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The above photo shows the ABC Regal in the late 1950s. The other photo was taken in the foyer of The Regal, and shows my Mother-in-law Joyce Arnold with one of the doormen/ushers. The Regal, opened in 1937, was quite a "grand" cinema, with a large foyer, mezzanine balcony & a huge auditorium which probably seated over 1000 patrons. It closed in 1961 and was converted into a two level ten-pin bowling alley. @4 lanes I think!! Later it became a Bingo Hall and a Cash And Carry Warehouse. Its latest incarnation is as an Indian Restaurant!
I will eventually be posting pictures of the four other Levenshulme cinemas, namely, The Grand, Palace, Arcadia & Kingsway. Also some history regarding these cinemas. Does anyone out there have any photos taken in or outside these picture houses, or any old programmes, lobby cards, memories etc. Remember the ABC Minors Saturday matinees? Dorothy Bromiley See Below " A Letter From Dorothy Bromiley Does anyone remember Dorothy Bromiley? She lived on Delamere Road, went to Chapel Street School in the 1940's.Had some success on Stage & Screen. Was married to film director Joseph Losey for a time. What happened to her & is she still living?
Above photograph shows Dorothy Bromiley in the late 1950's.
Dorothy Bromileys Autograph & early photograph.
The above still is from the film" It's Great To Be Young", made in 1956. Dorothy Bromiley starred in this film and is seen on the left side of this photograph. ( photo via Bert Baker)
Dorothy Bromiley sings "You Are My First Love" From "It's Great To Be Young" (1956) Her voice was dubbed by the singer Edna Savage. ( Via Britmusical website)
The Girls Of Pleasure Island ( 1953)
Two staged publicity shots from " The Girls Of Pleasure Island ( 1953). The girl at the end in the first photo is Dorothy Bromiley. Bert Baker states that from the money earned on this film, Dorothy bought a Buick automobile! The film was made in Hollywood, probably Dorothy's only US made movie. The pictures were found on the Gene Barry Fan Site. Gene Barry was in this film, and appears in both of the above pictures.
All the above posters & stills are from the US release of the film " The Girls Of Pleasure Island ", and feature Dorothy Bromiley. ( Courtesy of The Gene Barry Fan Pages) I have also obtained a rare video copy of " The Girls Of Pleasure Island". Although the film is very dated, Dorothys talent is very obvious as Gloria the youngest daughter of the three girls. She plays a sixteen year old very well considering she was 22 years old at the time!! Its Great To Be Young (1956)
Film Poster from " Its Great To Be Young". Dorothy Bromileys name appears at the bottom of the poster. Note the box showing Ruby Murray as singing the hit song from the film " You Are My First Love" which got to No 1 in the Hit Parade of 1956. A correspondent believes that Dorothys singing voice was dubbed by a singer called Edna Savage, who also had a No 1 hit in 1956 with " Arrivederci Darling". Small Hotel ( 1957)
Posters from " Small Hotel" (1957). Dorothy appeared in this obscure British comedy, along with a young Janet Munro. Janet Munro is featured on the first poster. The second poster is probably a US release item. ( Courtesy Liam Byrne Janet Munro Web Site) Film Biography of Dorothy Bromiley Date of Birth 18 September 1930 Girls of Pleasure Island (1953) USA It's Great To Be Young (1956)UK A Touch Of The Sun (1956) UK Small Hotel (1957)UK The Criminal (1960) UK Joseph Losey The Servant (1963) UK Joseph Losey Zoo Baby (1964) UK Dorothy Bromiley also appeared on TV, in such series as "Robin Hood" in the 1950s & as late as 1979 in " A Family Affair". Bert Baker, who supplied the film still was aquainted with Dorothy in the early 1950s, and remembers her going to Hollywood.. Dorothy went to Levenshulme High School, which is where her acting talent was first noted. New!! A Letter From Dorothy Bromiley November 2004 A recent visitor to the site contacted me seeking more information on Dorothy Bromiley. He had been a fan of her films during the fifties! After some research he came back to me with a lead on her possible whereabouts. The lead indicated that she was the author of a book on the history of antique needlework. I e-mailed her publisher who replied saying that she would probably be delighted to hear from me. I wrote a letter asking for some details on her acting career, and was thrilled to receive a reply from her in November. I am printing the contents of the letter as follows:- "Since you ask, I was born on 18 September 1930 at the Manchester Royal Infirmary. The only child of Frank Bromiley and Ada Winifred, nee Thornton. I began at Chapel Street Elementary school in 1934, leaving in 1941 on a scholarship to attend Levenshulme High. I became Joint Deputy Head Girl in my final year and gained Higher School Certificate in 1949. With a stage career in mind I went straight on to the Central School of Speech and Drama in the Royal Albert Hall, London; graduating