Coventry Cinemas

There were no famous cast members in this kind of serial Kaga (although Commando Cody did once feature a debut appearance by Leonard Nimoy as an alien villain). They were made very cheaply. No chip shops near any of the cinemas I used to use Kaga except for the Odeon (La Scala) in Far Gosford Street which unfortunately became a bingo hall in 1963

The record affirms that there were three Flash Gordon serials produced for theatrical distribution by Universal; specifically, "Flash Gordon" (1936), "Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars" (1938), and "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe" (1940). Each serial featured Buster Crabbe as Gordon. The 1954-1955 U.S. television season broadcast a "Flash Gordon" live-action series (b&w), filmed mainly in West Berlin (26 episodes), but with the final 13 episodes shot in Marseilles (13 episodes). This TV series had Steve Holland (well known for - well, nothing really) as Flash. It was a syndicated series. There have been other "Flash Gordon" productions (and one "Flesh Gordon"), but they would fall outside the scope of our discussion - the movies we saw as kids in Coventry's cinemas. "Commando Cody, Sky Marshal of the Universe", a Republic Pictures production prompts the question - was this a movie serial or a TV series? Republic certainly was contractually bound to the National Broadcasting Company to deliver a movie serial, and the record does show a theatrical release date (USA) of February 17, 1953. However, the episodes had no cliffhanger endings, a prime requisite for movie serials from the earliest days of this cinema genre. On the other hand, 12 episodes would have been an unusual series acquisition for a network broadcaster in the mid-1950s. It is my understanding that this serial/series enjoys something of a cult following. Nice piece of movie/TV esoterica you have here, Dutchman.

LongfordLad, thanks for verifying it was Flash Gordon, even if it was later than I thought, I remember Buster Crabbe as Tarzan a couple of times, long, long time ago. Now I can sit at home and watch the same rubbish. We've come a long way in eighty years.

It's that generation gap again, it was Johnny Weissmuller* in my day *At the Paris cinema during the school holidays.

Buster Crabbe starred in only one Tarzan vehicle, 1933's "Tarzan the Fearless". However, before he commenced principal photography on this movie, he had just completed "King of the Jungle" in the starring role of Kaspa, the Lion Man, a Tarzan knock-off if ever a Tarzan knock-off there were. As an aside, Johnny Weissmuller's first attempt at Tarzan had shot in 1932, and was still on general release in 1933 when Buster assumed the role. To add to the confusion, "Tarzan the Fearless" was released as a 200 minutes 12-episode serial, as a 61 minutes feature, and as an 86 minutes feature. The 12 episode serial has long been considered a lost movie, though there are copies of the feature film versions. Your recollection, Kaga, of "Crabbe as Tarzan a couple of times, long, long ago" therefore is accurate. Apparently, Kaja, there are those who believe that Crabbe's victory scream was the best of all the cinematic Tarzans. Me? I'm a Weissmuller`s Tarzan man, though I confess this may be attributable to the presence in so many of the Weissmuller films of the magnificent Maureen O`Sullivan (of Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland - and mother of Mia Farrow) whom MGM cast as Jane Parker. Yowzah, yowzah! - as the academics are wont to cry.

The first Weissmuller Tarzan movie was made in 1931 nor 1932 as I posted earlier this afternoon. It was the first Tarzan "talkie", and the title was "Tarzan the Ape Man", produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the most prestigious Hollywood studio of the time. I recall the chipper in Windmill Road, and ditto the chipper in Hurst Road. The Alderman`s Green Road chipper would have been a bit out of my way. But let me tell you this. Some ten to twelve years ago a chipper in Toronto`s east end changed hands. I was pleased to note that the renovations, after the new owner took charge, included a Union Flag above the front window, below the chipper`s name. I parked my car, and popped into the shop. It was mid-afternoon on a day other than Friday. Customers were staying away in droves. I had the new owner to myself, told him I`d take an order of chips, and asked him where he was from in the U.K. I should have just waited until he opened his mouth for it was obvious upon his reply - Coventry. I asked where he had learned his trade. His response - a shop on Jackers Road. Perhaps around the corner from the chipper you knew on Alderman`s Green Road. The chips were rather special. A week or so later I dropped by to buy fish & chips for my wife, me then teenage son, and me. It was Friday - el Biggo time for Toronto`s fish & chip buyers and sellers. The purchase was a disaster - chips okay to good, fish awful. I went back to buying from Duckworth`s - not a Coventry person among the owners or staff, owners probably originally from the north of England, but they had always made a good fist of it.

