Person    | Male  Born 1874  Died /9/1935

Montagu Pyke

Categories: Cinema

In 1908 Pyke converted two shops at 164-166 Edgware Road into a cinema. This was a success and he created more, naming each one the Cinematograph Theatre. By 1910 he had 5 cinemas, each an independent company and he created the holding company Amalgamated Cinematograph Theatres Ltd. But he was an unscrupulous business man and bankrupt by 1915. Not a good year for him because an employee died in a fire (an inherent risk of handling nitrate film) and he was accused of manslaughter, though he was acquitted. This fire was in the Charing Cross Road cinema which the plaque now marks.

A list of the 16 cinemas in the 'Pyke circuit' at its height is given on the picture source website.

2019: Spitalfields Life reports on the ignominious status of the Shepherds Bush Cinematograph Theatre.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Montagu Pyke

Commemorated ati

Montagu Pyke and The Marquee

The Montagu Pyke This is the site of the former 'Marquee Club' which closed i...

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Sir Michael Balcon

Sir Michael Balcon

Born Birmingham. Film producer. Worked at Gainsborough Film Studios.  Went on to run Ealing Studios from 1938-56.  His daughter married Cecil Day Lewis. Died East Sussex. The National Portrait Gal...

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Leslie Howard

Leslie Howard

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1 memorial
Peggy Ashcroft

Peggy Ashcroft

Actor. Born Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft in Croydon.

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1 memorial
Driving Miss Daisy

Driving Miss Daisy

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1 memorial
Peter Hall

Peter Hall

Sir Peter Reginald Frederick Hall CBE was a theatre and film director who was born on 22 November 1930 in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. He founded the Royal Shakespeare Company and was its first artis...

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1 memorial