with a Diploma in Dramatic Art. I left early, in March 1952 having auditioned with 900 girls and screen -tested with nine, and was taken to Hollywood on a seven-year contract with Paramount Studios, to feature with two other English actresses, in " the Girls of Pleasure Island", starring Leo Genn And Elsa Lanchester. I returned to England in May 1954 and went immediately to work as an Assistant Stage Manager at The Central Library Theatre, Manchester ( much to the disgust of my agents MCA. Ltd) From there , after about two months, I was called to London to audition for E.P. Clift Management in a play entitled " The Wooden Dish", by Edmund Morris, starring Wilfred Lawson and Joan Miller. ( SEE BELOW*) Directed by the American exile Joseph Losey whom I subsequently married on 16 June 1956. Joe was blacklisted. Our son Joshua was born in 1957. He is married to Karen Dobson, living in Bristol. They have two daughters Natalie and Naiomi. I am still close to Joe's elder son Gavrik who lives in Somerset, with his second family. Joe and I were divorced in 1963. Since then I have lived with the Dublin-born writer Brian Phelan. I changed my name by Deed Poll in 1966. Brian And I have a daughter Kate, who was born in 1967. Kate is married to a Frenchman, Nicolas Grosjean, and they have two sons, Thomas, my eldest grandchild and Hugo. They all live in France. I remained an actress until 1972, appearing in several films: including " It's Great To Be Young" (1957) starring John Mills and Jeremy Spenser, directed by Cyril Frankel. I sang " You Are My First Love" dubbed by Rose Wax.* I also featured in " A Touch Of The Sun" starring Frankie Howard ( in !956) and "The Servant" adapted by Harold Pinter, and directed by Joseph Losey. I made the cover of Life Magazine (SEE BELOW*) and Picture Post in company with Audrey Dalton and Joan Elan; and was interviewed, among many others, on " In Town Tonight". My first TV role was in a play directed by Peter Brook, starring Paul Schofield and Leo Mckern in 1960, and for the life of me I cannot recall its title. It was about a plane crash or hijack. My last role was as the wife in " Fathers and Families" for BBC TV, starring Dinsdale Landen, directed by Christopher Morahan. Many other parts in both plays and series intervened. I began teaching at the London Academy of Dramatic Art in 1966 and was there until practically the entire teaching staff resigned in 1972, to create a co-operative called " The Common Stock Theatre Company", to mount relevant theatre. We improvised plays on themes suggested by London teenagers in Youth Clubs And State schools; subsequently playing to audiences not in the habit of going to the Theatre. I administrated that company and left to spend one year in Dorset in 1976, to recover from frequent battles with the Arts Council of GB over funding. Brian and I still live here. I began a specialist needlework shop with Elizabeth Bradley in early 1982 (until 1995 or 6) called " The Sherbourne Tapestry Centre" and during the course of running that found my second calling which is a profound and happy interest in antique needlework, specializing in the 16th and 17th century amateur domestic work. I have written books and articles on the subject, and curated two major exhibitions, " The Needles Excellency" for the Holburne Museum, Bath 2001 and " The Point of the Needle" in 2003/4 for the Dorset County Museum, Dorchester, which was the most successful exhibition ever mounted by that institution in over a hundred years. I was interviewed by BBC Womans Hour talking about the Dorchester exhibition, and they divided the tape into three programme items over a three-week period. Curently I am researching the artists, engravers, print-makers and print-sellers who contributed to the designs available to the early amateur domestic and professional embroiderers, and those other craftsmen and omen relevant to the needlework trade. My father died in 1975 and my mother, who came to live in Dorset, died at the age of ninety-one in 1991. I was interested in the specificity of your web sit, " Levenshulme". I have always considered myself, and am immensely proud of being a Mancunian. Manchester is where I consider I come from and where my roots are- Levenshulme perhaps is an area a fraction too parochial for me? Indeed I regret that I no longer have a reason to " Go Home". I did go back in the late 1990s to attend a seminar at the University, and was driven up Delamere Road, but part of me regretted it, as I was so appalled at how run-down it all seemed. I have very happy childhood memories of living there on the whole. I hope you find yourself as happy in your exile as I am in mine. Will this do? Use whatever you think fit. Yours sincerely, Dorothy Bromiley Phelan. " I have emailed Dorothy and thanked her for her very interesting and detailed letter. I hope that she may answer some further questions that I posed for her. * Dorothys singing voice was dubbed by the Irish singer Ruby Murray. Was her real name Rose Wax?
