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Films with longest runs in Sheffield


Guest Old Canny Street Kid

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Guest funkydory

Bravo and thankyou again for those adverts again, S24. I hope you get the opportunity to post lots more :rolleyes:

I have all the ads from the London newspapers 1966-1986 (close approximation) so if there are any that people would like to see please shout up! (Timing depends on the demands of my day job and that my collection is that large it has to be stored at my local University in the city centre where i call by once a week). Just one posting of mine shows my collection so far; on this thread quite recently regarding the re-release premiere in 1968 of 'Gone with the Wind".

i also have my regional (Birmingham and the West Midlands) ads for the same period also. I particularly like- as in this case of Sheffield also- to see the local variants with the names of cinemas we here will sadly never see again.

**Regarding Cliff Richard and the Shadows at Blackpool a few posts ago. The Britishpathe site has a lot of stuff on everything not indexed, since in some cases only the actual title gives the lead. Britishpathe newsreel number 43356 has a feature on the then new ABC Blackpool and the Cliff Richard summer show(s) Indoors too! (In at 05.23 mins approx)

I also have a rare loose-leaf photo (i.e an A4 copy from a library book) of the new ABC Blackpool in its construction where on the outside of the building it says the ABC is about to become a theatre and cinema with a Cinerama screen!

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Bravo and thankyou again for those adverts again, S24. I hope you get the opportunity to post lots more :rolleyes:

**Regarding Cliff Richard and the Shadows at Blackpool a few posts ago. The Britishpathe site has a lot of stuff on everything not indexed, since in some cases only the actual title gives the lead. Britishpathe newsreel number 43356 has a feature on the then new ABC Blackpool and the Cliff Richard summer show(s) Indoors too! (In at 05.23 mins approx)

I also have a rare loose-leaf photo (i.e an A4 copy from a library book) of the new ABC Blackpool in its construction where on the outside of the building it says the ABC is about to become a theatre and cinema with a Cinerama screen!

Thanks for telling us about that Blackpool clip Funky...very interesting - and nostalgic.

I don't know if the ABC Blackpool ever did get a Cinerama size screen (I don't think it did ?), but the re-vamped Sheffield Gaumont 1 did, when it re-opened in July, 1969, with "Ice Station Zebra".

Although billed as Cinerama, this movie ( and many other subsequent ones shown here ) were not made in real, three strip Cinerama, but single strip, 70mm prints.

Still a very impressive image, but nowhere near as "all encompassing" as Cinerama proper.

Sheffield did get real Cinerama - for three months at least - in the Spring of 1965.

Early in 1964, a company named Itinerama set up a touring Cinerama theatre - on the lines of a large circus tent, and this appeared in major cities around the UK between April, 1964 and late 1967.

It pitched up in Sheffield in February, 1965, on a site at the end of Devonshire Street, on what is today Devonshire Green.

Four of the original five Cinerama feature films were shown - starting with "This is Cinerama", then "Cinerama Holiday", "Seven Wonders of the World" and finally "South Seas Adventure" -

closing on the 9th May, 1965. (I don't know why they didn't have a print of the fourth one - "Search for Paradise" ?).

It was the real mcCoy, with a gigantic curved screen and full 6 track stereophonic sound. It was just like a real cinema, with comfortable seats.

We went three times, and, of course! ....I still have some of the ticket stubs.

The Sheffield ticket stubs........

A flyer for the Leeds engagement, towards the end of the tour. By this time, you can see that they had aquired a print of "How the West Was Won"

which, by now had finished it's original two and a half year run at the London Casino Cinerama.

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Guest abcman

Thanks for telling us about that Blackpool clip Funky...very interesting - and nostalgic.

I don't know if the ABC Blackpool ever did get a Cinerama size screen (I don't think it did ?), but the re-vamped Sheffield Gaumont 1 did, when it re-opened in July, 1969, with "Ice Station Zebra".

Although billed as Cinerama, this movie ( and many other subsequent ones shown here ) were not made in real, three strip Cinerama, but single strip, 70mm prints.

Still a very impressive image, but nowhere near as "all encompassing" as Cinerama proper.

