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Films with longest runs in Sheffield


Guest Old Canny Street Kid

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Guest abcman

I enjoyed going to watch Tommy Steele in "Half A Sixpence" so much that I actually got the book "Kipps" by H. G. Wells, the novel on which "Half A Sixpence" is based, out of the library and read it.

Being a science student interested in factual science, science fiction does not really interest me at all in either book or film, unless of course it comes from one of the masters of the genre like H.G. Wells, Jules Verne or Isaac Asimov. I had read most of Well's science fiction books but this was the first romantic novel of his that I had read and possibly the only romantic novel I have read. The book "Kipps" about the life of Arthur Kipps and his first love is for a large part, autobiographical about H. G. Wells.

The film "Half A Sixpence" actually follows the story in the book very well.

Tommy Steele as Arthur Kipps in the film 'Half A Sixpence'

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No, it wasn't "Swanee" in the scene you're thinking of Dave - it was "Farewell My Bluebell"...........and it was the scene where the young Jolson (still Asa Yoelson)

is up in the gallery (planted by Steve Martin) when his voice suddenly breaks in mid song. That's when he comes up with the whistling gimmick.

Scotty Beckett was the young Asa, and his voice belonged to Rudy Wissler.

A memorable scene.

My own previous posts and a bit of common sense should have told me that it couldn't have been "Swanee" in which Jolson's voice broke.

If Jolson got the song "Swanee" from the Gershwins in 1919 he would have been about 34 years old at the time, - hardly a pubescent youth with a breaking voice!

It must have been an earlier song he was singing, possibly around the year 1900, when his voice croaked.

I do not have a recording of Jolson singing "Farewell My Bluebell" to check if it has the "whistling" on it BUT the Jolson version of "Swanee" certainly does have him whistling on it and is quite famous for it.

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I also saw 'Hello Dolly' at the Gaumont 1 Sheffield and 'The Intelligence Men' at the Odeon, plus of course 'Mary Poppins' at the Gaumont (at a special 11.30am performance on the Easter Monday - and yes we still had to queue). Saw 'The Sound Of Music' several times during its long run at the Odeon. Has anyone got a picture of Sheffield Odeon when 'The Sound Of Music' was showing there they could upload on this file.

I never actually got to see "The Sound Of Music" until much later in the 1960's when, during the school holidays my mum paid me to take my younger brother to see it (I was in my teens at the time, my brother would be less than 10).

We went to see it at one of our "local" cinemas, The REX at Intake.

I can't remember the exact year (except later 60's, - possibly 1968) or which school holiday it was (possibly 6 week because we had plenty of time to spare)

Any ideas?

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Oh well !......as I said earlier, just wait until i've finished that time machine.

(Which also played at the Odeon - w/c Nov. 20th, 1960 !) lol

Would that be the film "The Time Machine" which is also based on a H.G. Wells novel?

The time machine in it is a chair with a spinning disc on the back.

As the traveller makes his way through time he stops in various years but his last stop before being forced to go into the far future was 1966.

Because of this I always assumed the film had been made in 1966, but clearly it is older.

Should have known better, up to the 1966 events they're factual but 1966 is set in the middle of fictional World War 3 which sort of gives it away that the REAL 1966 hasn't arrived yet.

So when was this film made?

From your post it looks like either 1959 or 1960 would be about right.

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Tommy Steele as Arthur Kipps in the film 'Half A Sixpence'

I can picture that scene from the film now and even hear Tommy singing

"If the rains gotta fall,

Let fall on Maidstone,

Kingston,

Oakston,

Anywhere but Folkstone

Folkstone's the place where its gotta be fine

'Cos that's where I'm meeting my girl"

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Guest abcman

Would that be the film "The Time Machine" which is also based on a H.G. Wells novel?

The time machine in it is a chair with a spinning disc on the back.

As the traveller makes his way through time he stops in various years but his last stop before being forced to go into the far future was 1966.

Because of this I always assumed the film had been made in 1966, but clearly it is older.

