Jumbo Theatre / 珍寶戲院 [1965-1982]

Submitted by OldTimer on Wed, 01/25/2017 - 06:36

Current condition

Demolished / No longer exists

Date completed

31 Jan 1965

Date closed / demolished

1 Nov 1982

Seating capacity: unknown

Address: Choi Hung Road, San Po Kong, Kowloon, site of the former Kai Tak Amusement Park: https://gwulo.com/node/35206#14/22.3334/114.1863/Map_by_ESRI-Markers/100

Cinema Treasures provided this description of the Jumbo Theatre: "The Jumbo Theatre was originally a live performance theatre in the Kai Tak Amusement Park which opened to business on 31st January, 1965. On 19th January, 1980, the theatre re-opened as a cinema after refurbishment, and showed first run Chinese films until its closure on 1st November, 1982."

Which came first ..... ? I can only wonder if the same bilingual names have been used throughout its history given two different types of use. Jumbo would have been an exaggeration for a theatre in a small amusement park, or did they name it after Jumbo The Elephant although the place was not a zoo? Perhaps it was first given the Chinese name, and the English name was chosen to match its pronounciation. Just wonder.

Beside Jumbo Theatres, there were three other theatres also operating in the former Kai Tak Amusement Park [1965-1982], probably not all at the same time during the park's existence. And their names are: 多寶戲院 (English name unknown); 啟德戲院 (Kai Tak Cinema); and 鑽石戲院 (Diamond Cinema).

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