The Biograph Theatre / Cinema, 47 to 48 Wilton Road, Victoria, London
Formerly - The Electric Theatre
Above - The Electric Theatre, Victoria when it first opened in 1909 - From The Westminster and Pimlico News, 9th of September 1927.
The Biograph Cinema on Wilton Road, Victoria that people may still remember today first opened as the Electric Theatre on the 24th of May 1909. The Cinema was built for Biograph Theatres Ltd., and was one of London's earliest purpose built Cinemas, with an Auditorium constructed on one raked level with seating for 570 people, and a simple painted wall for the projection of films.
Right - A Review of the new Electric Theatre, Victoria - From The Bioscope, 17th of June 1909.
The Kinematograph Weekly reported on the new Cinema in their 3rd of June 1909 edition saying:- 'Last Monday week saw the opening by the Biograph Theatre Co. of a beautiful hall in Wilton Road, Victoria. It has been specially constructed for kinematograph performances. The visitor is impressed, on entering, by the spacious vestibule of Sicilian marble, the beauty of which is enhanced by bright electric lamps and a profusion of palm trees all around.
Inside there is seating accommodation for about 560, and the whole place is fitted with Dean's tip-up seats on a raised floor. The ventilation is obtained by means of three large ventilators in the ceiling, with sliding roofs, whilst the lighting is by electroliers from the roof and gas brackets round the hall. Baskets of pretty flowers suspended from a gallery in which the operating chamber stands, adds to the charm of the theatre.
There are four good double exits, one leading into the side street and three on to a side walk or promenade leading to the vestibule, and which runs the whole length of the theatre. A decided novelty lies in the absence of the usual screen. The pictures are projected straight on to the wall at the rear of the theatre, where the canvas screen would be. It is a plaster wall, specially prepared, and, of course, has a fine smooth surface. The white central effect is heightened by a black border.
The operating chamber is well away from the audience in a gallery, and separated from them by a wall two feet thick. The usual precautionary measures are taken against fire in the way of sand and water buckets and wet blankets, and in addition there are invariably two "Kylfyres" kept in readiness.
The manager is Mr A. Bond, who is assisted by two capable operators, Messrs Alexander and Bustin. The performance is continuous from 2 till 11, and the quality and character of the films projected can be estimated from the following list supplied to a representative of the KINEMATOGRAPH WEEKLY on his visit to the theatre; (Pathe's) Poor Boy, (the Vitagraph's) C.Q.D. or Saved by Wireless, (London Cines Co.'s) Boy Scouts, (Pathe's) Simple Story, The Snow Man (by Lux), Culture in Hungary, The Wrong Valise, and others of a similar kind.'
The above text in quotes was first published in the Kinematograph Weekly, 3rd of June 1909.
Above - An Illustrated Article come Advertisement for the Biograph, Wilton Road's reopening in 1927 - From the St. Marylebone and Paddington Record, 3rd of September 1927, also carried in The Westminster and Pimlico News, 9th of September 1927. Please Note that some of the information in this Advertisement is incorrect.
Originally opening as the Electric Theatre in 1909 within a few years the name had been changed to the Biograph Cinema, a name it would retain for the rest of its life.
Right - The Foyer and Vauxhall Bridge Road Entrance of the Biograph Theatre, Victoria in 1927 - From The Westminster and Pimlico News, 9th of September 1927.
By 1922 the Theatre was being run by Harry Pearl and in 1927 he closed the Biograph for substantial reconstruction which included adding a Stage and Dressing Rooms, widening the Auditorium to enhance the seating capacity to 630, along with standing room for 124 people, and adding a new Proscenium around the stage opening.
The newly enlarged Theatre was reopened as the Biograph Cinema on the 15th of September 1927 with a showing of the Films 'Hindle Wakes', 'Michael Strogoff', and 'The Kid Brother' all accompanied by a live orchestra. The new Biograph Theatre was designed by George Coles in the Renaissance Style with an interior of Red and Gold, and constructed by F. E. Little of Tottenham, who also widened the site and rebuilt the main Facade on Wilton Road and installed a second entrance on Vauxhall Bridge Road, on the site of a former house and garden, to maximise its footfall. The Entrances were also enhanced by the fitting of a new Entrance Hall between them much like the later New Victoria Theatre just up the same street which would open three years later in 1930
Some bomb damage during the war resulted in the loss of some staff rooms and offices but it was soon reopened and showing films again along with variety acts on its small stage. In its later years it became known as something of a Gay Haunt but this only increased its turn over as by the 1960s patrons were still flocking to the Cinema which showed double bills of second releases and changes of programme three times a week. By this time the Wilton Road Facade had been radically altered from its 1927 rebuild and the interior was really quite bland compared to its earlier incarnations.
Eventually by the 1980s the Biograph was the only Cinema still operating in Victoria but it wasn't to last as it was closed quite suddenly and unexpectedly on the 4th of August 1983 and then quickly demolished before anyone could do anything about it. There are some very good photographs of the demolition of the Biograph Cinema on Flikcr here.
Right - A Google StreetView Image showing the Park Plaza Hotel, Victoria in December 2017, which is situated on the site of the former Biograph Theatre / Cinema, demolished in 1983 - Click to Interact.
The site of the Biograph then remained empty for the next 20 years but today it is home to the Park Plaza Hotel, see image right.
Some of the later information for this Theatre was gleaned from the excellent Cinema Treasures Website.
If you have any more information or Images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me.