Cinema going in Stoke-on-Trent

Quotation: "I am concerned with the effect upon the lives of our young people of too many films coming from Hollywood especially on Saturday afternoons when you can see thousands of young children, from working-class areas in particular, going to matinees and seeing films which they ought not to see. They ought to be seeing films of an educational character, or films bringing the best out of life rather than films which cater for the emotions." House of Commons, 20 December 1944 Ellis Smith b.1896 d.1969 Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent 1935-50, Stoke South 1950-66.

Palladium Cinema, Burslem: In 1934 George Formby stared in the film "Boots, Boots" which premiered at the Palladium Theatre.

The first purpose-built cinemas in the Potteries was the 'Barber's Palace' in Station Road, Tunstall which opened in 1909.