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Leicester Square Theatre
(Now Odeon West End)
Built in 1930 by the Actor Jack Buchanan as a Cine/Variety theatre
comprising a stalls area, and two circles (Dress & Upper) with the projection room on the roof
Three Westar projectors, and Weston Electric sound
The electrical installation for the building was DC running off a number of mercury rectifiers **
Two Cinemeccanica Vic 8s, Super Zenith carbon arcs, installed on modernisation early 1970s
At this time the electrical supply converted to AC
Upper circle demolished and a new projection suite built in what used to be the Ladies toilet for the upper circle
Originally called the Jack Buchanan Theatre
It changed it's name to Leicester Square Theatre in 1931
The offices above the cinema were originally built as two flats for Jack Buchanan, and the cinema manager
In 1975 it was the only cinema in the UK to show "Tommy" in true Quintaphonic four track magnetic sound,
using Dolby CP100 processor serial No 1, now in the Dolby Museum
As well as the speakers behind the screen six sets of stage speakers were located in the auditorium
Two sets in the front stalls, two sets in the rear stalls, and two sets in the rear circle
If a customer upset the cashier she would give them seats in front of these auditorium speakers
A sub bass was also used at stage level behind centre screen
From what I can remember vocals, and speech, came from centre channel behind screen
Left & right behind screen were used for other sounds ie train moving from left to right, and some music
The auditorium speakers were used solely for music, and some loud sound effects
The sound was so loud that three of the suites, in the hotel behind the cinema, had to be rented from the Hotel owners
for the 10 months tht the film played
They could not be used as the occupants complained about the noise
** The story goes that a man was contracted to remove all the mercury rectifiers
When asked what the firm wanted to do with the mercury he was told to "Throw it out"
Along with his fee he made a 'nice little earner' from the mercury & the copper
Please click on photo for larger view
Photographs taken between 1973 to 1982 unless otherwise stated
 Front of Cinema
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 Amplifier Rack
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 Victoria 8
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 Vic 8 again
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 Vic 8 Mech
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 Projection Room
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 Xenon conversion
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 First installation
CP100
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 Auditorium
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 Auditorium from stage
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 Jack Buchanon Bar
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 Original 1930s ceiling
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 Odeon West End
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Please click on photo for larger view