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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1920 | Old Hippodrome, Hales Street | ||
| Date(s) | Show | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 5th Jan until Sat 10th Jan 1920 | Femina Quartette | Musical ensemble. Plus, Frank Benson, Mart and Pep, Armstrong and Howarth, and others. | |
| Mon 12th Jan until Sat 17th Jan 1920 | Elliot Savonas | Presenting 'The Palace of Orpheus'. Plus, Harry Shiels, Mareski, Daimler & Edie, and more. | |
| Mon 19th Jan until Sat 24th Jan 1920 | Dick Whittington | Christmas pantomime. | |
| Mon 26th Jan until Sat 31st Jan 1920 | Robb Wilton | 'The confidential comedian'. Plus, MacLaine, Napoli, Those 4 Kids, Will Lacy, and others. | |
| Mon 2nd Feb until Sat 7th Feb 1920 | The Great Morritt | Mystery man. Plus, Miss Violet King, Adam Tomlinson, May Locke, Bert Coleman, and more. | |
| Mon 9th Feb until Sat 14th Feb 1920 | Circumstantial Evidence | Starring Lily Hammersley & Horace Hunter. Plus, the Strength Brothers, and many others. | |
| Mon 16th Feb until Sat 21st Feb 1920 | Leslie, Stanelli, Edgar | The famous 65th Division's 'Own'. Plus, Will Collinson, the 3 Ernests, and many more. | |
| Mon 23rd Feb until Sat 28th Feb 1920 | Cecil Lyle | With Miss Ivan Farrell and Co. in illusory entertainment. Plus, Bob Anderson, Fred Keeton, Rosie Lloyd, and others. | |
| Mon 1st Mar until Sat 6th Mar 1920 | Sarah Sleeps Out | Comedy by Charles Windermere and Company. Plus, the Bale Family, Lucan and McShane, and more. | |
| Mon 8th Mar until Sat 13th Mar 1920 | Jack Sterzelly | Presents 'Lucky' the human dog. Plus, Florence Yaymen, The Pall Malls, and others. | |
| Mon 15th Mar until Sat 20th Mar 1920 | Moonstruck | Absurdity starring Will Hay. Plus, Lowdini, Irene May, Wood and Ettennoy, and Melt & Bray. | |
| Mon 22nd Mar until Sat 27th Mar 1920 | G. H. Elliott | The original chocolate coloured c**n. Plus, Les Bastiens, Miss Emilie Hayes, and many others. | |
| Mon 29th Mar until Sat 3rd Apr 1920 | Father | Sketch starring 'Pimple' himself. Plus, George Hyam, Three Daring Reos, the 4 K-Foleys, and more. | |
| Mon 5th Apr until Sat 10th Apr 1920 | Wal Langtry | Comedian. Plus, the 10 Loonies, Magini, Tom Williams, and many others. | |
| Mon 12th Apr until Sat 17th Apr 1920 | Nixon Grey | Comedian. Plus, Kuming and Windsor, the Daunton Shaw Troupe, Frank Pichel & Scale, and more. | |
| Mon 19th Apr until Sat 24th Apr 1920 | Harry Tate | Comedian. Plus, Anserouls, Gerald Cyril, Mabel Costello, and many others. | |
| Mon 26th Apr until Sat 1st May 1920 | Moore & Roby | Repartee girls. Plus, Murphy and Mack present 'The Magic Reflection', Austin Rudd, the Four Vagabonds, and more. | |
| Mon 3rd May until Sat 8th May 1920 | Ernie Mayne | 'The simple one'. Plus, Rich Taylor, Boy Ronald, the Golda-Penville Quartette, and much more. | |
| Mon 10th May until Sat 15th May 1920 | I'm Surprised | Musical extravaganza starring Billy Danvers and London cast. Plus, Vera Rooney, and more. | |
| Mon 17th May until Sat 22nd May 1920 | Idle-Itis | Starring 'the original funster' Jimmy Jewel. Plus, Ernie Garner, Graham and Cullen, and others. | |
| Mon 24th May until Sat 29th May 1920 | The Leaves of Memory | Starring Miss Beaumont Collins and company. Plus, the 2 Powers, Fred Ginnett, and many more. | |
| Mon 31st May until Sat 5th Jun 1920 | Pussyfoot | Featuring Horace Hunter. Plus, The Anartos, Adkin & Co., The MacGregors, and more. | |
| Mon 7th Jun until Sat 12th Jun 1920 | Kleaners Ltd. | Comedy starring Gus McNaughton. Plus, the Five Wartons, Haig Bros. & Ryan, and many others. | |
| Mon 14th Jun until Sat 19th Jun 1920 | The Bridal Suite | With Vincent Lawson and Co. Plus, Hiawatha and his Squaw Minnehaha, the Yamayama Troupe, and others. | |
| Mon 21st Jun until Sat 26th Jun 1920 | Edna Latonne | Vocalist in male attire. Plus, Emerson and Gilbert, the Omega Trio, Peter Pariss, and others. | |
| Mon 28th Jun until Sat 3rd Jul 1920 | Oh What a Night for the Billposters | Comedy starring Joe Boganny. Plus, Clifford & Westwood, Evelyn May, Clo D'Arte, and more. | |
