Leeds lost cinemas

[Johnny39]

It was the "Western" picture house on Florence Street, Leeds 9 and it had a makeover round about 1951/52. I was still at school at the time so the dates won't be too far out. It changed from a real "bughutch" into quite a smart cinema for a local and was renamed "The Vogue". I could be mistaken, it was a long time ago, but I'm pretty sure the film it re-opened with was "The Robe", with Richard Burton & Jean Simmons. I think this was one of the very first films in Cinemascope.

[raveydavey]

I drove up the Inner Ring Road today in daylight for the first time in ages and it looks like some sort of hoarding or cover has been erected at the rear of the former ABC cinema on Vicar Lane so it looks at a glance like a building is in situ.I only got a quick glimpse, will try to have a proper look if I'm passing again.

[chameleon]

raveydavey wrote: I drove up the Inner Ring Road today in daylight for the first time in ages and it looks like some sort of hoarding or cover has been erected at the rear of the former ABC cinema on Vicar Lane so it looks at a glance like a building is in situ.I only got a quick glimpse, will try to have a proper look if I'm passing again. Is that the realistic brick-wall canvass thing Davey - very convincing    

[Horsfordian]

Yes Blakey I do remember those cinemas further out of Leeds as I went to school in Otley and later moved from Horsforth to Addingham/Bolton Abbey area.I remember looking forward (twice)to saturday morning detention(bad lad)and heading straight for Beech Hill cinema for the matinee.Can't say as a youngster I noticed the figures outside the Majestic,except for photos already posted.What I do remember is my father telling me that when the Majestic installed sound,the dome had to be padded to stop the echo..is this true.The Rialto Rodley was once briefly operated by the mother and brother of my then girlfriend and it had just undergone an upgrade to the usual"panoramic screen"and the decorative trimmings which always came with these upgrades.(early '50s)In my teens I was dead set on becoming a cinema manager and rang each cinema in Leeds centre to have a look at their projection boxes.The Odeon(Headrow,still a one screen)and the ABC Ritz kindly obliged,allowing me to play records and swish the curtains back and forth.Even Beech Hill cinema allowed me into their box .When the projectionist was busy splicing the newsreel to the Pearl and Deane ads he started up the first reel of "A star is born"50's version.Shall post more

[raveydavey]

chameleon wrote: raveydavey wrote: I drove up the Inner Ring Road today in daylight for the first time in ages and it looks like some sort of hoarding or cover has been erected at the rear of the former ABC cinema on Vicar Lane so it looks at a glance like a building is in situ.I only got a quick glimpse, will try to have a proper look if I'm passing again. Is that the realistic brick-wall canvass thing Davey - very convincing That'll be it - only a fleeting glimpse but it looked quite good as it wafted about in the breeze...    

[chameleon]

raveydavey wrote: chameleon wrote: raveydavey wrote: I drove up the Inner Ring Road today in daylight for the first time in ages and it looks like some sort of hoarding or cover has been erected at the rear of the former ABC cinema on Vicar Lane so it looks at a glance like a building is in situ.I only got a quick glimpse, will try to have a proper look if I'm passing again. Is that the realistic brick-wall canvass thing Davey - very convincing That'll be it - only a fleeting glimpse but it looked quite good as it wafted about in the breeze...     There's another one covering the end of the first buildinb on the left on Wellington Street as you leave City Square

[blackprince]

Johnny39 wrote: It was the "Western" picture house on Florence Street, Leeds 9 and it had a makeover round about 1951/52. I was still at school at the time so the dates won't be too far out. It changed from a real "bughutch" into quite a smart cinema for a local and was renamed "The Vogue". I could be mistaken, it was a long time ago, but I'm pretty sure the film it re-opened with was "The Robe", with Richard Burton & Jean Simmons. I think this was one of the very first films in Cinemascope. Hi Johnny, your recollection is pretty much the same as mine . I went to one of the opening performances when the Western was refurbished and relaunched as the Vogue, very plush it was too with red velvet, foam cushioned seats. I always thought ( but could be wrong on this after 55 years!) that the first film shown at the Vogue was "Three Coins in a Fountain ". This was a Cinemascope film released, about a year later than the Robe. Since I was only 5 or 6 at the time I would have actually preferred The Robe but I have always remembered the wonderful photography of the Trevi Fountains in that film.    

[Johnny39]

Hi Blackprince - you could well be right about the first film shown on the "Vogue's" re-opening. The old memory cells die by the millions everyday. Most of my misspent youth was spent seated in the cinemas of Harehills and district. The Shafts, Hillcrest, Star, Regent, Clock, Harehills, Dominion the list goes on. I also used the town cinemas a lot, Odeon, Ritz, Assembly Rooms, Scala, Plaza and again the list goes on. It's funny but an old film will come on the TV and I can remember at which cinema I saw it all those years ago.

[Cardiarms]

Some pics of cinemas in Crossgates have been added to Leodis recently.

[blackprince]

Johnny39 wrote: Hi Blackprince - you could well be right about the first film shown on the "Vogue's" re-opening. The old memory cells die by the millions everyday. Most of my misspent youth was spent seated in the cinemas of Harehills and district. The Shafts, Hillcrest, Star, Regent, Clock, Harehills, Dominion the list goes on. I also used the town cinemas a lot, Odeon, Ritz, Assembly Rooms, Scala, Plaza and again the list goes on. It's funny but an old film will come on the TV and I can remember at which cinema I saw it all those years ago. One of the last films I saw at the Vogue was Spirit of St Louis about 1958 or 59.I went to all East Leeds area cinemas you mention except the Dominion. Pity about that because I later found out that a great uncle of mine was an architect who designed the Dominion. He also lived on Montreal Avenue only a few hundred yards from the cinema. I suppose it was named after "Dominion of Canada" as streets in that area were named after Canadian cities.