Saints preserve us, Kaga, how far back do you go. Were you referring to Basil Rathbone by any chance? I know he did some Sherlock Holmes movies, but I would have thought that would have been before our time. We will have to check on all the 'Basils'

Dreamtime, you got it in one, I was thinking of Basil Rathbone, but since then I thought he would not be in those old yankee pictures, If the first Flash Gordon film was 1936 I go back before then at least two years, someone mentioned the Bowery boys, now was the leader the guy with the squashed hat? And where do I recall Fatty Arbuckle from, trying to put two and two together is my problem. Dreamtime, my dad used to take me to schoolboy boxing at Longford, mid 1930's, now was it at the roller rink, or was there some other hall by the rink? Anyone know? Bonfire night, 1931, and my dad took me to see Dr Webster in Hurst Rd to have a whitlow lanced. Dr Webster knew the history of almost every member of every family in Longford, Grange Road, A/Green Rd. What a boon he was to the community. I'm straying from the topic again.

Hi Kaga, going back to the Standard Cinema, the last time we were in there was when I took my daughter to see Disney's 101 Dalmatians. Would have been when she was 6 or 7 with 5 other giggly little girls on her birthday. I never did see any Flash Gordon movies. I was an ABC minor at the Empire, singing along with the rest 'Doing the Lambeth Walk' . OMG what a din, and here's you remembering having a whitlow lanced. What strange memories we all hold.

With the Bowery Boys, Kaga, the guy in the squashed hat was Leo Gorcey, his second-in-command (the guy in the baseball cap) was Huntz Hall. In total there were 48 Bowery Boys movies, the last one being 1958's IN THE MONEY. But before they were appearing as the Bowery Boys, they also appeared as the East Side Kids. However, their first appearance was as the Dead End Kids in the Samuel Goldwyn Studios' DEAD END, starring Humphrey Bogart, Sylvia Sidney, Joel McCrae and the like. Fatty Arbuckle was one of the finest comedians of the silent era. Invited to a party in San Francisco in 1921, he was around and about when a young actress, Virginia Rappe, died at said party. Arbuckle was accused of the rape and manslaughter of Virginia Rappe. Two criminal trials of the charges against Arbuckle resulted in hung juries. A third trial acquitted Arbuckle, but - by then - Arbuckle's career as a major film comedian was over. He died of a heart attack in New York in 1933. Legend had it that Arbuckle had slept with Rappe during the course of the 3/4 day San Francisco party, and that he crushed her with his weight while raping her. There was no evidence adduced at any of his trials to support such a notion, but Rappe's death and Hollywood's finding of Arbuckle's guilt - evidence and eventual acquittal notwithstanding - led to the formation of the Hayes Office and the ridiculous lengths to which Hollywood's moral judgements extended if a film was to be exhibited before "decent" folk. So you probably heard about Arbuckle, Kaga, without ever having seen him on the screen.

LongfordLad. Thank you, that's some piece of information, I would think there would be a lot of talk in 1933 when he died and I maybe heard grown-ups talk of it. But reading your post reminded me of a similar incident during the war that made front page news, woman died, believe in Liverpool. Details not for this forum. Yes, Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall, every day names when I was a kid. Thanks again. Kaga.

This thread has expanded into a more general discussion about movies, so for those movie-buffs amongst our members, here's a non-Coventry advertisement which I hope will bring back memories for some of you Oh! Just seen that it was made in 1940

Here's a photo to prove it!

There it was 'gone'. Thanks MR, at least I have the memories of all the epics I watched there. The poster shown was just a few years before my time, I would have been struggling with my nappy then. Downunder show movies from the 30's. I wonder now what will go up in it's place. Was that where they showed the biblical movies too. ? At least the cinemas were all easy to walk to from the city, well, most of them.

The Alex' is being replaced with student flats with shops on ground floor.