Sunday 8 March 2009

slight break

To anyone passing thru, slight break at the moment.

I've so many things on the go that time is a little short to work on this project.

My work on preparing for the Edinburgh Fringe has started early.

I have this boy scout attitude. Be prepared, although never a scout.

The reasearch behind this blog did take a couple of years to put together. Maybe it should be something that I let people savour.

So just in case the delay keeps me away for the next few months. There's always my fringe blogs to keep you occupied.

Thursday 5 February 2009

Normal Service will be resumed as soon as possible

Due to the nature of blogging I've lost the structue I need to follow. This should be rectified as soon as possible.

And to anyone coming back to check on my progress. The late forties and fifties are not missing. I just thought I'd do a little Quantum Leaping. I'll get back to them later.

1988 has been added, again out of sequence. Additional notes to cope with the three screen listing, although the basic message is if the film is listed as "No.1 thats screen number and film that showed until changed.
no number listed is one day/ evening special normally marked as such.

My notes from my original manuscript don't cover any time it was used by the Fringe, as a POD venue and C- electric. With my Fringe blogs taking up a little part of my life looks like I'll have more to add.

Introductions and Other Stuff

In putting together this history of the Odeon, I have seen how the cinema scene has changed over the last thirty years. In 1962 (the year I was born) there were around thirty cinemas in Edinburgh.

Now in the nineties (when I wrote all my notes: BC- before computers.) the number of cinemas is six. The Cameo, The Dominion, The MGM Cannon, The Filmhouse, The UCI and the Odeon.

The Cameo had not survived the last thirty years; for a period of time it was closed. Now it has re-opened as an art house cinema. Showing the more high-brow or cult films of the day.

The Dominion cinema the only independent, family run cinema in Edinburgh. It is managed by the Cameron family, as it has been for many years. The cinemas philosophy in the sixties was only to show films that the then manageress would watch herself.

The MGM Cannon for most of it's life had been know as the ABC. It became the first multi-screen cinema in Edinburgh. A few years later the Dominion followed suit installing a second screen.

The Filmhouse, a purely art-house cinema. Showing films from the Worlds film producing countries.

The UCI multiplex, a true purpose built. Twelve screens in one massive complex. The idea of course had come from America around the mid eighties, but it wasn't until the late eighties or early nineties that that type of cinema arrived in Edinburgh.

The Odeon itself has changed over the last thirty years. In the sixties; my first experience of it, and most of the seventies it was a one screen cinema. It then moved on to three screens, and finally as it is now a five screen cinema.

The Odeon is (was) situated on the Southside of Edinburgh, on Clerk Street. It is a rather impressive building with building with white marble front and Greco-Roman pillars, a throwback to the era in which it was built. When all things ornate were appreciated. Inside the auditorium statues adorn the walls, and the roof was decorated with hundreds of lights to represent the stars in the sky.

As I started this history of the Odeon I had little knowledge that it would overtake my life so. My association with the cinema started around June of 1965. My mother had taken a job working in the booking office. It was the first to be opened in a cinema in Edinburgh. At that time The Sound of Music was showing. From that early age the only scene I can remember is that of the goat puppets. Not much to remember from a film that played for 85 weeks. But when it was the the only thing showing I did get a little bored. I was told by my mother that I wasn't allowed to go outside and speak to people waiting in the que, and tell them the end.

After The Sound of Music, things did get better. Films didn't run for quite as long, and there were films that were perhaps a little more entertaining for an enquiring mind. Films like Khartoum, Torbruk and The Charge of The Light Brigade. They may not have been the greatest films ever made; but with a short run you didn't get bored watching them over and over again.

It was late 1971 that my mother left the Odeon, so my time with the Odeon stopped. I recall that she had managed to secure a couple of tickets for the Gala premier of the new James Bond film Diamonds are Forever. It was a special evening with a whole host of stars at the occasion. Sean Connery, Rodger Moore and Jackie Stewart to name but a few.

After that point in time my visits to the Odeon became a little less frequent, televised films were where I saw films. A little less of the magic of the big screen, but it kept me occupied.

(Due to slight errors in Putting this Blog together posts for the moment may become a little out of order, this I hope will be sorted soon) Just like watching a film and it splits and it has to be re-spliced.
"only ever seen this happen on one occasion, but not in the Odeon, although it probably did somewhere in it's history."

Introduction 2


Writing this from my notes I've got in a very large ring binder. I realise I have a lot of work to do, but also being that it was produced by a man( me) on a typewriter and being dyslexic there may be a few errors and omissions, but also a few disjointed bits of writing. That's were this next section fits in. It's title in my notes Introduction 2. "It's not a sequel."

The reason behind this second introduction is more in a way to let any reader understand the way this "my first draft" was put together. As mentioned in the notes and pages to follow. This history came about purely from me wanting to list the films I had seen in my time in the Odeon. Then I decided to add a few years starting from 1962, the year I was born.

Then in amongst all the general work I was doing I started adding general information on films, actors and actresses. Again this was a way of breaking up the project, but at times it may make it seem a little disjointed.

It's a little as if I'm a time traveller like "Billy Pilgrim," unstuck in time and jumping back and forward through out his life time. For those of you unfamiliar with Billy Pilgrim; he's the central character in the Kurt Vonnegut novel "Slaughterhouse Five."

So hopefully everything will make sense in the end.

My Top Ten Films, Just for the record

My Top Ten Films.

A Canterbury Tale
A Matter of Life and Death
The Perfect Woman
Starman
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Field of Dreams
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid
Blade Runner
The Seven Samurai
Breakfast at Tiffanys

This list was correct as of January 1994. And is pretty much unchanged.

Maybe additions like The Thirty Nine Steps, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, The Princes Bride,

Before The Odeon (New Victoria) Cinema in Edinburgh pre 1930

The first picture show in Edinburgh was also the first in Scotland. It was at the Empire Palace Theatre, on Nicolson Street; that was in April of 1896. The "act" as it was hailed was the latest novelty and scientific miracle of the age. There was a full program of films shown.
The full program was as follows.

Dinner Hour at The Factory
Children Playing
A Landing Stage
Arrival of The Paris Express
A Practical Joke on The Gardner
Trewey's Hat
Champs Elysee, Paris
The Fall of The Wall
Bathing in The Mediterranean

So popular was the program that it was retained for another week.

On July 27Th the same year the Lumiere Cinematograph returned for another six nights and a Saturday matinee. At that time it was still just an act, a part of a variety show; but it had shown that it could entertain audiences. It was not until 1899 that a change took place and the Lumiere Cinematograph Show was independent of the music hall variety acts of the day and halls were being booked to take on this new wonder.

In 1906 the Operetta House in Chambers Street was presenting regular Cinematograph performances. Pringles Palace was the first purpose built cinemas around that time.

After that point in time cinemas were springing up everywhere in Edinburgh. The silent era of films lasted until around 1928. If sound was to take on cinemas would have to adapt. The Jazz Singer had been the first film with sound. The first "talkie" screened in Edinburgh was Al Jolson's The Singing Fool; it was June of 1929. The film ran for five weeks at five shows a day. Every show a full house.

In these earliest days the new cinema going public were asked their opinion of the "new" talkies. Their view was that they liked the British films more than the American made films. "As the Americans had that unpleasant nasal accent."

Which only goes to show how times and attitudes have changed.

Sean Connery The Odeon's Twin

Born in Edinburgh on the 25th of August 1930; yes it's the same day the Odeon/ New Victoria opened.
Raised in Edinburgh , he of course like many of Edinburgh 's population at that time spent some of that time in some of Edinburgh 's many cinemas. His home in those early years was Fountainbridge; there were around eleven cinemas all within a mile.

His first jobs were that of milkman; delivering in and around the streets of Gorgie and Dalry. Then undertakers assistant.

His first role as actor was in a stage production of South Pacific. In around 1956/57 he was back in Edinburgh for a stage production of The Mermaid, which was on at The King's Theatre.

He'd got bit parts in film from around 1954, although it wasn't until 1958 that he got a "starring" role in Walt Disney's Darby O'Gill and the Little People. Of course four years later he would land the role that would make him the household name he is today; that of James Bond in Dr No.

In my early years in the cinema Bond films were always the most anticipated films I had to see in my time in the Odeon.

He's now moved well away from his early James Bond days. Playing such diverse roles as scientist through to Irish policeman. Starring alongside the cinemas new action stars like Harrison Ford, Kevin Costner and Wesley Snipes.

In 1991 he was given the freedom of the city.

(He's now a supporter of the SNP and his support always seems to make the news; but perhaps (not wanting to take any political side, it's because he's lucky enough to live in Spain )

Technical Information










Today's cinema projection system are very hi tec in comparison to the early days in the industry.

Todays films are spliced together and run from a reel which is layed horizontal to the projector. This one reel is the entire film. No projectionist needed. More on that later.

In comparison to the system from before where reels needed to be changed every 15 minutes.

When the New Vic opened in 1930 it had 3 projectors. There where the two main units and a third constantly on standby in case of breakdown.

The projectionists job was to check, load and keep the film in focus. Changing of the reels meant watching the film, watching for the circular flash that appears in the top right hand corner. This flash was the signal to start projector number two. Then on seeing the second flash, projector two took on the role of main projector. Projector one was then turned off. The next reel would then be readied on projector one and the process repeated in around 15 minutes.

The New Vic received it's films on a Monday before screening. This gave the projection staff time to go through the films, check and clean them. If a film had been anyway damaged in transit there was a risk in those early days of a film sticking and catching fire. Being that original film stock was nitrate based this was a projectionists worse nightmare. Once cleaned and checked the film was stored in a fire proof cabinet. Each individual reel had its own cabinet; such was the fire risk. After the screening the film was transfered to the rewinding room, where you've quessed it film was readied for the next screening or it's transfer back to the distributers.

The projection room also had control of all other facilities. Such as lifting the curtain. Adjusting screen size. Controling lights and sound and music.


I've never seen a mis-load in the cinema; but I have seen it happen late night on BBC2. They were showing a Marx Brothers film and about half way through a reel was re loaded and that meant the whole film ran for about an extra half hour until they sorted it out. As for the exact story you'd have to ask the BBC.

In 1982 the Odeon was converted in to a triple. The original art deco style was not changed. Minor alterations were made. A new projector system was installed in cinema one, as described above. This flat bed system allowed the three screens to be run with only two projection staff. "Which was quite lavish." I've been to new multi plex cinemas where one projectionist runs all twelve screens. But that also means that you find that the film starts out of focus and you need to get a member of staff to sort it. The same can happen during the film as changes in the films emulsion can change it's focal characteristics.