Should have known better, up to the 1966 events they're factual but 1966 is set in the middle of fictional World War 3 which sort of gives it away that the REAL 1966 hasn't arrived yet.

So when was this film made?

From your post it looks like either 1959 or 1960 would be about right.

The Time Machine was released in August 1960

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The Time Machine was released in August 1960

Thanks abcman.

Another Sheffield related film showing I have a vague memory of concerns the Sheffield gale in February 1962.

At this time we lived in asbestos prefabs on the Arbourthorne which were devastated by the gale and I was evacuatedout to my aunties and couldn't go to school as my school had been turned into a refugee centre for the homeless who's homes had just been destroyed. Ours wasn't destroyed but we were evacuated for safety. details of all this, with my and others peoples memories are in the appropriate topic on this site (The Sheffield Gale, 1962)

Now, while I was "evacuated", to keep me occupied once the gale had died back a bit but there was still no school my older cousin took me to town to see a film at the pictures.

I THINK the film was Cliff Richard in "The Young Ones", but I can't remember which cinema we went to at all. Poor memory here but with all the turmoil and worry caused by the dvastation of the wind we did have other things on our mind, - like weather we actually have a home to go back to when the wind finally stopped.

So, -

What was showing in local cinemas during the week 11 - 17 February 1962?

Were any of them showing "The Young Ones"?

If not, what film did I go to see?

If so, what cinema did I go to?

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Guest abcman

Thanks abcman.

Another Sheffield related film showing I have a vague memory of concerns the Sheffield gale in February 1962.

At this time we lived in asbestos prefabs on the Arbourthorne which were devastated by the gale and I was evacuatedout to my aunties and couldn't go to school as my school had been turned into a refugee centre for the homeless who's homes had just been destroyed. Ours wasn't destroyed but we were evacuated for safety. details of all this, with my and others peoples memories are in the appropriate topic on this site (The Sheffield Gale, 1962)

Now, while I was "evacuated", to keep me occupied once the gale had died back a bit but there was still no school my older cousin took me to town to see a film at the pictures.

I THINK the film was Cliff Richard in "The Young Ones", but I can't remember which cinema we went to at all. Poor memory here but with all the turmoil and worry caused by the dvastation of the wind we did have other things on our mind, - like weather we actually have a home to go back to when the wind finally stopped.

So, -

What was showing in local cinemas during the week 11 - 17 February 1962?

Were any of them showing "The Young Ones"?

If not, what film did I go to see?

If so, what cinema did I go to?

Well 'The Young Ones' was released in London on 19th December 1961 and its initial run in Sheffield was at the ABC so it is highly likely that it would still be running in Sheffield in February 1962 but I myself do not know which cinema.

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Well 'The Young Ones' was released in London on 19th December 1961 and its initial run in Sheffield was at the ABC so it is highly likely that it would still be running in Sheffield in February 1962 but I myself do not know which cinema.

Thanks again abcman,

So it looks as though I was right about which film I saw with my cousin.

I have this eerie memory of after the gale of playing around in these wrecked old prefabs with the song "The Young Ones" being performed by Cliff Richard and the Shadows being played on a radio in the distance. The song was a big hit and was in the charts for ages and it is this which put some doubt on weather I saw the film, or just heard that record endlessly at that time and associated it with the gale event.

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Guest abcman

Thanks again abcman,

So it looks as though I was right about which film I saw with my cousin.

I have this eerie memory of after the gale of playing around in these wrecked old prefabs with the song "The Young Ones" being performed by Cliff Richard and the Shadows being played on a radio in the distance. The song was a big hit and was in the charts for ages and it is this which put some doubt on weather I saw the film, or just heard that record endlessly at that time and associated it with the gale event.

Certainly one of Cliff's early highlights. I saw the film at the Essoldo in Rotherham and remember having to queue for ages - as was normal with many a popular film in those days.

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Certainly one of Cliff's early highlights. I saw the film at the Essoldo in Rotherham and remember having to queue for ages - as was normal with many a popular film in those days.

