At varying times during the 20th Century, Wolverhampton and the immediate surrounding areas of Wednesfield and Bilston had something in the region of 25 cinemas. Those cinemas varied in size from the super cinemas of the 30s with their luxurious surroundings to the flea pits with their very claustrophobic interiors. However, whether the local flicks was a super or a flea pit it was usually adored by its clientele and very often full to bursting. It is the story of some of those cinemas which is included here.

The story begins in 1909 when the Cinematograph Act was passed. The Act required all cinemas to be licensed and to fulfil certain rules and regulations and so from 191 0 onwards, cinemas really came into being. In those earliest days, cinemas were sited in a whole range of premises including shops and public halls but it was not very long before the first purpose built cinemas were constructed and most of the converted premises ceased to function (especially after World War 1).

During the 20s and 30s, the majority of the local cinemas were built and many of those cinemas were super with luxurious foyers and auditoria which could seat over 1000 customers. The designs of those cinemas were often very elaborate and it is during this period that the Odeons, Cliftons and Gaumonts appeared, both in this area and throughout the country. It was also during this period that many of the smaller and older cinemas became labelled as flea pits and began to find the competition from the larger cinema chains very difficult to fight. In fact, it was the war years of 1939-45 which prevented many of the smaller cinemas from closing or being swallowed by their bigger brothers.

After the war, very few cinemas were built anywhere in the country and during the 50s and 60s, the majority of the local cinemas closed. It is only in the very recent past that the development of the multiplex cinema has seen a general revival in cinema building (possibly even in Wolverhampton). However, let us take a closer look at some of the local flicks and their individual histories.

It is quite likely that the earliest movies to come to the area were shown by fairground showmen like the very famous Pat Collins of Bloxwich. He included animated pictures and the bioscope as part of his fairground show. The spectacle became more and more elaborate, accompanied by music from the fairground organ and the tent being brightly illuminated by electric lights. In 1907 Pat Collins presented his Wonderland which involved a very brightly lit (5000 electric lights and 14 arc lamps) wooden construction in which the Bioscope was housed. It must have presented a quite amazing sight!

After World War 1, Pat Collins bought three cinemas in the West Midlands (Alhambra in Dudley Port, Olympia in Darlaston and Electric Palace in Bloxwich).

While the fairgrounds were the most likely venues for Wolverhampton's earliest film shows, there were other sites which were certainly used. The main buildings involved were the Drill Hall which was located in Stafford Street (the actual site was on the corner of Stafford Street and Whitmore Street) and the Pavilion which was located in Castle Street and ran through to Tower Street. The former building was the site for a number of public gatherings and meetings (Asquith, Lloyd George, Baden-Powell spoke there), so it would seem quite logical that the hall would be used for the earliest public film shows. The shows involved the use of portable projection boxes and screens. The audience probably sat on benches. Such arrangements would have been made at other public halls in the area.

The frontage of the Pavilion in Castle Street is still in remarkably fine condition (it is now part of the Express & Star buildings). It has not been used for entertainment purposes for many years. It began life as a variety theatre and it is most likely that the earliest film shows would have provided interval entertainment between the variety turns. The Pavilion was almost certainly the first premises in the town to obtain a Cinematograph Licence after the passing of the 1909 Act. The Pavilion reportedly accommodated over 1000 patrons but if one looks carefully at the still existing ground space and the long narrow shape of the building, it would seem impossible for so many people to have comfortably and safely watched a film show! Perhaps this fact may have accounted for the closure of the Pavilion during the years of the First World War.