Deansgate Picture House, Deansgate
1 sound
A comfortable cinema, much more suited to those on lower incomes who attended screenings regularly, the Deansgate Picture House operated between January 1914 and August 1990. Modernised in the 1960s, the theatre could seat a total of 700 customers at once.
A further 167 seats were added in the 1970s alongside a new sound system. By all accounts this was enough to blast the eardrums of its patrons and shake the foundations of the cinema itself. In its later guises it was known as an ABC Deansgate and Cannon Deansgate. Now the Moon Under Water pub, the exterior of the building is still recognisable as being designed for cinematic usage.
Jessica Goodacre explains how seat bookings were arranged at the cinema she ran during the 1930s. Starting as a pianist in the orchestra pit, Mrs Goodacre went on to manage several cinemas that were highly respected and popular. It is clear she knew the importance of cinema in the social life of the working classes and its function as a philanthropic enterprise.
Image: ABC Cinema ABC Cinema Deansgate, 1976 Ref: m09190
