Odeon Cinema, Cherrydown Avenue, Chingford Mount, Waltham Forest, Greater London
A view of dignatories on the stage during the opening ceremony. Oscar Deutsch, director of the Odeon chain is seated on the far left. The Odeon Chingford opened on 9th September 1935. It was sold to Classic Cinemas in 1967, renamed Classic Cinema, and closed in 1972 before being demolished. The Odeon cinema company was founded in 1930 by Oscar Deutsch. During the 1930s, it grew to become one of the country’s major chains of cinemas. The first five Odeon cinemas opened in 1933, and by 1936 there were 142 across the country. Although each Odeon was unique, the use of a set range of architectural features meant that most of the cinemas were instantly recognisable as an 'Odeon', with their distinctive Modernist style. The slogan, ‘Oscar Deutsch Entertains Our Nation’ (ODEON) was also synonymous with the brand.