I really enjoyed that film.

Then the following year along came "Summer Holiday" which was even better.

The year after that along came a group of moptops from Liverpool (what was their name again? lol ) and when they came out with the film "A Hard Day's Night", even though it was only in black and white and "Summer Holiday" had been in colour, it looked like a film career for Cliff and the Shads was just about over.

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Guest abcman

I really enjoyed that film.

Then the following year along came "Summer Holiday" which was even better.

The year after that along came a group of moptops from Liverpool (what was their name again? lol ) and when they came out with the film "A Hard Day's Night", even though it was only in black and white and "Summer Holiday" had been in colour, it looked like a film career for Cliff and the Shads was just about over.

Yes, tried twice to get to see 'Summer Holiday' at the ABC in 1963, in the end saw it at the Majestic in Mexborough of all places. Did get to see Cliff & The Shads live though later in the summer of 63 at the New ABC Theatre in Blackpool.

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I enjoyed going to watch Tommy Steele in "Half A Sixpence" so much that I actually got the book "Kipps" by H. G. Wells, the novel on which "Half A Sixpence" is based, out of the library and read it.

Being a science student interested in factual science, science fiction does not really interest me at all in either book or film, unless of course it comes from one of the masters of the genre like H.G. Wells, Jules Verne or Isaac Asimov. I had read most of Well's science fiction books but this was the first romantic novel of his that I had read and possibly the only romantic novel I have read. The book "Kipps" about the life of Arthur Kipps and his first love is for a large part, autobiographical about H. G. Wells.

The film "Half A Sixpence" actually follows the story in the book very well.

I love H.G.Wells too Dave, and "Kipps" is one of my favourites. "Half a Sixpence" did stick to the book, pretty much, but you should also look out for Carol Reed's excellent 1941 film - "Kipps".......

with Michael Redgrave as Arty and Phyllis Calvert as Ann. Just as enjoyable as it's later, musical version.

We saw the original stage version of "Half a Sixpence" in London, with Tommy Steele and Marti Webb as Ann in 1963. I was 13, and it was my first London show.

I remember that "Flash, Bang, Wallop!" brought the house down, and they had to reprise it.

I saw the film version at the Astoria not long after it had opened...and enjoyed it so much I went again, later that week.

We also went to the Gala, Variety Club Opening on it's first Sunday at our Sheffield ABC.

I still have the souvenir programme and, (of course!)...the ticket stubs!.....

Here are a couple of US FOH stills from the set I have:

Tommy and Julia Foster singing the title song.....

Tommy and the girls with "Money to Burn"........

By the way, did you know that Julia Foster, who played Ann in the film is Ben Fogle's Mum ?

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That will have been the one S24.

Shown on 12th of September to mark "Battle of Britain week" (1971 was the 31st anniversary of the battle)

Most air shows in Britain were always on this week in September (e.g. RAF Finningley) to mark the same event, nearly always with the battle of Britain memorial flight fly past (a Spitfire, a Hurricane and a Lancaster bomber)

We used to celebrate this week regularly when we were younger by going to air shows and events.

I am almost certain I would have gone to see this film in September.

Ah!...right Dave. That would make sense.

My Dad used to take me to Finningley too for the air shows..................long before Robin Hood took it over !

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My own previous posts and a bit of common sense should have told me that it couldn't have been "Swanee" in which Jolson's voice broke.

If Jolson got the song "Swanee" from the Gershwins in 1919 he would have been about 34 years old at the time, - hardly a pubescent youth with a breaking voice!

It must have been an earlier song he was singing, possibly around the year 1900, when his voice croaked.

I do not have a recording of Jolson singing "Farewell My Bluebell" to check if it has the "whistling" on it BUT the Jolson version of "Swanee" certainly does have him whistling on it and is quite famous for it.

I don't think Jolson ever recorded "Farewell My Bluebell" Dave, although he may have sung it, as a kid, just like in the movie ?