Cinema one was the circle and the orginal screen was used. Screen two and three were in the section that was orginally the stalls. The projection offices being built into the orginal box seat sections. The cost of the screens and projection systems for two and three were around £14,000. Both systems were ItalianCinemaccincia, 35mm projectors with full auto rewind. Odeon 2's seating capacity was 293. Odeon 3's was 201.


Cinema 4 and 5 were added in 1989. These two cinema units being built in the back screen space that had held all the traditional rigging you would expect to find in a traditional theatre. As well as dressing rooms, storage rooms etc.

August the 25th 1930


The ODEON, Clerk Street Edinburgh opened it's doors on the 25th of August 1930.
One of Edinburgh's and cinema's "greats shares his birthday" with the ODEON; Sean Connery.

The ODEON or as it was known then The New Victoria, "the New Vic," was the first purpose built sound picture house in Edinburgh. Other cinemas in Edinburgh were converted from silent to sound.

The first film shown was Rookery Nook.

The Year I was Born

When I started this "history" I started the list from the year and month I was born.
So below are the films showing in Edinburgh January 1962.


The picture houses and pictures showings in January 1962.

Astoria The Parent Trap (U) The Horse with the Flying Tail (U)
Calley Swiss Family Robinson (U) Perri (U)
Cameo Hans Christian Andersen (U) When Comedy Was King (U)
County Ulysses ( ) Not a Hope in Hell ( )
Dominion The Parent Trap (U) The Horse with The Flying Tail (U)
Embassy Wild in The Country (A)
Gaumount In The Doghouse (U) Wings of Change (U)
George Come September (A) The Sergant was a Lady (U)
Hayweights Wild in The Country (A) Thin Ice ( )
La Scala Sitting Bull (U) Liane, The Jungle Godess (U)
ABC, Lothian Rd The Young Ones (U) The Sinister Man (U)
Monseigneur Cartoons and movietone news.
New Victoria Snow White and The Three Clowns (U) The Dancing Masters (U)
Palace Raising The Wind (U) Partners in Crime (U)
Playhouse Pal Joey (U) Privates Progress (U)
Playhouse, Musselburgh Wings of The Hawk (U) Walking My Baby Back Home (U)
Pooles Roxy Old Yeller (U) Cinderella (U)
Pooles Synod Hall The Big Country (A)
Regent The Parent Trap (U) The Horse with The Flying Tail (U)
ABC Ritz The Young Ones (U) The Sinister Man (U)
Salon The Black Shield of Palworth (U) Coroner Creek (U)
Scotia Fancy Pants ( ) Pony Express ( )
State The Parent Trap (U) The Horse with The Flying Tail (U)
Tivoli The Parent Trap (U) The Horse with The Flying Tail (U)
Tudor The Big Show (U) The Silent Call (U)

Picture Houses and what was showing Aug 25th 1930

These are the listings as per the Evening News of August 25th 1930.

The Ritz, Rodney Street.
Harmony Heaven
Match Play
Unkissed Man

Alambra Talkies, Leith Walk.
The Cohens and Kellys in Scotland.

The Playhouse, Leith Street.
Rich People
His First Command.

The Palace, Princes street.
Their Son
The Love Story of Ailette Duncan

Poole's Synod Hall.
Tanned Legs
Don't Get Excited
Gossip

The New, Princes street.
Rookery Nook

St. Andrews Square, Clyde Street.
The Mighty
The Secret Courier

The Capitol, (Leith).
The House of The Arrow

Regent, Abbeymount.
Alf's Button

The Rutland, Torphichen Street.
The Mighty
The Secret Courier

The Caley, Lothian Road.
Hell's Heroes
Shipmates
The Second Kiss

The Salon, Baxter Place.
The Burning Heart
The Broken Melody
Harold Lloyd comedy

The Grand, St. Stephen's Street.
The Last of Mr Cheyney
The Girl in The Show.

Tivoli Talkies, Gorgie Road.
Wedding Ring
The Crash
Hunting The Hunters
Wall Street.

Lyric, Nicolson Street.
Mother
Warned Off.

The King's Super Talkies,
(opposite The Kings's Theatre)
Woman Trap

West End Theatre, Shandwick Place.
Flight.

Palladium.
Mother's Boy
Life's a Stage.

Central Kinema.
The Single Standard
Tropical Nights
The Train of Destiny

Sailsbury Picture House, South Clerk Street.
The Thirteenth Chair

La Scala, Nicolson Street.
The Man I Love
The Man Who Changed His Name
Charming Sinners.

The Astoria, Manse Road, Corstorphine.
So This is College
My Lady Past

Dean Picture House, Stockbridge.
The Floating College
Wild Orchid's

The Blue Halls, Lauriston Place.
Wall Street
Kid Berg vs. Kid Chocolate.

The Lyceum Cinema, Shandon.
Harmony Heaven
Warning
Climbing The Golden Stairs

New Palace Picture Picture House, High Street.
Courtin Wildcats.

Princes Cinema, 131 Princes Street.
Thunderbolt
The Bridge of San Luis Rey.

New Coliseum
The Saturday Night Kid
Come and Get It
Mirth and Melody

Picture Dome, Easter Road.
The Moon to Israel
Born To The Saddle

New Victoria.
Rookery Nook.

Longest running film in the Odeon

The Sound of Music.

Length of time in the ODEON 85 weeks.

(Beaten in Edinburgh by Gregory's Girl which ran in the Dominion cinema for 106 weeks.)

South Pacific had been the longest running film in Edinburgh up until "The Sound of Music" was screened. It was also the film that started taking advance bookings, due to the numbers queing to get in every day.

Premiers and Promotions

In it's history the New Victoria / Odeon has screened a few film premiers in Scotland. In it's time the cinema was instrimental in helping to raise a considerable amout of money for various charities in and around Edinburgh and Scotland.

The New Victoria's first film premier took place on the 5th of January 1936. The film was The Passing of The Third Floor Back; starring Conrad Veight. All the money raised on the night went to the Edinburgh News papers press fund.

One week later on January 12TH there was a special concert held in the New Victoria in aid of the National Union of Journalists. The concert was quite an event, not only with the scale of the presentation; but in the performers that it brought together. Showing that the New Vic was not only a movie theatre, but a theatre in it's own right. There were actors and actresses, musicians from across Scotland there on the night. the cast from Puss in Boots showing at the Theatre Royal in Edinburgh were there. Lindy June, Florence Hunter, Jack Anthony, Cliff Harley, Jimmy McKinlay and Lucy Loupe. All adding their vocal support to the event. As well as their conductor Dave Willis.
Joan Cole from the Alambra in Glasgow, Bert Denver from the Metropole, Glasgow. Albert Burdon, Griffth Moss and Teddy Joyce and his band from the Theatre Royal, Glasgow. It was a masterly piece of organisation. In charge of the evening was Joe Petersen of Edinburgh's Theatre Royal Orchestra.

In March the same year another fund raising concert was held; although not to the same scale, this concert raised money on behalf of St. Raphaels Hospital.

December 1936 the film Everybody Dance was screened to raise money on behalf of widows and children of the Edinburgh Fire Service.

There was a few years gap before the next premier was screened which was the film Show Boat, starring Irene Dunne, Allan Jones and Paul Robeson. This was March 1939.

With the threat of war looming ever closer cinemas and theatres were used as points where goods could be collected in case the need of items arose. Slogans such as "Knit For The Navy" appeared in cinema adverts. Allowing items of clothing to be left at the cinema and passed on to the relevant people.

The Mikado which should have started it's run on the 1st of September 1939 should have been a premier.

Four years passed before the next film premier and charity screening took place. The film shown on that occasion was Powell and Pressberger's A Canterbury Tale. Starring the likes of Sheila Sim, Dennis Price, Eric Portman and John Sweet. And an early appearance of Charles Hawtrey of Carry on fame.

Another Powell and Pressberger film A Matter of Life and Death was the next film to be premiered in the New Victoria. Starring David Niven and Kim Hunter.

The Brothers premiered in the New Vic, with it's stars Patricia Roc, Will Fyfe and Findlay Currie all attending the event. Spending time on stage before the performance.

Other stars made special appearances at special showings, such as Robert Helpman; The Red Shoes, Rona Anderson and Derrick de Marney; Sleeping Car to Trieste. Jimmy Logan; Canon City.

In dealing with the charity side of things I should mention that in 1948 the Gaumount-Odeon/ Evening News-Dispatch Appeal was started. The idea was the brainchild of Mr Leishman, who at that time was deputy editor of the Evening News. Money came into the appeal not only through film premiers and special showings, but also in the form of gifts that could then be distributed around both the young and old of Edinburgh and the Lothian's. In these early days of names such as Haley Mills and Jack Warner helped distribute gifts around hospitals on behalf of the appeal.

The Odeon/ Evening New appeal also gave me my first taste (and last time in front of the camera) between 1965 and 1970 I was the chosen face being presented with presents from the Lord Provost Sir Duncan Weatherstone.

Other names arriving for Premiers were such as Russel Hunter, Andy Cameron and Lewis Collins.

During the run of Thoroughly Modern Millie, Carol Channing just turned up one day; she just happened to be in Edinburgh at the time, she introduced herself to the staff, then went on to make an unannounced appearance on stage.

Premiers were one way to help get an audience through the door, but another was that of the use of promotion.

Film trailers let people know what's coming, as do the use of stills and posters. Anything the distributors think will help sell the movie. Then there were the press previews. Normally about a week ahead of the detailed release. Thing with press previews of course is that you need a good reviewer.

A bit of promotion for the release of the film Cleopatra from January 1964 had one member of staff; Dorothy Kent photographed in a bath of thirty gallons of milk.

With the release of The Love Bug in July 1968, a Volkswagen Beetle in full livery was positioned in the foyer.

March 1979 with the release of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, an alpine rally "scalectric style was constructed. With the chance to win a holiday to the Alps if you were or could beat the lap record. Secondary prizes were the likes of film soundtracks and posters, etc. The bad news for anyone trying their hand was I spent most of my days playing and so it was my time that was used to decide the eventual winner.

One of the Odeon's most memorable promotions was for the showing of The Battle of Britain, where they had a full size Spitfire in the foyer.

Going back a bit there was one slightly different bit of promotion for the Disney film Savage Sam, where the manager ran dog's matinees Dogs and their owners got special rates to get in and the usherettes sold dog biscuits along with the ice cream and orange.

What was on in my time at the Odeon

Odeon/ Evening News Appeal photographs used with permission of Edinburgh Evening News.

This project came about through the boredom of being unemployed. It was the result of a great many days spent in front of a microphesh projector in the National Library.

It's unfinished because I got a job and never really found the time to get it started again. Also with the Odeon closing I felt a little sad that this great Edinburgh cinema had missed it's opertunity to acheive it's 75TH anniversary.

The films that I saw in my time in the Odeon.

