n attempt to list all the shows ever performed at our Hippodromes, beginning with the temporary circus buildings, which from 1884 were specially erected on Pool Meadow for each visit - then, in 1903, to the first permanent, but short-lived, 'Tin' Hippodrome on the Priory Street side of Pool Meadow facing the old Swimming Baths. The popularity of these shows created the demand for a theatre worthy of our city, and so in 1906 began the construction in Hales Street, next to Swanswell Gate, of what we now regard as the Old Hippodrome.
Again, the success of this theatre meant that barely three decades later a greater capacity was required, and so we come to our lovely art-deco New Hippodrome in Hales Street, once known as the Showplace of the Midlands. Opening on the 1st November 1937, it was renamed Coventry Theatre in 1955, then from 1979 became The Apollo, giving its final performance in June 1985. After a short spell as a bingo hall it was eventually realised that such a building could not be put to any practical use, so, sadly, it was demolished in 2002. If anyone still has any tickets or programmes and would like to see them used to illustrate a show, please contact me.
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1926 | Old Hippodrome, Hales Street | ||
Date(s) | Show | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|
Mon 4th Jan until Sat 9th Jan 1926 | Stop Here | Laughter revue, including Billy Fry, Sophie Forrest, and others. | |
Mon 11th Jan until Sat 16th Jan 1926 | The Ten Loonies | Crazy comedy band. Plus, Cyril Key & Jennie Keyworth, Norman Carrol, and many more. | |
Mon 18th Jan until Sat 23rd Jan 1926 | The Golden West | Revue, starring Tom Heathfield, Hylda Baker, and others. | |
Mon 25th Jan until Sat 30th Jan 1926 | Scotch Broth | Comedy, with Flora McDonald and Dalton Payne, and many more. | |
Mon 1st Feb until Sat 6th Feb 1926 | Making Money | Musical comedy, starring Dan Raynor, Ivino and Babs, and many others. | |
Mon 8th Feb until Sat 13th Feb 1926 | Still Jazzing | Revue, including Charlie Wood, Maisie Terris, the Panoramic Band, and others. | |
Mon 15th Feb until Sat 20th Feb 1926 | Oceans of Notions | Comedy, with George Norton, Annie Rooney, and huge cast. | |
Mon 22nd Feb until Sat 27th Feb 1926 | Scotch and Polly | Musical comedy, with Harry Niblock, the London Four, and many more. | |
Mon 1st Mar until Sat 6th Mar 1926 | Percy Honri | A 'concert in a turn'. Plus, Bert Maddison, Tom E. Hughes, and many others. | |
Mon 8th Mar until Sat 13th Mar 1926 | Charities | Revue, including Janice Hart, Frank O'Brian, Budd Richie, and more. | |
Mon 15th Mar until Sat 20th Mar 1926 | The Creaking Chair | With an entire London company of stars. | |
Mon 22nd Mar until Sat 27th Mar 1926 | Mr. Tickle, M.P. | A screaming, farcical comedy, including Fred Morgan and all-star cast. | |
Mon 29th Mar until Sat 3rd Apr 1926 | Roses | Comedy revue, with enormous cast including Tom Gamble and George Graham. | |
Mon 5th Apr until Sat 10th Apr 1926 | Speed | 'A rush of mirth, melody and motion'. With Cyril Dunn, Billy Doust, and many others. | |
Mon 12th Apr until Sat 17th Apr 1926 | Laughs and Ladies | Starring Harry Russell, Madge Allan, and many more. | |
Mon 19th Apr until Sat 24th Apr 1926 | Don't Miss This | Nonsense revue, with Uty Rowlands and many others. | |
Mon 26th Apr until Sat 1st May 1926 | Still Going Some | Musical extravaganza, including Eddie Emerson, Billy Humphrey, and huge cast. | |
Mon 3rd May until Sat 8th May 1926 | Rack and Ruin | Comedy revue, including Stan Annison and many others. (A general country-wide strike by most newspapers meant that the following week's shows were not reported.) | |
Mon 17th May until Sat 22nd May 1926 | What Ho | Revue, starring Mark Rivers, The Adelaide Trio, Josie Costello, and many more. | |
Mon 24th May until Sat 29th May 1926 | Fred Barnes | Light comedian, introducing the Eight Rodney Hudson Girls, Arthur Astill, and many more. | |
Mon 31st May until Sat 5th Jun 1926 | The Dole Increased | Comedy revue, starring Sandy Daw, Joe Hudson, and many others. | |
