Portsmouth memories of the downfall of another US president...

Ah, the old Salon at Southsea.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Nov 2016, 06:00 BST
Updated 16th Nov 2016, 16:52 BST
The former Odeon Southsea when it was the Salon, about 1983.The former Odeon Southsea when it was the Salon, about 1983.
The former Odeon Southsea when it was the Salon, about 1983.

What memories that superb art deco building brings back for me, and almost certainly for many of you.

I think it was 1977 or ’78 when I settled in there three nights running to watch the best film about journalism ever made, All The President’s Men starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman.

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I’m not certain when it became the Salon as I think when I used to go it was still the Odeon.

USE SMALL acb cinema portsmouth The ABC cinema, Commercial Road, PortsmouthUSE SMALL acb cinema portsmouth The ABC cinema, Commercial Road, Portsmouth
USE SMALL acb cinema portsmouth The ABC cinema, Commercial Road, Portsmouth

Still, what an architecturally-stunning junction it was: the Odeon/Salon on one side of the Festing Road/Albert Road junction and The Festing pub on the opposite corner. Happy days.

There’s another old silver screen favourite below, also long gone.

When this picture of the ABC in Commercial Road was taken it was showing Man At The Top, a spin-off from the TV series starring Kenneth Haigh which was made in 1973.

Related topics:PortsmouthSouthseaOdeon