Cine Afrique, Zanzibar

 

Shavakshaw Talati, born in Zanzibar in 1889, a retired civil servant who was later a prominent businessman on the island, entered the cinema business in the early 1930s. In 1939, he formed a consortium and proceeded to expand both the size and quality of the cinema business, incorporating it as Indo-African Theatres Limited.

As exhibitors, the partners built several new world class theaters, among them, in Dar-es-Salaam the Avalon, and in Zanzibar the Sultana (later renamed the Cine-Afrique). These were soon updated to receive the specialized screen and sound equipment to show the latest Cinemascope and stereophonic sound films. These entrepreneurs were a modernizing force through the decades.

Empire Cinema, Nairobi

 

The Empire Cinema, Nairobi was one of Nairobi's early cinemas. It was established by a Polish Jewish immigrant and was sold to South Africans under New Theatres Limited. It was later bought by African Consolidated Films which also owned other early cinemas like the Playhouse and Capital cinemas before being sold to 20th Century Fox in the late 1950s.

Empire Cinema was located next to New Stanley Hotel and was replaced with the IPS building. Empire Theatre was located on Hardinge Street - now Kimathi Street

The flyer below provides an advert for a shop in the Empire Theatre Building!

Regal Cinema, Mombasa - late 1960s

 

Vedesh Cinema, Thika, Kenya 1970s

 

Kenya National Theatre, Nairobi

 

Capitol Theatre, Nairobi

This cinema was demolished after 1955 and replaced with the Ambassadeur Hotel!!