The Odeon Theatre / Cinema, Kingsland Road, Dalston

See also in this area - The Dalston Theatre - The Hackney Empire

Above - The Odeon Theatre, Dalston - From a James Watt Ltd Construction Advertisement as shown with a Public Domain Licence on the Cinema Treasures Website.

The Odeon Theatre was situated on a site bordering Tottenham Road, Kingsland Road and Stamford Road in Dalston, it was constructed on the site of several former properties consisting of 1 to 21 Tottenham Road, 505 Kingsland Road, and 51 to 65 Stamford Road, with its main Facade and Entrance facing Kingsland Road.

Right - An Advertisement for the Film 'The Harder They Fall' showing at the Odeon, Dalston in 1956 - From the Holloway Press, 11th of May 1956.

The Odeon Theatre, which was not strictly a Theatre but mainly a Cinema, did have a small stage which was used very occasionally, most notably on the Theatre's opening and also when the Film 'The Man From Hong Kong' was showing there in 1975 and the Band Jigsaw played their hit song 'Sky High', which had been used as the Film's Theme song, live on the Theatre's stage.

The Theatre was built by James Watt Ltd., of Catford and designed by the architect Andrew Mather, shortly before his death, and seated 2,070 people when it first opened on the 1st of May 1939. The Kinematograph Weekly reported briefly on the new Odeon in their 23rd of February 1939 edition saying:- 'The Dalston Odeon will be completed in Kingsland Road in April, and was designed by the late Andrew Mather F.R.I.B.A. It will seat 2,070 - 1,320 in the stalls and 750 in the circle. The decorative treatment of the walls will be in warm, pinky beige oversplttered with gold, and the ceiling will be in similar shades. The side walls will be in delicate colours of jade green and the metallics. Similar colouring will be used in the foyers, where gold relief work will be used.' - The Kinematograph Weekly, 23rd of February 1939.

The Theatre's opening was reported on in the Kinematograph Weekly of the 4th of May 1939 where they said:- 'Odeon's latest 2,070 - seater at the corner of Tottenham Road and Stamford Road, Dalston, was opened last Monday evening in the presence of a full house by F. Watkins, J.P., M.P., Member for the Borough. While the audience was assembling selections were played by the Band of the 1st Batt. Royal Scots Regiment, and the inaugural party was preceded through the auditorium by a quintet of kilted pipers.

Oscar Deutsch's personal assistant, Wilfred Phillips, introduced to the audience members of the stage party which, besides the M.P., included the resident manager, C. Stuart Burgon, who gave a personal assurance of courtesy and service; Leonard Allen, successor to the late Andrew Mather, architect of this and other halls on the circuit; F. Stanley Rates, director of Odeon Theatres; Horace Watt, of James Watt (Catford), Ltd., the general contractors, and Mrs. Watt; and Oscar Deutsch himself, who invited the Member to declare the building open.

Left - An Advertisement for the Film 'Backlash' showing at the Odeon, Dalston in 1956 - From the Holloway Press, 16th of March 1956.

Sketching the wonderful development of the comparatively young kinema Industry, Mr. Watkins praised all concerned in the provision of the house, not forgetting the workmen, and remarked that the kinema provides instruction as well as entertainment.

In an amusing speech Mr. Deutsch thanked individually the architect and builders for their fine work and pointed out that everything from roof to basement was of British manufacture. Mr. Watkins then expressed regret at the unavoidable absence of the Mayor of Hackney (Ald. Charles Burton), and on his behalf made an appeal for generous response to a collection in aid of four local charities, mentioning that Mr. Deutsch had promised to contribute personally to the extent of pound for pound. The programme which followed included the G.B. News, "Territorial Cavalcade," the latest Disney cartoon, "Sheep Dog," and "Q Planes." '

The above text in quotes was first published in the Kinematograph Weekly, 4th of May 1939.

Above - The Odeon Theatre, Dalston after being tripled in 1972 - Shown here with a Public Domain Licence from the Cinema Treasures Website.

The Dalston Odeon had opened in May 1939, shortly before the war, and would be damaged in the blitz of 1940, but it was soon repaired and reopened.

Right - A 1945 photo taken at the Dalston Odeon showing the then Mayor and Mayoress of Hackney, Henry Walter and Elizabeth Frances Butler, with Max Zaidner, Manager of the Dalston Odeon from 1942 to the 1950s - Courtesy Paul Carter, Grandson of the Butlers.

The Theatre carried on in operation for many decades until it was closed in 1972 for tripling where two small 120 seat screens were slotted into the under circle area of the stalls and the third screen was accommodated in the Theatre's original Circle still seating 750 people, with the front stalls being mothballed. The stage however remained behind the main screen and as mentioned above would be used in 1975 when the Film 'The Man From Hong Kong' was shown there and the Band Jigsaw played their hit song 'Sky High' live on stage.

A few years later the Rank Organisation closed the Odeon on the 31st of March 1979 and the building then stood empty and unused until 1984 when it was demolished for the construction of an apartment building on the site, shown left.

Left - A Google StreetView Image showing the site of the former Odeon Theatre, Dalston in August 2022 - Click to Interact.

Some photos of the Theatre derelict in 1979 and 1983, and during its demolition in 1984 can be seen here.

Some of the information for this Theatre was gleaned from the excellent Cinema Treasures Website where they have a number of images of the Dalston Odeon here.

If you have any more information or Images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me.