| Mon 5th Jul until Sat 10th Jul 1920 | Whimsical Whiffs | Presented by Eve Kelland and Ko. Plus, De Busse, The Girtons, Revill and Syd, and more. | |
| Mon 12th Jul until Sat 17th Jul 1920 | Bobo | Great laughter show starring Miss Ida Crispi, Charlie Bell and Will Fyffe, and West End company. | |
| Mon 19th Jul until Sat 24th Jul 1920 | Betty Barclay and George Glover | Vocalists. Plus, The Melody Trio, Wisto & Whyss, Jack Birchley, Edna Maude, and more. | |
| Mon 26th Jul until Sat 31st Jul 1920 | What Next! | Musical comedy featuring Tommy Nelldon, Mabelle Thorne, and large London cast. | |
| Mon 2nd Aug until Sat 7th Aug 1920 | Fred Barnes | Comedian. Plus, Alex Mee & Co., Ernie Roma, The Fanjacks, Les Grande Stellas, and others. | |
| Mon 9th Aug until Sat 14th Aug 1920 | Miss Lily Morris | London comedienne. Plus, Haley's Juveniles, The Five nuts, Foster Kershaw, and more. | |
| Mon 16th Aug until Sat 21st Aug 1920 | The Demon Of The Cellar | Featuring London comedian Billy Lytton. Plus, Lillian, J. P. King, The Great Maurice, and many more. | |
| Mon 23rd Aug until Sat 28th Aug 1920 | Empire Opera Quartette | Plus, The Hassans, Freshwater Harcourt & Co., Winifred Ward, and others. | |
| Mon 30th Aug until Sat 4th Sep 1920 | The Holy Friar | Starring Joe Elvin. Plus, Garadini, the Real McKays, Hobart and Hobbs, and many more. | |
| Mon 6th Sep until Sat 11th Sep 1920 | Marie Lloyd | Queen of comediennes. Plus, Frank H. Fox, The Keystones, Denise and Jan, and more. | |
| Mon 13th Sep until Sat 18th Sep 1920 | May Henderson | The original dusky comedy queen. Plus, Laveen & Cross, The Two Meurs, and many others. | |
| Mon 20th Sep until Sat 25th Sep 1920 | Film Stars | Comedy burlesque with Billy Lytton. Plus, Frank Powell, the Four Veronas, and more. | |
| Mon 27th Sep until Sat 2nd Oct 1920 | Miss Zona Vevey and Max Erard | And a great organ. Plus, Johnny Dundee, May Edney, Maudie & Syd McLloyd, and others. | |
| Mon 4th Oct until Sat 9th Oct 1920 | Bright & Breezy | Musical extravaganza with Harry Russell, full operatic chorus and The Scholeys. | |
| Mon 11th Oct until Sat 16th Oct 1920 | Bert Maddison | Burlesque comedian. Plus, Julot and Piero, Harry Russell & Ethel Durbin, the Bojamaa Troupe of Arabs, and more. | |
| Mon 18th Oct until Sat 23rd Oct 1920 | Miss Cicely Courtneidge | In three cameos. Plus, Vivian Foster, The D'Ormondes, Pearl Mitchell and Sister, and others. | |
| Mon 25th Oct until Sat 30th Oct 1920 | Ike & Will Scott | Comedians and dancers. Plus, the Griffiths Brothers, Billie Val & Partner, and more. | |
| Mon 1st Nov until Sat 6th Nov 1920 | Sandy Powell | Young comedian. Plus, the Nine Dainty Dots, Benson Gray, Hart and O'Brian, and many others. | |
| Mon 8th Nov until Sat 13th Nov 1920 | Jack Pleasants | Vocalist. Plus, Sie Tahar Troupe, McDonagh and Russell, Risdon & Vedale, and others. | |
| Mon 15th Nov until Sat 20th Nov 1920 | Magini | The English violin wizard. Plus, Paul Thomson, George Morton, Three Brothers Huxter, and many more. | |
| Mon 22nd Nov until Sat 27th Nov 1920 | Noni & Partner | In a musical and comedy absurdity. Plus, the Brooklyn Comedy Four, Power and Bendon, and many more. | |
| Mon 29th Nov until Sat 4th Dec 1920 | Crankite | Comedy absurdity starring Johnson & Bert & Co. Plus, Tom D. Newell, Alf Thomas, Stewart Morton, and more. | |
| Mon 6th Dec until Sat 11th Dec 1920 | The Romance of a Studio | Starring T. Elder Hearn. Plus, Syd Moorhouse, Gilbert and French, the Elmar Trio, and much more. | |
| Mon 13th Dec until Sat 18th Dec 1920 | Army H.Q. | Comedy starring the Poluski Brothers (Will and Sam). Plus, the Osborne Trio, Harry Shirley, and more. | |
| Mon 20th Dec until Fri 24th Dec 1920 | Reminiscences | With the Monks of St. Bernard. Plus, the Five Sisters, Mazuz and Mazette, Bert Laurie, and others. | |
| Mon 27th Dec 1920 until Sat 1st Jan 1921 | See You Later | Musical comedy revue starring Jack Clifford, Dave Westwood, Josie Delaine and a large cast, chorus and orchestra. | |
Prev year: 1919 Next year: 1921
1884 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 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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