Box, Balcony, House, or Pit, whereever one sat, going to the "matinee" or the cinema was a major part of the Guyanese social experience. That is, until the television set invaded and pervaded our homes. At one point, there were more than sixty cinemas in Guyana. Today, well.....
Here is a brief history of the movie houses in Georgetown:
- The first movie theater in British Guiana was the Gaiety, built in the 1920's and located at Brickdam and Camp Street. Unfortunately, this building was destroyed by fire in 1926.
- In 1930, the London cinema on Camp Street was opened. This was replaced by/renamed the Plaza in 1951.
- Metropole on Robb and Wellington Streets and Metro on Middle Street were both built in the late 1930's with similar architectural styles. To avoid confusion, the Metro would be renamed Empire.
- Also built in the 1930's were the Rialto on Vlissingen Road, the Olympic on Lombard Street, and the Capitol in Albouystown. The Olympic did not have a roof at its outset and was often referred to as "the fowl s*%t theater." The Rialto would change its name to the Doren and would then meet a fiery demise during the riots of 1962. Liberty would eventually be built on this site after Guyana gained its independence. The Capitol would change its name to Rio.
- The Correia family built the Astor on Waterloo Street in 1940.
- The 1950's brought the Globe (1952) on Church Street, the Hollywood in Kitty, and the Strand Deluxe (1957) on Charlotte and Wellington Streets.
As a child in the 1960's, I recall a class trip to the Metropole to see "To Sir With Love", and my parents taking the family to see "The Greatest Story Ever Told" during the Easter season at the Astor. For these outings to the cinema, we donned our finest and for the most part, we sat in House. But, it was in Pit where the action was seen and heard. Quite frequently, one could hear late comers sitting in Pit pleading "Upstairs, start over nah!"🤣
Credit: Stabroek News; Internet; Godfrey Chin's Nostalgias;
Photo credit: Internet