Sheffield did get real Cinerama - for three months at least - in the Spring of 1965.

Early in 1964, a company named Itinerama set up a touring Cinerama theatre - on the lines of a large circus tent, and this appeared in major cities around the UK between April, 1964 and late 1967.

It pitched up in Sheffield in February, 1965, on a site at the end of Devonshire Street, on what is today Devonshire Green.

Four of the original five Cinerama feature films were shown - starting with "This is Cinerama", then "Cinerama Holiday", "Seven Wonders of the World" and finally "South Seas Adventure" -

closing on the 9th May, 1965. (I don't know why they didn't have a print of the fourth one - "Search for Paradise" ?).

It was the real mcCoy, with a gigantic curved screen and full 6 track stereophonic sound. It was just like a real cinema, with comfortable seats.

We went three times, and, of course! ....I still have some of the ticket stubs.

The Sheffield ticket stubs........

A flyer for the Leeds engagement, towards the end of the tour. By this time, you can see that they had aquired a print of "How the West Was Won"

which, by now had finished it's original two and a half year run at the London Casino Cinerama.

No, Blackpool ABC was never equipped for CINERAMA, not even 70mm was installed in the end but it was permanently wired for TV Broadcasts and 'Blackpool Night Out' became a regular summer feature on ABC Weekend Television on Sunday evenings.

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'Blackpool Night Out' became a regular summer feature on ABC Weekend Television on Sunday evenings.

The Beatles famously played there on Sunday 19 July 1964 and Sunday 1 August 1965 when the shows were televised.

Both shows were hosted by Mike & Bernie Winters

In the 1964 show the Beatles topped the bill with Chita Rivera, Frank Berry, Professor Jimmy Edwards and Lionel Blair

They sang 5 songs, nearly all to promote their latest film "A Hard Days Night"

The songs were,-

A Hard Day's Night

And I Love Her

If I Fell

Things We Said Today

They also did 2 comedy sketches with Mike & Bernie, one in which they did a medical operation on Ringo and another in which they played binmen.

In the 1965 show they topped the bill with Teddy Johnson & Pearl Carr, Johnny Hart and once again Lionel Blair.

This time the Beatles did 6 songs and no comedy sketches. Most of the songs were to promote their new film "Help!" and it is the only British TV show in which the Fab 4 did a live promotion of the film. Other shows merely used a clip from the film or its trailer.

The songs were, -

I Feel Fine

I'm Down

Act Naturally

Ticket To Ride

Yesterday

Help!

Yesterday was a solo performance by Paul, the others having left the stage. Before they left George Harrison introduced the song with the words, -

"..and now, for Paul McCartney, from Liverpool....Opportunity Knocks!" (reference to another Saturday night show hosted by Hughie Green)

After the song when the other 3 returned to the stage John replied, -

"Thank you Ringo, - that was wonderful"

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No, Blackpool ABC was never equipped for CINERAMA, not even 70mm was installed in the end but it was permanently wired for TV Broadcasts and 'Blackpool Night Out' became a regular summer feature on ABC Weekend Television on Sunday evenings.

What was the big fallout between Paramount and ABC in the early '70's all about AB ???

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Guest abcman

What was the big fallout between Paramount and ABC in the early '70's all about AB ???

It was all to do with money. Paramount were demanding a 'bigger slice of the cake' and ABC said no. Paramount's biggie at the time was 'Paint Your Wagon' and this meant it was booked into smaller circuit cinemas - in Sheffield it was first shown at Studio 7. Paramount soon saw that they were the losers and went back to ABC more or less on the same terms.

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It was all to do with money. Paramount were demanding a 'bigger slice of the cake' and ABC said no. Paramount's biggie at the time was 'Paint Your Wagon' and this meant it was booked into smaller circuit cinemas - in Sheffield it was first shown at Studio 7. Paramount soon saw that they were the losers and went back to ABC more or less on the same terms.

Ah! ....I see. I often wondered why Studio 7 got to show such a big hit movie like this one, rather than the ABC.

What was it ? ............... a case of a "New broom" thinking that they knew better than everyone else, and soon finding out that they didn't !

