Issue 84 / Dec 2017/Jan 2018

IT’S A WALT
The cinema screen that rises
from the stage is one of the
Philharmonic Hall’s endearing
quirks. Del Pike speaks to
a man who plays a key part
in one of Liverpool’s great
festive traditions.
Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall remains without doubt
the most elegant music venue in the city, impressing
thousands of visitors every year. The current building
was opened in 1939 following the demolition of a
previous concert hall after it caught fire and was damaged
beyond repair in 1933. The new Philharmonic Hall was designed
by Herbert J. Rowse and built in the Streamline Moderne style
of Art Deco architecture. To enter the building for the first
time is still as breathtaking as ever, with sweeping staircases,
ornamental windows, beautiful lighting and an auditorium to
rival any in the world. Its roster of performers continues to
impress with the cream of the world’s music talent on a constant
programme, alongside speakers, dancers and comedians. The
building has undergone a number of renovations, most recently
in 2015 which saw the addition of the Music Room, a smaller but
no less appealing venue at the rear of the building.
One of the more endearing features of The Philharmonic’s
main auditorium, which has remained since the new hall was
opened, is the famous Walturdaw cinema screen. This wonderful
contraption is hidden away beneath the stage and, when
required, will gracefully emerge, as if by magic, in the centre
stage of the stage.
Walturdaw screens were a popular feature in theatres and
concert halls for many years, via the genius of early cinema
pioneers J.D Walker, Edward George Turner and G.H Dawson.
Turner and Walker started out as a touring film show in the
1890s, exhibiting silent films all over Britain with Thomas
Edison’s Kinetoscope machines and phonographs. In a rather
bogus fashion they called themselves The North American
Touring Company and, with a Wrench Cinematograph, boasted
an early touring projector that could actually play to massed
audiences.
In 1904 they joined forces with school teacher G.H. Dawson
and formed the company Walturdaw, turning to film production
with their own synchronised sound system, the Cinematophone.
Working through the 1920s, the company also provided
equipment to theatres and cinemas, including the wondrous
Walturdaw cinema screens.
The screen at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall is the only
working model of its kind in existence, and is not just there to
sit pretty. It is used on a regular basis as part of the Phil’s rolling
programme of classic film screenings. Making full use of its home,
screenings are often backed by a live orchestral score and shows
are constantly sold out.
The charm of the screen very much lies in the fact that it
rises from the stage as the audience watch, retaining much of its
magic. Its majesty is heightened by the live accompaniment by
resident organist, Dave Nicholas. Dave paid us an evening visit
at the Bido Lito! office to tell us more about this unique attraction
and his long and successful association with it.
At 82 years of age, Dave is as sprightly as you would imagine
for a man of his profession and he has a twinkle in his eye from
years of magic and memories. Swapping his trademark kilt for a
smart suit, he looks the part with a tie emblazoned with musical
notes. He’s a real local character with a fascinating story to tell.
“I’ve been there 28 years, I don’t think they’ve found out yet,” he
laughs.
Dave’s tale is a long one, reaching back to 1960 when he was
an entertainer at Butlins in Skegness, working alongside names
like Bud Flanagan, Johnny Ball and Freddie ‘Parrot Face’ Davies.
It was there that he learned the trade that he is so celebrated for
‘til this day.
“On a rainy Friday I would get through 500 tunes,” Dave
remembers, and he lists the many musicians he played with,
many who have gone on to play with prestigious orchestras
worldwide. “They would film everyone at Butlins through the
week, then on Friday morning they would have a film show, and
I would accompany it. It put me in great stead for doing the silent
movies.”
After his stint at Butlins, Dave worked in Liverpool’s
famous Rushworths store in the city, a music shop with strong
connections to The Beatles’ legend. It was by chance that his
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