Two interesting photos relating to Dorothy Bromileys letter. The First shows cover of Life Magazine, 28th July 1952 featuring the three British actresses from " The Girls of Pleasure Island" Audrey Dalton, Dorothy Bromiley & Joan Elan. The other two actresses remained in the USA and had moderate success in films & TV. The Second photo is the cover of the programme for " The Wooden Dish", in which Dorothy had a part and where she met Joseph Losey. More Life Magazine Photos I have recently obtained a copy of the Life magazine featuring the photo session that Dorothy and the two other actresses/ starlets undertook. Here are the complete set of photos.
Dorothy Bromiley Phelan- Author As Dorothy mentioned in her letter she has also authored several books on needlework and embroidery. The photo below is the cover of " The Point of the Needle".
Arthur Lowe Apparently Arthur Lowe, of 'Dads Army" fame also went to Chapel Street School for a time. Where did he live in Levenshulme?
Arthur Lowe in his most memorable role as Captain Mainwaring, Dads Army BBC 1970's Comedy. I was contacted by Colin Sharples, with some history on Arthur Lowe. Apparently Arthur lived at 112 Hemmons Road, Longsight for four or five years starting around 1916. Arthurs father was a clerk with the LNWR railway, probably at Albert Road/ Levenshulme North station. The family later moved to Hayfield, where Arthur spent most of his youth
Two photos of Hemmons Road taken in the 1960s. I could not see any numbers on the houses, but this appears to be the north end of the road where the higher numbers would be. Arthur Lowe probably lived in one of these houses! Is there a " Blue Plaque" to commemorate this fact? ( Manchester Libraries) Roy Chappell, a local Celebrity Roy Chappell is a well known personality, known for his singing & musical talents. He also used to run a motorcycle business on Barlow Road, and he rode for the motor cycle speedway "Belle Vue Aces". Roy is still performing to this day. He has a great affection for the late Bing Crosby, and met his idol at one time.
Publicity photos of Roy Chappell. Tony Fisher. A Celebrated Musician born in Levenshulme
The above images show Tony Fisher at the start of his career. Tony was discovered at the age of 14, and went "on the road", never living in Levenshulme again!! I recently received an Email from Tony Fisher who was born in Levenshulme in 1936. It transpires that Tony has had a very successful career as a jazz trumpeter and session musician, playing with some of the top vocalists and musicians in the world. I will let Tony tell his story in his own words:- "Very briefly - the details of my life in Levenshulme are as follows - in fact I only spent a short time of my life there as you will see - I left to go on tour with the Levis show around 1950 and as events turned out never returned to live in Levenshulme, although when I got married in 1956 ( my late wife Eileen was from Longsight - Elgar Street) -we took up residence there for a while before moving down to London. Went to St Mary's school in Clare Road until passing my 11 plus exam to go to St Bedes College in Alexandra Park - (I have a few pics of that time that people sent to me when I returned to Manchester fairly recently doing a concert at the Bridgewater Hall as leader of the Bert Kaempfert Orchestra - there was a big article about me in the Manchester Evening News and people that saw it and were at school with me contacted me) - joined the LMS railway brass band at the instigation of my father - we used to rehearse at the old London Road station which became Piccadilly - then was in a small local dance band formed of my sister Doreen on piano - (she still lives down here in the south in Essex) - and her late husband John Booth - (they also owned the paper shop next door to the Grand Cinema on Stockport Road). soon after that in about 1950 I became a "Carroll Levis Discovery" - that name may jog a few memories of the variety days of the theatre - joined at the Manchester Hippodrome on Ardwick Green - toured the country for the next few years then did my National Service in the RAF(1954-56), so really my actual living period in Levenshulme was from 1936 to 1950. All the rest of my career you have obviously seen on my website - and it is still going on I am glad to say! Back to the Levenshulme memories - I used to catch the 35 tram with my dad to our brass band rehearsals at London Road Station..... I also used to catch the local train from Levenshulme South railway station - directly opposite my house of course - to go to St Bedes - when we got married we had the reception in the hall over the Co-op just opposite the top of Station Road....the neighbours I remember are - Wilsons next door ( the end house of Station Road) - the Sharples next door the other side - Faulkners further along and my old pal that I played with most times - Charlie Butterworth - he lived at number 8 I think - he later owned the paper shop on Stockport Road opposite the end of Station Road.....another couple of kids were Maureen and Bobby Noble who actually lived in Gordon Avenue - Maureen was one of the people that contacted me after the concert at the Bridgewater Hall - sadly to tell me that they were put into cre and Bobby passed waay many years ago....another vivid memory is my dad - who was a fire warden during the war - coming to get me out of an air raid shelter at the bottom of our garden to show me a German plane coming down in flames during the Blitz on Manchester in 1941....all very exciting stuff for a kid of 5 years old! I also remember our cat getting hit with a piece of shrapnel and found bleeding from the head just outside our house...The sound of the ack ack guns on Mellons fields ( Mellands Playing Fields) just a short distance away...a favourite playtime for me was going on the "brickie" - just across Broom Lane and finding all kinds of devilment to get up to there..." Note:- It is interesting to hear Tony's memory of the wartime Blitz. Several correspondents have mentioned crashed or crashing aircraft during this period in the Levenshulme area. In fact there are no records of any aircraft being shot down over Manchester during the 1940-41 Blitz!! People have also recalled seeing German airplanes flying low and machine gunning streets and houses. Again no evidence of this!! Most German bombers flew at high altitudes to avoid the Anti-aircraft guns( ack-ack), and the German fighters did not have the range to penetrate the skies over the North West of England. This is for the most part "urban legend", but I feel that there must be a grain of truth in the sightings!! If anyone has any substantial proof of aircraft crashes in Levenshulme, from any period, I would like to hear about it. Pictures from Tony Fishers Scrapbook
Tony Fisher is now leader of the world famous Bert Kaempfert Orchestra. Tony also played and recorded with the original orchestra. The late Bert Kaempfert in dotted shirt, Tony in white polo neck.
1)Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire, Tony in background on trumpet. 2) Tony and Bing Crosby.
Tony Fisher fronting the Eric Delaney Jazz Band. Dig those crazy pink suits, Man!!
All the photos are with the kind permission of Tony Fisher. Visit Tony's
website at:-
www.tonyfisher.net
Hell Is A City, a film with a Levenshulme connection! See The " Hell Is A City File" for much more on this movie!!
April 1960,The World Premiere of "Hell is a City". This film was a gritty "film noir" crime drama set in Manchester.The principal location filming was done in Manchester between September & November 1959. Parts of the film were shot in Levenshulme. A large house on the corner of Milwain Road & Errwood Road was used as a principal location for the character played by Donald Pleasance. The house is called Errwood House, and still exists. I remember watching one evening when they were filming Mr. Pleasance arriving in a taxi. That sequence is in the film! Stanley Baker, Billie Whitelaw & other actors also filmed at this location. The film is now available on DVD in North America. Not sure if it's available in the UK. Seek this film out as it's a piece of Levenshulme history!! (If anyone has any photos taken on location of this film I would love to post them on this site.) See my separate page "The Hell Is A City File" for more on this fascinating movie, and recent photographs of Errwood House. Levenshulme Cinemas. A Brief History The ABC Regal Built 1937. A large Super Cinema., situated in South Levenshulme, on Stockport Road. Closed in 1961, last film shown was "Saturday Night & Sunday Morning" Converted to a Ten Pin bowling alley. Was a bingo hall & much later a cash & carry warehouse. The building still exists & is now an Indian restaurant.
The ABC Regal 1959, a couple of years before it became a Bowling Alley. Note the shop on the corner was a Driving School at this time. ( Photo. Manchester Libraries)
Almost the same aspect as the previous view. December 2007
Some interior photos of the Nawaab Indian Restaurant. The entrance foyer has retained the original look of the Regal cinema in many ways. Also the " Bollywood" theme is a very tasteful nod to the buildings former use as a cinema. The chandelier rose in the ceiling looks like it could be an original feature.
A familiar item at the Regal ticket kiosk was the monthly ABC Film Review, essential reading for the film fan and now a highly collectable item. This issue dates from November 1951.
