Croydon saw an explosion of cinemas and picture houses in the early part of the 20th Century. David Lean, one of Britain’s most popular film directors (Lawrence of Arabis, Dr Zhivago) grew up in Croydon and saw his first film at the Scala, North End. Please support the David Lean Cinema at the Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, CR9 1ET.
Book: Croydon Cinemas by Allen Eyles (2006)
Part of the Croydon Guidewhich has information on local history, property, cafes, restaurants & shops.
More Lost Cinemas:
Lost Cinemas of Brixton
Lost Cinemas of Camberwell
Lost Cinemas of Croydon
Lost Cinemas of Elephant & Castle
Lost Cinemas of New Cross
Lost Cinemas of the Old Kent Road |
1910 Swan Electric Theatre opened at 3 Brighton Road.
1911 Renamed Central Hall
1932 Renamed Savoy.
1933 Closed.
1934 Became Classic Cinema.
1973 Classic Cinema closed.
Now: Indian restaurant. |
1849 Opened as The Theatre at 12-18 Church Street.
1868 Renamed Theatre Royal.
1897 Renamed Empire Theatre of Varieties.
1899 Became New Theatre Royal.
1908 Renamed Croydon Hippodrome.
1910 Hippodrome rebuilt by Frank Matcham (1854-1920).
1942 Showed films.
1946 Hippodrome Picture Theatre.
1956 Hippodrome part demolished.
1972 Classic Cinema opened on site.
1974 Renamed Focus Cinema.
1982 Focus Cinema closed.
Now: Pool room.
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1928 Davis Picture Theatre opened at 73 High Street.
Designed by by Robert Cromie (1887-1938?). Operated by Israel Davis.
2nd largest UK cinema with 3,725 seats (200 stalls, 225 seats in the mezzanine and 1,500 seats in balcony).
Also featured a café/restaurant with a dance floor.
1939 London Philharmonic Orchestra concert with Sir Thomas Beecham.
1944 Six members of the audience and injured 25 by a German bomb.
1956 Bolshoi Ballet appeared.
1957 Bill Haley & his Comets appeared.
1959 Davis Picture Theatre demolished.
Now: Davis House. |
1896 Grand Theatre and Opera House opened at 125 High Street with seating for 2,000.
Designed by Brough in the French Renaissance style.
Theatre bombed in the early part of the war.
1942 Reopened as a theatre.
1959 Grand Theatre closed.
Now: Office block with retail. |
1936 Savoy cinema opened by ABC at 225 London Road, Broad Green, CR0 2SB map
Designed by William R. Glen (1885-1930) with 2,300 seats.
1953 Savoy destroyed by fire & rebuilt.
1958 Savoy rebuilt as an ABC with 2,118 seats.
1963 The Beatles played the ABC.
1965 PJ Proby played ABC and infamously split his trousers .
1972 Converted to a triple screen.
1986 Renamed Canon cinema.
199? Renamed Safari Cinema.
2004 Safari Cinema closed.
2005 Building demolished.
Now: Housing |
1895 Opened as the National Hall and Grand Theatre of Varieties at 94 North End.
1906 Reconstructed by as Empire Theatre of Varieties with 1,868 seats.
Designed by William George Robert Sprague (1863-1933).
1930 Empire Theatre became a full-time cinema.
1953 Renamed Eros Cinema.
1959 Eros Cinema closed
Now: Entrance to Whitgift Centre. |
1909 Electric Theatre opened at 108 North End.
1928 Redesigned by Charles Clayton as the Picture House with 1,280 seats.
1936 Renamed Odeon.
1956 Odeon refurbished.
1972 Became a two screen cinema.
1985 Croydon Odeon closed.
Sold to the Whitgift Centre.
Now: Foyer now a shop. |
1921 Prince’s Picture House opened with 1,116 seats at 127 North End.
1929 Cinemas closed.
1930 Prince’s Amusement Hall.
1941 Became Palais Ballroom.
Now: Retail (the dome remains). |
1908 Station Picture Hall on Station Road, West Croydon.
It was Croydon’s first cinema
1917 Station Picture Hall closed |
1914 Orpheum opened at 1 Surrey Street (by Scarbrook Road?).
Designed by Gilbert W. Booth.
1925 Renamed Cinema Royal.
1930 Became Palladium (an older Palladium had just closed nearby).
1956 Palladium closed & demolished.
Now: Surrey House office block. |
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