The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is currently unavailable
Day in Houghton-le-Spring
A man about town portrait of Houghton-le-Springs very own cinema mogul in the 1930s.
From the collection of:
Overview
A fascinating local celebrity portrait of a consummate showman and entrepreneur: the charismatic bowler-hatted gent with the walking cane prop is John Jack Lishman, the man who built the Coliseum cinema and new art deco Grand picture palace on Newbottle Street in Houghton-le-Spring, on which the camera lingers.
John Lishman helped to transform Houghtons Newbottle Street into a thriving shopping and entertainment centre in the early decades of the1900s. The opening scenes of life on the street are a record of his empire. His original business, a drapery, furnishing and undertaking store, became Doggarts department store. Lishman and partner Norman Robinson opened the purpose-built, modern Coliseum opposite Doggarts on 3rd August 1921, designed by Newcastle architects Percy L. Browne and Glover. The art deco Grand was built on the site of the Old Gaiety Theatre, opening on 21st April 1930, here advertising American blackface radio comedians Amos n Andy in their first film release.
Related
Watch for free
Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion
Short documentary 2026 22 mins
Filmmaker Andrea Luka Zimmerman and curator Matthew Barrington discuss Frederick Wiseman’s High School with Sandra Hebron.
Watch for free
Hard, Cracked the Wind Hard, Cracked the Wind
Horror 2019 17 mins
A haunting with words is the lure between life and death for a young Cornish poet.
Watch for free
A Last Resort A Last Resort
Comedy 2022 17 mins
Rose is desperate to celebrate her 60th birthday in style, but her daughter Genevieve is struggling to ignore some recent tragic news about her mum.
Watch for free
Seagull Seagull
Horror 2022 6 mins
Seagull is a recovering drug addict who is about to have a very strange night on The English Riviera.
Watch for free
The Walk The Walk
Drama 2023 12 mins
Adeel Akhtar portrays a man on a weekly trek to his nearest JobCentre, entering a state of purgatory through barriers put in place by the system.
Watch for free
Octopus Octopus
2021 13 mins
Upon returning to her home town for a funeral, a young woman reconnects with the friends she left behind.