Times Past: Bedford cinema memories

Bill Newson of Cranfield sent in a picture of him at the Plaza Cinema in the audience with film star Leo Genn.

The photo, published in the Bedfordshire Times, shows Bill behind Leo. The film starred Leo, and Bill believes it was No Place For Jennifer in 1950, and may have been partially filmed in Bedford. Can anybody shed any light on this?

Leo Genn was a British film actor in the post-war period who was Oscar nominated for best supporting actor in the hollywood epic Quo Vadis.

Roger Whitbread also had memories of the Plaza. He writes: “Apart from the usual pre-TV enjoyment of the silver screen (the Plaza being one of our four Bedford cinemas) one unusual memory stands out for me after 64 years, and it was in the spring of 1947.

“I was then ten years old and my father (Charlie) and I were in the Plaza one evening. At about 8.30am the lights went on in the cinema and the manager came on the stage and told the audience that we had to leave the cinema immediately as the river had just flooded over The Embankment (this must have been as a result of the snow melting after the severe winter of 1947).

“When we left the foyer the river was already over the pavement. My father being cheeky stopped a car leaving the car park behind the cinema and asked if we could have a lift to the High Street, as far as the Murketts Garage by the Swan Hotel.

“The driver obliged ! I dread to think how many scores of people had wet feet that evening!”

Tony Mitchell adds: “I can remember attending the Plaza during my six weeks in Bedford in 1953, starting my National Service with the Beds and Herts regiment in Kempston Barracks. On June 12 I saw the films Elizabeth is Queen – she had been crowned on June 2 – and The Guinea Pig at the Plaza.

“I have no memory of being served ice-cream by one of the lovely ladies, unfortunately!”

Meanwhile Margaret Pendry emailed in pictures of some of the usherettes from the Empire Cinema in Midland Road Bedford.

She writes: “The photos were taken at a presentation in the mid to late 1950s, and show the girls in their uniforms of blue trousers and gold lined blue cape, with a gold blouse.

“The smaller group shows Anne Fairy at the rear right, with my mother, Betty Neeves front right. Betty was Chief Usherette, but is shown wearing a pale blue hat and overall she wore for selling ice cream and cold drinks.”

Do you recall anybody else?