The Sound of Music
Khartoum
The Bible
Casino Royale
Hombre
Torbruk
The Gnome Mobile
The Million Dollar Collar
In Like Flint
The Sand Pebbles
South Pacific
Oklahoma
The War Wagon
Billion Dollar Brain
The Fall of The Roman Empire
Doctor Dolittle
Blackbeard's Ghost
Old Yeller
Planet of The Apes
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Thunderbird Six
Goldfinger
Thunderball
The Charge of the Light Brigade
Bandelero
Star
A Twist of Sand
Inspector Clouseau
Oliver
You Only Live Twice
Dr No
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Sweet Charity
Funny Girl
Carry on Camping
The Love Bug
The Jungle Book
West Side Story
The Battle of Britain
The King and I
Spartacus
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea
Winnie The Pooh and The Blustery Day
Hello Dolly
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
A Hard Day's Night
Help
The Last Grenade
The War Lord
Charade
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid
Tell Them Willie Boy is Here
The Molly Maguires
Anne of a Thousand Days
Airport
Cromwell
Wind in The Willows
Hannibal Brooks
Waterloo
Dad's Army
Tora! Tora! Tora!
The Last Valley
Scroodge

The full project that this blog may one day fulfill is that I have every listing of every film, every event, and band that played during the Odeons history until 1992. Provide me with a date somewhere between August 1930 and 1992 and I should be able to tell what was showing that week or day.
In all my time in the Odeon I was able to see films in the U, A, and AA catagory. X certificate were out of bounds.

In the time I started putting this history together I started speaking to Mr Weir, the manager. He told me that he only held records going back about 5 years. So putting these jumbled notes together in whatever shape or form they come in I do apologise.

Even sitting here I've noticed one or two bits of text that crop up once or twice. Sometimes because I'm illustrating different stories or changes in attitude.

So again sorry if this causes anyone a little confusion. I's certainly causing me problems here too. And I wrote the notes.

Of Mice and Men


In my time in the Odeon I made many friends. All the staff knew me, as I was allowed an almost free run in the cinema. I could spend my days with the projectionist, the usherettes and the doormen. With the usherettes I'd help them take their customers to their seats, I'd take their tickets. I'd even go down and tell customer to move because they were in the wrong seats.

The doormen were the odd job men of the Odeon. They spent their time changing the posters, lobby stills and lettering that promoted the film at the Odeon's main entrance for the current or future presentation. Another job they had was that of laying traps for the mice and cockroaches. The buildings to the rear of the Odeon were derelict in some cases and these visitors were drawn to the warmth of a large spacious cinema.

One story I loved from that time was a customer had just purchased his ice cream and orange drink from an usherette and was watching the film; then there was an almighty scream, just as he was about to pierce the top of his carton he was confronted by a cockroach staring back at him.

On a slightly different note, it's one of these urban myths; but I remember being told the story by one of the door staff back then.
"He told us that he'd been driving into town, and had unfortunately run over a cat. Not wanting to just leave it there by the side of the road he put it in a carrier bag. Going shopping with his wife he this time didn't want to leave the dead cat in the car so they took it with them. In looking at things his wife had put the bags down, turned around and the bags had gone. A few moments later there was a scream from the changing room and a known shoplifter of the day had collapsed along with all her lifted bags including the dead cat.

I spent time with the projectionists to there was always something interesting happening. New films being checked before screening or being sent on to the next cinema or back to the distributors. One of these guy's was a lover of horse racing, and when I started visiting him in the projection booth it gave him the opportunity to get down to the local bookies, by the back fire escape and back to put a few bets on. Very reminiscent of a scene from Cinema Parisdiso.
Having a free run of the Odeon meant that I could watch films from anywhere. When Saturday morning matinees were on I'd generally watch them from the boxes or the circle. If I watched from the circle I'd also return any litter to its owner in the stalls.

There was only one restriction on what I could do or watch and that was when there was an (X) certificate film showing. Then I was restricted to the foyer or the manager's office or the booking office with my mother. The only time I remember being disappointed about this was when The Graduate was showing, as I really liked the soundtrack from the film.

With the problem with mice the Odeon had a cat. Who had free run of the cinema too. On one memorable occasion the cat was in the main auditorium and had spotted a moth flying around next to the screen. The cat was jumping around chasing the moth. I was drafted in to catch the cat. So in the middle of whatever film was showing; there you had a cat chasing a moth, and a small boy chasing a cat. In the end I didn't catch the cat I caught the moth. The cat very disgruntled at this slipped off stage, to a round of applause from the audience.

One other animal related story springs to mind here. And another time I was called in to participate was during a screening of a Children's Film Foundation remake of Greyfriars Bobby. The dog playing the title role was to be presented with a very large bone on stage. I was given the bone on a large silver platter, the bone almost as big as the dog nearly killed it when I dropped it on the dog on stage. The dog was being presented as a gift to an Edinburgh children's home.


Other regular visitors to the Odeon I got to know were the police. They had a call box at St. Patrick's square, but the staff room with all the usherettes was a little more appealing. And if they timed things right and there was a film on they wanted to see they could over the space of a week watch an entire film if they timed their visits right. The usherettes made good use of them at times. There were evening that after nights out they were driven home in the Black Maria.

Wednesday 4 February 2009

Patricia Roc A Face on the Screen

Patricia Roc

My inclusion of Patricia Roc in this history of the Odeon came about purely by chance. About a month or so before I started this project I happened to see on TV the film ; "The Perfect Woman," at that point in time it was the only film of hers I'd seen.

Patricia Roc was born in 1918 in England . Her first film role came in the film The Gaunt Stranger (1938). One year later she'd improved her billing and appeared in The Rebel Son.

She became a more prominent British star of the forties, gaining a place in the Gainsborough Studios, where she along with other more remembered names of the forties became known as the Gainsborough Ladies. Gainsborough Studios later in life were taken over by the Rank Organisation.

In the mid forties Patricia Roc took the chance of going to Hollywood ; but she did make a promise to her British fans that she would return after completing Canyon Passage.

What may have pushed her to the point of leaving for America may have been the casting of films such as Love Story and The Wicked Lady. It seems that Patricia Roc had been "promised" the leading or bad girl roles in these films, but unfortunately these rolls were given to Margret Lockwood, so yet again Patricia only given the lesser parts.

Her travels did not end with America . She sought work in both France and Italy , always looking for that starring role.

In 1946 she made the film The Brothers, and on August the 17th 1947 the film had it's Scottish premier in the New Victoria. She along with Will Fyfe and Findlay Currie made a personal appearance on stage. While on stage Findlay Currie passed comment "that the Scottish Film Society did not do enough to promote Scotland and it's stars."

The Brothers, a stirringly emotional and striking British film of its time still could not compete against the American imports.

It was in 1949 Patricia made the film "The Perfect Woman." The film was screened in the New Victoria in June of the same year. The film also starred Nigel Patrick and Stanley Holloway. The story a simple idea. An inventor creates a robot woman, has a gentleman and his butler train the robot. The inventor's niece changes places with the robot and from then on the farce is played to a tee. In that one screening I saw I felt compelled to add it into my top ten, just through its sheer simplicity.

Patricia Roc carried on working right up until the 1960's, although she like Louise Brooks would never be recognised just the way she should.

Going back to the forties Patricia Roc, like other names from movies of the day became the face advertising different products of the day. These were the days before super models and it was actors and actresses that were the main stay of the faces seen advertising on billboards and in magazines.

One rumoured story of the forties that reared its head in newspapers and magazines of the day was also that American audiences had said that Britain didn't have any glamorous female stars.
We had Vivien Leigh, Ann Todd, Anne Crawford and Patricia Roc to name but a few. One comment was that we had leading Ladies, the Americans had "Dames."

In an article written in 1949 Patricia talked of the role she would most like to play again.
"I should like to go right back to the beginning of my career and play the part in which I really found my feet- namely that of Celia, the factory worker in Millions like Us.
If ever a movie captured the spirit of the moment, it was that simple story of people living and working on the home front in wartime. But if it was possible to turn back the clock, I'd like to think that in the light of subsequent experience I could do Celia greater justice.

The Odeon as Concert Venue

It was in the seventies that the Odeon started its run as a concert venue. A place for a very mixed line up of artists. One of the first being Deep Purple, one of rock's original heavy metal bands. The Corries Scotland's great folk band was one of the next. In fact The Corries came back three years running.

Other groups and artists who were making a name for themselves also played the Odeon, as well as very established artists. Paul McCartney and Wings, The Bay City Rollers.
Even names from across the water played the Odeon. Greats like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Lou Reed on the bill.

Through the mid seventies concerts were a steady income for the Odeon. One feature was the fact that every show was sold out. Almost a record for a cinema as concert venue at the time. In 1978 its true potential was nearly recognised when twenty-nine artists took the chance to performing there. But it was 1979 that the peak was reached when forty six took to the stage in the Odeon. But it was around that time that plans were afoot to convert the cinema in to a triple screen complex. Ending its status as a concert venue. The Playhouse was Edinburgh 's largest cinema took over as the concert venue mantle from the Odeon. The Queens hall further down Clerk Street , also became a place where artists decided to play. The Usher Hall better know as a classical venue soon started to ring out with the sounds of rock and pop.

The Odeon had played its part; Edinburgh had become a recognised tour date on many artists calendar, before that Glasgow always seemed to be the preferred choice for most.

The Concert Listing

1970

March 20th Deep Purple
July 23rd-25th The Corries
August 26th- 29th Corrie Folk
September 2nd-5th
September 9th-12th

Corrie Folk - The Corries with guest artists.
Paco Pena
Cy Grant
The Mcdonald Sisters
Dorito y Pepe
The Johnstones
Tyler Achre
Spencer Davies
Bonnie Dobson
Draught's Poridge


November 28th. Julie Felix, The McCallums
December 27th The Corries

1971
August 13th Syd Lawrence and his Orcestra
August 22nd Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Peter Paul and Mary

December 4th Humphery Lyttelton, Alex Welsh - A Tribute to Louis Armstrong
December 17th Yank Lawson, Bob Haggart and The Worlds Greatest Jazz Band
December 19th The Corries

1972
March 19th David Hughes - A Viennese Evening
May 28th The Corries

November 1st Up Country
November 3rd The Four Tops
November 8th Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton John
November 9th George Hamilton the IVth.

