Odeon

[juliab2002]

Hi I noticed a few posts on the Odeon and I went to the odeon regularly as I spent most of my summer holidays with my nan who lived in Ondine Road. I do believe they had someone playing the organ is that right? I used to love it there but notice now it is a temple or something. Sad.

[computedshorty]

Three pictures of the old East Dulwich Odeon,

Click to see them.

Cinema at Goose Green East Dulwich.

The site of the first Cinema the Pavilion, was built close to the School keepers Lodge of the adjacent school in Grove Vale SE 22, this had only a small front with two floors above possibly the managers accommodation with four Crittal galvanised window frames with very small panes of glass, it was one of the few that boasted a car park, that was next to the cinema and occupied the space up to the corner shop of Tintergel Crescent. It was sited behind high Advertising Placard Boards, these were supported by a heavy wooden structure of timbers that inclined back and took up a large part of the parking space, this did not matter as there were very few cars then. The back of the simple red bricked cinema backed onto the pavement in Tintergel Crescent, the only clue of what the building was the emergency pairs of exit doors.

In the thirties it was renamed as Odeon taken from Oscar Deutsch Entertains Our Nation, Odeon Cinemas was created in 1928 by Oscar Deutsch, the colour scheme was light green and cream, of the Art Deco architecture style. Inside the entrance was the central Cash desk to purchase your tickets a long vestibule led to the auditorium in front and the stairs to the upper circle to the right.

The auditorium floor slopped down towards the screen, the cream safety curtains that were always drawn at the end of a show had a display of coloured butterflies on the lower part, to each side of the screen there was a tower on a plinth of three sections high with four green glass panels that reduced in size as they got higher and illuminated light green, and an electric clock to the right.

The cinema was very popular and had two shows a week day, a main film that lasted about an hour and a half, a News Reel, and the 15 minute interval the lights came on and when the sales girl stood under the clock selling ices and sweets, still advertisement slides were shown, the seats were self folding up and when the patrons rose to go to the toilets there was a constant banging. The second half was a B movie and lasted for about an hour, then there was the showing of future films that would be coming soon.

Although there were two separate shows you could come in at any time the film was showing and stay for the rerun and left when you got to the bit when you came in.

Saturdays there was the Children?s Club Matinee in the morning Cowboy films, Mickey Mouse, Buck Jones Roy Rogers and his horse Trigger, Laurel & Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, Marx Brothers, all the kids loved it and shouted like mad.

When the very peak of films were available it meant that you had to stand in a queue that was inside to the left of the entrance hall, where you waited until the Commissionair dressed in his green uniform overcoat with gold braid all over it, and a peaked Military style cap with ODEON on it, he would come over and count about dozen then put his arm behind that number and let those go and purchase their ticket, Some times there were so many waiting in the queue that it led in from out side and down the side passageway, I remember waiting there several who had to wait a long time used the Public Phone Box to tell their family they would be home late.

Those who walked home after, some bought chips from the fish shop in Lordship Lane and ate them direct from the broadsheet newspaper as they walked along, getting home to find that their hands were covered in black ink from the print.

During this time there were some horse drawn vehicles, outside the East Dulwich Hotel was a Granite Horse Trough where the horses could get a drink, there were two lower long troughs underneath for the dogs and at one end a drinking push button to get a jet of drinking water direct to your mouth or use the Puter cup on the chain.

The trams passed the Odeon, to Goose Green some went on to Dulwich Library or Forest Hill or terminated at Blackwell Tunnel, there were two branch lines, one that entered Sterling Road to allow the trams to terminate there and stay until their time of return, the other branch was used by a man changing the points for the trams to proceed to Peckham Rye then terminate at Stuart Road.

Goose Green has as far as I can remember been enclosed possibly to prevent the livestock of the early days from roaming onto the roads. The Pointsmans wooden hut also acted as a passengers waiting shelter, the style reminded me of the sea side shelters on the Promenades.

[juliab2002]

I used to go to the Saturday morning pictures, as the Odeon was virtually at the end of my nan's Road so all I had to do was walk down. I went back about 2 years ago and what a change!!

[pinecone]

obligatory wikipedia link for clarification on etymology of "ODEON" backronym http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Deutsch

[47A Irford Close]

I remember seeing "Oliver!" there in the early `70s... I was very sad when Nancy died.

[Jah Lush]

A temple? It was the Palace Of Peace for about year or so in '73 '74. It's been an office building for more than a decade or two. Where have you been for the last 40 years?

[computedshorty]

Odeon Site.

Located in the southeast London district of East Dulwich, on Grove Vale near the northwest corner of Tintagel Crescent. The Pavilion Cinema was built on the site of the earlier Pavilion Cinema, formerly Imperial Hall of 1902.

