Electric Cinema

Fore Street,
Devonport, PL1

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Additional Info

Architects: Bertie Crewe

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: Public Hall, Electric Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Electric Cinema, Devonport

Located in Devonport, near Plymouth, Devon, at the top of Fore Street. The Public Hall, which had shown films in the early-1900’s, was converted into the Electric Theatre by Guy Prance and opened in December 1909, the same year the Tivoli Cinema was opened directly opposite. Seating was provided for 700. It was later taken over by Sydney Boultwood and was closed in 1930, to be rebuilt to the plans of noted theatre architect Bertie Crewe.

The new Electric Cinema opened in late-1931. Seating was now provided for 2,300. It had a 70ft wide proscenium. There was a large stage and six dressing rooms. It was operated by the independent Electric Theatre (Devonport) Ltd.

The Electric Cinema was destroyed by German bombs on 24th April 1941, the same bombing raid also destroyed the Tivoli Cinema and so badly damaged the Hippodrome Theatre, that it never re-opened.

Contributed by Ken Roe

Recent comments (view all 2 comments)

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on December 16, 2012 at 12:08 pm

There is a picture on this webpage of Fore Street after the bombing raid; the caption indicates that the Electric Cinema’s Tower can be seen in the distance,

Flyman
Flyman on June 7, 2018 at 4:42 pm

When the cinema was reconstructed internally in 1931 to the designs of Bertie Crewe it had a proscenium opening 70ft wide and a screen 40ft by 26ft. The vast, cantilevered balcony spanned 100ft with no visible means of support. Despite being built of the most fireproof materials throughout, it was no match for the Luftwaffe.

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