Eventim Apollo Hammersmith
45 Queen Caroline Street,
London,
W6 9QH
45 Queen Caroline Street,
London,
W6 9QH
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favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 35 comments
A few photos from the Cinema Theatre Association visit in April 2024
APOLLO Exterior at rear
APOLLO Foyer
APOLLO Balcony
APOLLO Auditorium from rear
APOLLO Auditorium from stage
APOLLO Projection portholes
Grand opening ad posted.
The Beatles did several Christmas shows at the Odeon Hammersmith. Below is both video and still shots from 1964 & `65.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSCwPIn2Bbk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otKnDQcdOQQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Kp6wqtHghU
Brintons Carpets also have uploaded a video with shots of the Apollo and (advertorial) background information on the new carpet design.
Brintons Carpets case study with photos.
“A hand painted design created in the 1930’s was selected and served as inspiration for the final carpet design.”
Very, very nice!
Restaurants and bars around the corner tarted up too Looking forward to seeing Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer Feb 15th
Live within walking distance and happy that its listed!
I’m always amazed how little thought was given to projector siting in otherwise magnificent buildings
I was a Manager here for 3 years from 1969 – 1971. It was very hard work to run this large building which had a capacity of 3500 and with two shows a night giving a total of 7000 through the doors took a great deal of organising. I still have great memories from those days. I was very pleased to write the report that saw this magnificent building up listed to Grade II* on the 27th July 2004.
There is a 7 minute YouTube video of the Hammersmith Odeon projection room in 1987. It’s under “Odeon Hammersmith” but if you add “projection” it will be the first video listed.
Many of the big old Gaumont theatres had projection rooms that were at the rear of a recessed oval in the ceiling. This mean that for many of them, the projectionists had to cross the roof of the building to get to the projection room. Sometimes the rake of the projectors was so steep the screen had to lean backwards, making it difficult for people in the front of the main floor to watch the movie. I find it difficult to believe that this is the best the architects could do when they had a 2500-3000 seat building to work with. A projection room over the rear of the balcony would have been a far better solution and would not have reduced the number of seats.
I worked here in the early 1980’s not a good time for a cinema they had 2 clapped out Vic 10s with knackered gearboxes that leaked oil as fast as you could fill them, carbon arc and mercury rectifiers out in a shed on the roof it was like running a cinema with equipment from the arc. The rake on the projectors had them almost standing on their lens, the portholes were about a foot from the floor making change overs a nightmare. All capped off with the most rude crass useless chief I had ever worked for and a senior that (really) could not tie his own shoes (brother in law). They were only interested in the live shows.
Restoration done, photos here Prepare to have your socks knocked off! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2414149/Hammersmith-Apollo-opens-doors-5million-refit-restored-art-deco-designs.html
Thanks to Ken Roe for finding this July 24 Evening Standard article about the current restoration. Have placed details in the Introduction above but more photos here. http://www.standard.co.uk/news/liftoff-for-hammersmith-apollos-art-deco-restoration-mission-8729487.html
Up loaded a couple of photos from the interweb, I must say looking good. you can get a better view from google street view.
The exterior impersonates the deluxe supercinema in “The Smallest Show on Earth”, the interiors being filmed atthe Odeon Richmond.
Back in 1932 no one could have imagined it would one day change hands for £32 Million
Most recently owned by HMV; sold in 2012 to an American-German firm called Stage C: View article
David Gray’s “Life In Slow Motion” tour played the Hammersmith in 2006. Just happened to catch the venue’s name on his “Hospital Food” live performance on YouTube. Not much of the Hammersmith, other than darkly lit stage shots.
photos taken on the night of the World premiere of The Infidel in April 2010
exterior
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4688806273/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4689440586/
stalls lobby
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4689447778/
circle lounge
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4688808355/
auditorium with the screen in place (partly raised) and all the stalls seating installed
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4689444774/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4689446274/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4689450880/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4689449438/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4688816533/
great wall mask detailing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4688809499/
Re the film projectors:
The original 35mm system was removed some years ago and the digital system described in a previous post is now in place. One of the the last films to be shown in 35mm was “Who Framed Roger Rabbit ” in 1988…..was it really that long ago?
Very Nice.
Hi Keith…
…to answer your question on the film projectors, I have absolutely no idea.
Sorry.
Are the film projectors still there? I remember a hybrid show some years ago, when the Blues Brothers appeared live on stage preceeded by a screening of the original film.
The Who’s 1973 album Quadrophenia View link has a large photographic booklet accompanying the album. Within this booklet it has a great picture of the group leaving the then called Odeon Hammersmith: at 2 minutes and 48 seconds into the clip, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI3SyaqZwpE.
All very wonderful and nostalgic for both band and cinema…
View link
I understand from other reports as to the following:
New digital projectors have been installed in the original projection box at the Apollo, together with a very large collapsible screen.Audio systems are rigged and derigged for film events.
64 ft wide screen.
2 barco 2000 2k overlapping projectors : installed fulltime by HMV/Curzon.
very impressive picture : used for the world premier of “it might get louder ” docu feature.
projectors are staying full time.