1973

January 7th The Corries
Feburay 17th Freezin Heat
March 3rd Slim Whitman
April 7th Roxy Music
May 23rd Paul McCartney and Wings
May 27th The Corries
August 31st The Corries
September 1st The Corries
September 7th The Corries
October 13th Lindisfarne
November 16th-17th Cliff Richard

1974

April 5th The Incredible String Band
April 12th Mick Ronson
May 15th The Spinners
May 25th Alvin Stardust
May 29th Black Sabbath

June 4th Lou Reed

October 12th Mud
October 15th Uriah Heep
October 31st The Bay City Rollers

November 15th Golden Earring Lynard Skynard
November 21st Sparks

December 10th The Rubettes

1975

April 29th The Bay City Rollers
October 16th-17th Sparks
October 21st An Evening with Bette Davis

November 26th Uriah Heep
December 6th Mud and Bilbo Baggins
December 14th Jim Cruickshanks Gala Night.
compere Stu Francis.
The Mimics, Mike Wade

1976

April 22nd Nazareth
May 14th, 16th Average White Band
May 28th, 29th The Alex Harvey Band
June 23rd Silk
August 8th Country and Western Festival
Ethna Campbell
Carl Gibson
Wayne Nutt

September 25th Be Pop Deluxe

October 24th Patti Smith and The Stranglers

1977

March 11th Val Doonican

September 30th Dr Feelgood
November 25th Peter Straker
December 6th Boomtown Rats

1978

Feb 4th Judas Priest
April 18th The Commodores

May 5th U.K.
May 23rd The Maddy Prior Band
May 28th AC/DC
May 29th George Benson
June 14th Jonathan Richman
June 22nd Boomtown Rats
June 30th UFO
July 14th Jasper Carrott
September 13th Blondie
September 25th Brand X
September 28th The Tom Robinson Band

October 1st Rose Royce
October 7th Dr Feelgood
October 9th Steel Purse and China Street
October 18th Kraftwerk
October 23rd The Buzzcocks
October 27th Whitesnake
October 31st AC/DC

November 1st Sham 69
November 7th Judas Priest
November 16th The Clash
November 20th Lindisfarne
November 21st The Cheiftains
November 26th Devo

1979

January 15th,16th Elvis Costello and The Attractions
January 23rd The Kinks

Feburary 20th Herbie Hancock
Feburary 21st Steve Hillage
March 5th Bad Company
March 6th Graham Parker
March 13th Eddie and the Hot Rods
March19th Elton John
March 24th Bootsy Rubber Band
March 26th David Essex
March 27th Motorhead
March 30th Folksong 79

April 1st The Hollies
April 6th Frankie Miller
April 16th Thin Lizzy
April 23rd Jean Jacques Burnel
April 28th April Rush

May 1st Child
May 2nd John Miles
May 7th Denis Brown
May 12th The Tubes
May 19th Renissance
May 23rd- 26th Status Quo

June 1st The Police
June 3rd Robert Halpern
June 9th The Who
June 19th Third World
June 21st Steve Hackett
June 29th Dave Edmonds "Rock Pile" with Nick Lowe

Jul 29th-30th Ian Dury and the Blockheads

August 29th Rickie Lee Jones

September 15th Louden Wainwright III
September 20th XTC

October 6th Buzzcocks
October 17th Whitesnake
October 23rd Camel

November 1st Steve Hillage
November 17th Hawkwind
November 21st Motorhead
November 22nd John Martyn
November 28th The Kinks
November 29th Talking Heads

December 7th The Dickies and Chelsea
December 10th The Jam
December 11th Leonard Cohen
December 15th Wings
December 21st The Specials

1980
Febuary 5th Robin Trower
Febuary 6th Iggy Pop and The Stooges
Febuary 16th Spyro Gyra

March 1st Peter Gabriel
March 5th Gillan
March 19th Judas Priest

April 4th Jasper Carrott
April 11th Jerry Rafferty
April 23rd Genesis
April 24th Judie Tzuke

May 21st Suzi Quatro
May 22nd- 23rd A.W.B
May 30th The Undertones

June 1st Saxon
June 3rd Joan Armatrading
June 6th Whitesnake
June 13th Steve Hackett
June 30th Magnum

August 6th Ted Nugent

September 15th Ozzy Osbourne
September 16th Secret Affair
September 20th Rick Wakeman
September 22nd Ther Tourists
September 25th Rory Gallagher

October 3rd The Skids
October 17th UFO
October 23rd Ian Gillan
October 24th The Dooleys
October 31st Simple Minds

November 3rd Motorhead
November 4th Tangerine Dream
November 9th John Martyn
November 11th O.M.D
November 14th Dexy's Midnight Runners
November 19th Hot Chocolate
November 22nd Sad Cafe
29th Hazel O'connor

December 5th The Dammed
December 8th Ultravox
December 9th Madness
December 12th Hawkwind
December13th Saxon
December 18th Steeleye Span

1981

January 20th April Wine
January 22nd Slade

Feburary 20th Krokus

March 9th Iron Maiden
March 21st Mike Harding

April 10th Showaddywaddy
April 21st Girlschool
April 29TH Echo and the Bunnymen

May 1st Tigers of Pan Tang
May 13th Barclay James Harvest
May 14th Japan
May 16th The Cure
May 23rd Stiff Little Fingers
May 26th Wishbone Ash
May 29th Toyah

June 6th The Teardrop Explodes
June 7th Trust

July 1st Diamond Head
July6th Duran Duran
July 19th Def Leppard

August 23rd Arthur Negas on Antiques

September 13th Hazel O'connor
September 19th Nazareth
September26th Ultravox
September 27th Sad Cafe

October 9th Gary Giltter
October 10th Hawkwind
October 25th Andy Williams

November 8th Gillan Budgie Nightwing
November 13th The Dammed
November 25th Hot Gossip
November 26th The Cure
November 27th Gary US Bonds
November 29th The Pretenders

December 7th Squeeze
December 8th Slade
December 15th Rose Tattoo
December 16th Nils Lofgren
December 17th Stray Cats, and Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages

As of March 1982, the cinema was converted to a triple picture house. The reduction in size meant as a venue for bands and artists the Odeon was no longer a draw.

Robert Halpern Hypnotist was a regular attraction right up until the ninties.
The Man, another did have a short run in the late eighties.

And the last of the big names to play was Rick Wakeman. He played three concerts in August of 1987, with Kitt and the Widow.

The Thirties

Sound was still in it's infancy in the early thirties. Many of these early films were studio bound, due mostly to the restraints of sound recording equipment, cameras were noisy, microphones were large and cumbersome. The cameras being noisy had to be placed in sound proof boxes, making them even more un-managable. Films set around places such as theatres, houses or hotels were the order of the day. Films that required shooting outdoors, these scenes were almost alway shot silent. The other way around the outdoor location was the rolling backdrop which gave the impression of action taking place outdoors, where all the bulky equipment stayed put.

Cartoons, with the like of Mickey Mouse were quite prolific in these early days. As were the introduction of Newsreel films, and instructive films. A series of films were made by the golfing professional Bobby Jones.

As we move on to the mid thirties advances in technology had made the leap over to colour. The first all colour film to be shown in Edinburgh was Becky Sharpe in November of 1935. Disney's silly symphonies had been in colour, and other films had been colourised, but it was Becky Sharpe the first true tri-colour film.

Names like Alfred Hitchcock were making a name for themselves at around this time too with films like The Thirty Nine Steps and The Lady Vanishes.

The New Victoria, like other cinemas not only showed films, but broadcast radio show too, yet another way to get people in through the door.

In October of 1938, a film that all the critics said would fail made it's debut in the New Victoria, the film a classic of the cinema even today was that of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Disney had proved the critics wrong. From then on people waited eagerly for the next Disney feature length cartoon.

Gaumount- British




By the late thirties the financial state of Gaumount- British was not good. In the early thirties it had been a major force in the entertainment market, but as early as ten years on they were in a decline. There were new companies standing on the sidelines ready, just waiting for the right moment to step in and take over what they had built. Gaumount had made a name for its self as a rival to Pathe, producing news reels and films the world wanted to see.

Gaumount British was owned and controled by the Oster brothers. 20TH Century Fox also had a stake in the company too. Shares had been sold to Fox; to help Gaumount move into the sound era.

For all their ups and downs. Gaumount British survived right up until the forties until they truly became part of the Rank empire. Rank it's said wanted to make films, and if you wanted to make films, you needed somewhere to show them.

The Corries

When the Corries came to the Odeon this gave me a whole new purpose, something else to do. Every day they were on there would be sound checks on the mic's. So I was drafted in and I used to stand on stage telling jokes and riddles to the cleaners. Andrews first stage apperance.
After their run in the Odeon, they presented my mother with a bouquet of flowers for all her work in dealing with ticket requests for all their shows.

Tuesday 3 February 2009

Film listing from August 1930

Aug 25th Rookery Nook

Sep 1st The Virginian
8th High Society Blues
Mirror
15th Mamba
22nd Glorifying The Show Girl
29th Free and Easy

Oct 6th Captain of The Guard
Young Desire
13th The Girl Said No
Desert Nights
18th The Love Parade
27th The Divorcee
Speedway

Nov 3rd Women Everywhere
Men of The Woods
Nov 10th Journey's End
17th The Busybody
The Crooked Billet
24th Movietone Follies of 1930
Mid Stream
Mickey Mouse Cartoon

Dec 1st So This is London
Too Many Crooks
8th Hit The Deck
15th Ladies of Leisure
Personality
22nd Greek Street
The Last Dance
29th Sleeping Partners
Burning Up

1931 Film Listing

January 5th The Sea Wolf
Wings of Song
Mickey Mouse Cartoon

January 12th The Cuckoos

January 19th Whoopee
Mickey Mouse Cartoon

January 26th Courage
The Office Wife

Feburary 2nd Raffles
The Utah Kid

Feburary 9th Mammy
Recaptured Love

Feburary 16th The Gentleman Chauffeur
Riding To Win

Feburary 23rd Lord Richard in The Pantry
Paradise Island

March 2nd Paramount on Parade
High-Low Brow
Duke of Dublin

March 9th With Byrd at The South Pole
A Man From Wyoming

March 16th Love Finds A Way
Worldly Goods

March 23rd Young Woodley
Why Sailors Leave Home
Artic Antics

March 30th Almost a Honeymoon
Shooting Straight

April 6th On Approval
Mickey Mouse Cartoon

April 13th The Big Trail

April 20th The Big Pond

April 27th Oh For a Man
Trails of Danger
Midnight in a Toyshop

May4th The Lottery Bride
Pardon My Gun

May 11th The Devils Holiday
The Midnight Mystery

May 18th The Life of The Party
The Break Up
Mickey Mouse Cartoon

May 25th Let's Go Native
The Wonder of The World

June 1st Young Man of Manhattan
Sheers Luck
The Imperial City

June 8th Caught Cheating
Shadow of The Law
Picturesque Hong Kong

June 15th The Spoilers

June 22nd Plunder
Mickey Mouse- The Gorilla Mystery

June 29th Sin Takes a Holiday
Hell Below Zero

July 6th Criminal Code
Mickey Mouse - Pioneer Days
Island Empire

July 13th Africa Speaks
Shadow Ranch

July 20th Min and Bill
No Lady
Mickey Mouse Cartoon

July 27th Tons of Money
Par and Double Par
* Angel Cake A Review *
Japan in Cherry Blossom Time

