The Empire Cinema
The Empire Cinema was built just before WW1. In its time it was used for many types of performance, not just film, for example: opera, musicals, school concerts and music hall.
Having been born in 1945 I twice a week walked to the cinema from Unthank Terrace, New Brancepeth, during the years 1952 and 1953.The half a crown that I got from my generous grandparents every Sunday funded two sixpenny performances - with lots of change to spare for ice cream.
The first film might involve a plot in stunning Africa and then later in the week I thrilled at the wagon train threatened by the Apache nation or some other tribe. When the drums stopped it did not look good for the wagon train! My favourite actor was Jimmy Stewart - he was a fine real life war hero as well as an actor.
Looking back I can see that some of the films were blatant propaganda, for example the Red Indians were just fighting to retain land that was rightfully their own. The cavalry [including John Wayne's character if applicable] were agents of the American state and in the wrong. That of course was too subtle for an eight year old.
