All Kinema Ballroom Dunfermline Gigs In The 1940s

                    69th Year! 69th Year!
                          The Whole Story of The Kinema Ballroom Dunfermline
                                     (Includes the Cinemas of Dunfermline & Rosyth)

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Stuart Adamson RIP

1940s

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This decade begins with a 19 month period of closure! The reason for this is doubtless war-related though I'm still pursuing the details.

The domination of the highly popular jazz / swing & big bands continued throughout the forties in Dunfermline.

Saturday 28^th February 1942 saw a competition launched to write a waltz-timed chorus around the famous Ballroom slogan 'Dance & Be Gay The KB Way' for a prize of 1/2 guinea (ten shillings and sixpence - 10/6).

A talent contest, known as I.D.C. (Impersonations. Dancing. Crooning) was launched on Monday 20^th July 1942. The winner was determined by public vote from 12 finalists on the 15^th July 1942 for a cash prize, predating The X-Factor by some 63 years!

The Ballroom's popularity was self-evident as on Saturday 8^th May 1943 the management apologised in a local newspaper for turning patrons away, asking them to accept the 'House Full' sign.

Residencies

Resident bands worked very hard at this time as these residencies were for six nights a week with only Sunday nights off!
From
To
Headline Act
Remarks
Wednesday
30-July-1941 Friday
06-Nov-1942 Billy Collis & His Band
Saturday
07-Nov-1942 Friday
16-April-1943 Billy Collis' Swingsters
Saturday
17-April-1943 Friday
28-May-1943 Jack Richardson's Sextette "Rhythm is their business"
Saturday
29-April-1943 Friday
26-Nov-1943 Jack Richardson's Stellar Sextette "They Bring Rhythm with 'em"
Saturday
27-Nov-1943 Friday
24-Mar-1944 Jack Richardson's Popular Players
Saturday
25-Mar-1944 Friday
30-Nov-1945 Jack Richardson's Stellar Sextette
Saturday
01-Dec-1945 Saturday
28-Dec-1946 Fred Orr & His Band
Monday
30-Dec-1946 Saturday
31-Dec-1949 The Topnotchers

Single Performances

Date	Headline Act	Support Acts	Remarks
Friday 29-Aug-1941	Cherry Grant	Billy Collis & His Band
Monday 03-Aug-1942	The Three Jacks		Jazz group featuring the Hawaiian steel guitar
Wednesday 04-Nov-1942	Eddie Cox & The Woodchoppers		'England's most versatile bandleader' with Roy Dexter & Jean Inglis (Tickets 4/-)
Wednesday 11-Nov-1942	Johnny Claes & His Clae Pigeons with Billy Campbell	Billy Collis' Swingsters
Saturday 17-July-1943	Cherry Grant	Jack Richardson's Stellar Sextette