August 3rd Dracula
Bad Sister

August 10th Manslaughter
Java

August 17th Hells Angels

August 24th City of Song

August 31st One Heavenly Night

September 7th The Devil To Pay

September 14th Little Caesar
Paradise Valley

September 21st Monte Carlo

September 28th Trader Horn
Mickey Mouse- Traffic Trouble

October 5th Derelict
Third Time Lucky
October 12th The Chance of a Night Time
Down River
Charming Ceylon

October 19th The Royal Family of Broadway
Sea Legs

October 26th Tom Sawyer
A Night in Montmartre

November 2nd Morocco
Mickey Mouse - The Castaway
Mendelssohn, a Musical Short

November 9th Annabelle's Affairs
Ten Nights in The Bar Room

November 16th The Gang Buster
It Pays to Advertise

November 23rd Transatlantic
Bobby Jones - The Putter

November 30th The Ghost Train
Up For Murder
Bobby Jones plays chip shots

December 7th Tarnished Lady
Jungle Moon

December 14th The Front Page
First To Fight
Bobby Jones playing the niblick

December 21st Man of The World
The Conquering Horde

December 28th Black Coffee
Oh, Oh, Cleopatra
Birds of a Feather
Bobby Jones and the mashie niblick

1932

January 4th These Charming People
The Sky Raiders
January 11th Daddy Long Legs
Stout Hearts and Willing Hands
Bobby Jones on medium irons
January 18th The Man in Possession
Two Crowded Hours
January 25th Honour Among lovers
Deadlock
February 1st The Phantom of Paris
The Mystery train
February 8th A Handful of Clouds
Expensive Women
February 15th Mereley Mary Ann
Shotgun Wedding
Bobby Jones on big irons
February 22nd Hindle wakes
Hell Bent For Frisco

February 29th Michael and Mary
Mickey Mouse- Mickey Steps Out
Dickens London
Facing The Gallows
March 7th Mischief
Reckless Living
March 14th The Yellow Passport
The News Hound
March 21st Sunshine Susie

March 28th The Unholy Garden
Mickey Mouse- Blue Rhythm
Monkey Business in Africa
On Dogs in General
April 4th The Blue Danube
Riders of The Purple Sage
Terriers and Terrors
April 11th Murder at Covent Garden
Sally of The Subway
Mickey Mouse- Fishing Around
Bobby Jones - The spoon
Breed for intelligence
April 18th The Champ
Cowslips
Bobby Jones- The brassie
Man's Best Friend
April 25th Top of The Bill
Secret Service
Bobby Jones - the driver
Mighty Warriors
May 2nd The Lullaby
The Sky Spider
Bobby Jones - trouble shots
The Glory of "dog-dom"
May 9th Silence
Her Dilemma
Bobby Jones- practice shots
May 16th Frankenstein
What Price Pants
Smart Set Up
Bobby Jones- a complete round of golf
May 23rd Around The World in 80 Minutes
The Deceiver
May 30th Daughters of The Dragon
Tabu
June 6th Business and Pleasure
Love Redeemed
Mickey Mouse- Barnyard Broadcast
June 13th Once a Lady
The Hours Between
June 20th The Passionate Plumber
Cheater's at Play
June 27th Rich Man's Folly
Taxi Troubles
Mickey Mouse- The Beach Party
July 4th The Frightened Lady
The Battle of Life
July 11th Determination
Forgotten Women
Impromptu
July 18th Emma

July 25th Ladies of The Big House
Sooky
August 1st A Night Like This
Hotel Splendide
August 8th Delicious
Wide Open Spaces
Mickey Mouse- Mickey Cuts Up
August 15th Panama Flo
Water Gypsies
August 22nd Three Wise Girls
The Crooked Lady
August 29th Hell Divers
In Walked Charlie
Tropical Ceylon
Sept 5th Devils Lottery
Betrayal
Sept 12th Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Sea Legs
Keep Laughing
Sept 19th The Wet Parade

Sep 26th Strangers in Love
The Wiser Sex
October 3rd The Faithful Heart
Dangerous Ground
Mickey Mouse- The Duck Hunt
October 10th The Miracle Man
Port of London
October 17th Thark
The Impressive Footman
October 24th Society Girl
Sinister Hands
Mickey Mouse- Grocery Boy
October 31st Jack's The Boy
Rule Em and Weep
Nov 7th The Lodger
Wireless Wedding
Nov 14th Sky Bride
Working Girls
Nov 21st Burnt Offerings
Deceit
Nov 28th Leap Year
Danger of The Artic
Dec 5th One Hour With You

Dec12th Wedding Rehearsal
The Big Timer
Dec 19th Bring em Back Alive
Shop Angel
Mickey Mouse Cartoon
Dec 27th Make Me a Star
Money Means Nothing

1933

January 2nd There Goes the Bride
Iceman's Ball
January 9th The First Year
Lights Out
January 16th The Old Dark House
The Man Called Back
January 23rd Tell Me Tonight
After Dark
Mickey Mouse - Barnyard Olympics
January 30th Devils and the Deep
The Wonderful Story
February 6th Birds of Paradise
Those We Love
February 13th The Midship Maid
Ladies Not Allowed
London to the Cape
February 20th Rome Express
The Bailiffs
February 27th Movie Crazy
The Giddy Age
Mickey Mouse- Mickey's Revue
March 6th Guilty as Charged
The Rink
Young Onions
March 13th Red Dust

March 20th The Night of June 13th
No Living Witness
March 27th Tess of Storm Country
Guilty or Not Guilty
Mickey Mouse- Mickey in Arabia
The Grand National
April 3rd Marry Me
The World, The Flesh and The Devil
April 10th Strange Interval

April 17th Trouble in Paradise
The Phantom Express
Mickey Mouse- Mickey's Nightmare
April 24th Prosperity
With Williamson Beneath The Sea
May 1st The Mummy
The Changing Year
Flowers and Trees
May 8th It's a King
The Crooked Circle
May 15th Just My Luck
A Symphony of The Sea
Mickey Mouse - Trader Mickey
May 22nd The Conquerors
The Unwritten Law
May 29th If I had a Million
Virtue
Bear and Bees
June 5th Hot Pepper
The Crusader
June 12th The Little Damozel
The Gambling Sex
Mickey Mouse- The Whoopee Party
June 19th Dangerously Yours
As The Devil Commands
June 26th The Reputations
The Death Kiss
Pleasure Island
July 3rd The Billion Dollar Scandal
Trailing The Killer
Four Mile Death Dive
Fascination of Fjordland
July 10th Tonight is Ours
The Iron Master
Mickey Mouse Cartoon
July 17th Humanity
Our Fighting Navy
A Fool About Women
Doyle VS Petersen - The Fight
July 24th Pleasure Cruise
Smoke Lightning
July 31st Penguin Pool Mystery
Sailors Luck
August 7th No Man of Her Own
A Shriek in the Night
August 14th Zoo in Budapest
Money For Speed
August 21st The Good Companions
August 28th State Fair
Their First Mistake
Sept 4th Cavalcade
Sept 11th Falling For You
Sept 18th F.P.1
Mr Mugg
Babes in The Wood
Sept 25th Waltz Time
The Vampire Bat
Oct 2nd The Ghoul
Worthy Deceiver
Oct 9th From Hell to Heaven
The Sphinx
Crashing The Gate
Oct 16th Adorable
The Prince of Wales
Oct 23rd Murders in The Zoo
A Study in Scarlet
Oct 30th King of The Jungle
Best of Enemies
Nov 6th Britannia of Billingsgate
Sing Sinner Sing
Nov 13th The Only Girl
The Fire Raisers
Mickey Mouse- Building a Building
Nov 20th Rasputin, The Mad Monk
Towed in The Hole
Mickey Mouse- Klondike Kid
Nov 27th I Was a Spy

Dec4th A Cuckoo in The Nest
The Devils in Love
Mickey Mouse Cartoon
Dec 11th Prince of Arcadia
Don't Bet on Love
Dec 18th Disgraced
Doctor Bull
Mickey Mouse Cartoon
Dec 26th Paddy The Next Best Thing
Arizona to Broadway

1934

January 1st Orders is Orders

January 8th It's A Boy
Charlie Chan's Greatest Case
Birds in Spring

January 15th College Humour

January 22nd Tugboat Annie
Sing Bing Sing
Mickey Mouse Cartoon
January 29th Friday the 13th
The Worst Woman in Paris
February 5th The Song of Songs
Me and My Pal
Mickey's Touchdown (Mickey Mcguire)
Mickey Mouse Cartoon
February 12th Ring Up The Curtain
Early to Bed
February 19th Aunt Sally
The Mad Game
Mickey Mouse- Ye Olden Days
February 26th Dinner at Eight (A)
Busy Bodies (U)
Plane Nuts (U)
Handle Bars (U)
March 5th The Bowery (A)
The Mascot (A)
Three Little Pigs (U)
The Western Highlands (U)
March 12th My Weakness (U)
Jimmy and Sally (U)
March 19th Beauty
Marooned
Mickey Mouse Cartoon (U)
March 26th The Way To Love (A)
The Solitaire Man (A)
April 2nd Turkey Time (A)
Hoopla (A)
Mickey Mouse- Mechanical Man (U)
April 9th The Constant Nymph (A)
Smoky (U)
April 16th Jack Ahoy (U)
As Husbands Go (A)
Mickey Mouse- Mickey's Gala Premier (U)
April 23rd Only Yesterday (A)

April 30th I'm No Angel (A)
Frontier Marshal (A)
Father Noah's Ark (U)
May 7th Little Women (A)

May 14th Fraternally Yours (U)
Broken Dreams (A)
May 21st Cradle Song (U)
Cap'n Jericho (A)
May 28th Sealed Lips (A)
Chance at Heaven (U)
The Pied Piper (U)
June 4th Sitting pretty (A)
His Double Life ( )
June 11th Design For a Living (A)
The Sin of Nora Moran (A)
Mickey Mouse- Steeplechase (U)
June 18th The Cat and The Fiddle (U)

June 25th Six of a Kind (U)
I Beleived in You (A)
Mickey Mouse Cartoon
July 2nd Four Frightened People (A)
All of Me (A)
July 9th Man of Aran (U)
Lullaby Land (U)
Third Test Match Play (E)
July 16th Should Ladies Behave (A)
On The Stroke of Nine (A)
July 23rd The Show Off (U)
Coming Out Party (A)
July 30th George White Scandals (A)
One is Guilty (A)
August 6th Princess Charming (A)
When New York Sleeps (A)
August 13th The Battle (A)
Cross Streets (A)
August 20th Bolero (A)
Good Girl (A)
August 27th Evergreen (A)

