Odeon Cinema, High Street, Littlehampton, West Sussex
The Littlehampton Odeon, built in 1936, was sold to Classic Cinemas in 1967 and renamed the Classic. It stopped showing films in 1974, became a bingo hall, and closed in 1984 before being demolished. 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.