How many times have we seen that happen ?

Studio 7 were laughing all the way to the bank anyway. "Paint Your Wagon" had a hugely successful eight week run there - from April 4th to May 29th, 1971.

Was it really shown in 70mm there?

I only saw it at the Astoria, in London, where it definitely was in 70mm, and I remember that the sound was absolutely fantastic.

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Guest funkydory

Thanks for telling us about that Blackpool clip Funky...very interesting - and nostalgic.

I don't know if the ABC Blackpool ever did get a Cinerama size screen (I don't think it did ?), but the re-vamped Sheffield Gaumont 1 did, when it re-opened in July, 1969, with "Ice Station Zebra".

Although billed as Cinerama, this movie ( and many other subsequent ones shown here ) were not made in real, three strip Cinerama, but single strip, 70mm prints.

Still a very impressive image, but nowhere near as "all encompassing" as Cinerama proper.

Sheffield did get real Cinerama - for three months at least - in the Spring of 1965.

Early in 1964, a company named Itinerama set up a touring Cinerama theatre - on the lines of a large circus tent, and this appeared in major cities around the UK between April, 1964 and late 1967.

It pitched up in Sheffield in February, 1965, on a site at the end of Devonshire Street, on what is today Devonshire Green.

Four of the original five Cinerama feature films were shown - starting with "This is Cinerama", then "Cinerama Holiday", "Seven Wonders of the World" and finally "South Seas Adventure" -

closing on the 9th May, 1965. (I don't know why they didn't have a print of the fourth one - "Search for Paradise" ?).

It was the real mcCoy, with a gigantic curved screen and full 6 track stereophonic sound. It was just like a real cinema, with comfortable seats.

We went three times, and, of course! ....I still have some of the ticket stubs.

The Sheffield ticket stubs........

A flyer for the Leeds engagement, towards the end of the tour. By this time, you can see that they had aquired a print of "How the West Was Won"

which, by now had finished it's original two and a half year run at the London Casino Cinerama.

Many, many thanks S24. I think my profile on here mentions that Cinerama is a major route for me researching your region. I'm a lead contributor to the international Cinerama site www.cinerama.topcities.com and nearly all the UK London and birmingham ads on there are from my own collection

May I ask if I can mention this posting to the proprietor of CineramaTopcities in America please; and also may we ask for a direct link to your posting? Maybe one of the Supervisors on here can explain how thats done please.

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Many, many thanks S24. I think my profile on here mentions that Cinerama is a major route for me researching your region. I'm a lead contributor to the international Cinerama site www.cinerama.topcities.com and nearly all the UK London and birmingham ads on there are from my own collection

May I ask if I can mention this posting to the proprietor of CineramaTopcities in America please; and also may we ask for a direct link to your posting? Maybe one of the Supervisors on here can explain how thats done please.

Hi FD

re: linking to a post on SH,

every post shows a number in the R/H side of the header bar (this one is post #159)

ie S24's post that you quoted is #152,

click on #152 and the url link to that post will show up.

so a link to post #152 = http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=6091&view=findpost&p=69058

Just one problem,

only registered SH members will be able to see images,

though the rest of the post will be viewable to others.

Steve

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Guest abcman

Ah! ....I see. I often wondered why Studio 7 got to show such a big hit movie like this one, rather than the ABC.

What was it ? ............... a case of a "New broom" thinking that they knew better than everyone else, and soon finding out that they didn't !

How many times have we seen that happen ?

Studio 7 were laughing all the way to the bank anyway. "Paint Your Wagon" had a hugely successful eight week run there - from April 4th to May 29th, 1971.

Was it really shown in 70mm there?

I only saw it at the Astoria, in London, where it definitely was in 70mm, and I remember that the sound was absolutely fantastic.

Yes, Studio 7 definitely showed 'Paint Your Wagon' in 70mm although I didn't see it there. I first saw it at the ABC Princess in Blackpool in 70mm who ran it for the summer season in 1969 - this was during the period when ABC were not playing Paramount films but Blackpool ABC Princess was allowed to show it for some reason and then I saw it again in 70mm at the ABC Doncaster when Paramount backed down and returned to ABC.

