Forum Ealing

[ABCMinors]

It was my HQ when i worked for the ABC Minors Dept anyone remember Uncle REG HELLEY or DEREK "Chalkie"DAY the manager?? oh happy days

[boaste]

I did suggest that the fittings, in particular the light fittings in what became Screen 1 be offered to Kentish town to make it more “Complete” but this wasn’t taken up to my knowledge. Sad as I know Kentish Town had suffered from having the Centre Fitting removed and replaced with a typical 60’s ABC Splay-light. I can tell you that none of the fittings had original glass in them, as these were replaced with Perspex in the 90’s refurbishment.

[boaste]

English Heritage commented that its Sister – the Forum at Kentish Town, was listed, and with the exception of Ealing having 8 Black Marble Pillars and Kentish Town only having 6 at the front, Kentish town was in a much better condition for listing.



[boaste]

I did try to get the building listed with English Heritage and indeed an inspection was done to ascertain its worth, but the feedback was it had been changed too much over the years with the tripling to list it.

[boaste]

I have a copy of the News-reel you mention somewhere as it was used by MGM when the “Old Girl”, as we affectionate called the Cinema, was refurbished in the mid 90’s.

[johnster1964]

Were any of the fittings saved?

[johnster1964]

There is an excellent newsreel on the british Pathe website about the construction of the cinema. Youtube won't let me post the link but go to british pather dot com and search ealing forum ! My dad was at the opening which was done by Jack Buchanan

[marklaw50]

But it was not the Council that knocked it down - it was Empire.

Ealing Council are trying to get it re-built/restored.

See the video intv. with the Council Leader - Julian Bell.

And please sign the online petition that has been started.

[silverpixie1uk]

I was an usherette there in the early 70's I can remember being very scared going under the tunnels when an Alfred Hitchcock was showing.

[shamboliccharm1]

more council vandalism!

[Northwestlondoner]

Very very sad.

[kempstonflyer]

Does anybody know when the word 'FORUM' was removed from the facade?

I hope the alleyway is still there, had many a good old snog way back in the 60s down there.....

Does Ealing still have a cinema?

[malc239]

It was the Forum when I worked there as a rewind boy in 1961 and when I returned from overseas with the AKC I returned there as second projectionist in about 1967 and it was then ABC. Malcolm

[kempstonflyer]

Thanks very much - 1967 was when I moved the huge distance to Acton, and started to lose touch with all things Ealing.............one never forgets ones' roots, though, do they?

[leybourne42]

What a shame.

I spent many happy hours there as a kid in the early 70's..

[boaste]

Sadly They have just knocked it down. Which has prompted me to re-do the short I did. Having been the chief Projectionist there from 1995 to 2000 I collected loads of photo's of the building. Which I will endevour to sort out.