(the above montage that I created of various local cinema ads is 'clickable' and comes up nice and large... well worth a look!)As promised in the previous post, here is a little glimpse of the 'whats on in Southend and surrounding areas' list that Stephen Pickard compiled in 1963.
The list covers 9 venues: The ABC in Southend, The Odeon in Southend, The Ritz in Southend, Garons in Southend, The Essoldo in Westcliff, The Mascot in Westcliff, The Coliseum in Leigh-on-Sea, The Regal in Rayleigh and The Kingsway in Hadleigh.
I've picked the line up for this very week, 47 years ago (note the Odeon unable to show a film on Tuesday due to a live performance by Ella Fitzgerald!):
ABC Southend
Thursday March 21st for Seven Days.
"Who's Got the Action?" (Cert 'A') Starring Dean Martin and Lana Turner. Also "It's Only Money" (U) starring Jerry Lewis.
(March issue of ABC Film Review now on sale. Price 6d. Featured on cover: Elvis Presley & Stella Stevens in "Girls! Girls! Girls!")
Odeon Southend
Sunday March 17th for Six Days (Tuesday On Stage: Ella Fitzgerald).
"Nine Hours To Rama" (A) starring Horst Buccholz. Also "Sniper's Ridge" (A) with Jack Ging.
Ritz Southend
Sunday March 17th for Seven Days.
"Something Wild" (X) starring Carroll Baker and Ralph Meeker. Also "The Nun and the Sergeant" (A) starring Robert Webber.
Garons Southend
Sunday March 17th for Seven Days.
"The Wind Cannot Read" (U) Starring Dirk Bogarde. Also "Man At Carlton Tower" (U) Starring Maxine Audley.
Essoldo Westcliff
Sunday March 17th for Seven Days.
"Bridge On The River Kwai" (U) Directed by David Lean. Plus Full Supporting Programme.
Mascot Westcliff
Monday March 18th for Six Days.
"Butterfield 8" (X) Starring Elizabeth Taylor. Also "Village of the Damned" (A) starring George Sanders.
Coliseum Leigh
Sunday March 17th for One Day Only
"Private Hell 36" (A) starring Ida Lupino. Also "The Great Jesse James Raid" (A) starring Willard Parker & Barbara Payton.
Monday March 18th for Six Days.
"On The Beat" (U) Starring Norman Wisdom. Also "Tomboy and the Champ" (U) Starring Candy Moore & Ben Johnson.
Regal Rayleigh
Sunday March 17th for One Day Only
"Ten Tall Men" (U) starring Burt Lancaster. Also "The Man Who Couldn't Walk" (A) with Peter Reynolds
Monday March 18th for Three Days.
"A Prize of Arms" (A) Starring Stanley Baker. Also "Girl On Approval" (A) with Rachel Roberts.
Thursday March 21st for Three Days.
"The Amorous Prawn" (U) starring Ian Carmichael & Joan Greenwood. Also "The Unstoppable Man" (U) starring Cameron Mitchell.
Kingsway Hadleigh
Sunday March 17th for Three Days (closed Monday).
"The Spiral Road" (A) starring Rock Hudson. Also "Band of Thieves" (U) with Acker Bilk.
Thursday March 21st for Three Days.
"Phantom of the Opera" (A) starring Herbert Lom & Heather Sears. Also "Captain Clegg" (A) with Peter Cushing.
This week in the West End of London:
March 18: "Sammy Going South" (U) Directed by Alexander MacKendrick, starring Edward G. Robinson, has a Royal Film Performance at the Odeon, Leicester Square.
Here's what was on in the final week of March 1963 (great to see two different Tony Hancock films getting an airing at the same time!) :
ABC Southend
Thursday March 28th for Seven Days.
"The Punch & Judy Man" (Cert 'U') Starring Tony Hancock. Also "Hand in Hand" (U) starring Kathleen Byron & Finlay Currie
Odeon Southend
Sunday March 24th for Seven Days.
"Barabbas" (A) starring Anthony Quinn. Plus Full Supporting Programme.
Ritz Southend
Sunday March 24th for Seven Days.
"Witness For The Prosecution" (U) starring Charles Laughton & Tyrone Power. Also "The Far Country" (U) starring James Stewart.
Garons Southend
Sunday March 24th for Seven Days.
"The Rebel" (U) Starring Tony Hancock. Also "Apache Territory" (U) Starring Rory Calhoun.
Essoldo Westcliff
Sunday March 24th for Seven Days.
"The L-Shaped Room" (X) Starring Leslie Caron & Tom Bell. Also "Spike Milligan On Treasure Island W.C.2." (U)
Mascot Westcliff
Monday March 25th for Six Days.
"Carmen Jones" (A) Starring Harry Belafonte & Dorothy Dandridge. Also "Carousel" (U) starring Gordon MacRae & Shirley Jones.
Coliseum Leigh
Sunday March 24th for One Day Only
"The Wonderful Country" (A) starring Robert Mitchum. Also "Ten Seconds To Hell" (A) starring Jeff Chandler.
Monday March 25th for Six Days.
"Sodom and Gomorrah" (X) Starring Stewart Granger & Stanley Baker. Plus full Supporting Programme.
Regal Rayleigh
Sunday March 24th for One Day Only
"Up Periscope" (U) starring James Garner. Also "In The Money" (U) with Huntz Hall & The Bowery Boys
Monday March 25th for Three Days.
"Pillow Talk" (A) Starring Rock Hudson & Doris Day. Also "Operation Petticoat" (U) starring Cary Grant & Tony Curtis.
Thursday March 28th for Three Days.
"The Iron Maiden" (U) starring Michael Craig & Anne Helm. Also "Locker 69" (U) An Edgar Wallace Thriller.
