The Roxy screened movies after they had been shown in the cinemas in towns like the Capitol, Rex or Pavilion. It was also the hub for gatherings of the 50s and 60s band boys and girls as the Palace and Odeon Katong cinemas were just across East Coast Road from Roxy. Katong then was very suburban. The cinema opened in December 1957 by Sir Robert Scott and the movie shown was Oh My Papa. Two major cinema companies used to dominate the Singapore scene for many years. So for business competition, another movie theatre opened diagonally across the road. It was called the Odeon-Katong Cinema, the Odeon being famous already at North Bridge Road in the city and Katong being this suburban place on the east coast.
Then there's the Palace next to the Roxy, separated only by a pencil-thin road at Brooke's. This whole area attracted food shops and other businesses. The shop houses still stand today but the cinemas have long been demolished; we watch our movies at home now...
(Many young Singaporeans are not aware that the Roxy Laksa that is so famous today originally had a little stall behind Roxy Cinema, not too far from its ticket booth. Many patrons would rush to the little stall to have a bowl before popping into the cinema for a show. The owner was a Chinese male. Does his son run the stall today?)
Tickets at these cinemas used to cost 50 cents for the first five or six rows from the screen, so if you happen to buy a seat near the screen, you crane your neck for two hours to see the movie and the images on the screen are distorted.
The next 10 or 12 rows of seats cost $1.00 and the last few rows and the circle seats (upstairs/balcony) cost $2.00. There were times when you could put $1.00 into the usher's hand and get a comfortable $2.00 seat in the corner of the theatre.
Have you been to the Roxy? Tell us.
Image: Shaw Brothers Website or the National Heritage Board.
Original Article: Andy Lim Collection.
Andy Young
ReplyDeleteKatong's East Coast ROXY THEATRE, an icon long gone; it showed the best movies at the cheapest prices. If you said you've never been inside, I'd be shocked. Stories to tell? Please.
Koh Daisy
And next to Roxy was Wonderland ... one of the first coffee houses. Enjoyed their Wonderland Special ice-cream ...only $1.50. After the show you can also walk down to the seafront at Marine Parade...there was no Patkway then. The beach came right up …See More
Koh Daisy
Ha Andy real cheap tickets... you can buy a 50 cent ticket front row ticket ... I remember watching Palm Springs Weekend starring Troy Donahue at the Odeon. Tickets were sold out then only front row left ... 😁
Tan Ser Kiong
What abt Globe Theatre GW?
Koh Daisy
and Queen's theatre and Garrick in Geylang ...not forgetting the Alhambra at Beach Road...my parents took me to see Love Me Tender ... my first encounter with Elvis 😁
Thanks, Jim and Ser Kiong. Yes, that's another popular cinema spot at the other end of Singapore. Stories to tell?
Stephen Han
Been to Roxy Cinema a couple of times, usually had a bowl of delicious laksa first. Also attended the tea dances at Palace and saw Sakura performing there.
Jimmy Appudurai-chua
My best friend Omar Kwang's father was the manager of Roxy during my school days..love that cinema.. Always packed especially the morning shows
Philip Chew
The Roxy laksa stall is now at Changi Road between Jalan Eunos and Lorong Sarina. It is known as Katong Laksa but not the same as those at East Coast Road. I was there for breakfast on Sunday.
Andy Young
Thank you all so much for a huge load of memories you all brought today. They are staggering but delightful so I shall unload them under the Comment Page. Appreciate the treasures DAISY, SER KIONG, JIMMY, STEPHEN, and PHILIP. And the others who LIKE this post, KAMSIAH.
Philip Chew
ReplyDeleteAndy, there was an ice cream stall near the side entrance to the cinema hall.
Andy Young
There was? Oh, I couldn't remember that. But for the movie, ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK, the queue went around a full circle with people everywhere. Cheers.
Philip Chew
It was in black and white
Andy Young
Yes Philip. Thanks.
Freda Hanum
Those were the golden memorial days❤️🤩
Andy Young
Thanks Freda.
Rodney Tan
Chng Tng stall was good too!
Hi, Rodney
thanks for comment. Apologies if I answered late. I can't remember the stall. :-)
Rodney Tan
Andy Young Think hard. Think very hard. We are getting old lah! I have to do that sometimes to recall old memories also. Haha
Philip Chew
Those who had been to Roxy Theatre were blood donors too, hahaha. Guess what I mean?
Hiroshi Deguchi
Isn't it sad the historical cinema has been replaced by that tall modern building?
Hiroshi Deguchi
Ceylon road crosses East Coast Road.
THANKING THE FOLLOWING WHO 'LIKE' THIS ROXY STORY
ReplyDeleteSTEPHEN HAN
ROSE KHOO
ANN ROWENA LIM
HIROSHI DEGUCHI
JIMMY BOEY
CHARLIE YAP
KOH SUI PANG
ROOP SINGH
KOH DAISY
PHILIP CHEW
VICTOR HO
JALANI MD
WONG KC
BAODI WANG
FREDA HANUM
Hiroshi Deguchi
ReplyDeleteMovie-goers must have dropped in for some snacks at shops along this road.
Koh Daisy
Yes, you could have ice-cream at The Little Red House in the picture or fancy cakes and English tea.
Andy Young
I was on the other side of the road, where the sea used to be and where Parkway Parade now stands, and there are numerous road works and fencing that I was lost looking for PP. I finally found it, hidden between these road diggings. They are constructing another MRT station if I am not mistaken.
HIROSHI DEGUCHI
ReplyDeleteThanks, I am sure I would have enjoyed if I had done the same as Singaporeans did those days. I feel like getting a taste of the cakes there, but what is Tay Ban Guan? That was the first time I had been to the Katong area, but I still love it there.
Andy Young
TAY BAN GUAN is a coffee house with local cakes and buns and bread but in an old fashioned setting. It's called Red House too. I'm not sure if it's still standing today.
Thanks to Hiroshi we have explored Katong central (so to speak)