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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1914 | Old Hippodrome, Hales Street | ||
| Date(s) | Show | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 5th Jan until Sat 10th Jan 1914 | Johnson Clark | Sportsman ventriloquist and 'Hodge the Yokel'. Plus, Herbert Landeck, Housinis and It, Mary Moran, Abomah, and others. | |
| Mon 12th Jan until Sat 17th Jan 1914 | Flo Irwin and her All-Star Company | In a comedy sketch "Mrs. Peckham's Carouse'. Plus, The Harlequinaders, Lily Leonhard, Cecil Lyle, and many more. | |
| Mon 19th Jan until Sat 24th Jan 1914 | Jack Pleasants | Plus, comedy 'The Dear Departed', Mons. Roelgin, Mignon & Frasettis, Gus Garrick, and more. | |
| Mon 26th Jan until Sat 31st Jan 1914 | The Prize Fighter | Starring American comedian Sam Harris. Plus, Jane Ayr, Fred Keeton, miniature comic opera 'Venetia', and much more. | |
| Mon 2nd Feb until Sat 7th Feb 1914 | Dick Whittington and his Cat | Starring Miss Edna Latonne, Sisters Bechstein, Ellis and Murray, and more others. | |
| Mon 9th Feb until Sat 14th Feb 1914 | Little Nap the Wonder Chimpanzee | Plus, Carl de Marest, Juliet Page & Co., Zella Vonda & Co., Harold Baker, and many more. | |
| Mon 16th Feb until Sat 21st Feb 1914 | Leroy, Talma and Bosco | Inimitable magicians. Plus, Haley's Juveniles, Chas. Elstree, the Minerva Troupe, and others. | |
| Mon 23rd Feb until Sat 28th Feb 1914 | Miss Zona Vevey | Singer. Plus, Carney and Sharpe, Allen and White, Harry Nelson, the Two Anartos, and others. | |
| Mon 2nd Mar until Sat 7th Mar 1914 | The First of April | Comedy starring Tom Foy. Plus, the Four Curtises, O'Gust, the Excelsior Troupe, Maliella, and many more. | |
| Mon 9th Mar until Sat 14th Mar 1914 | Gobert Beling and his Four-Legged Comedians | Plus, H. O. Willis the water rat, Saltley and His Nibs, Ernie Myers, Laura Leycester, and more. | |
| Mon 16th Mar until Sat 21st Mar 1914 | Jen Latona | Singer. Plus, Tom E. Dean, Wyatt and Dirome, Fanny and Harry Dent, the Four Powers, and much more. | |
| Mon 23rd Mar until Sat 28th Mar 1914 | Florence Smithson | Musical comedy artiste. Plus, the Brothers Aston, Milner and Storey, Nixon Grey, and others. | |
| Mon 30th Mar until Sat 4th Apr 1914 | Ye Colonial Septette | Featuring Leick and Keith, America's premier cornet duo. Plus, Winifred Ward, the Six Dandy Boys, Jack Clifford & Co., and more. | |
| Mon 6th Apr until Sat 11th Apr 1914 | Won by a Leg | Farce by Gordon Eldrid and Company. Plus, Hastings Lynn and Sydney Lynn, Thornton and Wagner, and others. | |
| Mon 13th Apr until Sat 18th Apr 1914 | Millions | Comedy drama sketch starring Ernie Lotinga. Plus, Nora Delaney, Han Ting Chien, Les Videos, the Three Persols, and many more. | |
| Mon 20th Apr until Sat 25th Apr 1914 | The Years Between | Starring Horace Hunter and Lily Hammersley. Plus, Friend and Downing, Robb and Dixon, Zeno and Zeff, and many others. | |
| Mon 27th Apr until Sat 2nd May 1914 | The Leaves of Memory | Starring Miss Beaumont Collins. Plus, The Meymotts, Colley and Scott, the Honeysuckles, and others. | |
| Mon 4th May until Sat 9th May 1914 | Princess Ida | By the Coventry Amateur Operatic Society, a company of 50 with orchestra of 21. | |
| Mon 11th May until Sat 16th May 1914 | Fancy Meeting You! | A new revue. Plus, the Selbinis, Alexander Prince, Gerald Wyatt, Adam Tomlinson, and more. | |
| Mon 18th May until Sat 23rd May 1914 | G. H. Elliott | In delightful c**n character studies. Plus, The Kaufman Co., Tomm Gott, The Real McKays, and much more. | |
| Mon 25th May until Sat 30th May 1914 | The Broken Mirror | Featuring The Schwarz Company. Plus, Romance 'The Devil's Elbow', The Denziloe Trio, Chris Baker, and others. | |
| Mon 1st Jun until Sat 6th Jun 1914 | Telephonic Mesmerism | Comedy novelty with Mr. Hymack. Plus, George Newburn, Will Hay, the Lorch Family, and more. | |
| Mon 8th Jun until Sat 13th Jun 1914 | Perkins in Paris | Comedy starring Albert Bruno. Plus, the Four Willie Bros., Barnard and Bunny, Cassie Walmer, Marriott and Mayne, and more. | |
| Mon 15th Jun until Sat 20th Jun 1914 | R. G. Knowles | American comedian. Plus, Les Diodattis, the Nicol Brothers, Randolph Sutton, and many others. | |
| Mon 22nd Jun until Sat 27th Jun 1914 | Hullo! Darling | Revue starring over 40 artistes. Plus, Bowden and Stol, Gwennie Hasto, Walter Emerson, and others. | |
| Mon 29th Jun until Sat 4th Jul 1914 | Flats | Starring Stanley Brett and Miss Billie Sinclair. Plus, Edna Latonne, Elton and Elma, SIgnor Torti, and more. | |
