The fire-damaged exterior of the Metropole Theatre in Stockwell Street, c 1964.
The Metropole, originally known as the Scotia Music Hall or the Scotia Variety Theatre, opened in 1862 and became the Metropole in 1897. In 1906 Arthur Jefferson became the manager and his son Arthur Stanley Jefferson (who became the film star Stan Laurel) collected tickets at the box office. Bernard Frutin became the manager in 1914 and his son Alex succeeded him.
Many Scottish artistes established their reputations at the Metropole, including W F Frame, Tommy Morgan, Harry Lauder and Jimmy Logan.
The Logan family launched their popular family variety shows at the Metropole in the 1940s and became closely associated with the theatre until it was gutted by fire in 1961. Alex Frutin then bought the Falcon Theatre (formerly the Empress) in St George's Road, renaming it the New Metropole Theatre. In 1964 he sold the New Metropole to Jimmy Logan.
Reference: STA PH 488
Glasgow University Library, Special Collections
Keywords:
comedians, entertainers, fires, Logan family, Metropole Theatre, restaurants, Scotia Music Hall, Scotia Variety Theatre, shops, streetscenes, theatres, variety
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