The BLACK CAT versus the C.I.D..... by Ken McMurray
After reading Oor Boaby's post about the Black Cat Cinema, [see Bobby Irvine's Post below] I clearly remember that great unexpected treat as well. When the teacher announced that we were to collect all our stuff as we wouldn't be coming back to school that day, it was like Christmas all over again. It was our big chance of maybe getting "on the telly" and to be seen by millions.
Later, after the old place was taken over by the BBC and changed into one of their T.V. Studios, I also clearly remember two C.I.D. men sitting in our front room keeping obs on the place from our windows.
One of their big stars at the time (think it was Andy Stewart) had been threatened because he was doing the Ne'erday show from there. Our house directly overlooked the place so we used to see all the scenery and folk going in and out those gates that oor boaby mentioned in his Post. Apparently the polis didn't fail to notice this vantage point too.
It was a really good spot for the C.I.D. Surveilance Team to run their Operations. Any suspicious activities or unknown identities entering and leaving the bulding were monitored and recorded during the time of the threat against the t.v. star. I don't remember hearing what the outcome of that situation was.
Prior to transforming itself into the BBC Studios, the old Black Cat Cinema employed my dad as a " chucker oot" or Usher. He did this part-time ushering job there after he finished his day job. This was great for us because it meant we got in to see films for free sometimes, depending who was Duty Manager on at the time.
By Ken McMurray, May 18, 2007
(Ken McMurray currently lives and works in England, around Sherwood Forrest. You can contact him to say Hello at kenifscot@yahoo.co.uk )
1 comment:
Hi Ken do you remember the old replica of a western stage coatch they had inside the back gate of the then BBC studio's we played on that thing for weeks 'did the polis ever say wit they wur lookn fur ther wis some strange goings on in Parkheed back in them day's.Talking about Andy Stewart I remember sitting in the close of 5 Glamis road during a thunder storm the rain wis belting doon and this fella in a kilt shot up the close oot 'o' the rain and it was none other than Andy Stewart, he said hello to me I knew who he was and he said he often took a walk at lunch hour he was very nice no stuffyness or anything like that I had a sneaky feeling he would sneek doon to flynn's or taits pub and have a wee haulf and walk up round Helenvale st to Dechmont st and back to the black cat sorry tohave been absent on this blog but work is consuming a lot of my time but I had a quick peek and when I read ma old mate Kenny's post I just had to answer and say Hi every one OK wee arra peepel, did you know that that is the pygmis national anthem the wee arra peepel ttfn.
Boaby Irvine
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