Glimpse history through old images of Ealing, in Greater London.
New Cinema in Ealing 1934
In 1934, a new cinema called the Forum Theatre was opened in Ealing.
The site erected at the construction site said they were planning for a capacity of 2,500 audience members, and a cafe would also be placed in the building.
During construction we see that over the foyer will be a large and comfortable tea lounge and dance hall, which has a well sprung dance floor.
The manager of the proposed Forum Theatre was Mr H.A. Yapp. The architects were Mr J. Stanley-Beard and Mr Clare, who did not want to embrace the new modern and brutal style of architecture, instead opting for a more classical style.
The short film opens by panning round the building site. This means there are good views of all the buildings around it.
We see the cinema building rise in various stages of construction, which allows views of the streets beyond.
As Managing Director Mr Yapp and the architects come to inspect the works, we get yet another Ealing street view, smog or fog limiting the view.
An unexpected comedy moment as the film of the workers is sped up, and the commentatory suddenly laughs. Having already seen a man working high up on the roof with no safety equipment, we now see men clambering up huge ladders to clean windows at a frightening height.
Finally, the Forum Theatre cinema is finished and open for business, so we have a lovely shot of the cinema front facing a street busy with people and traffic.
Forum Theatre Ealing (1934) – British Pathé on YouTube
