Odeon Cinema - Portsmouth
The Odeon in its heyday.
November 2014
This Cinema is one of the original Oscar Deutsch chain of Odeon Theatres. It opened on 14th December 1936 with the film "Chick" and was the largest as well as the most expensive Andrew Mather designed Odeon of that year. Maximum seating capacity was 1,824; 1,224 in stalls and 600 in balcony.
It had an impressive monolithic tower frontage in cream faience with vertical green bands and a roof of red Spanish tiles. The auditorium's ornate decoration included tall murals on side walls depicting film subjects.
A two week closure from 10th September 1960 for modernisation, including installation of 70mm with new wide screen and proscenium in front of original. Then began a period through the 1960's of almost uninterrupted Roadshow presentations. An expansion took place on 26th August 1973, with 573 seats in screen 1 (former balcony) and 132 in each of the mini-screens located in the rear stalls under the balcony. In 1990 a 4th screen was added in the former front stalls area. Further refurbishment was then taken place which resulted in a seating capacity of 631 for screen 1, 229 for screen 2, 179 for screen 3 and 259 for screen 4.
In 2007 the Freehold on the building was sold by Odeon Theatres Ltd. The final performances were held on 10th January 2008. The foyer is now occupied by a Sainsbury's Local whereas all the screens and projection rooms are intact and unused. Screen 4 is almost entirely underwater whereas screens 2 and 3 have a little bit of flooding at their lowest end.
This Cinema is one of the original Oscar Deutsch chain of Odeon Theatres. It opened on 14th December 1936 with the film "Chick" and was the largest as well as the most expensive Andrew Mather designed Odeon of that year. Maximum seating capacity was 1,824; 1,224 in stalls and 600 in balcony.
It had an impressive monolithic tower frontage in cream faience with vertical green bands and a roof of red Spanish tiles. The auditorium's ornate decoration included tall murals on side walls depicting film subjects.
A two week closure from 10th September 1960 for modernisation, including installation of 70mm with new wide screen and proscenium in front of original. Then began a period through the 1960's of almost uninterrupted Roadshow presentations. An expansion took place on 26th August 1973, with 573 seats in screen 1 (former balcony) and 132 in each of the mini-screens located in the rear stalls under the balcony. In 1990 a 4th screen was added in the former front stalls area. Further refurbishment was then taken place which resulted in a seating capacity of 631 for screen 1, 229 for screen 2, 179 for screen 3 and 259 for screen 4.
In 2007 the Freehold on the building was sold by Odeon Theatres Ltd. The final performances were held on 10th January 2008. The foyer is now occupied by a Sainsbury's Local whereas all the screens and projection rooms are intact and unused. Screen 4 is almost entirely underwater whereas screens 2 and 3 have a little bit of flooding at their lowest end.
