Tivoli Music Hall

The Tivoli Music Hall stood on the Strand in the City of Westminster. Designed by Charles Phipps, it opened in 1890 on the site of a former beer garden. The theatre was financed by a consortium that included actor Edward O’Connor Terry. It faced the Adelphi Theatre across the road and quickly became one of London’s leading music halls under impresario Charles Morton. Morton booked stars such as George Robey, Vesta Victoria and Dan Leno. In 1916 the building was demolished after standing derelict since 1914. A new cinema, the Tivoli Picture Theatre, replaced it in 1923. Architect Bertie Crewe designed the white Portland-stone building with 2,115 seats. It opened with the film *Where the Pavement Ends* and became MGM’s showcase cinema in London. The Tivoli premiered early sound films and Hollywood epics like *Ben Hur*, which drew 1.2 million spectators. Samuel Goldwyn’s first talkie, *Bulldog Drummond*, had its London premiere there in 1929. Today the site is occupied by an office block. The Strand’s widening scheme of the early 20th century ended the hall’s life, and later redevelopment erased the cinema. No trace remains of the music hall or the picture palace that once stood there.