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Would that be the film "The Time Machine" which is also based on a H.G. Wells novel?

The time machine in it is a chair with a spinning disc on the back.

As the traveller makes his way through time he stops in various years but his last stop before being forced to go into the far future was 1966.

Because of this I always assumed the film had been made in 1966, but clearly it is older.

Should have known better, up to the 1966 events they're factual but 1966 is set in the middle of fictional World War 3 which sort of gives it away that the REAL 1966 hasn't arrived yet.

So when was this film made?

From your post it looks like either 1959 or 1960 would be about right.

It was released in 1960 Dave.

It opened at the Odeon, Marble Arch on September 29th, and landed at the Sheffield Odeon w/c November 20th.

The beautiful machine that they built for the film is today in the Smithsonian Institute, in Washington D.C.

Or, you could buy this model of it, on eBay for only $595.00 !

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Another Sheffield related film showing I have a vague memory of concerns the Sheffield gale in February 1962.

At this time we lived in asbestos prefabs on the Arbourthorne which were devastated by the gale and I was evacuatedout to my aunties and couldn't go to school as my school had been turned into a refugee centre for the homeless who's homes had just been destroyed. Ours wasn't destroyed but we were evacuated for safety. details of all this, with my and others peoples memories are in the appropriate topic on this site (The Sheffield Gale, 1962)

Now, while I was "evacuated", to keep me occupied once the gale had died back a bit but there was still no school my older cousin took me to town to see a film at the pictures.

I THINK the film was Cliff Richard in "The Young Ones", but I can't remember which cinema we went to at all. Poor memory here but with all the turmoil and worry caused by the dvastation of the wind we did have other things on our mind, - like weather we actually have a home to go back to when the wind finally stopped.

So, -

What was showing in local cinemas during the week 11 - 17 February 1962?

Were any of them showing "The Young Ones"?

If not, what film did I go to see?

If so, what cinema did I go to?

I remember the big storm very well too Dave and I didn't go to school that day either......although I didn't get to go to the pictures!

You are probably right about the film you saw that day....."The Young Ones" was in it's third (and final) week at the ABC.

It was an enormous hit, and we saw it three times there.

ABC Man has already posted a copy of the ad from the ABC Film Review.

The films showing in town that week Dave were:

Odeon - "The Outsider" with Tony Curtis

ABC - "The Young Ones" with Cliff Richard

Palace - "Breakfast at Tiffany's" with Audrey Hepburn

Gaumont - "The Comancheros" with John Wayne

Hippodrome - "Twist Around the Clock" - with Chubby Checker

Classic - "Wuthering Heights" with Laurence Olivier

Has that jogged your memory, or, is the answer "Blowing in the Wind" ? lol

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I really enjoyed that film.

Then the following year along came "Summer Holiday" which was even better.

The year after that along came a group of moptops from Liverpool (what was their name again? lol ) and when they came out with the film "A Hard Day's Night", even though it was only in black and white and "Summer Holiday" had been in colour, it looked like a film career for Cliff and the Shads was just about over.

"Summer Holiday" was a mega hit Dave, and ran at the ABC for four, packed weeks, from Feb 3rd to March 2nd, 1963.

I remember queuing in that passage at the side of the ABC several times to get in.

The Beatles certainly did change everything, and ballad singers were out. Although Cliff has managed to hang on in there !

From ABC Film Review - Feb, 1963....

....and March, 1963.....

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Yes, tried twice to get to see 'Summer Holiday' at the ABC in 1963, in the end saw it at the Majestic in Mexborough of all places. Did get to see Cliff & The Shads live though later in the summer of 63 at the New ABC Theatre in Blackpool.

You weren't the only one who couldn't get in to see it abcM (or, may I call you ab?). Even Cliff couldn't get into the premiere in London.

The crowds were so thick in Leicester Square that police advised him to turn back, and go home. So, he did!

The Shads got in though.

Take a look at this clip from Pathe News:

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=42921

What a small world eh?....'cos guess who else went to see Cliff and the Shads in Blackpool that Summer?

