THE CRESCENT CINEMA

& THE STAR CINEMA GROUP

ADDED 13 FEBRUARY 2006

It was interesting to read of Mr. Ian Swift's childhood in Knottingley which was featured in the Knottingley edition of the Digest, and a coincidence to see the photograph of his grandfather, Mr. Swift, the commissionaire at the Crescent Cinema in Pontefract, the same month as the cinema series started in the Pontefract edition of the Digest.

The Star cinema group owned the Crescent Cinema at that time and the badge can be seen on Mr. Swift's cap. The film advertising sheet behind him showed the film was 'Neptunes Daughter', starring Ester Williams and Red Skelton, an aquatic musical made in the late 1940's. The musical featured the song 'Baby it's Cold Outside'.

Mr. Swift would not have realised it at the time, and for that matter neither would anyone else, that these film promotion advertisements would in the future become very collectable and sell for at least $600-$900 a time.

The film advertisement sheet for 'The Kid' with Charlie Chaplin, seen in the February issue, went for auction at Sotherby's in 1992 at the asking price of between $12,000-$15,000. They have certainly been worth saving.

Norman Blackburn
13 February 2006

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