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stepped up and did Edmonton the handyman, using an old
their stuff, gangway carpet, made bunks for the
usherettes crooned girls in a cloakroom under the stairs
and tapped, and for the men in the circle foyer.
doormen did The manager set up a mattress in his
‘patter’ or ‘just office.
fooled’, while the At Granada Tooting a suite of
café staff, asleep dressing rooms below the stage was
on their feet, converted into a staff dormitory; at
turned out with tea first staff were content to sleep in any
and soft drinks old drapes the stage manager could
until the early find, but later, with camp beds and
hours. After blankets, some degree of comfort was
midnight chocolate attained. At Granada Woolwich,in
Opposite page: A crashed Heinkel bomber is put on display in sales were often those early days, it was usual to see
the Granada Tooting car park. Above: An RKO Radio (British) greater than the twenty or so of the exhausted staff
bombed street for Dangerous Moonlight (1941) previous figure for sleeping on LiLos and cushions head
a whole week, and to foot down the stalls promenade,
brought tea and the manager and his
trays had to be refilled three times a with the cleaners and night watchmen
male staff did the rounds – on to the
night. trying to sweep around them.
roof, down to the stage, round to the
The Granada Clapham Junction Managers seldom left their theatres
poster shop, on to the roof again, until
once screened five features in one during this period.
as Manager Roberts said, “When
night! The record after closing time At Granada East Ham the
morning came we thought ours was
program for a Granada lasted nearly manager and organist camped for 12
the only building left standing….”
five hours. The audience, often 800 or months in the manager’s office and
When opening time came the staff
900 of them, simply moved back cooked their meals there. At
were there on time as usual, the
under the circle when the bombing Woolwich the manager brought his
‘regulars’ were back in the foyer as
started (the circle itself was still wife and two months old baby to sleep
usual, and the page boy was grinning
popular with diehard courting couples) in the office for six months. At
at the one of the old ladies for whom
and prepared to make a night of it, Granada Wandsworth Road, a space
East Ham will always be famous, he
whatever the night might bring. Many beside the lobby was used as a shelter
tearing her ticket and she giving him a
an artiste in the live part of a show and sleeping quarters for anyone who
toffee as usual as she passed to her
had the experience of playing to an was bombed out, a practice that was
usual seat.
audience without heads – they were continued until the theatre was hit.
Everyone knew the blitz had down between the seats. By four or
After a week of practically non-
started in earnest. Attendances five a.m. most people had had enough stop shows, the strain on the staff
dropped, but though there were 38 and the auditorium and lounges would became too great. When the next
major attacks on London between 7 be full of sleeping figures. evening warning sounded the manager
September and 5 October, there were
The news that Granadas were at the Granada Tooting went on stage
customers for every session.
providing entertainment with refuge and announced firmly that, whereas
And when the sirens sounded (as quickly got round, and soon there the show would go on, the after hours
they did every night at dusk) and were bigger queues waiting to come in entertainment would not. Patrons not
when the “All Clear” did not sound (as at 9 pm than at any time in the day. wishing to take the risk of walking
it rarely did) before the end of the Patrons now came with blankets, home would find air raid shelters
program, cinemas of their own accord sandwiches, and fish and chips, outside THAT exit. To the relief of
offered shelter and entertainment to prepared to make a night of it. staff, when the ‘The King’ was played,
their patrons through the night. It was
It was a remarkable expression of the audience moved quietly out
perhaps the strangest interlude in the
public confidence in the solidity of through the exit indicated.
war history of the cinema, and one of
these buildings. Other cinemas followed suit; the
the most creditable.
The unsung heroes of these nights interlude of all night entertainment
When the last scheduled
were the operators in tin helmets, was over; audiences, in a new found
performance finished the audience
perched in the boxes far above the spirit of comradeship and cooperation
stayed on, and, with the bombs
audiences’ heads, sticking to their made no complaint. ★
dropping outside, cinema staff gave
machines under the roof while hell
them not only sanctuary, but a show, To be Continued
broke loose above them. Often they
and an amazing show it often was; the
kept their machines running without a Edited from Red Roses Every
full advertised program again, three
break from 10 a.m. to 5 a.m. the next Night: An Account of London
Stand-by features, two half hour
morning. And always at 10 o’clock Cinemas Under Fire By Guy
sessions by the house organist and the
every morning the whole staff would Morgan. Quality Press 1948.
feature organist, followed by an
be back on the job. Source and concept by Fred Page.
impromptu sing song and dancing on
The majority of staff soon gave up
stage. Sometimes there was amateur
going home at all, preferring to snatch
variety; members of the audience
a few hours sleep in the theatre. At
CINEMARECORD 2003 21