hey
i was looking at the Cameo Cinema Conspiracy book today, and it says there was a film being made about the case.
Anyone know if it ever saw the light?

hey
i was looking at the Cameo Cinema Conspiracy book today, and it says there was a film being made about the case.
Anyone know if it ever saw the light?


Hello MissInformed

I reviewed George Skelly's book on the Cameo case for Ripperologist and also invited him to speak at the 2003 Ripper convention in Liverpool at the Britannia Adelphi. To my knowledge, no film of the Cameo case has been made and I don't know where the situation stands as regards getting one into production.

All the best

Chris

That's great Chris
It's just that at the back of the book, it says a film called the Cameo Conspiracy was in development.
Would be a really great idea!

Hi MissInformed

The paperback copy of George Skelly's book that I have was published in 2001, and yes, it does say on the back that that "A major motion picture of The Cameo Conspiracy is currently in development." George was interviewed in Insight magazine (http://www.liv.ac.uk/insight/2005spring.pdf) in April 2005 (PDF file) and all it says there is that film rights have been bought. I do know that it often takes years, sometimes decades for a film to be made, with lots of ups and downs with different film studios picking up the option. This was the situation with "Schindler's List" as it progressed from the book by Thomas Keneally to the movie eventually made by Steven Spielberg. It is also the case with a film that was going to be made of the Maybrick Diary, called either "Ripper Diary" or "Battlecrease" which director William Friedkin wished to make starting in the mid-1990's but that still has not been made. I will attempt to contact George Skelly to see if he can give us an update on where things stand with making a film of The Cameo Conspiracy.

Best regards

Chris

wow! thank you so much chris!
It never fails to amaze me how helpful people are on here.
I am very interested in the Maybrick case. I remember reading that diary for the first time!

Cameo Conspiracy would be an excellent film

My mother says she was in the cinema when this murder happened but she never really went into detail.

wow that's interesting!!

My mother and her friend Ida attended the trial in St. George's Hall.

Chris

Hi again MissInformed

I have not heard anything directly from George Skelly, although I have received some information that came from someone who knows the situation. Apparently there are still negotiations going on to clear the way to making such a film. If I hear more details from Mr Skelly or from this other person that I can reveal, I will pass it on.

Chris

My mother says she was in the cinema when this murder happened but she never really went into detail.

The cinema was a converted church. It is still standing the last time I was down there. I recall as a kid the cinema name on the front.

The cinema was a converted church. It is still standing the last time I was down there. I recall as a kid the cinema name on the front.

Hello Waterways et al.

Yes, Waterways, you are correct that the Cameo cinema was a converted church. I am fairly certain that the building was swept away some time ago. I do recall another red brick church higher up on the same side of Smithdown Road, near the junction of that road, Lodge Lane, and Tunnel Road, but it wasn't the same one that was the Cameo. The cinema stood at Bird Street and Webster Road by Garrick Street, opposite the Toxteth Park Cemetery.

This is the reason that all of the photographs you see of the Cameo are old ones, as in the BBC story on the overturning of George Kelly's conviction (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/2978838.stm) in June 2003 as being "unsafe."

If I am mistaken about this and the building that had been the Cameo is still there, please feel free to correct me, anyone, and post a photograph as it looks today, if possible. Steve Horton's site on the Cameo Case (http://www.geocities.com/stevenhortonuk/cameomurders.html) shows the site of the cinema today, and it is occupied by modern housing, so I believe I am correct that the building is gone.

Chris

Yes, it has gone.
For the record. It was built as the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel in 1887.
It was converted into a cinema in 1926 and closed in 1957.
It was then a warehouse at some stage, but it was mainly unused before being demolished about 1990, to be replaced by new housing.

This (reduced) photo is from a CD_ROM on sale at the Liverpool Record Office.
It's called Project P.O.O.L. (Photos of Old Liverpool).
There are over 650 images on it.
I bought mine a few years ago, but it's probably still on sale.

The white sports car belonged to the Inspector in charge.

Thank you, Philip. Your post is most informative.

Chris

After it closed it was in use as a reconditioning factory for television picture tubes, this went on into the late 60's that I know of but I have no idea what it was used for since.
I moved to 120 Salisbury Road in about 1950, there was a Street right behind the house that led to the Cameo, can't recall the name, I used to hop over the back wall as a shortcut to get there.:037:

This is the reason that all of the photographs you see of the Cameo are old ones, as in the BBC story on the overturning of George Kelly's conviction (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/2978838.stm) in June 2003 as being "unsafe."


The BBC picture has a 1940s V8 Ford Pilot on the right. It was taken in the 1960/70s, as the cars show. The Ford Pilot was in immaculate condition and was owned by a man around there. Few 1940s cars were around by the late 1960s.

After it closed it was in use as a reconditioning factory for television picture tubes, this went on into the late 60's that I know of but I have no idea what it was used for since.
I moved to 120 Salisbury Road in about 1950, there was a Street right behind the house that led to the Cameo, can't recall the name, I used to hop over the back wall as a shortcut to get there.:037:

Cranborne Road was between Webster Rd and Salisbury Rd. And still is.

Cranborne Road was between Webster Rd and Salisbury Rd. And still is.
And your point is what exactly?

Fact, there is a road leading from Cranborne Rd. to Webster Rd. opposite this is a back alley which is immediately behind 120 Salisbury Rd. Go and look if you don't believe me.

I looked it up on the ordinance survey map, it is Dorset Ave. The cameo is still a chapel on this map.