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Many, many thanks S24. I think my profile on here mentions that Cinerama is a major route for me researching your region. I'm a lead contributor to the international Cinerama site www.cinerama.topcities.com and nearly all the UK London and birmingham ads on there are from my own collection

May I ask if I can mention this posting to the proprietor of CineramaTopcities in America please; and also may we ask for a direct link to your posting? Maybe one of the Supervisors on here can explain how thats done please.

I'm glad that the Cinerama info was of interest to you funky.

There was (and is!) always something special about Cinerama, wasn't there ?

Sure you can mention my posting to Cinerama Topcities in America, Let me know if there is anything else that I can help you with.

You may mail me direct if you wish to.

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Yes, Studio 7 definitely showed 'Paint Your Wagon' in 70mm although I didn't see it there. I first saw it at the ABC Princess in Blackpool in 70mm who ran it for the summer season in 1969 - this was during the period when ABC were not playing Paramount films but Blackpool ABC Princess was allowed to show it for some reason and then I saw it again in 70mm at the ABC Doncaster when Paramount backed down and returned to ABC.

Is the ABC Princess still there in Blackpool, AB ?

It's funny, isn't it ?....."Paint Your Wagon" was a huge hit here in the UK, even giving Lee Marvin a long running No 1 hit with "Wandrin' Star" , but it flopped in the States.

There's just no accounting for taste !

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Memories here,

Wasn't there a little song that the ABC mnors used to sing before the film was shown?

The song is on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzWjw7AO_Xo

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The song is on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzWjw7AO_Xo

That's wierd

As a kid I never went to the cinema that much really.

Never went on Saturday mornings to any matinees as I always spent the day with my dad.

I certainly was NEVER an ABC Minor

But somehow I know and remember this song.

No idea how or why.

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Guest abcman

Is the ABC Princess still there in Blackpool, AB ?

It's funny, isn't it ?....."Paint Your Wagon" was a huge hit here in the UK, even giving Lee Marvin a long running No 1 hit with "Wandrin' Star" , but it flopped in the States.

There's just no accounting for taste !

The building is still there just up from the North Pier but since closing as a cinema it seems to have been several different clubs. The Princess was never twinned or tripled as this fate fell to the (new) ABC Theatre on Church Street which was tripled in 1981 thus ending all stage shows.The Princess was closed as a cinema at this time. The ABC on Church Street closed in 2000 and it too is now a club called the Syndicate - but it is a high class place. Photos of the former ABC Princess as 'The Waterfront' and ABC Theatre as 'The Syndicate.

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The building is still there just up from the North Pier but since closing as a cinema it seems to have been several different clubs. The Princess was never twinned or tripled as this fate fell to the (new) ABC Theatre on Church Street which was tripled in 1981 thus ending all stage shows.The Princess was closed as a cinema at this time. The ABC on Church Street closed in 2000 and it too is now a club called the Syndicate - but it is a high class place. Photos of the former ABC Princess as 'The Waterfront' and ABC Theatre as 'The Syndicate.

Thanks for the photos AB.

Not exactly an improvement on the originals, are they ?

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Guest funkydory

I'm glad that the Cinerama info was of interest to you funky.

There was (and is!) always something special about Cinerama, wasn't there ?

Sure you can mention my posting to Cinerama Topcities in America, Let me know if there is anything else that I can help you with.

You may mail me direct if you wish to.

Thanks again, S24. In relation to Cinerama Topcities specifically I will mail you directly later in the week or as soonest I can get a reply back from America. At this moment, the proprietor could be away on what the Americans call "vacation" (My first cousin is American and I get endless fun out of her by making of mirth out of American terminology......).

In the meantime, here's a later example of how Cinerama brought a dazzle to British cinemagoing some 40/50 years ago which maybe younger members on the forum may not realise makes all this HD presentation nowadays sound very old-fashioned! And also a link to the aforementioned American site that puts Sheffield up there with the utmost in presentation...

Link .. www.cinerama.topcities.com

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Thanks again, S24. In relation to Cinerama Topcities specifically I will mail you directly later in the week or as soonest I can get a reply back from America. At this moment, the proprietor could be away on what the Americans call "vacation" (My first cousin is American and I get endless fun out of her by making of mirth out of American terminology......).

