Detailed Biography – Jim Whittell

 

In 1902, Jim’s grandfather, Clarence Holmes-Whittell, opened the first Cinema in Dover, Kent – The Queens Hall. When Jim’s father, Ernest Holmes Whittell was fifteen years of age, he became the projectionist and later the manager of that cinema.  In 1922, Jim’s father and grandfather had a disagreement based on whether or not to install sound equipment in the cinema, so that ‘talkies’ could be shown.  Grandfather Clarence was convinced that this was a waste of money and refused to cooperate.  Ernest indignantly left his father’s cinema and went on to manage many and various cinemas in Whitley Bay, Carlisle [The Lonsdale – still open.]  He was the opening Manager at both Harrogate and Morecambe Odeon Cinemas [both now closed] and the Ritz Birkenhead [just as JW was being born.] By the way, the Queens Hall in Dover closed as a silent Cinema in 1926!

 

As a very young boy, particularly on Saturday nights - Jim would always  be found at the Rex/Rio Cinema in Newcastle under Lyme, either watching a film - or in the projection box if the film was an ‘A’ or ‘X’, whilst his father ‘phoned in the figures’ to W.Southern Morris [SM Associated Cinemas.] On many Sundays, a typical day out would be a visit to other cinemas in his father’s area – notably the Ritz Nantwich, the Regal Whitchurch and the Regal Market Drayton. [ these are now all closed.]

 

After qualifying as an Industrial Chemist and six months of working in a laboratory, Jim successfully applied for a Job with the Rank Organisation – Odeon [much against his father’s advice.]  He was interviewed at the Gaumont Preston by the fearsome Regional Controller - Roy Mason [ subsequently found to be a charming man!]  Jim clearly remembers only two of Mason’s questions, ‘Why is your face so spotty?’ [I was then twenty years old] and ‘What is five per cent of a hundred pounds?’  Both answers must have been acceptable, because he was appointed Trainee Assistant Manager at the Gaumont Bradford [now closed.]  The training Manager was David Willmott [many of the ‘old timers’ from Odeon will know the name.]  Jim was then appointed Assistant Manager at Odeon Bolton [now closed] GaumontDoncaster [now closed] and House Manager at the Odeon Sheffield [now closed.] His first General Manager’s appointment came in May, 1965 at the Odeon Rotherham[now closed] followed in April, 1968 by Odeon Sunderland [now closed] and in October,1969, the Multiple Unit Management of the Odeon and Gaumont Reading [both now closed.]

 

 

 

 

In January 1972, JW was then sent on an ‘Executive Management Course’ for 8 weeks and subsequently appointed ‘Area Operations Executive’ for the Birmingham Area [15 Odeons and Gaumonts.] These were difficult times as he was keen to manage the units in what was considered to be a new relaxed ‘the Cinema  manager knows best’ style, something at that time his boss, the Theatre Operations Director, could not accept –as he thought he knew best about everything concerning cinemas.  On one occasion this man collected Jim for a tour of cinemas at the Odeon Shirley, in south Birmingham and the tour finished late at night in the Odeon Cinema in Leicester and as they were walking to the car, the  Director told Jim in no uncertain terms, how disgusted he had been throughout the entire day because Jim had called all the Managers by their Christian names!  Worse still, JW had allowed the Managers to call him by his first name! The  Director stated that this was unacceptable, walked off, got into his chauffeur driven car and was driven away!  It really was not easy to get from Leicester to Shirley on public transport at 10.45 in the evening – JW was taken to the station by the local Manager -  two trains and a taxi later, he collected his car in Shirley at 8.15 the next morning after virtually travelling all through the night!

 

In May 1982, he was appointed MD of Tuschinski Beheer BV, a wholly owned Rank subsidiary in The Netherlands - an exhibition company, a film production company, a distribution company, the Dutch agent for Cinemeccanica and 6 ‘Bruin Cafes’ - together making a loss of £3+million. This was to be a steep learning curve for JW.  He sold the Agency and the Bruin Cafes, made two films [one flop and one very successful ‘The Lift’ - picked up be Warner] and brought the business to a small profit. In 1985, Tuschinski was then promptly sold to Yoram Globus and Menachen Golam for 22m Guilders, freehold, and they immediately mortgaged the entire chain for 30m Guilders. Tuschinski then spent its life paying off its debts and never again made a profit.

 

In September, 1985 JW returned to the UK after being appointed Managing Director of  Odeon Cinemas – a job he absolutely loved, but at the same time, sad to think that his father was no longer alive to enjoy his son’s success in the Industry.  He was at last able to enforce a management style and philosophy, which even today, is considered radical. [If you would like a copy please email eialtd@aol.com and I will copy one to you!]  JW concentrated on the Philosophy, Customer Service and Brand image. In February 1987, he arranged with the parent, The Rank Organisation, that the company name be changed from Rank Theatres Limited to Odeon Cinemas Limited.  The original Odeon Logo in Odeon Red was re-introduced [Rank group marketing fought long and hard to try to have the Odeon sign in Rank green!!] and then in June 1987, he introduced the logo ‘First Choice Odeon’ to remind cinema customers they had a choice. Soon afterwards Cannon introduced the No1 tag line!

 

 

In April 1991, Rank then decided to move Jim into the holiday business at Butlin’s, although now out of the exhibition industry, he still managed to introduce an Odeon Cinema in every Holiday Centre, some of which still remain today.

 

JW then started his own Consultancy and undertook several leisure/entertainment based projects.  In 2001, his good friend Paul Gregg invited him to become involved in the acquisition and operation of the Apollo Cinema Chain – this was acquired in March 2002 and he continues to be involved.

Apollo Cinemas have several exciting new projects planned for the next twelve months.  The most notable of which is the opening of the new 5 screen Apollo Plaza Cinema in the heart of London’s West End.

 

Jim is a proud member of the Cinema Veteran, a staunch supporter of the CTBF and still loves the Cinema industry.  It is a unique business, such that, if you know twenty key people in the industry you know the entire industry. Uniquely, Jim is the third generation of a family devoted to Cinema Exhibition.

 

 

 

 

CV

James William Whittell

            

1943  Born 19 July The Wirral, Merseyside. Educated at The Friends School, Lancaster.

 

1962   Industrial chemist.

 

1962   Joined The Rank organization as Trainee Assistant Manager.

 

1965   Appointed General Manager, Odeon Rotherham and subsequently managed Sunderland and Reading Multiple Unit.​

 

1972 Became Regional Director, Birmingham and the Midlands.

 

1977  Operations Director, Top Rank Motorway Service Areas.

 

1982   Managing Director, Tuschinski BV, The Netherlands.

 

 

1985​Appointed MD  Odeon Cinemas Ltd. UK

 

1991 ​Managing Director, Butlin’s Holidays Ltd.

 

1996   Managing Director, Oasis Holiday Villages Ltd.

 

1998 Various leisure/entertainment based projects.

 

2001   Apollo Cinemas Limited.