Kingsway Hadleigh
Sunday March 24th for Seven Days.
"Spartacus" (A) starring Kirk Douglas. Plus Full Supporting Programme
This week in the West-End, London:
"This Sporting Life" (X) starring Richard Harris & Rachel Roberts continues it's run at the Odeon, Leicester Square.
If you'd like to see the complete listings for the first three months of 1963, you can download Stephen's list here.
Thanks Stephen for sharing your history with us.
Piley
19 comments:
So many choices but I think I will go see the Phantom of the Opera/Captain Clegg Double bill followed by The Rebel,one of my favourites.
Spartacus comes to Hadleigh - magic. Actually for all the titles to choose from there's quite a few I don't know.
I've got a few Evening Echo cuttings in my scrapbooks when cinema ad's would print mini-posters for the films showing that week. I must scan in at some point
The Nun and the Sergeant !!!!! that cracked me up !!!!! gotta be X rated that one lol. So many winners , duffers and forgoten films there.
Carl.
God, there's some gems in that lot - and some that sank without trace!
What's the betting that nobody has EVER seen 'Operation Petticoat' more than once? Except maybe Tony Curtis.
PH - yes, so much to choose from! The X rated Sodom & Gomorrah looks to be a popular flick (retained for 2nd great week!), and how about a whole week of the 'black faced minstrels' live on stage in Hadleigh!! No wonder they knocked that place down!
Mondo, yeah, I lived just outside Hadleigh from about the age of 12 onwards, so was particularly interested in those listings... good to see there was some live wrestling on in Hadleigh for all the grapple fans...
PS - did you spot Harold Lloyd on in Leigh??
Carl - When I was young, If a film was rated 'X' I would always assume it was rude!!! You might be right with this one though!
ISBW - pretty sure i've NEVER seen it! Wish i'd caugh Wasp Woman in Wescliff though!
P
Hmm, well, so much choice. I'd like to see The Jungle Book on the big screen.
But then again, the attractions of Nudes of The World, House of SIN and then Bingo might sway me.
As it goes, "Bingo" would be an excellent title for a rubbish British 70s smut film, wouldn't it.
I was attending primary school in 63, so the best I could go to was Saturday morning flicks at Rayleigh Regal (with my 3d jelly bought from Woolies). So these were for the grown-ups as I couldn't get my old man to take me.
Warble
I was attending primary school in 63, so the best I could go to was Saturday morning flicks at Rayleigh Regal (with my 3d jelly bought from Woolies). So these were for the grown-ups as I couldn't get my old man to take me.
Warble
I was taken with 'Leave Her To Heave.' Some films, and bands, for that matter improve greatly when you miss out or add a letter; didn't The Word massive run with it for a while? (Chin Crisis)
OP - yes, funny enough the 'nudes of the world' caught my eye too!!! I wonder if it was a film or a live show?? blimey!
Warble - bah, never managed to sneak in for a quick peep at Sodom & Gomorrah then??!
John - i'd imagine Leave Her To Heave could probably make it today!!
P
The 'Nudes of the World' film intrigued me, so I looked it up on on the Internet Movie Database website (imdb.com)
Apparently this was a British film about nudists, which was made in 1961. In those days I bet there were lots of strategically-placed tennis rackets, hands and flower pots, just to protect the viewing public from becoming corrupted by the fleeting glimpse of too much flesh.
Then in the trivia section I read this bit...
'Valerie Singleton has denied making this film, despite receiving a credit, and being a recognizable voice'
Blimey, she was doing Blue Peter from 1962. What is it about Blue Peter presenters and scandal?
Well done Piley.
What a fabulous range of films! And fantastically (or being more honest with my film going, I should say, realistically) I have seen more of the films from this month in March 1963 than I have recent releases in the past year.
This selection gives me a fab insight into my Dad's life too. He loves Tony Hancock, and spent years raving about seeing 'The L Shaped Room' as a young man (we watched it again together recently too as a father/daughter bonding experience). I can imagine him going to the pictures in Balham in '63 and seeing some of these same films.
Sadly I have not had the privilege of seeing intriguingly titled 'The Amorous Prawn'. Lets hope the BFI do a re-release of that one!
Good work Dave! I've just had a peep at the database. Also love the "If you like this film you'll love these" recommendations, which amongst others includes "Bachelor Tom Peeping", "Adventures of a Taxi Driver" and "Take Off Your Clothes and Live"!!!
Cocktails - Gosh, that just about sums it up for the film industry these days doesn't it?? Still can't beat the classics can you? Only the other day I watched the Dambusters for the umpteenth time... still fab! Have you had a look at the full 3 months worth of listings? some crackers on there!
I am a big Hancock fan too by the way! I admire your dads excellent taste ;-)
P
I was only a few months old then... don't think my Mum would have let me out :-)
Apart from 'Bridge over the River Kwai' can't say I'm remember any of these films. Some great titles though. Good to see ol' Spike Milligan's name cropping up as he's still one of my heroes.
Further - I wasn't even thought off!!! But there are one or two here that i've caught up with over the last 40 odd years...
Martin - What a cracker that is though eh? Love that film. The two Hancock titles not hit the spot for you??
P
Tony Hancock passed me by really but he's probably someone I should catch up on.
His radio stuff is by far the best - I was brought up on that stuff, 40 years later I still play those shows. Fantastic, and what a cast - Sid James, Hattie, Kenny Williams. Great stuff!!
If you hunt around, you can find a single CD with every available episode on it!!! I would never endorse that though...
P
Great site!! I wanted to prove to myself that Ella Fitzgerald DID appear in Southend and lo and behold she DID!! Thought it was earlier but i`m getting old! Thank`s
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