Disappearing London - Tooting Granada cinema

[deancook652]

No mention of the Wurlitzer...pity, that.

[ritab5]

Beautiful place, spent many great evenings there in the 60's as all the groups of the day played there - wonderful

[melkisses91]

i lived in tooting 4 7 years n never new this was there !

[barbiedoll926]

Those were the days. I remember with fondness back Easter 1951 I enetred a fancy dress competition as a golliwog and won. I now have a cinemagoers book with my photo in (you wouldnt recognise me). I also went to Saturday morning cinema for 6d. Barbara

[kenflojo]

I was a Tooting Granadere saw a live circus Johny Ray Frankie Laine Davey crocket [Fess parker] Janye Mansfield Jerry Lee Lewis[drumed out of tooting] just to name a few. Glad it is still there. Ex Tooting boy

[nursepatient]

I live in tooting and never knew this was here!

[simonjp80]

Go have a look - you can usually just walk in if you look like you know what you're doing!

[CockneyRebel1979]

Suggsie- born in Finsbury Park, which is about six miles up the road from Edmonton- (where I'M from!) OI-OI, LONDON BOY! :)

[GregMckinney]

This gave me goose bumps and actually made me cry a bit. Tooting; the jewel of South West London. I love you.

[redvers21]

i saw the shadows helen shapiro i think the ronnettes as well cost 2/6 back row 1960s

[twoslices]

Is that Suggs????

[simonjp80]

Yes, he hosts a show like this on ITV London every now and again.

[hwame]

There's a wurlitzer under the stage that still works and it's played on Open Weekend every September.

[alijanlondon]

But the organ has been severely damaged by flooding soon after it was fully restored and will not be playing again for a very long time

[tim3tess4]

Took me back watching this video. I used to pretend I was someone special when I went upstairs and walked past all the mirrors. As they say that was the "good old days "

[reissc18]

i saw lawrence of arabia there and go for the saturday morning kids films.

[rubys200777]

i saw snow white and the seven dwarves there

[manniemain]

I know that Bingo has saved the Granada from the sad fate of other marvelous theatres but seeing all those rackety fruit machines in there is like learning that the only way Stonehenge could be saved was to make it into a Quad bike track!

[troxyprojy]

It actually inspired a book called 'Cathedrals of the Movies' by David Atwell : about 1980. it i sfeatured on the front cover.

Its sister cinema is the Granada Woolwich : still open for bingo.

[merlinbus]

When I was a kid in the 50`s, I used to go to Saturday morning pictures there. 6d for a couple of hours of fun as a Granada "granadere".

[offrampt]

Meautiful building. I have a wander around inside every 6 months or so.

[wurlitzermad]

Not one mention of the wurlitzer !

[troxyprojy]

ah that is because it was stuck under the stage since 1973 ?  it was restored completely, then damaged with flooding shortly after : i believe it is now back to full health ! suggest you contact c.o.s ( cinema organ society ) or CTA ( cinema theatre association )

[mic33george]

Oh what a pleasure to go to a real "Picture Palace"rather than the boring functional multi screens of today!!

[twoslices]

what happened to Suggs Camden Town accent?

[QuizzicalLaws]

Thank you so much for posting this. I loved that TV programme and really wanted a recording of this. I went to the Granada Tooting last Sunday for the reopening of the Wurlitzer organ which will now be used for concerts.

[1cornetto]

fond memories of visiting the granada when i was young in the sixties. such an adventure and i always had to sit on one of the 'thrones' those beautiful gilded chairs. such an atmospheric place and an experience my own children will sadly never have, to them cinema is a bland small viewing room- might as well get the dvd instead!!

[BEATNIKCASS]

1cornetto, yes, people these days have missed one of the greatest joys. really old cinemas. i spent 3 nights a week in them in the 50s.taught me everything i know.

[egoyibo]

yeah, i bloody well worked here from 2001-2004. it was a craic tho. lol. loads of mates and loads of fun.... great times...great times!

Is that Lee calling in the back ground???

[neoncherry]

Lovely little clip. That's an absolutely astonishing cinema, it looks more like a cathedral!