In the meantime, here's a later example of how Cinerama brought a dazzle to British cinemagoing some 40/50 years ago which maybe younger members on the forum may not realise makes all this HD presentation nowadays sound very old-fashioned! And also a link to the aforementioned American site that puts Sheffield up there with the utmost in presentation...

Link .. www.cinerama.topcities.com

Ok funky. I look forward to hearing from you. I have some original London flyers for Cinerama that don't seem to be on that website.

Gaumont 1 was a beautiful cinema, but I still prefer our ABC and the Odeon. Their 70mm presentation was always up there with the best of 'em !

I also never much cared for "Song of Norway", even though it comes in as Sheffield's joint fourth longest running film.

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Guest abcman

Great to see these old adds again.Well done & thanks.

Display of stills & hanging cards for 'Oliver' at the Sheffield Odeon December 1968

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Display of stills & hanging cards for 'Oliver' at the Sheffield Odeon December 1968

Nice photo Ab.

Was this taken in the foyer of the Odeon ?

"Oliver!" was the last of the Odeon's "Epic" Road Show presentations. It opened on December 22nd, 1968 and ran there until March 8th, 1969......11 weeks in all.

When the re-vamped, twinned Gaumonts opened in July, 1969, the two cinemas' roles were reversed - with the Gaumont taking the prestige, long run Road Shows,

and the Odeon getting the run-of-the-mill, weekly stuff.

Poor old Odeon ! Thirteen years loyal service and suddenly it's "move over, for the new kid on the block !"

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Guest abcman

Nice photo Ab.

Was this taken in the foyer of the Odeon ?

"Oliver!" was the last of the Odeon's "Epic" Road Show presentations. It opened on December 22nd, 1968 and ran there until March 8th, 1969......11 weeks in all.

When the re-vamped, twinned Gaumonts opened in July, 1969, the two cinemas' roles were reversed - with the Gaumont taking the prestige, long run Road Shows,

and the Odeon getting the run-of-the-mill, weekly stuff.

Poor old Odeon ! Thirteen years loyal service and suddenly it's "move over, for the new kid on the block !"

No, not taken at the Odeon, but at a florists where my sister worked.(She was advertising for the opposition as I was at the ABC and showing 'Gone With The Wind' in 70mm.)

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No, not taken at the Odeon, but at a florists where my sister worked.(She was advertising for the opposition as I was at the ABC and showing 'Gone With The Wind' in 70mm.)

Ah!...I see.

So, it was a case of - "Who will buy my sweet red roses, Two blooms for a penny..." was it ?

Although, even in 1968, two roses would have cost quite a bit more than a penny !

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Guest abcman

Ah!...I see.

So, it was a case of - "Who will buy my sweet red roses, Two blooms for a penny..." was it ?

Although, even in 1968, two roses would have cost quite a bit more than a penny !

Ha ha very good. Yes, roses have never been cheap. It also meant my sister got two complimentary tickets to see the film. Working at the ABC, I got in free anyway - perks of the job you know.

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Ha ha very good. Yes, roses have never been cheap. It also meant my sister got two complimentary tickets to see the film. Working at the ABC, I got in free anyway - perks of the job you know.

Hmmmm ! - alright for some eh ? I always had to pay !

I was in Leicester Square, the night of "Oliver!"'s World Premiere, at the Odeon - Thursday, September 26th, 1968.

I didn't have tickets for that performance, but I did go the very next night.

I remember that Princess Margaret and Tony Armstrong-Jones were the Royals in attendance.

Also there were most of the film's cast : Ron Moody, Shani Wallace, Oliver Reed, Mark Lester, Jack Wild,etc, along with Lionel Bart himself,

who came out looking as pleased as punch in his big, black fedora!

Harold Wilson and Mary were there too, along with Douglas Fairbanks, Lulu .....and many others, who I can't quite remember right now, without looking them up !.

I did see it again when it arrived at our Odeon in Sheffield.

And, of course, I still have the ticket stubs ...........

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