The Opening of Leadgate Roxy Cinema
Leadgate’s Own Luxury Cinema
To be opened on Saturday 9th December 1938
An event of special interest to all Leadgate and district residents is the opening of the Roxy Cinema next Saturday, at 3 p.m. by councillor T.McAloon and councillor J A Robinson built entirely by local Enterprises, Leadgate now has a cinema equal to any super cinema in the District. The architect, Mr J. J. Eltringham of Blackhill, designed the building, not for elaboration but for comfort in this he has succeeded in the decoration, furnishing and equipment are all designed to fulfil this project. The seating, which is over 700, is all on one floor and therefore eliminates having to climb any stairs the heating and ventilating system is the latest mechanically designed it provides warm air in the winter and cool air in the summer. The sound system installed is the latest Western Electric Microphonic. This system is claimed by many to be the most significant advance in Film Sound Reproduction since the beginning of talking pictures. It has remarkable clarity and fidelity of tone. The proprietors are Consett Cinemas Limited. The contractors The official contractors for The Roxy Cinema were – general contractors R. Gallagher and Sons Ltd; Cemetery Road, Blackhill, the well-known local builders. Floor Coverings, Messrs J. W Davison and Sons Ltd; Front Street; Consett; and London House, Stanley, the well-known N.W.D. House Furnishers and Hardware Stores. Heating, Ventilation and Plumbing, Messrs Rowells “1924” Ltd; Newcastle. Interior Decoration and Stage Curtains, Alexander and Sons, Haymarket, Newcastle. Electrical Contractors, Falconer Cross and Co; 7 Ridley Place, Newcastle. Projection Machines and Apparatus, Crowe and Company, 52, Stowell Street, Newcastle. Sound Equipment (Microphone) Western Electric Sound System, London. Neon Lighting, General Electric Company, Newcastle. Electric Fittings, General Electric Company. Seating, Trinity Chair Works, Scarborough. Terrazzo and Tiling, Commercial Marble and Tiles, Ltd. Selborne Gardens, Jesmond, Newcastle. Leaded Lighting, Elders Walker and Company Limited. Sunderland Road, Gateshead. Fibrous Plaster Decoration, The Decorative Plaster Company. Leazes Park Road, Newcastle. The opening attraction The opening attraction: “Elephant Boy,” is based on Rudyard Kipling’s famous story. Toomai of the Elephants and tells thrilling tales of the Indian jungle. Sabu, a small native boy, plays the leading role, in which he is supported by, Walter Hood, Alan Jeaves and Bruce Gordon. Also on the programme is little Sybil Jason, a wonderful child star in a musical featurette, filmed all in Technicolor, “The Little Diplomat”. Will Fyffe gives a superb performance in “Owd Bob” the Gainsborough picture, which is the opening attraction on Monday. The film is set in the rugged sheep farming district of Cumberland, where a man’s most prized possession is his dog and presents the star as an irascible old Scottish farmer, hated and feared by all his neighbours. His only redeeming trait is the affection he lavishes on his lovely young daughter, Jeannie – portrayed by Margaret Lockwood – and his fierce wolf-like dog “Black Wull”, suspected in the district as the unknown killer who is ravaging the sheep. John Loder is cast as a young farmer from the South who wins the heart of Jeannie and tries to break down her father’s fiery and stubborn reserve, while his magnificent collie “Owd Bob” is favoured by the district as a likely arrival to “Black Wull”, the present champion of the annual sheepdog trial. Directed by Robert Stevenson, the film has many exciting and suspense-filled moments, including the tense scenes, at the sheepdog trial and the midnight hunt for the killer, while humour in abundance is supplied by such popular players as Graham Moffatt and Moore Marriott, who are cast in prominently featured roles Robert Stephenson directed “Owd Bob”, an adaptation of Alfred Ollivant’s famous best-seller.