PALACE AMUSEMENT CO. (1921) LTD.
Audley Moraise, Managing Director
CINEMA SHOWS AND ENTERTAINMENTS
Head Office: Gaiety Bldg.,
East Queen Street, Kingston
This photograph was taken in 1946 showing Carib Cinema. The building to
the left of Carib is the Cross Roads Post Office. Looking straight down
Slipe Road is a tram car of the Jamaica Public Service. Notice the
electrical cables overhead that supplied electrical power to the tram
cars. This photograph may have been taken on the median of Old Hope Road
and Half-Way Tree Road.
The Palace Amusement Company (1921)
Limited was formed by Audley Morais, and operated as a Private Company
prior to 1921 (silent movie days). He re-formed the company and offered
shares to the public in 1921.
Over the years the Company
operated Movies, Rose Gardens, and Palace Cinemas. Gaiety and Majestic
was subsequently acquired, Odeon (Mandeville) was leased, and other
cinemas ( urban and rural) were built. It operated cinemas and
distributed films to many of the independent cinemas that existed in
Jamaica and Cayman.
In 1938, Cinema Company of Jamaica Limited built the Carib, in competition to Palace.
In 1947, J. Arthur Rank, from the United Kingdom, bought control in
Palace Amusement Company. The Rank Organisation bought out Cinema
Company of Jamaica Ltd. owner of the Carib. J. Arthur Rank closed the
Movies and built Odeon in Mandeville in 1951, and Odeon in Half Way Tree
in 1952.
In l949, Russell Graham built the Tropical Cinema
Company, and used it as a centerpiece of the competition that he mounted
for the movie audience against Palace.
In 1962, Russgram
Investments Limited - a Company owned by Russell Graham - bought the
controlling interest in Palace Amusement Company from J. Arthur Rank,
and Douglas Graham was appointed Managing Director. The new regime
purchased the Majestic Cinema on Spanish Town Road, built the Harbour
View Drive In as a partly owned subsidiary, and took control of Tropical
Cinema Company, which was a 2-cinema company - Tropical and Rialto.
In 1989, Russell Graham sold his Russgram Investments Company to Douglas Graham, who still has ownership of it.
(Source: Palace Amusement)
Susan UC Collection
In 1947, J. Arthur Rank, from the United Kingdom, bought control in
Palace Amusement Company. The Rank Organisation bought out Cinema
Company of Jamaica Ltd. owner of the Carib. J. Arthur Rank closed the
Movies and built Odeon in Mandeville in 1951, and Odeon in Half Way Tree
in 1952.
In l949, Russell Graham built the Tropical Cinema Company, and used it as a centerpiece of the competition that he mounted for the movie audience against Palace.
In 1962, Russgram Investments Limited - a Company owned by Russell Graham - bought the controlling interest in Palace Amusement Company from J. Arthur Rank, and Douglas Graham was appointed Managing Director. The new regime purchased the Majestic Cinema on Spanish Town Road, built the Harbour View Drive In as a partly owned subsidiary, and took control of Tropical Cinema Company, which was a 2-cinema company - Tropical and Rialto.
In 1989, Russell Graham sold his Russgram Investments Company to Douglas Graham, who still has ownership of it.
(Source: Palace Amusement)
Susan UC Collection
In l949, Russell Graham built the Tropical Cinema Company, and used it as a centerpiece of the competition that he mounted for the movie audience against Palace.
In 1962, Russgram Investments Limited - a Company owned by Russell Graham - bought the controlling interest in Palace Amusement Company from J. Arthur Rank, and Douglas Graham was appointed Managing Director. The new regime purchased the Majestic Cinema on Spanish Town Road, built the Harbour View Drive In as a partly owned subsidiary, and took control of Tropical Cinema Company, which was a 2-cinema company - Tropical and Rialto.
In 1989, Russell Graham sold his Russgram Investments Company to Douglas Graham, who still has ownership of it.
(Source: Palace Amusement)
Susan UC Collection
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