Sept 3rd Lady of The Boulevards (A)
Cavalcade of The Movies (U)
Sept 10th Thirty Day Princess (U)
Come on Marines (A)
Sept 17th It Happened One Night (A)
The Crime of Helen Stanley (A)
Sept 24th Change of Heart (U)
Beggars in Ermine (U)
Oct 1st The House of Rothschild (U)

Oct 8th Murder at The Vanities (A)
Such Women are Dangerous (A)
Oct 15th A Cup of Kindness (A)
Registered Nurse (A)
China Shop (U)
Oct 22nd Chu Chin Chow (U)

Oct 29th The Unfinished Symphony (U)
I Hate Women (A)
Mickey Mouse- Camping Trouble (U)
Nov 5th Evensong (U)
Upper World (A)
Nov 12th My Song for You (U)
Baby Takes a Bow (U)
Funny Little Bunnies (U)
Nov 19th The Witching Hour (A)
Many Happy Returns (U)
Nov 26th My Old Dutch (U)
She Learned About Sailors ( )
Nov 29th Royal Wedding footage to be screened that night,
flown up from London .
Dec 3rd Servants Entrance (U)
The Blue Squadron (U)
Royal Wedding pictures (E)
Dec 10th The Great Flirtation (A)
She Was a Lady (A)
Dec 17th Kiss and Make Up (A)
No Speed Limit (A)
Dec 24th Belle of The Nineties (A)
Charlie Chan's Courage (U)
Mickey Mouse cartoon (U)
Dec 31st Jew Suss (A)

1935

January 7th One Night in Love (U)
Girl in Danger (A)
January 14th The Camels are Coming (U)
Fugitive Road (A)
January 21st The Barrets of Wimpole Street (U)
Born to be Bad (A)
January 28th Chained (A)
Shock (A)
February 4th The World Moves On (A)
Santa's Workshop (U)
February 11th Dirty Work (A)
Jealousy (A)
February 18th The Count of Monte Cristo (U)

February 25th The Iron Duke (U)

March 4th We Live Again (A)
The Defence Rests (A)
Peculiar Penguins (U)
March 11th The Merry Widow (A)
Biblical Palastine (U)
March 18th My Heart is Calling (U)
Peck's Bad Boy (U)
March 25th Lady in Danger (A)
The Return of The Terror (A)
April 1st Things are Looking Up (U)
The Soul of a Nation (U)
The Grand National (E)
April 8th Strictly Confidential (U)

April 15th Evelyn Prentice (A)
Urgent Call (A)
April 22nd The Gay Divorce (A)

April 29th Oh Daddy (A)
Housewife (A)
Wise Little Hen (U)
May 6th The Lives of The Bengal Lancer (U)
The Gaumount- British Kings Jubilee Film (E)
May 13th Sequoi (U)
White Lies (A)
Mickey Mouse Cartoon (U)
May 20th Wednesday's Child (A)
Hell in The Heavens (A)
May 27th Imitation of Life (U)
The Dionne Quintuplets (U)
June 3rd Enter Madame (A)
Father Brown Detective (U)
June 10th Wings in the Dark (U)
One in a Million
Mickey Mouse Cartoon (U)
June 17th Anne of Green Gables (U)
Cheating Cheaters (A)
June 24th Romance in Manhattan (U)
Tomorrows Youth (A)
July 1st Ruggles of Red Gap (U)
Behind The Evidence (A)
July 8th Carnival Night (A)
Uniform Lovers (A)
July 15th The Lad (A)
The Winning Ticket (U)
A Little Bird Told Me (U)
July 22nd Mississippi (A)
Woman in The Dark (A)
July 29th 18 Minutes (A)
The Silver Streak (U)
August 5th Bulldog Jack (U)
Port of Lost Dreams (A)
August 12th Music in The Air (U)
Murder on a Honeymoon (A)
August 19th Mr Faint Heart (U)
Heat Wave (U)
August 26th Clive of India (A)
Women Must Dress (A)
Sept 2nd George White's 1935 Scandals (A)
Department Store (A)
Sept 9th The Little Minister (U)

Sept 16th Les Miserables (A)
Laurel and Hardy Film (U)
Mickey Mouse Cartoon (U)
Sept 23rd After Office Hours (A)
The Price of a Song (A)
Sept 30th Me and Marelborough (U)
The Healer (U)
Oct 7th Kid Millions (A)
Film Footage from the War in Abyssinia
Oct 14th Cardinal Richelieu (U)
The Girl Who Came Back ( )
Oct 21st Naughty Marietta (A)
Behind The Green Light (A)
Oct 28th Brown on Resolution (A)
Circumstantial Evidence (A)
Nov 4th The 39 Steps (A)

Nov 11th Becky Sharpe (A)
Party Wire (A)
Nov 18th Lets Live Tonight (U)
Happiness C.O.D. (U)
Nov 25th Casino de Paree (A)

Dec 2nd Diamond Jim (A)
Car of Dreams (U)
Dec 9th Peg of Old Dury (U)
Murder by Television (A)
Dec 16th The Farmer Takes a Wife (U)
Calm Yourself (U)
Dec 23rd Our Little Girl (A)
Charlie Chan in Egypt (A)
Water Babies (U)
Dec 30th Stormy Weather (A)
Iron Fist (U)

1936

January 5th The Passing of The Third Floor Back (U)
Charity Premier in aid of the News Papers Press Fund.
January 6th The Crusades (U)

January 13th First a Girl (A)

January 20th Curly Top (U)
Late Extra (A)
January 27th On The Wings of Song (U)
Royal Funeral Pictures (E)
February 3rd The Ghost Goes West (A)
Royal Funeral Pictures (E)
February 10th Escapade (A)
Redheads on Parade (U)
February 17th Alice Adams (U)
After The Dance (U)
February 24th Top Hat (U)
Who Killed Cock Robin (U)
March 2nd The Tunnel (U)
The Affair of Susan (U)
March 9th She Married Her Boss (U)
Super Speed (U)
March 16th The Guv'nor (U)
Grand Exit (U)
March 23rd The Dark Angel (U)
The Queen Mary Leaving Clydeside (E)
March 30th Rendezvous (U)
A Fire Has Been Arranged (U)
April 6th Anything Goes (U)
Her Last Affaire (A)
April 13th King of The Dammed (A)
Your Uncle Dudley (U)
April 20th Thanks a Million (U)
Hyde Park Corner (A)
April 27th Captain Blood (U)

May 4th Jack of all Trades (U)
Freckles (U)
May 11th The Man Who Broke The Bank at Monte Carlo (U)
Three Live Ghosts (A)
May 18th The Baxter Millions (U)
Forced Landing (A)
May 25th Java Seas (A)
Timothy's Quest (U)
June 1st Pot Luck (A)
The Lone Wolf Returns (A)
June 8th The Bohemian Girl (A)
Broadway Hostess (A)
June 15th The Music Goes Round (U)
Miss Pacific Fleet (U)
June 22nd Next Time We Live (A)
Dangerous Waters (A)
June 29th Klondike Annie (A)
Absolute Quiet (A)
July 6th It Had To Happen (A)
Twelve Good Men (A)
July 13th The Voice of Bugle Ann (A)
Wolf's Clothing (A)
July 20th The Amateur Gentleman (A)
Man Hunt (A)
July 27th Laburnum Grove (U)
Kind Lady (A)
August 3rd Love Before Breakfast (U)
Streamline Express (A)
August 10th Modern Times (U)

August 17th Lime Light (U)
Don't Be Personal (A)
August 24th The Littlest Rebel (U)
Song and Dance Man (U)
August 31st The Knights Were Bold (U)
Murder on The Bridal Path (A)
Sept 7th Modern Times (U)

Sept 14th The Petrified Forest (A)
Champange Charlie (A)
Sept 21st The Country Doctor (A)
Forgotten Faces (A)
Sept 28th Rhodes of Africa (U)
Injustice (A)
Oct 5th Mutiny on The Bounty (A)

Oct 12th The Walking Dead (A)
Where's Sally (U)
Oct 19th Where There's a Will (A)
Sutters Gold (A)
Oct 26th Secret Agent (A)
Nobody's Fool (U)
Nov 2nd Everything is Thunder (A)
Three Wise Guy's (A)
Nov 9th It's Love Again (U)
Little Miss Nobody (U)
Nov 16th Under Two Flags (A)
Changing of The Guard (U)
Nov 23rd East Meets West (A)
And Sudden Death (A)
Nov 30th Rose Marie (U)

Dec 7th The Man Who Changed His Mind (A)
Hot Money (U)
Dec 14th Seven Sinners (A)
Shakedown (A)
Dec 27th Everybody Dance (A) Charity Premier,
In Aid of The Fire Brigade.
Dec 28th Everybody Dance (A)
Modern Madness (A)

1937

January 4th Anthony Adverse (A)

January 11th Poor Little Rich Girl ( )

January 18th All In (A)
Hearts in Bondage (U)
January 25th San Francisco (A)

February 1st Piccadilly Jim (U)
Two Fisted Gentleman (U)
February 8th Show Boat (U)

February 15th Bullets or Ballots (A)
Sing, Baby, Sing (A)
February 22nd Windbag The Sailor
Straight From The Shoulder (A)
March 1st Dodsworth (A)
All One Night (A)
March 8th The Green Pastures (U)

March 15th O.M. H.S. (U)
The Golden Arrow (U)
March 22nd His Lordship (U)
Women are Trouble (A)
March 29th The Great Ziegfield (U)

April 5th Ramona (A)
Alibi For Murder (A)
The Three Mouseketeers (U)
April 12th Sabotage (A)
Ticket To Paradise (U)
April 19th Head Over Heels (U)
One For All (U)
April 26th Dimples (U)
A Star For Tonight (U)
May 3rd Libelled Lady (A)
Song In Soho (A)
Toby Tortoise Returns (U)
May 10th The General Dies at Dawn (A)
Come Closer Folks (U)
May 12th (same as May 10th) 10.55am- 1.15pm BBC Radio Broadcast of The Kings Coronation.
7.40pm- 8.15pm Kings Speech to The Empire and The Nation.
May 13th (as May 10th) Movietone footage of the corination ceremony.