Mon 7th Jun until Sat 12th Jun 1926 | Samson | Alexandra Zass, the strongest man on earth. Plus, Ernie Garner, May Sherrard, and many more. | |
Mon 14th Jun until Sat 19th Jun 1926 | Zip | ''Personality' show, starring Billy Caryll, Sterndale and a Violin, Hilda Mundy, and others. | |
Mon 21st Jun until Sat 26th Jun 1926 | Apple Sauce | Revue, starring Stanley Kirkby, Harry Hudson, and many more. | |
Mon 28th Jun until Sat 3rd Jul 1926 | Are You There | Comedy revue, including Peel and Curtis, Marie Ambrose, and others. | |
Mon 5th Jul until Sat 10th Jul 1926 | Are You Working ? | Laughter show, including M'Gregor & Hood, The Foys, and others. | |
Mon 12th Jul until Sat 17th Jul 1926 | Encore | A new revue, including Jack Hodges, Billy Rowland and a huge cast. | |
Mon 19th Jul until Sat 24th Jul 1926 | Out Of Work | Comedy revue, with Charlie Higgins, Victor King, 12 Hudson Girls, and many more. | |
Mon 26th Jul until Sat 31st Jul 1926 | Parish Relief | Comedy revue, with Jack Mayo, Chas. Haig & Ella Escoe, and many more. | |
Mon 2nd Aug until Sat 7th Aug 1926 | The Fun Box | Starring Zena Vevey, Max Erard, Clive Erard, Reg Heaton, and more. | |
Mon 9th Aug until Sat 14th Aug 1926 | Dancing Around | Comedy revue, including Leslie Hyde, Renee Sutton, and many others. | |
Mon 16th Aug until Sat 21st Aug 1926 | Mottoes | New revue, including Sam Mayo, James Plant, Elaine Rosslyn, and others. | |
Mon 23rd Aug until Sat 28th Aug 1926 | Souvenirs of 1926 | Comedy medley, with Dick Ray, the Marvellous 3 Kobes, and many others. | |
Mon 30th Aug until Sat 4th Sep 1926 | See The Point ? | Revue, starring Tom Drew, the Musical Melodyites, and many more. | |
Mon 6th Sep until Sat 11th Sep 1926 | Looking Around | Super revue, featuring Charles Regan, Emmie King, and large cast. | |
Mon 13th Sep until Sat 18th Sep 1926 | Killing Time | Musical mixture, starring Randolph Sutton and a large cast. | |
Mon 20th Sep until Sat 25th Sep 1926 | Spotlights | Revue, starring Claude Lester and many others. | |
Mon 27th Sep until Sat 2nd Oct 1926 | Stop! Look! Listen! | Comedy, song and dance revue, starring Joe Cohan, Anna Dorothy, and many more. | |
Mon 4th Oct until Sat 9th Oct 1926 | Sacked Again | Revue, with Billy Percy, Daisy Leon, and many more. | |
Mon 11th Oct until Sat 16th Oct 1926 | Beg Pardon | Bright and breezy burlesque, starring Mark Dennison and many others. | |
Mon 18th Oct until Sat 23rd Oct 1926 | The Never-Works | Comedy, featuring Dave Morris, The 10 Loonies, and many more. | |
Mon 25th Oct until Sat 30th Oct 1926 | Stuff & Nonsense | With full London cast, including Hal Bert and many more. | |
Mon 1st Nov until Sat 6th Nov 1926 | Snacks | Comedy revue, starring Sid Dooley and an all-star cast. | |
Mon 8th Nov until Sat 13th Nov 1926 | Our Liz | Musical revue, including Anna Cuka, Ashley James, Bert Murray, and many others. | |
Mon 15th Nov until Sat 20th Nov 1926 | Idle Days | Mirthful mixture, starring Jack Clifford, The Waverley Girls, and many more. | |
Mon 22nd Nov until Sat 27th Nov 1926 | Here and There | Laughter revue, starring Sandy Lauri, Jack Byrne, Lucy Brennan, and many others. | |
Mon 29th Nov until Sat 4th Dec 1926 | G. H. Elliott | The original chocolate coloured c**n. Plus, Radiana, Lilian Fitzroy, and many others. | |
Mon 6th Dec until Sat 11th Dec 1926 | Smile Stones | Revusical novelty, starring Ken Douglas, Dorothy Belmore, and more. | |
Mon 13th Dec until Sat 18th Dec 1926 | Scenes & Screams | Novel comedy, with Jackson Owen, Doris Chappell, and many more. | |
Mon 20th Dec until Sat 25th Dec 1926 | On The Rocks | Comedy revue, starring Bud Richie, Trixie Maison, Mike Moritz, and many others. | |
Mon 27th Dec 1926 until Sat 1st Jan 1927 | Explosions | Comedy revue of 1926, with Jimmy Jewel, Mona Marsh, Walter Vedale, and many more. |
Prev year: 1925Showing 1926Next year: 1927
1884 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
Also of interest might be A short history of Coventry's Theatres and Cinemas, by Bill Birch.
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