Fond memories of music at the Gaumont

further to the correspondence on the Bradford Odeon, I note the original name of this cinema was the New Victoria (Yorkshire Post, December 5), but it later changed its name to the Gaumont Cinema.

I have a programme of a show at the Gaumont Theatre, Bradford, on Sunday, October 9, 1955, featuring The Crew Cuts and the Johnny Dankworth Orchestra.

This was an odd pairing, as the Dankworth orchestra played big band jazz, and the Crew Cuts were an American singing group, popular at the time. Their hits were Sh-Boom, and Earth Angel, rock and roll songs. The band played the first half, then accompanied the Crew Cuts in the second. I recall it being a good show.

The programme is interesting, as it not only gives the itinerary for the show, but also lists the films showing in the cinema for October (The Man From Laramie, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes were just two of the attractions).

Also featured is the Gaumont restaurant, which offered good food in comfortable surroundings. You could dance every night in the Gaumont Ballroom to Billy Hey and his Orchestra (13 piece) enjoying “Bradfords happiest atmosphere”. The complete entertainment centre.

Presumably, the Gaumont was re-named the Odeon, after the original Odeon at the bottom of Manchester Road closed and was demolished? Let’s hope this iconic building can be saved.

From: Ian Hamer, Longroyde Grove, Rastrick.

THEY certainly have got their names mixed up. I remember the building being the Gaumont cinema, which had a restaurant on the ground floor, where impoverished student from the College of Advanced Technology (later known as the University) ate at lunchtime during the 
week.

The highlight of the lunchtime was rims of dozens of water-filled wine glasses being rubbed in tune, in unison.

The Odeon was indeed a concrete box built at the bottom of Manchester Road – happy days?