Biography of 'BROMBERG, Ernest'

Cinema manager and businessman

Bromberg was born in the late nineteenth century, although the year of his birth is unknown. He was the proprietor of Aberdeen’s first public dance hall, the Palais de Danse situated in Diamond Street, and converted from the premises of a local taxi company. Bromberg was an avid cinema enthusiast, and in February 1926 he began to hold events orientated towards the cinema at the Palais. Notable examples were the Aberdeen Cinema Ball, at which prizes were awarded for the best likeness to film stars, and the carnival that was organised to mark the release of the Charlie Chaplin film City Lights.

Bromberg opened Aberdeen’s first News Cinema, on 5 September 1936. This was only the second cinema of its kind to be established in Scotland, and was "intended specifically to provide diversion for those with limited time to while away." The programmes that were shown generally lasted for an hour, and included local interest shorts and newsreels. The cinema was created out of an old stable building, which Bromberg had owned since 1931.

Bromberg sold the Palais de Dance in 1949, and moved back to London. His links with the cinema business in Aberdeen were not completely severed, however. He still owned the News Cinema, and a number of years later, he became involved in the exhibition of continental films in the city. For a number of years, continental films had struggled to find a market, but by the 1950s were becoming commercially viable.

Bromberg temporarily returned to Aberdeen on 4 April 1955 to re-open the News Cinema. Its name was changed to the Newscine Continental. The name of the cinema was changed again, on 8 May 1959, to Curzon. On October 11 1963, Bromberg announced from London that he was selling the Curzon, to Singleton’s of Glasgow. Bromberg continued to work in his financier’s business until his death in April 1973.

This biographical account was compiled using:
Thomson, Michael Silver Screen in the Silver City: A History of the Cinemas in Aberdeen 1896-1987
Aberdeen: Aberdeen University Press, 1988 pp141-315

Researcher: Richard Fry

Films associated with 'COCOZZA, Enrico'

