Electric Cinema
47-49 Station Street,
Birmingham,
B5 4DY
47-49 Station Street,
Birmingham,
B5 4DY
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I remember visits to the Jacey in the late sixties when it still played non-stop news and cartoons. It had a silver screen in front of which instead of a stage was a large, sloping, lightly coloured board down to the footlights. There was also a rising silver festoon. This whole screen area was most unusual but was very effective when lit between programmes.
Grand reopening as Tatler News Theatre on March 19th, 1937
Correct. The Last Paragraph is wrong The second screen was added in the 1990’s by Classic Cinemas soon after their take over from Jacey.
The new owner of the Electric has released a film about the history of the cinema, and its return from the dead. “The Last Projectionist” is well worth an hour and a half of anybody’s time, as is essential viewing to anybody remotely connected to the film presentation industry.
Hello,
I’m gathering content for a photo book of the Electric Cinema, Birmingham. Would you be happy to submit your photo of the Electric for consideration?
All images will be credited. My email address is .uk
Also if anyone else has any photos or memories they’d like to share that would be great.
Best wishes,
Kate
allan3381. I worked at the tattler in 1948 as 3rd projectionist, And worked the super B T H PROJECTORS. Before that I worked at the Bristol, Bristol rd. After.that, I worked at the CARLTON Sparkbrook. I migrated to Australia, in 1950, and worked at the Savoy News Theater Adelaide. years later I became The Picture Show Man showing Movies all around country South Australia.
I used to visit the Jacey as a kid 1954 to 1959 ish on a Saturday morning pending my pocket money there wonderful memories.
The Classic company did not carry on with the continental programmes . They tried 2nd run. When Cannon bought out ABC. They then got the Futurist.. ABC New Street and Bristol Road. They then sold the lease to “Theatre One Coventry… They then sold lease to Elephant Films..
photo taken around 2005 of the derelict facade
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/63364702/
and photo of the rear showing the TATLER painted sign
View link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLsqhNnMMO4
Take a look at this, to see the technology in place during 2000. A film by Fred J.Fullerton, which will be of interest to ‘techies’ everywhere.
Two interior shots of the lower (main) screen at the Electric, taken in October 2009:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4031615014/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4031614858/
Rumour has it that the basement of the cinema was used as a makeshift morgue during the war. The word “Hospital” is still there painted it large red letters and very very faded.
Here are a couple of photos of the bizarre (but eyecatching) facade of the Electric Cinema as it looked in the 1990’s:
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A nice exterior photograph of the recently restored Electric Cinema taken in October 2005:
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The address of the Electric Cinema is 47 Station Street. It opened on 27th December 1909, the architect was well known theatre architect Bertie Crewe. It was a conversion of premises that had been used as a hansom cab depot and at the time it was described as ‘attractive and cosy’. Red plush tip-up seats were provided for 376 patrons on a single sloping floor.
When Jacey Cinemas took control in 1936 they re-built the Station Street facade. The architect was Cecil E.M. Fillmore and the scheme included the installation of a balcony and the re-positioning of the projection box into the balcony level. It re-opened on 20th March 1937 as the Tatler News Theatre and had a seating capacity of 399. The style had been changed from Edwardian to Art Deco.
It was in 1980 when Classic Cinemas were operating the building that they gutted and split the auditorium, creating a twin cinema seating 242 and 105. Nothing remains inside of any of the decorative features of the building.
does anything of the original interior survive? when i last went in the early 90’s the interior seemed very modern and bland. Even if the building dates from 1909, if its a modern interior you cant really compare it to visiting such well preserved Edwardian time capsules as the Duke of Yorks in Brighton, Electric or Gate in Notting Hill or Electric in Harwich.
NB.on the rear of the building you can still faintly see the painted TATLER name