The Regal Building, February 2004, now reborn as "The Nawaab" Indian Restaurant & Banqueting Rooms. Reputed to be one of the largest Indian Restaurants in the UK. Compare this picture to the one at the top of the page. The Regency Barbers, once on the corner of the cinema building, is now located at 1010 Stockport Road. This was once occupied by the notorious Ten Ten Coffee Bar, haunt of 1960s bikers! The Grand Built 1913.Closed 1957. Situated on Stockport Road, opposite Alma Road. The building still exists, and is a fine example of early cinema architecture. it was converted into St. Marys Roman Catholic Church, and is now an antique furniture store. It should have a preservation order placed on it, as early cinema buildings are now quite rare!
This view of The Grand shows it in use as a furniture showroom. What a pity that the frontage could not have been saved and incorporated into some new development.
Two views of the Grand Cinema Building. 1) The Grand 1970s as an antique store. 2) February 2004 in the course of renovation or demolition? Could someone bring me up to date on what is happening here? The shops to the south side are gone! Do you remember "The Herbalist"?
Well this is the sad end to a very unique Levenshulme cinema!! This is how the site still remains in December 2007. There are still visible signs of The Grands use as a cinema. ( Images via Andrew Barber)
December 2007. Looking like a "bomb site", Tonys barbers still going strong. What is the future plan for this site?
The photo above was taken in 1922, outside No 4 Alma Road, and shows Jack Barber & his sister Edith in their pram. Interestingly, the view in the background shows the Grand Cinema in all its glory. I wonder what film was being shown? Compare to the views above. The Palace,aka The Farmside Built 1911. Closed 1983.Located in Farmside Place. Levenshulmes longest serving cinema. The building still exists & is now a nightclub called "The Palace". It still had gas lighting in the 1960's!!
The Palace building as it now looks in 2004. In the 50s & 60s most of this building was hidden by other properties, which have since been demolished. The building now stands alone!! The building is architecturally unremarkable, but the memories of this place are indelible!! Read on............. A Palace memory by Andrew Barber...."One memory of my own for you. My brother ( four years older) used to take me on foot from 2 Broom Lane to the Palace Cinema (the bug hut) for the Saturday morning B movies that they used to show kids in those days (black & white cowboy films etc.) A lot went on that shouldn't, not least the random throwing of ice creams when the lights went down. Came the day when the Barber family got dressed up and went to the Cinema in an evening, (it might have been "In Search of the Castaways") along with the genteel audience that you might expect. Every thing went well until the lights went down when I , who knew all about going to the cinema, started to whistle and shout like a goodun! Mum went ballistic. I am only thankful that I didn't have an ice cream! " How many of us from that era can relate to similar incidents? Thanks for the memory, Andrew. ( See further down for Saturday Matinees & The ABC Minors)
The above photos appeared in the Manchester Evening News in 2003, and show Farmside Place in !977 & 2003.Note the Levenshulme Market situated in the old bakery premises. The film being shown at The Palace is Walt Disneys "The Aristocats"! ( Photo MEN via Cliff Garatt)
December 2007. Once again a change of name and use for the old " Palace" It is now an Asian restaurant and banqueting hall. This very much symbolizes the ethnic and cultural diversity of Levenshulme in 2007. The Arcadia Built 1912. Closed 1958. A small cinema, originally built as a skating rink. The Arcadia mainly showed "B' films, and was known as a "second -run" cinema. It also sometimes featured foreign language films. Very "avant-garde" for Levenshulme! It eventually became Ian Yates cash & carry warehouse, and had other uses after they moved to Heaton Chapel. The building still exists as a sports centre. Charlie Chaplin took part in a Hockey Match there, while appearing with the Fred Karno troupe at the Kings Theatre in Longsight. Perhaps that is where he got the idea for "The Rink", one of his early Hollywood features!
A really nice comparison, the sign on the roof has disappeared, this could be early 1950s. The colour photo shows the same view in 2000. Note the roof has been altered & the building has all but lost its original character!! ( All above photos via Kathy Richardson ).
The building that was once The Arcadia, as it looks in March 2004. Now a Sports Centre, it has had some recent landscaping & upgrading. I remember the building being painted a white or cream colour in the 1950s! The above black & white photos confirm that fact.( Photo Andrew Barber)
Yet another makeover for the old " Arcadia" building. The colour somewhat retuning to its 1950s look! December 2007.