28 hits

Asc Desc
	ABERDEEN CELEBRATES THE CORONATION [0239] Add to my films Aberdeen celebrates the Coronation with a service, parade and a coronation ball at the Palais de Danse, on 12th May 1937.		1937 silent bw
	ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS PRIMARY SPORTS [0873A] Add to my films At the primary school sports with shots of sprinting, the egg and spoon, skipping and sack races.		1940 silent bw
	ABERDEEN'S "BLACK FRIDAY" [0238] Add to my films Footage of the impact of the first daylight air-raid on Aberdeen, known locally as "Black Friday".		1940 silent bw
	ARP [0246A] Add to my films Film of an ARP exercise for dealing with a gas attack.	Onsite only	1939 silent bw
	BRITISH LEGION CONFERENCE IN ABERDEEN [0529A] Add to my films General Sir Ian Hamilton and the Earl of Airlie lay wreaths at war memorial during a British Legion conference.		1939 silent bw
	BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE IN ABERDEEN [0245A] Add to my films British Medical Association Conference in Aberdeen.		1939 silent bw
	BUS OUTING, ABERDEENSHIRE [0875C] Add to my films People on an outing, boarding buses and shots taken inside the buses and as they move off.		1940 silent bw
	CINEMA NEWS, ABERDEEN [0241] Add to my films Local news of Aberdeen, includes footage of Scotland v Ireland football match at Pittodrie, a circus, a TA parade with land girls and WAC. [Incomplete]		1937 silent bw
	DAMAGED HOUSE [0529C] Add to my films Shots of an Aberdeen house damaged by an air raid on 28 August 1940.		1940 silent bw
	FLICKS OF ABERDEEN'S TERRITORIAL WEEK [0237] Add to my films Lord Provost Mitchell and Major Lyon (Chairman of Territorial Association) visit the Field Company and watch a military display. [Incomplete]		1940 silent bw
	FLICKS ROYAL HIGHLAND GATHERING AT BRAEMAR [0875B] Add to my films King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and the two Princesses at the Royal Highland Gathering at Braemar.		1937 silent bw
	HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN PAYS INFORMAL VISIT TO ABERDEEN [0523] Add to my films The Queen pays an informal visit to Aberdeen where she visits the Royal Infirmary and the Town House.		1939 silent bw
	HIGHLAND GAMES, ABERDEEN [0873B] Add to my films Country dance displays and a pipe band at a Highland Games.		1940 silent bw
	HOME GUARD ON MANOEUVRES [0524] Add to my films Home Guard on parade in barracks yard and then on manoeuvres.		1942 silent bw
	LAYING FOUNDATION STONE OF THE BISHOP SEABURY MEMORIAL, the [0247] Add to my films Joseph P. Kennedy, American Ambassador to Britain, lays the foundation stone for the Bishop Seabury Memorial at St. Andrews Cathedral, Aberdeen.		1938 silent bw
	MEMBERS OF BOTH TEAMS LEAVE HOTEL FOR THE GAME [0248] Add to my films Football players seen leaving a hotel for a game (possibly for a football match between Scotland and Ireland).		1938 silent bw
	MEN CLEARING ROAD [0875D] Add to my films Taken in Aberdeenshire during the winter blizzards of 1947, the film shows abandoned vehicles in snow and men clearing the road with shovels. [See also ref. 0852].		1947 silent bw
	MILITARY PARADE IN ABERDEEN [0249] Add to my films Military parade through Aberdeen and the laying of a wreath at the War Memorial. The film includes footage of the opening ceremony of the Robert Gordon College Pavilion.		1941 silent bw
	NEWSREEL: Aberdeen's Armistice Day Service and Cycling Rally, Echt [0244] Add to my films Aberdeen's Armistice Day Service and a cycling rally at Echt, a fete at Crathie Castle and an agricultural demonstration.		1940 silent bw
	OPENING OF NEW BATHS, ABERDEEN [0529D] Add to my films The opening ceremony of the new Bon-Accord swimming baths in Aberdeen, with shots of the pool, spectators and swimmers.		1940 silent bw
	OPENING OF NEW BRIDGE OVER DEE BY KING GEORGE AND QUEEN ELIZABETH [0529B] Add to my films King George and Queen Elizabeth open the new King George VI Bridge over the Dee in Aberdeen, inspect local Civil Defence groups and visit Broadfield Works [10th December, 1941]		1941 silent bw
	PORTLETHEN CHURCH [0236] Add to my films Church parade and service by members of the Grant Lodge of the Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds to mark the retiral of Reverend A. R. Grant. [Incomplete]		1939 silent bw
	PRIEST'S FUNERAL [0874] Add to my films The funeral procession and the "last farewell" played by pipers at the graveside of a priest at St. Kentigern's Cemetery, Lambhill, Glasgow.		1937 silent bw
	QUEEN ELIZABETH QUEEN MOTHER [0246B] Add to my films The Queen Mother opens Aberdeen's new Sports Stadium at Linksfield.		1939 silent bw
	SALVATION ARMY [0875A] Add to my films The Salvation Army outside the Aberdeen Citadel celebrating a visit by General and Mrs Carpenter.		1940 silent bw
	THEIR MAJESTIES ATTEND DIVINE SERVICE AT CRATHIE CHURCH [0242] Add to my films The royal family attend Divine Service at Crathie Church, Aberdeenshire. Towards the end of the film there are brief shots of the Royal Northern Agriculture Society's Summer Show and Aberdeen Student's Charity Float Parade. [incomplete]		1938 silent bw
	VISIT OF DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER [0525] Add to my films The Duchess of Gloucester visits Aberdeen and inspects a veterans' guard of honour, presenting new colours to the Aberdeen branch of the British Legion.		1939 silent bw
	WINSTON CHURCHILL VISITS ABERDEEN [2797] Add to my films Winston Churchill, accompanied by his wife and daughter plant a tree in the home of Sir Thomas and Lady Jaffrey and the University of Aberdeen confers on him the Honorary Degree of LLD. [See also refs. 4025 and 4563].		1946 silent bw