| Mon 6th Jul until Sat 11th Jul 1914 | Flora Cromer | South African contralto entertainer. Plus, Alan Borthwick & Co., Vasco, Tom Claire, and many others. | |
| Mon 13th Jul until Sat 18th Jul 1914 | Mr. Lillywhite's Dream | Starring the Hanlon Bros. Plus, James Willard, Tatten Hall, The Two Britons, Bert Harrow, and more. | |
| Mon 20th Jul until Sat 25th Jul 1914 | And Very Nice, Too | Modern revue in three scenes. Plus, Du Calion, The Holsons, 8 Sunset Girls, and others. | |
| Mon 27th Jul until Sat 1st Aug 1914 | 60 Miles and Hour | Dramatic sketch. Plus, Le Grohs, Vera and Syd, Fred Powell, 8 Lancashire Lads, and others. | |
| Mon 3rd Aug until Sat 8th Aug 1914 | Ernest Shand | Plus, Charburn's Young Stars, Balzar, the Adelmann Family, Billy Bennett, and more. | |
| Mon 10th Aug until Sat 15th Aug 1914 | Chas. R. Whittle | Comedian. Plus, Miss Lucille Benstead, Lucky Jim, the Great Alberto, Harry Levaine, and others. | |
| Mon 17th Aug until Sat 22nd Aug 1914 | Betty Barclay and a Baritone | Plus, Nellie Wallace, Tom E. Hughes, Palo and Sellery, Wheeley and Laing, and more. | |
| Mon 24th Aug until Sat 29th Aug 1914 | Romain Noiset sur la Table Du Diable | Plus, Charles Hanbury, Arthur Conquest and Co., Special War Films, and more. | |
| Mon 31st Aug until Sat 5th Sep 1914 | Hoo-Ray | Farce starring Henry Clive and Mabel Bunyea. Plus, Frank and Vesta, Lloyd Morgan, Yates and Green, Evelyn Taylor, and others. | |
| Mon 7th Sep until Sat 12th Sep 1914 | Winkles | Scena starring Wee Georgie Wood. Plus, Duncan and Godfrey, Sister Allen, Cosgrove and Burns, and many more. | |
| Mon 14th Sep until Sat 19th Sep 1914 | Jay Laurier | The Farmer's boy in rustic witticisms. Plus, Pipifax and Panlo, Harry Roxbury, Special War Films, and more. | |
| Mon 21st Sep until Sat 26th Sep 1914 | The Hydro | Comedy sketch. Plus, Vernon Watson, Cooper and Lait, the 3 Phydoras, Special War Films, and more. | |
| Mon 28th Sep until Sat 3rd Oct 1914 | Coram | King of Ventriloquists. Plus, O'Hana San and Co., Special War Films, Miss Violet King, the 4 Shades, Harry Grey, and many more. | |
| Mon 5th Oct until Sat 10th Oct 1914 | Neil Kenyon | Comedian. Plus, the 3 Ernests, Lytton and De Silva, Leslie Crowther, Fred Eustace, George Prince, and more. | |
| Mon 12th Oct until Sat 17th Oct 1914 | Madge Temple | Comedienne. Plus, Gus Harris, Arthur White and Co., the Four Yanks, Renee, the Smarter Brothers, and more. | |
| Mon 19th Oct until Sat 24th Oct 1914 | Hayden Coffin | In a military revue 'Nobby, V. C.'. Plus, Jack Lane, Arthur R. Carlton, Belle Davis, Little Ena Dayne, and others. | |
| Mon 26th Oct until Sat 31st Oct 1914 | Billy Williams | The man in the velvet suit. Plus, Fred Conquest & Co., Ritchie Troupe, Tiny and Mite, the Martinez Trio, and more. | |
| Mon 2nd Nov until Sat 7th Nov 1914 | Liane D'Eve | Comedienne. Plus, Dan Whitley, Edwards and Yates, Roberts and Royce, Harry Moore, and others. | |
| Mon 9th Nov until Sat 14th Nov 1914 | Tom Edwards | Huntsman ventriloquist. Plus, La Pia, the Fordyce Family, The Zanfrellas, Foreman and Fannan, and much more. | |
| Mon 16th Nov until Sat 21st Nov 1914 | Ernie Mayne | 'The Simple One'. Plus, Fred Barnes, Lily Edwards, Tom Franks, Brinn, Dainty Doris, and others. | |
| Mon 23rd Nov until Sat 28th Nov 1914 | Don't Crush | Featuring Jack Gallagher. Plus, Will Gardner, Mr. & Mrs. W. J. Manning, Mons. et Mdme. De Mont, and more. | |
| Mon 30th Nov until Sat 5th Dec 1914 | Nina Gordon | Vocals and imitation. Plus, Lillie Soutter, Chevalier & Le Noir, Sisters Gilbert, Hinton and Wooton, and others. | |
| Mon 7th Dec until Sat 12th Dec 1914 | For France | Dramatic war episode starring Lyn Harding. Plus, David Poole, the Four Londons, Lily Flexmore, and more. | |
| Mon 14th Dec until Sat 19th Dec 1914 | Harry Ford | Comedian. Plus, Brull and Hemsley, Vardon, Perry Wilbur and those Girls, Doris Hunter, and more. | |
| Mon 21st Dec until Sat 26th Dec 1914 | The Hamamura Family | Japanese artistes. Plus, Vera Wooton, The Marcinis, Ronald George, Special War films, and more. | |
| Mon 28th Dec 1914 until Sat 2nd Jan 1915 | The Soldiers' Mess or The Knuts in Khaki | Starring comedian Walter Passmore. Plus, Bart and Bart, Cruikshank, The Brennans, Blanche Tomlin, and more. | |
Prev year: 1913Showing 1914Next year: 1915
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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