May 17th Good Morning Boys (A)
Fugitives in The Sky (A)
Mickey Mouse- Mickey's Elephant (U)
Abbey Ceremony Film
May 24th Champange Waltz (U)
King of The Ice Rink (U)
May 31st Come and Get It (A)
Windmill Revels (A)
June 7th Cain and Mable (U)
In His Steps (A)
June 14th The Great Barrier (U)
Dangerous Number (A)
June 21st Love From a Stranger (A)
The Man I Marry (U)
June 28th Men are Not Gods (A)
A Family Affair (A)
July 5th The Plainsman (U)
Starlight Express (U)
Mother Pluto (U)
July 12th Pluck of The Irish (A)
Cafe Colette (A)
July 19th Crack Up (A)
Smart Blonde (A)
Sailor Maid (U)
July 26th Calling All Stars (U)
Beware of The Ladies (A)
August 2nd Okay For Sound (A)
I Promise To Pay (A)
August 9th Wings of The Morning (U)
Fair Warning (A)
August 16th Stowaway (U)
Off To The Races (U)
August 23rd Three Smart Girls (A)
Love Letters To a Star (A)
August 30th Camille (A)

Sept 6th King Solomon's Mines (U)
Woman in Distress (A)
Sept 13th For Valour (A)
Midnight Taxi (A)
Farr vs. Louis (E)
Sept 20th The Prince and The Pauper (U)
The Gap (A)
Sept 27th Take My Tip (U)
Ladies in Love (A)
Oct 4th Lloyd's of London (A)
Picador Porky (U)
Oct 11th Maytime (U)
Aint We Got Fun (U)
Oct 18th The Garden of Allah (A)
Circus Girl (U)
Mickey Mouse- Moose Hunters (U)
Oct 25th Shall We Dance (U)

Nov 1st Lost Horizon (U)
Mother Hen's Holiday (U)
Nov 8th For You Alone (U)
Criminals of The Air (U)
Nov 15th As Good As Married (A)
California Straight Ahead (U)
Mickey Mouse- Mickey's Amateurs (U)
Nov 22nd His Affair (A)
Slim (U)
Nov 29th Parnell (A)

Dec 6th Farewell Again (U)
Lets Get Married (U)
Dec 13th Wake Up and Live (U)
Navy Blues (U)
Dec 20th That Man's Here Again (U)
San Quentin (A)
Dec 27th Oh! Mr Porter (U)
Married Before Breakfast (U)

1938

January 3rd Said O'Reilly to McNab (U)
The Thirteenth Man (A)
January 10th Wee Willie Wimkie (U)
Big Business (U)
January 17th The Emperors Candlesticks (U)
Talking Feet (U)
January 24th Souls at Sea (A)
Romance in Flanders (A)
January 31st Dr Syn (A)
The Case of The Stuttering Bishop (U)
February 7th Knight Without Armour (A)
The Spanish Earth (A)
February 14th A Star is Born (A)
Strength and Beauty ( )
February 21st The Life of Emile Zola (U)
Dog Daze (U)
February 28th Lovely to Look At (U)
Footloose Heiress (U)
Strength and Beauty ( )
March 7th The Fire Fly (U)

March 14th It's Love I'm After (A)
Bad Guy (A)
March 21st Ali Baba Goes To Town (A)
Midnight Menace (A)
March 28th 100 Men and a Girl (U)
The Man Who Cried Wolf ( )
April 4th Non-stop New York (A)
A Bride For Henry ( )
April 11th The Bride Wore Red (U)
The Futures in The Air (U)
April 18th Second Honeymoon (A)
Borrowing Trouble (U)
April 25th Stand In (A)
You're Only Young Once (A)
May 2nd The Return of The Scarlet Pimpernel (U)
Easy Money (A)
May 9th Man Proof (A)
Who Killed John Savage? (A)
May 16th Submarine D.1 (U)
The Live Wire (U)
May 23rd Young and Innocent (A)
The Invisible Menace (A)
May 30th Bank Holiday (A)
The Barrier (U)
June 6th Wise Girl (U)
Everybody's Doing It (U)
June 13th You're a Sweetheart (U)
The Jury's Secret (A)
June 20th Wells Fargo (U)
Mickey Mouse- Self Control (U)
June 27th Love is a Heartache (U)
The Game That Kills (A)
Seeing Stars (U)
July 4th Romance For Three (U)
My Old Kentucky Home ( )
Benny Lynch Fight (E)
July 11th Tarzan's Revenge (U)
City Girl (U)
The March of Time (U)
July 18th I See Ice (U)
Swing It Sailor (U)
Mickey Mouse Cartoon (U)
July 25th The Big Broadcast of 1938 (U)
It's In The Blood (U)
August 1st Sailing Along (U)
Below The Deadline (A)
August 8th International Settlement (A)
The Wrong Road (A)
August 15th Port of Seven Seas (A)
The Dare Devil Drivers (U)
Moth and The Flame (U)
August 22nd Owd Bob (U)
Prison Nurse (A)
August 29th Bringing Up Baby (U)
Brilliant Marriage (A)
Sept 5th Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (U)
Love on a Budget (U)
March of Time (U)
Sept 12th Convict 99 (A)
Main Event (U)
Sept 19th The Hurricane (A)
Maids Night Out (U)
Sept 26th Tovarich (U)
Under Suspicion (A)
Oct 3rd Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs (U)
The life of Neville Chamberlin (E)
Oct 17th In Old Chicago (A)

Oct 24th A Yank at Oxford (U)

Oct 31st Nothing Sacred (A)
Stepping Toes (U)
Nov 7th Radio City Revels (U)
Strange Boarders (U)
Nov 14th Alf Buttons Afloat (U)
Penrod's Double Trouble (U)
Nov 21st The Drum (U)
Super Service (U)
Nov 28th Doctor Rhythm (U)
Red Lights Ahead (U)
Dec 5th The Goldwyn Follies (U)
North Sea (U)
Dec 12th The Crowd Roars (A)
Walking Down Broadway (A)
Dec 19th Swiss Miss (U)
The Devil's Party (A)
Donald Duck - Good Scouts (U)
Dec 26th Kidnapped (U)
Mr Motos Gamble (A)

The War Years

The outbreak of war in September of 1939 meant the first break in the New Victoria's run. From the 1st to the 18th cinemas and theatres were closed down by local athourities. This was due to the fact that evacuation planswere under way and the government didn't want people congragating in public places where it could hinder the exercise. Also at that time those people lucky enough to own cars were being asked to save petrol. Journeys by car that were unnessecary were frowned upon.
With blackout restrictions coming in to force the ornate structure of the New Victoria would not be seen at night for a few years to come.

So what of the films that were showing. The British studios did their best to stay in production, but with the outbreak of war a lot of their stars had signed up for service. The American studios in the early years did not have these restrictions. America was now in a position to take the upper hand.

The news reels were now even more important to the cinema going public. These films gave those at home the chance to see a little of what their loved ones were going through; even if these films were heavily censored.

The Ministry of Information put out films concerning every day life with the restrictions that the newly enforced rationing put on family life. One of the Ministry's films also was the first film that the New Victoria had an age restriction on it. No one under eighteen admitted. The film was "the birth of a baby."

1939

January 2nd Hey, Hey, USA (U)
Wives Under Suspicion (A)
January 9th Crime School (A)
Breaking The Ice (U)
January 16th The Adventures of Marco Polo (U)

January 23rd The Lady Vanishes (A)
Slander House (A)
January 30th Algiers (A)
The Affairs of Annabel (U)
February 6th The Rage of Paris (A)
The Cheat (A)
February 13th The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (U)
Smashing The Racket (A)
February 20th That Certain Age (A)
Danger on The Air (U)
February 27th The Amazing Dr Clitterhouse (A)
Anything To Declare (U)
March 6th My Lucky Star (U)
Cracker Jack (A)
March 13th Care-free (U)
Border G-Man (U)
March 20th Marie Antinette (A)
Farmyard Symphony (U)
March of Time no.10
March 26th The Show Boat (U) Charity Screening

March 27th Suez (U)
Stage Fright (U)
Three Wicked Sisters (U)
The Grand National
April 3rd Old Bones of The River (U)
Girls on Probation (A)
Donald Duck- Donald's Golf Game (U)
April 10th The Shining Hour (A)
Wanted By The Police (A)
April 17th Sweethearts (U)
How To Raise a Baby (U)
April 24th You Can't Take It With You (U)
Nightshirt Bandit (U)
May 1st The Young In Heart (U)
The Gaunt Stranger (A)
May 8th Just Around The Corner (U)
Down on The Farm (U)
Merbabies (U)
May 15th Stolen Life (A)
Next Time I Marry (A)
May 22nd The Cowboy and The Lady (U)
Consider Your Verdict (A)
Sea Melody (U)
May 29th Climbing High (U)
Arrest Bulldog Drummond (U)
Donald Duck- Donald's Lucky Day (U)
June 5th Kentucky (U)
Pardon Our Nerve (U)
June 12th Dramatic School (A)
Come on Leathernecks (U)
March of Time
Royal visit to America .
June 19th Trade Winds (A)
It Happened In Paris (A)
Royal Visit To America and Canada
June 26th Cafe Society (A)
The Night Hawk (A)
Film of The Dream Girl Contest Finalists (E)
July 3rd The Sisters (A)
Nancy Drew Detective (U)
July 10th The Duke of West Point (U)
A Ducking They Did Go (U)
March of Time no.1
July 17th Thanks For Everything (U)
Mr Motto's Last Warning (U)
Donald Duck- Beach picnic (U)
July 24th Off The Record (A)
The Great Man Votes (U)
July 31st Jesse James (U)
Tom Sawyer Detective (U)
August 7th Ask a Policeman (U)
Ambush (A)
March of Time no.2
August 14th Son of Frankenstein (A)
Exposed (A)
August 21st Trouble Brewing (U)
Winner Takes All (U)
August 28th The Ice Follies of 1939 (U)
Trunk Crime (A)
Donald Duck- Hockey Champ (U)
Sept 1st The Mikado (U) Charity Premier.

Cinema closed from the 2nd of September until the 18th of September.