The new Pavilion Cinema was independently operated and opened on 30th July 1936 with Betty Fields in "On Top Of The World". The popular comedy & singing duo Flanagan & Allen made a personal appearance. A feature of the exterior were three tall wedged shape fins which were faced in black vitolite and had the names Pavilion & Cinema in large red neoned letters. The auditorium was wide, rather than long, and had a decorative 12 feet high light fitting on each side of the proscenium. There were also troughs of concealed lighting in the ceiling. Seating was provided in stalls and a balcony. The Pavilion Cinema had a cafe and a car park for the convenience of its patrons.

The Pavilion Cinema was taken over by Oscar Deutsch?s Odeon Theatres Ltd. chain in August 1937, and it was re-named Odeon in around 1939.

The Odeon was closed by the Rank Organisation on 21st October 1972 with "The Burglars"(Le Casse) starring Jean-Paul Belmondo. On 7th June 1973, the building was sold to the Divine Light Mission and became a Palace of Peace Temple to the followers of 15 year old Guju Maharaj-Ji from India. In 1978, the building was purchased by the London Clock Company and converted into offices and a warehouse and it was named London House.

They installed a floor across from the front of the balcony to the rear wall behind where the screen originally was placed. The firm moved out of the building in July 2000 and it was place on the market ?For Sale? and purchased by a development company. It was demolished in April 2001, and a housing project was built on the site.

[juliab2002]

I have been living in Kent!! I came down many years ago and saw a sort of temple affair so thats what I thought it was.

[ED - NAGAIUTB]

I moved to ED in 1995, but for the life of me can't remember what the Odeon building looked like just prior to being demolished. I have a ghost of a memory of it but if anyone has a photo from that period, I'd be grateful if you could post it!

[KidKruger]

Computedshorty's 3rd picture, shows what the cinema looked like, albeit without the 'Odeon' down the side.

It was mainly unchanged until demolition, maybe the odd paint job.

I believe it was a watch factory before demolition, it was opposite the petrol station which is past the goose green roundabout.

Most ED people walking to the station would have passed it on their left after the curry house by the Mind shop.

[DulwichFox]

The Odeon was closed by the Rank Organisation on 21st October 1972 with "The Burglars"(Le Casse) starring Jean-Paul Belmondo.

On 7th June 1973, the building was sold to the Divine Light Mission and became a Palace of Peace Temple to the followers of 15 year old Guju Maharaj-Ji from India.

In 1978, the building was purchased by the London Clock Company and converted into offices and a warehouse and it was named London House. They installed a floor across from the front of the balcony to the rear wall behind where the screen originally was placed.

The firm moved out of the building in July 2000 and it was place on the market ?For Sale? and purchased by a development company. It was demolished in April 2001, and a housing project was built on the site.

Info Source :- http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/29273

Foxy

[Louisa]

Oh what fabulous memories I have of the Odeon Dulwich. Saturday morning pictures as a kid, and I remember queuing up to see "The Graduate" one evening in summer I think. Oh the memories. So sad it's gone.

Louisa.

[Frankie G]

Did George Harrison buy this for the Palace of Peace people???

[juliab2002]

I dont know if he did but it would not surprise me. Yes memories of Saturday morning pictures stay with me I always went on my own but never left without making a friend.

[edhistory]

Truth time...

Who used the Tintagel Saturday morning entrance?

John K

[juliab2002]

Never lol

[computedshorty]

I wont say if I used it!

It was an emergency Exit, but quite often an early entrance.

How it worked was one of those who had paid to get in, crept to the exit door and pushed the Bar that locked the emergency door and pushed it outward, enabling anybody to slp in and join the audeiance.

In those days to be able to have the six pence to pay for a ticket, was not available to all of us kids, so it happened.

To the credit of the staff I nver heard of anyone getting thrown out or the Police being told.

Never forget those Cowboy films Roy Rogers and Triger his horse and Tonto his sidekick, imagine two hundred kids standing and playing that they were riding Triger after the badies.

Oh and Dale Evans his horse riding wife.

Second picture of the Curtains with butter flies on, and the Exit to a secret way in.

[James]

Thanks for the pictures Computed Shorty, I never knew it was so beautiful inside. No wonder they were called 'picture palaces.'

So sad we have lost it. I'm sure if it were around today it would be hugely popular.

[DulwichFox]

I used to go to Peckham Odeon Saturday Morning Pics.

Same 'Entry System' there.

I always paid.. 6d. but loads of kids 'Bunked' in as it was called.

The main film was always. Don Winslow To Be Continued......

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/LA0713/LA0713-159896/images/1943-Don-Winslow-Of-The-Coast-Guard.jpg?lastmod=052113225251

Great Fun.. Loads of shouting ...

Foxy

[computedshorty]

Boris Karloff put the wind up you, looking at the seats the occupants were hiding down.

[computedshorty]

Harold Lloyd hanging from the clock on the side of a scyscraper made my heart go in my mouth.

Seeing later how it was made was so dissapointing.

[juliab2002]

I am actually going there today for a bit of nostalgia I am really in the mood for it!