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| The Imperial on Chorlton Road, 1961 |
Back then there were still two films, a short cinema news review and the programmes showed continuously so whatever time you went in you sat through until you got to the bit of the film you had started at and then left.
These picture houses were still theatres of dreams with thick carpets plush decorations and that distinctive smell and of course a big screen which could take you almost anywhere.
The best had been built in the 1930s when this was the cutting edge of entertainment and even in the 1950s and early 60s they offered up something special.
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| The Imperial in 2014 |
All of which dear reader will mark me out as an old fashioned cinema goer.
And so here and over the next few weeks will be a short series featuring just one picture house.
This was the Imperial on Chorlton Road which was still showing films in the 1980s.
It has long been converted into another use but my friend Andy knowing my fascination for old picture houses set about recording the place.
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| The Imperial in 2014 |
So here is the Imperial as it was and as it is now with a little of its past glory revealed.
And as with all good serials there is lots more to come and who knows we may elicit some memories.
Pictures; the Imperial in 1961, A H Downes, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass and today from the collection of Andy Robertson, with a thank you to Imperial Timber 166-172 Chorlton Rd Manchester M16 7WW
0161 226 9190
One of the few Snapes Cinema Circuit houses not to be converted to bingo or demolished, I occasionally ran the shows here, as relief operator (projectionist). The big hole, in the above photo, shows what is left of the box (projection room) which housed twin SUPAs, their lanterns converted to argon lamps from the original carbon arcs. The bowden cable, linking the shutters of the projectors, had long been broken and a piece of electrical conduit had been fitted above the ports, with flaps hanging down, which was slid from side to side to effect the reel change-over. The screen did not have the usual 'tabs' but an elegant, rouched French blind which looked fabulous under the yellow floodlights.
ReplyDeleteMy Mom took me there in the fifties. Still remember the orange popsicles.
ReplyDeleteMy dad took me to see “ The Dam Busters “ there in the 50s
ReplyDeleteMy older cousin sneaked me in here to watch an x rated film, The green Berets with John Wayne.think I was 12 or 13 and supposed to be 18. Felt really grown up.
ReplyDeleteThere is a famous photo of Yuri Gagarin waving from his car in front of the cinema 12 July 1961
ReplyDelete