over through one of its bingo operating companies in 1967, and (very briefly) operated it as a cinema before the switch to bingo. The opening of a Mecca club nearby (plus two other bingo clubs in the immediate locality) prompted Star to switch back to films, as Studio 6 & 7. It opened the same week that Star also launched two other revamped cinemas. The cinema became a Cannon for only its last few months of operation, though I recall that the flashing neon sign and Studio signage was not changed until early 1986. Confusingly, the throwaway weekly film guides displayed on the cover “Cannon 6 & 7”, though this didn’t appear in advertising which simply included “1” and “2” with the appropriate films advertised alongside. Cannon hinted at “structural defects” as the reason for its previously un-announced closure, though if this was the case declined to pass this information on to any prospective buyers when the place was offered for sale (as I rang up and got the details at the time – for interest only (as I couldn’t afford it!!)) and with the acquisition of the ABC chain (with its twin-screen cinema at Catford) for imminent completion, the company seem to have simply written it of as surplus to requirements. An NCP car park replaced it for a time before the site was redeveloped. One thing of interest that could also have been mentioned is the name “Kings Hall Mews” which obviously commemorates the original name of the cinema.
I believe Star’s first attempt at twinning was Studio 1&2 in Guildford – long demolished to make way for an open air bus garage.
Ken Roe,Noticed what looked like ratings “Commando” had like 18 or something,did not have R rating. I notice PG on the other movie.
Thanks, Ken! Reminds me of New York where Cinema 3, a single screen inside the Plaza Hotel, was blocks away from Cinema I & II and it got even stranger when separate companies operated the two locations. The matter was further complicated by the Plaza Theatre located between the two, making it a scavenger hunt for tourists trying to find their movie.
By the late-1970’s, the Star Cinema circuit had re-named nearly all their existing cinemas Studio with a number. But the numbering is not rational. In London there was the Studios 1-4, Oxford Street, Studios 5-8, Bruce Grove, Tottenham, and in Lewisham, Studios 6 & 7. There never was a Studios 1-5 in Lewisham, or anywhere in the area.
In outer London was the Studios 1-3 in Cheam, Surrey. A city the size of Manchester had the centrally placed Studios 1-5, Oxford Road and the Studios 6-9, Deansgate and in the Greater Manchester area Altringham had Studios 1-3, Bolton had Studios 1-3 and Burnley had Studios 1-3. There were many more.
Ken, where were Studios 1-5?
A set of vintage photographs of the King’s Hall/Studios 6 & 7:
View link