Opening as the Vitagraph in
1912, this
B-listed
adaptation of an exisiting building by architect John Fairweather had a
long, narrow auditorium, and utilised rear projection. A tearoom and
lounge were situated above the entrance. The building had previously
been a music shop, hence the bust of Beethoven visible above the rear
entrance.
Images above c.1982 courtesy of the Scottish Screen Archive
As a cinema, it originally seated around 625 in stalls and circle.
Renamed the King's Cinema in 1914, and additional interior renovations
were carried out in 1931. In 1954 it was the Newscine, a dedicated
newsreel cinema, now seating 450. This venture was shortlived, and it
started showing full features again, as the Newcine, from 1955. It
became the Curzon in 1960, and the Classic in 1964.