The BBC picture has a 1940s V8 Ford Pilot on the right. It was taken in the 1960/70s, as the cars show. The Ford Pilot was in immaculate condition and was owned by a man around there. Few 1940s cars were around by the late 1960s.

Okay, thanks, Waterways, good identification of the era of the cars in the pic.

Chris

The Ford V8 Pilot had a one piece rear window. That picture doesn't appear too clear to me but it looks like that car had a 2 piece window. And it would be hard to tell if it is immaculate.
A hillman Imp is there, they were produced from 1961 to 1976, the white car looks like a Ford Zephyr Mk3 produced from 1962 to 1966.

http://funnycars.blogspot.com/2006/01/ford-pilot-v8.html

This is a Ford Pilot.

The Ford V8 Pilot had a one piece rear window. That picture doesn't appear too clear to me but it looks like that car had a 2 piece window. And it would be hard to tell if it is immaculate.
A hillman Imp is there, they were produced from 1961 to 1976, the white car looks like a Ford Zephyr Mk3 produced from 1962 to 1966.

http://funnycars.blogspot.com/2006/01/ford-pilot-v8.html

This is a Ford Pilot.

It appears the car is not a Pilot. There was one always parked around there that was always in showroom condition.

It really was an ugly thing wasn't it? A clear pre-war design yet came out post war. One of the few British cars that had a V8 engine. With fuel being so expensive I see why it failed.

The Viva van, called the Bedford van, was made well after the Mk 1 Viva car stopped production in 1967. Made well into the 1970s.

Hi all

The chapel that became the Cameo Cinema is seen at the top of this helpful 1908 map available at Toxteth.net

http://www.toxteth.net/maps/liverpool/lpool1g.htm

Arrows on the map show available photographs and information on the Smithdown Road area. Toxteth.net: a great resource. :)

Chris

Hi all

The chapel that became the Cameo Cinema is seen at the top of this helpful 1908 map available at Toxteth.net

http://www.toxteth.net/maps/liverpool/lpool1g.htm

Arrows on the map show available photographs and information on the Smithdown Road area. Toxteth.net: a great resource. :)

Chris

Click on the green chapel itself. The map is fully interactive. Click of the colours you see,

Click on the green chapel itself. The map is fully interactive. Click of the colours you see,

Wow! Great. Thank you, Waterways.

Chris

There was a milkman in Langton Rd. that had a Ford Pilot, it was always kept like new, the boot opened from the top and he carried his milk crates on it. He traded it for one of the first Escorts when I worked at the Ford dealer, I think the escort and Squire estates came out in 1956. That was the only Pilot I knew of in that area. There weren't too many cars in the area at that time, the one in my avatar was one of them.
If I had a better picture I could identify the car in question. It might be an Austin 16 from the immediate pre or postwar era.
The failure of the Pilot was unreliable mechanics, not powertrain but ancilliaries. It, in common with other Fords of the time had vacum operated wipers, the more you put your foot down the slower they went. It had a hybrid brake system, hydraulic twin leading shoe fronts and girling mechanical rears nowhere near efficient enough for a car as heavy and as quick. It had some luxuries though, I think it was the first mass production car to have radio as standard, an unusual feature was the antenna was under the left hand running board.
I had the experience of driving and working on these cars as an apprentice.

There was a milkman in Langton Rd. that had a Ford Pilot, it was always kept like new, the boot opened from the top and he carried his milk crates on it. He traded it for one of the first Escorts when I worked at the Ford dealer, I think the escort and Squire estates came out in 1956. That was the only Pilot I knew of in that area.


Late 1960s early 1970s, one was about. As I said even in the 1960s few 1930s or 40s cars were about as they rotted like mad.


I had the experience of driving and working on these cars as an apprentice.

A few years back I drove a 1950s Ford Consul with column gears. Very weird. You don't realise how good cars are today. I had a go of a 1964 MGB - couldn't pull you out of bed, and that was a "sports car".

I once had a 1966 Ford Zepher with the long bonnet. Totally crap. My Ford Anglia's doors would burst open going around corners. The only decent old car was the Mini. It drove well, like going around corners on rails, and was 20 years ahead of its time.

The '66 Ford Zephyr was reputed to be the worst car ever made by Ford. It was said they took every mistake they made since the model T and put them all in one car. I could write a volume of books on that subject.
I left the wavertree area in late 1959 so I would have no idea of what was in the area after then. The Pilot seemed to be one of the best regarding rusting, I've never really seen a badly rusted one.
The MGB was a non starter as a sports car, the Healy 3000 and the MGC(3 litre Austin engibe) left it standing. I had a triumph Vitessse 2 litre that would leave them all, a bit unstable on harsh cornering though unless a rear decambering kit was installed.

The '66 Ford Zephyr was reputed to be the worst car ever made by Ford.


So the worst of worse bunch.


It was said they took every mistake they made since the model T and put them all in one car. I could write a volume of books on that subject.
I left the wavertree area in late 1959 so I would have no idea of what was in the area after then. The Pilot seemed to be one of the best regarding rusting, I've never really seen a badly rusted one.
The MGB was a non starter as a sports car, the Healy 3000 and the MGC(3 litre Austin engibe) left it standing. I had a triumph Vitessse 2 litre that would leave them all, a bit unstable on harsh cornering though unless a rear decambering kit was installed.


The chassis twisted as the whole front hinged up. The car was not rigid. Rigid cars corner better. It had an old Standard 2 litre engine, which was physically large.

I know of an a small 1300cc A series engine with modern management controlled fuel injection installed into an MGB and it went like mad.