Brilliant scenes from Liverpool's lost Odeon cinema on London Road
Some of these photos have been unseen for years
For 74 years, the Odeon cinema on London Road was the home of many first dates, nights out for friends and even some of Liverpool's biggest gigs and events.
Opening for business on October 15, 1934, the cinema started life as one of the seven UK Paramount Theatres. It cost £240,000 to build and was the largest cinema in Merseyside at the time, the ECHO previously reported.
Some of the cinemas most famed moments in its 74 years include The Beatles playing there on December 8, 1963. The venue was also chosen for the northern premiere of A Hard Day's Night the following year, which was attended by the fabs themselves.
READ MORE: 15 things you could do in Liverpool a decade ago that you can't now
The London Road Odeon closed on September 30, 2008 and was replaced the following day by the purpose-built Odeon multiplex in Liverpool ONE. But many still have fond memories of the former site, from seeing cult classic films there when they first came out to celebrating special occasions.
These images, courtesy of our archives, Mirrorpix, capture life at the cinema, from events and staff to what it looked like at different moments through the decades. A number of these photographs have also been unseen for years and you may spot a familiar face.
As today, September 2, marks National Cinema Day, we take a look back at the much-loved lost Odeon in the city.
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Four days after the world premiere of A Hard Day's Night in London, The Beatles arrived in Liverpool for the northern England premiere July 10, 1964. Just before 9pm they left in an Austin Princess Limousine and travelled to the Odeon Cinema for the charity premiere of A Hard days Night
(Image: Mirrorpix)1 of 17
Spiderman drops in for a city date. Pictured on top of the Odeon Cinema, London Road, Liverpool. July 1978
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General scene of The Odeon Cinema in London Road, Liverpool. February 14, 1980
(Image: Mirrorpix)3 of 17![Phil Devoy (right), chief projectionist at the Odeon film centre in London Road, Liverpool. Pictured receiving a certificate to mark his long service of 45 years from Eric Crowther (left), the Rank Organisation's operations executive, and George Cranfield, general manager at the Odeon. August 1981]()
Phil Devoy (right), chief projectionist at the Odeon film centre in London Road, Liverpool. Pictured receiving a certificate to mark his long service of 45 years from Eric Crowther (left), the Rank Organisation's operations executive, and George Cranfield, general manager at the Odeon. August 1981
(Image: Mirrorpix)4 of 17![George Cranfield, manager of the Odeon Cinema, London Road, Liverpool, with Josie Davies. Josie is one of the original usherettes when the cinema was the Paramount Theatre. To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Odeon Film Centre in London Road, Liverpool. October 1984]()
George Cranfield, manager of the Odeon Cinema, London Road, Liverpool, with Josie Davies. Josie is one of the original usherettes when the cinema was the Paramount Theatre. To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Odeon Film Centre in London Road, Liverpool. October 1984
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