Owned by Richard Waldon and managed by Harry McKelvie, the Palace Theatre opened in Main Street, Gorbals in 1904. The architect was Bertie Crewe and the elaborate interior decor was much admired.
The Palace enjoyed a brief reign as the south side's premier music hall, with many of the leading artistes of the day such as Fred Barnes and Lottie Lennox appearing on stage. From 1914 it followed a familiar pattern for Glasgow theatres, becoming a part-time cinema, then a full-time cinema when variety ended in 1930, and a bingo hall from 1962.
The Palace was demolished in 1977 but some of the plasterwork was saved by staff at the People's Palace museum, and the statues from the parapet are now in the Citizens' Theatre.
Reference: Mitchell Library, Theatre Collection
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Archives
Keywords:
bingo, cinemas, Citizens' Theatre, music halls, Palace Theatre, People's Palace, theatres, variety