Odeon Cinema, Festing Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Opened in 1937 as an Odeon, it became the Salon in the 1970s and closed in 1985, with the building demolished. Here is is seen advertising 'Top of the town' and 'We have our moments'. The Odeon cinema company was founded in 1930 by Oscar Deutsch. During the 1930s, it grew to become one of the country’s major chains of cinemas. The first five Odeon cinemas opened in 1933, and by 1936 there were 142 across the country. Although each Odeon was unique, the use of a set range of architectural features meant that most of the cinemas were instantly recognisable as an 'Odeon', with their distinctive Modernist style. The slogan, ‘Oscar Deutsch Entertains Our Nation’ (ODEON) was also synonymous with the brand.
