This cinema is fondly remembered by many Exonians
who visited in the war years to forget the bombing and during the post
war period, to enjoy a Saturday night at the pictures. Set back from
the High Street, it was designed by W R Glen in 1936, in a Thirties,
art deco style. Commissioned by Associated British Cinemas who were
formed in 1928, the company also ran cinemas under the Regal and Ritz
names. Their new cinema would be built on the site of the New London Inn,
which they purchased on 29 September 1935 and closed on 2 November 1935.
Built of contrasting brick and plaster, by Brazier and Son of
Southampton, the front echoed the lines of the bridge of a ship. To the
right of the entrance, and integral with the cinema, was the New London
Inn, named after the well loved inn that was built in 1793-94 and
demolished in February 1936, ready for the cinema's construction. The
ABC was well suited to the existing shape of the land on which it was
built, with the front curving around the corner on the right side, much
like the New London Inn. The gigantic steel girder used in the
construction was believed to have been the largest in the city with a
length of 100ft, depth of 8 ft, width of 2 ft and weighing 25 tons.
The auditorium seated 1224 in the stalls and 734 in the circle. The
sound system was by Western Electric, later RCA. It also had the very
latest in 1930's air-conditioning installed. It was estimated to have
cost between £6,000 and £7,000 to build.
The first films to be screened on Monday 23rd
November 1936 were Shirley Temple in 'Captain January' and 'A Star Fell
from Heaven'. The organist Harold Stringer from the Regal, Torquay, was
at the console of the 3 manual and 6 rank, Compton Super Organ. He went
on to perform on the organ on a regular basis, broadcasting concerts
for the BBC.
During the bombing of 4th May 1942, both the Savoy
and the nearby Theatre Royal survived the raid, although most buildings
around were destroyed. A report at the time stated:
'The Savoy Cinema, another steel
framed structure, appears to have received 18 fire bombs on its roof.
Four penetrated and were dealt with by the fire watchers, who say that
here the H.E. which hit the nearby Plaza, sent up a big sheet of flame.
The fire guards saved the Savoy Cinema'.
Another report stated:
'Fire also broke out in the New
London Inn which is underneath the Savoy Cinema, but was held by the
fire guards and extinguished.'
Renamed the ABC in 1960, the cinema's stage was
used for many pop concerts, and the Beatles gave three shows, the first
supporting Tommy Roe and Chris Montez on the 28th March 1963. Part of
this show was recorded for BBC 2's 'On the Scene'.
They then performed on 14th November 1963 and 28th October 1964 as the
headline act. The show of the 28th October was sold out 8 weeks before.
On the way to the ABC for the 8 o'clock show, the Beatles transport got
lost, causing them to miss the meeting at Honiton with a decoy van, and
arrive for the show with only minutes to go. Ringo was asked what had
happened and he remarked that the driver had taken the wrong turning
down a lane (this was before the M5 motorway) but that they had found a
very nice 'fish and chip shop'. They went on the stage to face a
theatre full of screaming fans.
Ann Moore a young fan at the time recalled:
"I cried all the way through. Someone
put their arm around me and didn't know who it was. We couldn't really
hear the music because of all the screaming."
See the Beatles at the ABC
The next act to appear at the ABC was Cliff Richard and the Shadows on
18th November 1964. Other acts appeared on the stage over the years
including Morecambe & Wise, on the 15/16th October 1971 and Roy
Orbison and Frankie Howard.
In 1972, the ABC closed for twinning, when the organ was removed and
the interior rebuilt to give the 504 seater ABC 1, the 128 seater ABC 2
and the stalls became a bingo hall. On the 25th January 1973 the ABC
opened with the Godfather on screen 2. The open area at the front of
the building, London Inn Square, was a favourite meeting place for
Exonians - in 1980 a vigil was held there after the murder of John
Lennon.
The ABC, now named the Cannon projected its last
film 'Personal Services' starring Julie Walters and 'Top Gun' with Tom
Cruise, on 17th October 1987. Just like the previous New London Inn,
many artifacts from the demolished cinema were sold off to cinema
enthusiasts. Cinema curtains, lights and solid oak firedoors were all
disposed of. Signatures left by the Beatles after one of their shows
were discovered on one of the walls.
And the replacement for the Savoy? a branch of Dillon's the bookstore.
Sources - Discovering Exeter, Twentieth Century Architecture by Eduardo
Hoyas-Saavedra, Exeter Burning by Peter Thomas, Express and Echo 31st
March 2003, the website www.albanyward.com and Clive Carmock
© 2005 David Cornforth - not to be used without permission
│ Top of Page │
Also see History
of the Cinema in Exeter
and Rock and Pop at Exeter 
The ABC Savoy in 1946 showing Lana Turner and Joan Crawford in The
Postman Always Rings Twice. By Permission of Tony
Moss Collection, CTA Archive

The interior of the ABC Savoy. By
Permission of Tony Moss Collection, CTA Archive

The ABC's fairwell to Exeter. Photo Clive Carmock.
An advert for the official opening..
A flyer for the ABC Savoy's first show.