Yup! .... and here are the stubs to prove it.........

I still have the programme too.....i'll see if I can dig it out for you.

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Guest funkydory

I remember the big storm very well too Dave and I didn't go to school that day either......although I didn't get to go to the pictures!

You are probably right about the film you saw that day....."The Young Ones" was in it's third (and final) week at the ABC.

It was an enormous hit, and we saw it three times there.

ABC Man has already posted a copy of the ad from the ABC Film Review.

The films showing in town that week Dave were:

Odeon - "The Outsider" with Tony Curtis

ABC - "The Young Ones" with Cliff Richard

Palace - "Breakfast at Tiffany's" with Audrey Hepburn

Gaumont - "The Comancheros" with John Wayne

Hippodrome - "Twist Around the Clock" - with Chubby Checker

Classic - "Wuthering Heights" with Laurence Olivier

Has that jogged your memory, or, is the answer "Blowing in the Wind" ? lol

S24, the answer could be "Whistle Down the Wind" which came out in (I think) February of that year. :)

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Guest funkydory

I enjoyed going to watch Tommy Steele in "Half A Sixpence" so much that I actually got the book "Kipps" by H. G. Wells, the novel on which "Half A Sixpence" is based, out of the library and read it.

Being a science student interested in factual science, science fiction does not really interest me at all in either book or film, unless of course it comes from one of the masters of the genre like H.G. Wells, Jules Verne or Isaac Asimov. I had read most of Well's science fiction books but this was the first romantic novel of his that I had read and possibly the only romantic novel I have read. The book "Kipps" about the life of Arthur Kipps and his first love is for a large part, autobiographical about H. G. Wells.

The film "Half A Sixpence" actually follows the story in the book very well.

Here's a few more items from 'Half a Sixpence', including the "film version" of the H.G.Wells novel.

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S24, the answer could be "Whistle Down the Wind" which came out in (I think) February of that year. :)

It could have been funky....but, "Whistle Down the Wind" had blown itself out by then

It played at the Gaumont - w/c 6th August, 1961.

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Guest abcman

You weren't the only one who couldn't get in to see it abcM (or, may I call you ab?). Even Cliff couldn't get into the premiere in London.

The crowds were so thick in Leicester Square that police advised him to turn back, and go home. So, he did!

The Shads got in though.

Take a look at this clip from Pathe News:

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=42921

What a small world eh?....'cos guess who else went to see Cliff and the Shads in Blackpool that Summer?

Yup! .... and here are the stubs to prove it.........

I still have the programme too.....i'll see if I can dig it out for you.

Don't panic S24, I still have my copy of the programme. And here is the Blackpool ABC in 1963 with Cliff in residence, plus flyer for the show.

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Don't panic S24, I still have my copy of the programme. And here is the Blackpool ABC in 1963 with Cliff in residence, plus flyer for the show.

It was a beautiful theatre, wasn't it?

I took a look at it last year when we were there and it's now a huge club....can't remember the name.

The same for the huge Odeon that was further round the corner.

What a great shame.

You would have thought that there were enough visitors to Blackpool to have kept them profitable ???

I dug the Cliff programme out anyway...............

On the Sunday (Cliff's day off), I went to see these guys......

Whatever happened to them ??? lol

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Guest abcman

It was a beautiful theatre, wasn't it?

I took a look at it last year when we were there and it's now a huge club....can't remember the name.

The same for the huge Odeon that was further round the corner.

What a great shame.

You would have thought that there were enough visitors to Blackpool to have kept them profitable ???

I dug the Cliff programme out anyway...............

On the Sunday (Cliff's day off), I went to see these guys......

Whatever happened to them ??? lol

Yes, it was a beautiful modern theatre. In 1969 (when Cilla was appearing in the summer show) after I had started working for ABC, I was shown all round the theatre and even given a ride on the revolving stage. Great memories. saw some good stars there through the years. It is now called The Syndicate.

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