Saturday night at the movies – but only if you felt like queuing
Queues that went on forever and watching legends of the big screen. They were wonderful memories of the golden days of the movies.
And what a response we got when we asked for your recollections of them.
Last week, we began a look at your memories of the Ritz which later became the ABC and 15,000 of you took an interest. We promised to share more of your stories and here they are.
One favourite film stood out for Karen Rowe who said: “Saturday Night Fever. Those queues went on forever.”
She wasn’t the only one who patiently waited to watch a favourite picture.
Marie Harper said: “Titanic, has to be. Loved this place and the queues.” Marie described them as “mint days”.
Others recalled the children’s club, including Wilf Harland, who said: “I was a projectionist there in 1967, fab job.”
He said he would see the same film 19 times a week but added: “Saturday morning were the best. Blank the screen for seconds and the kids would go wild lol.”
Trisha Bernstein was another with Saturday morning memories and said: “Kids flicks were sheer pandemonium! Noisy, loud fun. I’m not sure anyone ever watched the film but lots of popcorn, sweets and ice cream were consumed!”
Plenty more of you were keen to look back including Beatrice Coyles who said: “Uncle Norman was relief manager and Auntie Jan was chief cashier in the 60’s.”
Others to name their favourite movies were Lee Barlow who said: “Platoon and Top Gun double billcost £1” and Richie Fairhead who recalled: “Island at the top of the world, Star Wars and Grease.”
Stanley Craig said: “The Vikings with Janet Leigh. Fell in love!!”
Karen Brown Winter remembered: “All night horror films in the 70s” and Robert Colborn added: “Zulu. Brilliant film with Micheal Caine and Stanley Baker.”
Norman Cooper recalled the ABC on Saturday Mornings while Sharon Bell reminisced: “Ritz ABC then Cannon when I worked there till 96 great place.” June Humphries “Went
to Saturday mornpictures” ing and
Trevor Lynn said his favourite film was Rocky 4.
Marie Pentland said The Godfather was her favourwhile ite Andrew Marc Halverson said he went to see “The Goodies about 13 times.” Lesley Archie recalled Quadrophenia 1979 while Deborah Thirtle said: “Jaws!!!” There were plenty of other favourites including Star Wars for Doug Charlton, From Dusk Til Dawn for Tracey Parkin and Get Carter more than 40 years ago for Brian Dacres.
But Ian Binyon had a very different favourite from 45 years ago. He watched the 1973 FA Cup Final there.
Rachel Bosanko liked both Titanic and The Mask while Steve Stewart loved Rocky and said: “Proper class.”
We also heard from Alan Mitcheson who said: “My two favourite cinemas were the Grand at Ryhope, and the Regent at Grangetown.
“The first film I saw at the Grand was about 1938, when I saw Tod Slaughter in ‘The Ticket to Leave Man’. Shortly afterwards it was Tod Slaughter again in ‘The Face at the Window’, a horror film. But in those days there was no restriction for children attending these films. Tod Slaughter was born in Newcastle, and went on to make a number of similar films.
“The Grand still stands near St Paul’s Church and is to be taken down eventually and rebuilt at Beamish Museum. My early attendances were at the front seats known as ‘The Dog-end’ and were wooden benches. The better seats were further back and in the Circle. Later films were Louis Hayward in ‘The Man in the Iron Mask’ and Gary Cooper in ‘The Westerner’, also starring Walter Brennan as Judge Roy Bean.
“My first visit to The Regent was to see Errol Flynn in ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’. This was about 1938 also. This cinema was very ‘posh’ with luxurious seats and carpeted floor. In those days queuing was always the thing to face and would stretch right down to opposite Windsor Terrace.
“During the war, if an air raid happened during a performance, notification of this was projected onto the screen should anyone wish to leave.
“At the Grand, Mr. Jack Money was always there to keep control of anyone being noisy, and would shine his torch on them and ask them to keep quiet.”