Sept 18th The Mikado (U)
Society Smugglers ( )
Sept 25th The Little Princess (U)
Everybody's Baby (U)
Oct 2nd I Killed The Count (A)
Sweepstake Racketeers ( )
Oct 9th The Hardy's Ride High (U)
Lone Wolf's Daughter (U)
Oct 16th Gunga Din (U)
Major Difficulties (U)
Oct 23rd Union Pacific (U)

Oct 30th A Girl Must Live (A)
Mr Moto on Danger Island (A)
Nov 6th Three Smart Girls Grow Up (U)
Risky Business (A)
Nov 13th The Four Feathers (A)
Donald Duck - Donald's Cousin Gus (U)
Nov 20th Bridal Suite (A)
Silent Battle (U)
Nov 27th Shipyard Sally (U)
It Could Happen To You (A)
Dec 4th The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (U)
Home Boner (U)
Dec 11th Wuthering Heights (A)
The Battle Fleets of Britain
Dec 18th Captain Fury (A)
Orphans of The Street (U)
Dec 26th When Tomorrow Comes (U)
Boy's Reformatory (A)

1940

January 1st Stanley and Livingstone (U)
Donald Duck- Sea Scouts (U)
The Scuttling of the Graf Spee (E)
January 8th The Sun Never Sets (A)
The Family Next Door (U)
January 15th Goodbye Mr Chips (U)

January 22nd Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever (U)
The Man Who Knew To Much (A)
January 29th The Modern Miracle (U)
The Jones Family in Hollywood (U)
February 5th Frozen Limits (U)
6,000 Enemies (A)
Donald Duck- Ugly Duckling (U)
February 12th Bachelor Mother (A)
Bad Lands (A)
March of Time Uncle Sam The Farmer
February 19th Susannah of The Mounties (U)
News is Made at Night (A)
March of Time No. 9 (U)
February 26th Lady of The Tropics (A)
CAREER (A)
March 4th In Name Only (A)
Fugitive at Large (A)
March 11th Escape to Happiness (U)
Flight of Fame (U)
Three Little Sew and Sews (U)
March 18th The Women (A)

March 25th The Rains Came (A)
March of Time No.10 (U)
April 1st First Love (U)
The Day The Bookies Wept (U)
April 8th Band Wagon (U)
Mickey The Kid (A)
April 15th Fifth Avenue Girl (A)
Sons of The Sea (U)
April 22nd The Proud Valley (A)
Hidden Power (A)
April 29th Babes in Arms (U)
Drunk Driving- Crime Does Not Pay (A)
Radio Hams (U)
Picturesque Udaipur (U)
May 6th For Freedom (U)
Mr Wong at Headquarters (A)
May 13th Day Time Wife (A)
Bad Little Angel (U)
March of Time no.12- Canada at War
May 20th The Hunch Back Of Notre Dame (A)
Donald Duck & Goofy- Fox Hunt (U)
Sailors Courageous (E)
May 27th I Stole a Million (A)
Married and in Love (A)
June 3rd Balalika (U)
March of Time no. 13 (U)
June 10th Drums Along The Mohawk (A)
The Boys With The Guns (U)
June 17th Of Mice and Men (A)
The Man From Montreal (U)
June 24th Judge Hardy and Son (U)
Mexican Spitfire (U)
July 1st A Chump at Oxford (U)
Spirit of The People (U)
July 8th I Take This Woman (A)
Flight at Midnight ( )
July 15th The Shop Around The Corner (U)
Money isn't Everything (U)
July 22nd Swanee River (U)
City of Chance (U)
July 29th My Little Chickadee (A)
The Courageous Dr Christian (A)
August 5th Let George Do It (U)
Fighting Mad (U)
March of Time no.2 (U)
August 12th The Birth of a Baby (no one under 18 admitted)
shown on behalf of the national baby welfare council.
August 19th Charley's (Big Hearted) Aunt (U)
The Marines Fly High (A)
August 26th Vigil in The Night (A)
Glamour Boy (U)
Sept 2nd The Primrose Path (A)
Pack Up Your Troubles (U)
Sept 9th The Blue Bird (U)
Little Orvie (U)
Sept 16th My Favourite Wife (A)
In The Nick of Time (U)
Sept 23rd Irene (U)
Men of The Lightships (U)
Mickey Mouse- Tugboat Mickey (U)
Sept 30th Rebecca (A)
March of Time No. 4 (U)
Oct 7th Forty Little Mothers ( )
I Take This Oath ( )
Oct 14th Tom Brown's Schooldays (U)
Cross Country Romance (U)
Oct 21st Pinocchio (U)
Mutiny in The Country (U)
Oct 28th Convoy (A)
The Marshal of Mesa City (U)
Nov 4th Gaslight (A)
Pop Always Pays (U)
Nov 11th Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (U)
Curtain Call (U)
Nov 18th Waterloo Bridge (A)
The Villain Still Pursued Her (U)
Nov 25th When Daltons Rode (A)
Anne of Windy Willows (U)
Dec 2nd Turnabout (A)
Mystery of Wentworth Castle (A)
Dec 9th I Want a Divorce (A)
Little Accident (U)
Dec 16th South of Pago Pago (A)
Just Kids (E)
Isles of The East (E)
Dec 23rd Sailors Three (U)
Alien Sabotage (A)
Dec 30th Boys From Syracuse (U)
Your Not So Tough (U)

1941

January 6th The Girl in The News (A)
Dreaming Out Loud (U)
January 13th Lucky Partners (U)
One Crowded Night (A)
January 20th Young People (U)
The Blake Murder Mystery (U)
January 27th Foreign Correspondant (A)
March of Time No.8 (U)
February 3rd Our Town (A)
The Ape (A)
February 10th The Great Dictator (U)
Scottish Movietone News
February 24th Kit Carson (U)
Life With Henry (U)
March 3rd Brigham Young (A)
Pluto- Bone Trouble (U)
March 10th Gasbags (U)
Private Affair (U)
March 17th Old Bill and Son (U)
Meet The Wildcat (A)
March 24th The Return of Frank James (A)
Come Up Smiling (U)
March 31st Neutral Port (U)
Fugitive From a Prison Camp (A)
April 7th Spring Parade (U)

April 14th The Mark of Zorro (U)
Yesterday's Hero (A)
April 21st Long Voyage Home (A)

April 28th The Thief of Baghdad (U)
Danger Ahead (U)
May 5th No No Nanette ( )
Mexican Spitfire Out West ( )
May 12th The Son of Monte Cristo (A)
March of Time No. 12 (U)
May 19th Spare a Copper (U)
Scotland Speaks (U)
May 26th Mr and Mrs Smith (A)
Who Killed Aunt Maggie (A)
June 2nd The Ghost Train (U)
Her First Romance (U)
June 9th Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It (U)
The Gay Cabelerro (U)
June 16th Quiet Wedding (A)
Remedy For Riches (U)
June 23rd Philadelphia Story (A)

June 30th Kitty Foyle (A)
Misbehaving Husbands (A)
July 7th Chad Hanna (U)
Meet The Missus (U)
July 14th Back Street (A)
Meet The Chump (U)
July 21st Virginnia (U)
March of Time (U)
July 28th So Ends Our Night (A)
The Fire Chief (U)
August 4th Kipps (U)
Our Merchant Seamen (U)
August 11th Western Union (U)
March of Time (U)
August 18th That Certain Feeling (A)
Doomed Caravan (U)
August 25th Major Barbara (A)

Sept 1st Topper Returns (A)
Your The One (U)
Sept 8th Target For Tonight (U)
Turned Out Nice Again (U)
Sept 15th Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (U)

Sept 22nd I Wanted Wings (A)

Sept 29th Cottage To Let (A)
Footlight Fever (U)
Oct 6th That Night in Rio (A)

Oct 13th The Devil and Miss Jones (U)
South of Panama (U)
Oct 20th Lady Hamilton (A)
March of Time No.3 (U)
Oct 27th The Great American Broadcast (U)
Cowboy and The Blonde (U)
Nov 3rd The Golden Hour (U)
King of The Zombies (A)
Nov 10th Flame of New Orleans (A)
Night of The 16th of January (A)
Nov 17th Tall Dark and Handsome (A)
A Very Young Lady (U)
Nov 24th I Thank You (U)
Repent at Leisure (U)
Dec 1st Parachute Battalion (U)
Father Takes a Wife (A)
Dec 8th Forty Thousand Horsemen (A)
Model Wife (A)
Dec 15th Hold Back The Dawn (A)
Mr Mouse Takes a Trip (U)
Dec 22nd It Started With Eve (U)

Dec 29th International Lady (U)

1942

January 5th The Reluctant Dragon (U)
Father Steps Out (U)
January 12th The Saint Meets The Tiger (A)
They Meet Again (U)
January 19th Moon Over Miami (U)
Lady Scarface (A)
January 26th Hi Gang (U)
Ferry Pilot ( )
February 2nd The Common Touch (U)
Mr District Attorney ( )
February 9th Tom, Dick and Harry (U)
Dressed To Kill (A)
February 16th Sun Valley Seranade (U)
Marry The Bosses Daughter (U)
February 23rd Sundown (A)
In The Rear of The Enemy (A)
March 2nd Citizen Kane (A)

March 9th A Yank in The RAF (U)
Moonlight in Hawaii (U)
March 16th Ships With Wings (A)

March 23rd Belle Star (A)
Sealed Lips (A)
March 30th Appointment For Love (U)
Bombay Clipper (A)
April 6th Big Blockade (U)
Private Nurse (U)
April 13th The Little Foxes (A)

April 20th Suspicion (A)
Invasion (U)
April 27th Blood and Sand (A)

May 4th Dumbo (U)
Obliging Young Lady (U)
May 11th Hot Spot (A)
Small Town Deb ( )
May 18th The Corsican Brothers (A)
Old McDonald Duck (U)
May 25th One of Our Aircraft is Missing (U)
The Carter Case (A)
June 1st H.M. Pulman Esq. (U)
Niagra Falls (U)
June 8th Back Room Boy (U)
Flying Cadet (U)
June 15th Ball of Fire (U)
Defeat of The Germans at Moscow (U)
June 22nd A Weekend in Havana (U)
The Perfect Snob (U)
June 29th Next of Kin (A)
Mexican Spitfire at Sea (U)
July 6th Lady For a Night (A)
Hard Steel (A)
July 13th Wake Up and Dream (U)
The Night Has Eyes (A)
July 20th To Be or Not To Be (A)
Miss Poly (U)
July 27th How Green Was My Valley (A)


August 3rd Shanghi Gesture (A)
All American Co-Ed (U)
August 10th Charlie's American Aunt (U)
Terror on Tip Toes (A)
August 17th Reap The Wild Wind (A)

August 24th Jungle Book (U)
Brooklyn Orchid (U)
August 31st Gentleman After Dark (A)
Doctors Don't Tell (A)
Sept 7th They Flew Alone (U)
The Gang Made Good (U)
Sept 14th Roxie Heart (A)
The Missing Millions (A)
Sept 21st Son of Fury (U)
Front Line Kids (U)
Sept 28th Uncensored (U)
Night Before The Divorce (A)
Oct 5th Pardon My Sarong (U)

Oct 12th Frisco Lil (A)
Broadway (A)
Oct 19th The Young Mr Pitt (U)

Oct 26th Twin Beds (U)
The Man Who Wouldn't Die (A)
Nov 2nd To The Shores of Tripoli (U)
The Red Flyer (U)
Nov 9th The Gold Rush (U)
Klondike Fury (A)
Nov 16th Song of The Islands ( )
Suspected Person ( )
Nov 23rd Moontide (A)
Miss Annie Rooney (U)
Nov 30th Eagle Squadron (A)

Dec 7th The Pied Piper (U)
Panthers Claw (A)
Dec14th Ten Gentlemen From West Point (U)

Dec 21st Holiday Inn (U)

Dec 28th This Above All (A)