Opened in January 1914 as the King’s Cinema, The Cameo stands as one of Scotland’s oldest surviving picture houses. From the start, it pushed boundaries: its original mirrored screen was the first of its kind in the country, entertaining 673 patrons with silent films accompanied by live orchestral music.
Sound arrived in 1930, and a major post-war refurbishment in 1949 gave the cinema its new name — The Cameo — and a fresh identity as a home for art-house film and a fixture of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
The 1980s saw the addition of two new screens and the careful restoration of the grand Edwardian main auditorium.
More recently, the bar has been expanded and reinvented, cementing its role as both a social and a cinematic space.
Today, The Cameo is widely regarded as one of Edinburgh’s hidden gems, a much-loved, welcoming haven for film lovers and cineastes alike.
Cameo Shorts
- Music before movies spoke – In its early years, silent films were accompanied by live performance, including an all-female ensemble, “Madam Egger’s Ladies’ Costume Orchestra.”
- The bar that caused a stir – When the drinks licence was proposed, local opposition was fierce. Today, the bar is part of Cameo’s character.
- “Shaken not Stirred” – In 1963, Edinburgh-born Sean Connery officially opened the bar, the first of its kind in a city cinema. At the time, the idea of drinking in a picture house raised eyebrows.
- A near miss in the 1980s – The Cameo closed in 1982, facing an uncertain future. It reopened a few years later, expanded, and secured its place as one of Edinburgh’s most enduring cinemas.
- Saved from becoming a pub – In the mid-2000s, plans to convert parts of the building into a bar-led venue sparked backlash. Campaigners pushed back—and won. The cinema survived intact and later gained listed status.
- A festival regular with famous visitors – Through its long association with the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the cinema has hosted major names, including Quentin Tarantino and Ewan McGregor. It’s as much part of the festival circuit as it is a neighbourhood cinema.
- More than a backdrop – The Cameo has also appeared on screen, including in The Illusionist (2010).
