THE HARWICH Electric Palace’s TV UK exclusive with the cinema’s patron Clive Owen was a sell-out event as part of an appeal which first hopes to raise £70k for a new projector.

The Electric Palace was given special permission to show a new drama series on Sunday August 11, starring the cinema’s actor patron Clive Owen.

The TV show is based on the Samuel Spade character created by American author Samuel Dashiell Hammett and the character played by Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon.

The following evening there was also a 20th anniversary screening of Closer in which Clive Owen starred alongside Julia Roberts, Jude Law and Natalie Portman.

Talk - Clive Owen at the August 11 eventTalk - Clive Owen at the August 11 event (Image: Davies Studios)

Based on the stage play by Patrick Marber, Clive Owen won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Larry in Closer, as well as receiving an Oscar nomination.

David Looser, Chair of the Harwich Electric Palace Trust, said: “There was a great buzz in the air on both nights.

"Our volunteers, staff and trustees worked very hard and it was a pleasure to see just how much people enjoyed coming out and experiencing the screenings in the splendour of The Electric Palace."

Exclusive - The cinema was the first place in the UK to show the new TV show Monsieur SpadeExclusive - The cinema was the first place in the UK to show the new TV show Monsieur Spade (Image: Submitted)

The two screenings were part of the ‘#OurElectricPalace Appeal’, with one of the first goals being to raise £70,000 for a new projector.

Mr Looser added: “This will not only improve our film screenings but will also help us to become more versatile to be able to offer more live performances of music and comedy.”

Alongside their usual screenings, on selected dates between  September 6 and September 13, the cinema will be taking part in Heritage Open Days.

During these days, there will be a chance to look around the grade II* listed building, as well as displays of photos and letters from the cinema’s archives.

While on September 7 there will be children's animation workshop, booking only, led by film archivist David Cleveland, where children can learn hands-on about the start of early film making.

Volunteers will be on hand at each event to reveal more about the cinema’s history and for full details of all upcoming screenings and events, head to www.electricpalace.com.