A couple of interesting notices referring to the Arcadia. First is a notice of liquidation for the Skating Rink in 1914, second is the sale notice from 1948, including the Arcadia and many other properties in the immediate area. Interesting to read the reference to the Talking Machine!! (via Kathy Richardson, whose grandparents once owned The Arcadia ). Kingsway Picture House/Super Cinema Built 1929.Closed 1957/59? This Grand building stood on the corner of Moseley Road & Kingsway. It was one of the first Super Cinemas & even had a covered verandah for queuing patrons. It may have closed due to a fire in 1957. This was a common occurrence in cinemas. Both the Regal & Palace suffered fires in the 1950's due to careless patrons leaving lighted cigarettes behind. The building ceased to be a cinema in 1959 when its license was cancelled. It was used for a time as a storage facility by ABC Cinemas. The building was demolished in the early 1970's & a new office block was built on the site.
The Kingsway Picture House 1930s. Note verandah at the side. I only remember seeing one film at this cinema. It was "Carousel" .
Another view of the Kingsway Cinema & the Hotel, probably pre-war.
The rows of shops at the Levenshulme end of Kingsway, March 2004. The Kingsway Picture House was situated at the far end of this row, right on the corner of Moseley Road. I used to work for the Prudential Assurance until moving to Canada, and their office was in this row of shops. ( Photo. Carole Daniels ).
A similar view of the shops on Kingsway, prior to 1949.
The Kingsway Hotel. Probably the largest pub in South Manchester. A steak house since the early 70s. It was directly opposite The Kingsway Picture House. March 2004 ( Photo Carole Daniels ).
Late 1940s photograph of a tramcar opposite the Kingsway Hotel, and close to the Kingsway Cinema. Note the hotel is called the "New Kingsway Hotel"! Was there a previous hotel on this site? Notice that the trams run on a central median. This is why there is a central grass median in the middle of Kingsway, as the tram tracks continued from here to Parrs Wood, Didsbury.
Some of the above information comes from a limited edition pamphlet titled "Ninety Years of Cinema in Manchester" Written & Published by Brian Hornsey in 1998. I have No.70 of the 100 copies printed. The Savoy Picture Hall This cinema is known to have existed in Levenshulme between 1913 & 1921. I have never heard of it previously, and have no knowledge as to where it was located. Has anyone ever heard of its existence? I would be interested to hear more on this "lost" Levenshulme cinema, with a photo if possible. It is quite interesting to observe that although cinema-going declined rapidly in the late 1950's, mainly due to increasing TV viewing, the legacy of Levenshulme cinemas still remain. At least three of the original buildings still exist, albeit no longer in use as cinemas. Collecting Film Posters. Brian Carter & Me! During the years 1963-65, my friend Brian Carter & I had a passion for the cinema. We took it one stage further by collecting film posters & memorabilia. At that time poster collecting was almost unheard of, and most people, including my parents, thought that we were crazy! We would spend most Saturday afternoons going around all the major cinemas in Central Manchester asking for "old film posters". After a while the doormen got used to us & they would save the posters. I ended up with about 150 full sized posters, and some stills & smaller posters. Brian probably had more than that! Sadly after I got married my Mum disposed of most of the posters in the dustbin! I did, however, manage to hang on to some of the smaller stuff. The images below are from my collection. If anyone out there knows the whereabouts of Brian Carter, he used to live in the pre-fabs on Broom Lane, I would love to get in touch with him! Strangely, we never got any posters from The Palace Cinema! We did get them from The Burnage Odeon, on Kingsway & from cinemas in Stockport. Our best sources were The Apollo, Ardwick Green & the Cinemas along Oxford Road in Manchester.
Film Poster selection from my personal collection. Saturday Matinees & The ABC Minors. Do you have memories or memorabilia from the ABC Minors Club? Badges, Certificates, Birthday cards, Yo-Yos. Let me know. I would like to feature them here!
A Saturday Matinee in 1955. Cinemas must have been cold in those days, look at the hats, coats and gloves!!
A still from the Childrens Film Foundation film " Raiders of the River" 1956. Note , the boy is a very young Richard O'Sullivan ( Man About The House). Pathe News & Pearl & Dean
Do you remember the British Pathe News? See the links page for a link to a truly fantastic site for newsreel fans! |
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Some
great Then & Now views of the Arcadia much as I remember it in the 1950s.
Just look at the rounded roof & the painted walls. It always looked "kind
of Mexican" to me! Like I would know Mexican architecture as a child! The
above view is probably from the 1940s, and probably pre-dates the lower
view.
