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Which cinema - when?

Do you know which Brighton cinema foyer is shown here?

Do you have a rough estimate of the date?

If you can identify the cinema and know the approximate date, please post a comment below.


What do you think?

Which cinema - when ?
Image reproduced with kind permission of The Regency Society and The James Gray Collection

Comments about this page

  • It has been many years since I attended there but I’m fairly sure it is the Astoria. I think that was where they showed ‘Jaws’ with Sensurround, enormous speakers on the balcony that shook the seats with the bass rumble.

    By Bob Catt (11/03/2017)
  • I forgot to add that the date must be no earlier than 1954 as the movies listed  have release dates of 1947, 1950 and 1954 for “Lilacs in the Spring” starring Anna Neagle and Errol Flynn.

    By Bob Catt (11/03/2017)
  • The date is almost certainly 1950 or 1951. The film, ‘Wyoming Mail’ came out in 1950.  The cinema could be one of any number of beautiful, art deco picture houses in Brighton, at that time. My guess would be the Astoria but it could have been the Savoy. 

    By Philip Burnard (11/03/2017)
  • Too clever for my own good.  I have just checked the film ‘Lilacs in the Spring’ and it didn’t come out until 1954, so I think the date may be 1954 as Lilacs in the Spring appears to be a “[something] attraction”. Perhaps top of the bill. 

    By Philip Burnard (11/03/2017)
  • ‘Wyoming Mail’ came out in 1950 , but as to the location…

    By Geoffrey Mead (11/03/2017)
  • Would it be the Odeon, West Street?

    By Joe Mann (12/03/2017)
  • Philip Burnard, I did a bit of checking by typing Astoria into the search box.
    You posted this article only a year ago.

    By Bob Catt (12/03/2017)
  • Wrong clock for the Odeon, it had hexagonal Art Deco clocks.

    By Mick Peirson (12/03/2017)
  • Just to note that the memorably titled, ‘Angel and the Bad Man’ came out in 1947. It sounds as though not much thought was given to naming the film. Whatever the cinema, they certainly offered a range of films from various years. This was a time when few people had TVs and would, I imagine,  look to the cinema for varied entertainment. Intervals in films would feature Pathe Pictorial News, which would bring people up to date with some news items – although, as I remember them, they were usually made up of ‘feature’ pieces. 

    By Philip Burnard (12/03/2017)
  • That looks like the ABC logo on the forthcoming attractions posters, so I would guess it’s the Savoy, and certainly post-1953.

    By Alan Hobden (12/03/2017)
  • Bob Catt. I have done a search and found the piece I wrote last year about the Astoria. However the picture (used in both pieces) was not posted by me, but by the editor of the site. I don’t have any photos of Brighton!

    By Philip Burnard (13/03/2017)
  • I am much more leaning towards the Savoy. This entrance does not seem broad enough for the Astoria. But it could fit well with the circular front of the Savoy which had more than one entrance.

    By Sandra Bohtlingk (13/03/2017)
  • Could it possibly be the Granada in Hove?

    By Mike Attree (14/03/2017)
  • It looks like the Savoy to me from what I can remember.

    By Marilyn Jones (14/03/2017)
  • I also think it is the front entrance to the Savoy on the seafront. There was also another side entrance from East Street. It is now the Grosvenor casino and the side entrance is Days restaurant. It’s definitely not the Granada as I went to Saturday morning pictures every week and can remember it very well. 

    By Doreen Young (21/03/2017)
  • I am positive that it is the Astoria. I have access to a sister picture (another one from the Regency Society / James Gray Collection) which shows the scene immediately to the left of your puzzle picture. You can see the same flooring pattern in both, the far left of the floor cabinet in the original image shows up in the right side of my sister picture  -  but, most telling of all, is the semi-circular logo “Astoria” set into the floor at the base of the sweeping stairs leading up to the circle. I don’t seem to be able to attach a pic to this message but will happily do so if pointed in the right direction! Hello Brian, there is a ‘how to’ tutorial on adding photos to your post. It’s on the home page – just above the signpost saying Brighton and Hove tours. If you get stuck, our Editor will gladly help – jennifer@mybrightonandhove.org.uk. Best wishes, Editing Team

    By Brian Matthews (30/03/2017)
  • The same photo was used at the head of Philip’s article on the Astoria posted on 25 May 2016, so I guess that solves the mystery! It is the Astoria. Well done to Bob and Brian.

    By Alan Hobden (31/03/2017)
  • Having found some wonderful pictures of the Astoria on line I am having to swallow my earlier comment about this being the Savoy.

    By Sandra Bohtlingk (05/04/2017)
  • Definately the Astoria – my first date with my wife, Diane, back in 1977 was there – we watched “A Bridge Too Far”.

    By Robert Bovington (01/08/2019)

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