The projector room is still there with rewinding rooms and places for film storage and accumulators - all that is missing are the Kalee projectors and the dust filled beam.

Anna Neagle came in 1939 to promote her film about Queen Victoria Sixty Glorious Years before leaving the crowds and retiring to the same room at the Midland Hotel that Queen Victoria had stayed in 89 years previously.

But by the late 1940's Derby was becoming awash with purpose built cinemas and J. Arthur Rank was not averse to selling the Derby Hippodrome - provided it wasn't used as a cinema.

The Hippodrome had superb theatrical qualities - Sir John Barbirolli had described the accoustics as "second to none"- and minds were turning to the return of live acts. On 28 October 1950 the Hippodrome closed as a cinema and live theatre was restored on 23 December 1950. The Grand closed as a theatre on 9 December 1950.

So live acts returned to the stage of the Derby Hippodrome - and what acts they were. Under the management of Ray Lane the theatre had some golden days.

In 1952 Al Read filled the theatre to capacity. Frankie Howerd was popular, as was Frank Randle, Norman Evans, Charlie Chester and Max Wall. Alfred Marks came direct from the Royal Variety performance. Even Bela Lugosi appeared in his Hollywood role as Dracula.