The important event of the 1880-81 season of this theatre when it was known as Low’s was the only appearance in Providence up to that time of the great French actress Sarah Bernhardt. (Per George O. Willard’s book History of the Providence Stage 1762-1891.)
I know it is beautiful and I have visited it (from Providence) numerous times. Even more beautiful is the long-closed Orpheum Theatre. It was opened to the public for a rope-light tour last October. I went. Did you? A magnificent place that needs a lot of work. I hope they eventually get it restored and put back into used. http://www.orphinc.org/
My guess is that it would cost upwards of $15 million to restore and open that theatre. Too bad the city of East Providence couldn’t purchase it, set up a foundation, and somehow get funds to slowly re-vitalize it. I’d love to see this happen. Look at the Stadium in Woonsocket…it happened there! The Park in Cranston is being re-constructed. Perhaps the United in Westerly. East Providence needs to have something like that as well with the Hollywood Theatre. It should not be destroyed. It is not a nuisance as some seem to think but a unique opportunity.
On May 1st I attended a performance here by the great stand-up comedian George Carlin, who has since died. The house was packed to the rafters and the enthusiasm for both the performer and the theatre itself was overwhelming.
Mary-Ann,
There are photos and images of the exterior and interior in previous postings on this page. Just scroll, click on the highlighted links, and see what few are available. I wish there were more.
Fifty years ago today, June 20, 1958, I saw a Mario Lanza double bill at the Uptown Theatre, which was what the Columbus was called then. The films were The Great Caruso and Because You’re Mine. Besides this fact, I noted in my diary that the theatre had a new marquee.
Fifty years ago today on June 18, 1958 I took an early train up to Boston from Providence ($3.41 round trip fare) to spend the day in the city, with a good deal of book-shopping. But the first thing I did was to see a movie musical program of Oklahoma and Carousel at this theatre. The double bill ran from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M., and I paid 60¢ admission. For books I got The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Walden, Life on the Mississippi, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tobacco Road, The Catcher in the Rye. The six books cost a total of $2.30! I want 1958 again.
According to a publicity booklet put out by the Cinema Verdi for the 1944-45 season, this theatre, for a few months starting on January 14, 1944, was renamed the Cinema Verdi, with a policy of Italian films. With the selling of the theatre, “Cinema Verdi” moved to a new home on 8th Avenue at 41st Street in the Arena Theatre.
In June of 1990 this venue was used for a festival of new Italian cinema of the sort that plays the Walter Reade now from time to time. I remember coming down from the galactic hinterlands just to see Nanni Loy’s marvelous Neapolitan musical about street kids, Scugnizzi.
The wonderful new movie documentary, Young @ Heart, about a group of senior citizens from the Northampton area who give great performances of rock music, is worth going out of your way to see. The performance sequence at the end of the movie takes place on the stage of the Academy of Music and includes, in addition to the songs, many shots of the audience and the interior and exterior of this historic theatre.
There was a time in the 1960s or 1970s when the theatre began a policy of showing the work of independent experimental American filmmakers (perhaps Stan Brakhage, etc.) I don’t believe it lasted very long, but I was wondering if anyone could pinpoint that period and its duration.
Weinberg also wrote a Film Culture magazine column called “Coffee, Brandy & Cigars”. A collection of his writings was published under the title Saint Cinema and had a preface by Fritz Lang! I rememember him from some film society organization showings in New York at the U.N. around 1964 when he introduced a bunch of movies.
The important event of the 1880-81 season of this theatre when it was known as Low’s was the only appearance in Providence up to that time of the great French actress Sarah Bernhardt. (Per George O. Willard’s book History of the Providence Stage 1762-1891.)
I last saw it in 70mm in D.C. in 2002, at the Uptown on their huge curved screen. It was mind-boggling.
“….is this a flat floor auditorium?”
Almost. Very slight incline.
Yes, go to http://www.flickr.com , enter “Cable Car Cinema” in search, and you will find a few. It’s not much to look at inside.
