Cinema celebrates 85th birthday (From Bucks Free Press)

Gerrards Cross cinema celebrates 85th birthday

11:47am Monday 11th October 2010 in News By Lawrence Dunhill

A VILLAGE cinema is celebrating its 85th anniversary this week.

The Odeon in Gerrards Cross has changed ownership nine times since it opened on Ethorpe Crescent in 1925.

Originally a single screen cinema, Classic Cinemas Ltd adapted the site to contain two screens in the 1970s.

It was also used as a filming location for many projects including the opening scenes of Carry on Camping in the 1960s.

The same film was the last to be shown by the cinema as a Picture Playhouse.

Odeon took over in 2000 and refurbished both screens. The company is planning to get its second 3D projector later this year.

An Odeon spokesman said: “In the heydays of theatre and cinema in the 1920’s, when the cinema was built, nearly every town had its own theatre.

“Very few of its colleages are still standing, let alone been in continuous use since opening. Gerrards Cross cinema is one of these special few sites that has consistently entertained and captured the imagination of its community.”

There will be a screening of the 1956 World War II classic Reach for the Sky tomorrow at 8.15pm to celebrate the anniversary.