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Hippodrome / Coventry Theatre / Apollo show archive

An 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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1963

Coventry Theatre, Hales Street

Date(s)ShowNotesImages
Sun 6th Jan 1963Chris Barber's Jazz BandWith Ottilie Patterson, and others. One night only.
Sun 13th Jan 1963Kenny Ball's JazzmenOne night only.
Sun 20th Jan 1963Mr. Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz BandOne night only.
Sun 3rd Feb 1963The Temperance SevenOne night only.
Sun 24th Feb 1963Helen Shapiro, Danny Williams and Kenny LynchAlso featuring The Beatles (billed as The "Dynamic" Beatles!), plus The Kestrels, The Red Price Band, The Honeys, Dave Allen. One night only.
Sun 3rd Mar 1963Your Lucky StarsWith Joe Brown and the Bruvvers, The Tornadoes, Eden Kane, Susan Maughan, Jess Conrad, Shane Fenton & the Fentones, Rolf Harris, Daryl Quist, Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers. One night only.
Mon 4th Mar until Sat 9th Mar 1963Max Bygraves EntertainsWith Miki & Griff, The Polka Dots, and supporting cast.
Sun 10th Mar 1963The Frank Ifield ShowWith The Springfields, and others. One night only.
Mon 11th Mar until Sat 16th Mar 1963Sadler's Wells OperaDifferent Opera each night.
Sun 17th Mar 1963Shirley BasseyWith guest star Matt Monro, and Woolf Phillips and his Concert Orchestra.
Mon 18th Mar until Sat 23rd Mar 1963Kensitas ShowVariety, with Ronnie Carroll, Johnny Stewart, and many others.
Sun 24th Mar 1963Brenda LeeWith Mike Berry, The Bachelors, Tony Sheridan, The Outlaws, Sounds Incorporated. One night only.
Fri 29th Mar until Sat 18th May 19631963 Spring ShowStarring Ken Dodd, with Eve Boswell, Eddie Calvert, Dennis Spicer, and many others.
Sun 31st Mar 1963Cliff Richard & The ShadowsPlus Patsy Ann Noble, The Vernons Girls, Alan Randall, The Trebletones. One night only.
Sun 14th Apr 1963Frankie VaughanWith The Belltones, Patti Brooks, and full Supporting Company. One night only.
Mon 20th May until Sat 25th May 1963Signpost To MurderStarring Margaret Lockwood and Derek Farr.
Mon 27th May until Sat 1st Jun 1963Chips With EverythingA play "more suitable for adults".
Mon 3rd Jun until Sat 8th Jun 1963Adam FaithWith Joe Henderson, Joe Church and others.
Mon 10th Jun until Sat 15th Jun 1963London BalletWith the London Ballet Orchestra.
Mon 17th Jun until Sat 22nd Jun 1963Snow White and the Seven DwarfsStarring Ruby Murray.
Mon 24th Jun until Sat 29th Jun 1963These Magic NamesStarring Charlie Chester, with Mrs. Mills, Angela, Billy Russell, and others.
Mon 1st Jul until Sat 6th Jul 1963Stop The World - I Want To Get OffSmash Hit Musical.
Sun 7th Jul 1963Mr. Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz BandOne night only.
Mon 8th Jul until Sat 13th Jul 1963Policy For Murder"Whodunnit", starring Robert Ayres.
Sun 21st Jul 1963Sunday SpecialFeaturing John Leyton, Mike Sarne, Mike Berry & The Innocents, Billie Davis, Don Spencer. One night only. (Theatre closed until 3rd August for Summer Vacation.)
Mon 5th Aug until Sat 17th Aug 1963Lilac TimeStarring John Hanson.
Mon 19th Aug until Sat 24th Aug 1963Wildest DreamsThe Successor to Salad Days, with Jasmine Dee, Gillian Royale, and others.
Mon 26th Aug until Sat 31st Aug 1963Witness For The ProsecutionAgatha Christie play, starring Sylvia Langova.
Mon 2nd Sep until Sat 7th Sep 1963Black ChiffonStarring Evelyn Laye and Frank Lawton.
Mon 9th Sep until Sat 14th Sep 1963D'Oyly Carte OperaA different Gilbert & Sullivan Opera each night.
Mon 16th Sep until Sat 21st Sep 1963Sadler's Wells OperaA different Opera each night.
Mon 23rd Sep until Sat 28th Sep 1963Royal BalletA different Ballet each night.
Mon 30th Sep until Sat 5th Oct 19635th Annual Coventry Festival of MusicWith World Famous orchestras and conductors.
Fri 11th Oct until Sat 7th Dec 19631963 Birthday ShowStarring Bruce Forsyth, Matt Monro, Adele Leigh, Freddie Frinton, and many others.
Sun 13th Oct 1963Gerry and the PacemakersWith Del Shannon, Cilla Black, Jet Harris* & Tony Meehan (from The Shadows), The Bachelors, Duffy Power. One night only. (* Jet Harris could not appear.)
Sun 20th Oct 1963Mr. Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz BandOne night only.
Sun 3rd Nov 1963Billy FuryPlus Joe Brown & the Bruvvers, Marty Wilde & the Wildcats, The Karl Denver Trio, The Tornados, Daryl Quist, Duffy Power, and The Ramblers. One night only.
Sun 17th Nov 1963The BeatlesPlayed two sets to over 4,000 fans. Supported by The Brook Brothers, The Kestrels, The Vernons Girls, Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers. One night only.
Mon 9th Dec until Sat 14th Dec 1963The Music ManAmerica's happiest musical, by the Coventry Amateur Operatic Society. (Theatre closed next week for Pantomime rehearsals.)
Mon 23rd Dec 1963 until Sat 14th Mar 1964Robin HoodPantomime, starring Arthur Askey, Mike & Bernie Winters, Mark Wynter and cast of 70.

Prev year: 1962Showing 1963Next year: 1964

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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