Here is a vintage photo of the Cable Car Cinema building when it was M. Burns Motor Transportation in 1962:
View link
I know it is beautiful and I have visited it (from Providence) numerous times. Even more beautiful is the long-closed Orpheum Theatre. It was opened to the public for a rope-light tour last October. I went. Did you? A magnificent place that needs a lot of work. I hope they eventually get it restored and put back into used.
http://www.orphinc.org/
Zelda08,
I do not have any information about that. That would certainly be an interesting, though very sad, story
My guess is that it would cost upwards of $15 million to restore and open that theatre. Too bad the city of East Providence couldn’t purchase it, set up a foundation, and somehow get funds to slowly re-vitalize it. I’d love to see this happen. Look at the Stadium in Woonsocket…it happened there! The Park in Cranston is being re-constructed. Perhaps the United in Westerly. East Providence needs to have something like that as well with the Hollywood Theatre. It should not be destroyed. It is not a nuisance as some seem to think but a unique opportunity.
On May 1st I attended a performance here by the great stand-up comedian George Carlin, who has since died. The house was packed to the rafters and the enthusiasm for both the performer and the theatre itself was overwhelming.
Mary-Ann,
There are photos and images of the exterior and interior in previous postings on this page. Just scroll, click on the highlighted links, and see what few are available. I wish there were more.
Fifty years ago today, June 20, 1958, I saw a Mario Lanza double bill at the Uptown Theatre, which was what the Columbus was called then. The films were The Great Caruso and Because You’re Mine. Besides this fact, I noted in my diary that the theatre had a new marquee.
Fifty years ago today on June 18, 1958 I took an early train up to Boston from Providence ($3.41 round trip fare) to spend the day in the city, with a good deal of book-shopping. But the first thing I did was to see a movie musical program of Oklahoma and Carousel at this theatre. The double bill ran from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M., and I paid 60¢ admission. For books I got The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Walden, Life on the Mississippi, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tobacco Road, The Catcher in the Rye. The six books cost a total of $2.30! I want 1958 again.
The url doesn’t work for the above.
According to a publicity booklet put out by the Cinema Verdi for the 1944-45 season, this theatre, for a few months starting on January 14, 1944, was renamed the Cinema Verdi, with a policy of Italian films. With the selling of the theatre, “Cinema Verdi” moved to a new home on 8th Avenue at 41st Street in the Arena Theatre.
1966 ad for the Italian film La Visita, when the theatre was known as Cinema Rendezvous.
This film with Marcello Mastroianni opened at the 55th Street Playhouse at the end of May 1959.
The Puccini opera TOSCA at the Trans-Lux Normandie in 1958, reserved seats only.
In June of 1990 this venue was used for a festival of new Italian cinema of the sort that plays the Walter Reade now from time to time. I remember coming down from the galactic hinterlands just to see Nanni Loy’s marvelous Neapolitan musical about street kids, Scugnizzi.
This 1954 Italian film, featuring a young Sophia Loren in one episode, opened at the Paris in early 1957, shorn of two of its six episodes.
The Cable Car Cinema in Providence has featured couch-seating since 1975. This place, however, appears to be a tad more elegant.
The wonderful new movie documentary, Young @ Heart, about a group of senior citizens from the Northampton area who give great performances of rock music, is worth going out of your way to see. The performance sequence at the end of the movie takes place on the stage of the Academy of Music and includes, in addition to the songs, many shots of the audience and the interior and exterior of this historic theatre.
The Agee Screening Room, as it was called, was equipped for 16mm showings only.
There was a time in the 1960s or 1970s when the theatre began a policy of showing the work of independent experimental American filmmakers (perhaps Stan Brakhage, etc.) I don’t believe it lasted very long, but I was wondering if anyone could pinpoint that period and its duration.
Weinberg also wrote a Film Culture magazine column called “Coffee, Brandy & Cigars”. A collection of his writings was published under the title Saint Cinema and had a preface by Fritz Lang! I rememember him from some film society organization showings in New York at the U.N. around 1964 when he introduced a bunch of movies.
Wow! Truly great photo. I saw 2001 there in 1968 and was bowled over both by the film and the stunning presentation on the wide curved screen.