Coventry Cinemas

Britain from Above has added some more photos since the last time I looked. Unless I'm mistaken the 1929 picture of Bedlam Lane sewage works shows the Ritz, Longford (then the Dovedale) under construction in the background. I spent many happy hours there as a child. Sad to see it looking so shabby on the 2008 StreetView image. What's it like now? LINK

You have been caught out at last TEKMELF !

As a child I use to play in the big entry between the Crown and Astleys, at the bottom of the entry was Midland Counties Dairy, it was at the bottom of our garden so every morning I was woken by rattling bottles. The car showroom was at the corner of Vecquaray St, they use to have a big dog on the roof, scared me to death as child it would bark when anyone walked below. I went to school with the son from there, I think his name was Paul Norman. sometimes we climbed over the wire fence to the Crown and would slip in the back door, but don't tell anyone!

Before the emergence of the Showcase on the Walsgrave Triangle, I think the last films I saw at various cinemas were; Canon (ABC/Empire) - Cobra (a truly dire film) Theatre One - Delta Force (decent Chuck Norris film) Odean - Red Heat (When Arnie could be relied on to do a decent film) My abiding memories were that they were dirty, filthy and decrepit places. I'd been to cinemas in the USA in the mid-1980s and they were fantastic, like what the modern cinemas are today. I remember someone sneaking in fish and chips at the Theatre One film, the place stank of ropey fish and stale vinegar for ages throughout the film!

Ace: I remember Theatre One very well. It was all things to all people. In the afternoons it would have a scattering of people skiving off work or keeping out of the cold. The 'dirty mac' brigade were also in evidence, depending on the films being shown. It was an occasional haunt on Wednesday afternoons, an alternative to games afternoon at KHVIII. In the evenings it was popular with courting couples. I can recall occasions when there were no more than a few dozen punters in there, most not taking much notice of the film. I can assure you that there were far dodgier things going on than people eating fish & chips.

I did actually go to Theatre One and saw the Led Zeppelin film "The Song Remains The Same"

It also showed the occasional "family film". I recall standing with my wife and kids in an incredibly long queue outside Theatre One one Saturday afternoon in 1977 to see the very first showing of Star Wars! (and been hooked on Star Wars ever since ) Gosh, that was 35 years ago!

Tony we may have been in the same queue ! I took my two kids to see Star Wars when it first came out so it would have been around that time. I had forgotten that it was shown at Theatre One, happy days !

It's true they did have some 'big' films. It was quite strange, since there were bigger and better cinemas not far away. I clearly recall going there in 1979 for the first run of 'Life of Brian'. The place was packed, and I have never heard so much laughter at a film showing. Wonderful film.

Theatre One had the most advanced sound system in Coventry. It was the first with Dolby Stereo, surround sound speakers, etc. So if you wanted to hear the latest blockbuster properly you had to visit Theatre One.

I saw 'The Exorcist' at Theatre One way back in 1974. Again , a big film for a small cinema. I remember being rather scared by the film, although it now seems pretty tame by todays standards. I gratefully accepted a 'Believe in Jesus' leaflet that was handed out by a group of people outside the cinema. I thought at the time that I would never see, or want to see, the film again. But fate conspired against me............eager to impress a new girlfriend a few months later, she insisted we went to see.................'The Exorcist'!!!!!

I met a friend last week who worked at the Crown cinema. She said it was refurbished in 1958 and opened as the Paris Luxury Continental Cinema. It later became known just as the Paris. She remembered the leopard skin seats but couldn't confirm the whether it had double seats .

I have linked a photograph of the Empire Cinema, Hertford Street. I can't read the neon sign on the shop to the right of the cinema. The Empire Cinema, 1936

"LOVEITT & BONES"