Odeon Cinema, Hagley Road, Warley, Smethwick, West Midlands
Photograph of the cinema staff posed and in uniform. It was built in 1934 as the Warley Cinema, it became the Warley Odeon in 1935. It closed in 1961 and was demolished in 1973. 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.
