10:00am Monday 22nd June 2009
By Jack Blanchard
CINEMA-lovers with fond memories of Worcester’s oldest working silver screen are being asked to share their experiences ahead of a gala event marking its 60th anniversary.
The Odeon Cinema in Foregate Street opened its doors for the first time on January 2, 1950, with crowds lining the streets for the Valerie Hobson film The Rocking Horse Winner.
Now, almost 60 years on, the cinema’s management team is planning a series of high-profile events to coincide with its diamond anniversary at the start of next year – and want local people with long memories to help recreate the magic of years gone by.
Odeon events co-ordinator Helen Cowie said: “There must be so many people out there with interesting or unusual stories related to the Odeon from over the years.
“There will be people living in Worcester who attended on that first night, people who have worked there down the years – it would be really interesting to hear their stories.
“There might be people who proposed to their partner there, or couples who had their first date there – we’d like to hear from anyone for whom the Odeon has had a significant impact on their lives in some way over the last 60 years.”
Details of the anniversary events have not yet been finalised, but Miss Cowie said she expected people’s memories and stories to be used in some kind of special display.
The Worcester Odeon’s life began when company owner Oscar Deutsch bought the old Silver Cinema on Foregate Street in 1935.
He demolished the old building and began work on a new cinema that he believed would be “the jewel in Odeon’s crown”.
But when war broke out in 1939, with only the shell of the new building completed, the Government took control of the site and used it as a storage facility for munitions and aircraft parts.
Work did not restart until June 1948, when the building was de-requisitioned.
The cinema went from strength to strength following its opening night 18 months later, and has since undergone several refurbishments – most significantly in the 1970s, when the layout was radically altered to incorporate three screens instead of just one.
Two more screens were added in 1990, and another two in 1997. The cinema also underwent further refurbishment last year.
Anyone with memories to share of the Worcester Odeon from the past 60 years can call Miss Cowie on 07516 008650, or contact the cinema on 01905 24006.
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