RKO Boston Theatre
614 Washington Street,
Boston,
MA
02111
614 Washington Street,
Boston,
MA
02111
10 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 139 comments
Twin X or Cinema X Twin – Washington at LaGrange. I think the State was split into two houses and became State 1&2.
Looks like it was a (storefront?) theatre called the State II Cinema, not listed at CinemaTreasures. This vaguely matches my memory of the location.
Good eye!
I checked the State, but it actually the place on the corner next to the State. The same box sign is visible here.
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/6328/photos/118176
Likely the State, which was across the street diagonally.
Can’t determine which theatre is showing “Deep Throat” & “Devil In Miss Jones” across from the Essex in the photo however. It’s not the Pru because the sign doesn’t match from the same era.
Circa 1976 photo as the Essex 1&2 added courtesy of the Dirty Old Boston Facebook page.
Correction. The picture shown is correct. The Keiths was eventually dropped and it became the RKO Boston then the Boston Cinerama. The RKO Keiths became The RKO Keiths became the RKO Keiths Memorial at some point. Then it became the Savoy under Sack which let it rot.
Too bad there are no photos of the auditorium when it was a Cinerama theatre.
I couldn’t find the image I downloaded originally, but I think this might be it.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mit-libraries/3382599924?ytcheck=1
Please try uploading it again, and post the link here.
It appears it was removed by CT Admins. I assumed crediting MIT was adequate, but apparently not. I searched for it again but could not locate it.
DavidZornig I don’t see the 1954 photo with the Cinerama marquee.
1954 photo added courtesy of MIT Libraries. Cinerama marquee.
Here is the video
Three Stooges Connection!
Moe Howard of the Three Stooges had fond memories of performing at the RKO Theater in Boston with the Stooges. He used to walk down the street and purchase gifts at Filene’s for his wife and loved the delicatessen around the corner from the RKO.
You can here the interview here http://www.rerunit.com/index.html?video=howard1
Hi- I am trying to find info on my Grandfather Charles Wm Cyl-Champlin who was employed by RKO Theatres in the 30’s and 40’s as an artist (Painter, Oil Pastels) I believe he was employeed at this wonderful theatre. Any ideas about where I might find out anything? I am hoping to see some of his work. I know it’s a slim chance, but still am hoping. Thanks for any ideas. Sara
Thanks Ron! From the outside or from the Google satellite shots or Bing map birds eye view you can’t tell a thing.
telliot- yes, the theater ran north-south at the back of the building. From Washington Street you walked down a long lobby to a foyer at the back of the auditorium. Then you turned left to enter the back rows of the theater. The recessed steps on Essex Street lead to the foyer. This is at the south side of the building at the rear. At the opposite, north side, is the rear stage wall. Most of the exits on the east side wall have been covered up, and the fire escapes there have been removed. So it’s hard to tell where the theater is now from the outside.
Got back from Boston last week and walked around this theatre. It IS hard to believe that there is a large theatre hidden in this building at all. It got me wondering, what was the layout of the theatre in there? Was the auditorium straight back from the lobby entrance on Washington St, or was the lobby a long one with the theatre itself to the left. If the backstage area was at the corner of Hayward Pl and
Harrison Av then was the theatre running north and south at the back of the block?
my uncle Johnnie Perkins was in Melody Mad Parade with Sophie Tucker in the 30s – I have a picture of this theatre and would like to find out more information on uncle John – thanks
Some of you may enjoy this- I currently work in the building that houses the RKO (now used by the state) and did some exploring underneath the theater. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIItcIl_SGA
Responding to Dickneeds111 post. I did the original post on this Theatre. < Cineramatopcities > has some photos I was able to get back in 1977. The photo looking at the original booth in the balcony rear shows another 2-port booth that I believe Cinerama added for the intros. The original booth still had the bases and huge Peerlees condenser arcs but no heads. The “newer” booth was stripped clean. I had always assumed that the Cinerama sound head was upstairs in the intro booth.In the years going there I never noticed the Sound Head downstairs location so thanks for the information.
When they converted to x rated they twinned the downstairs, built one long rear booth with 2 projectors in each theatre running 1 hour reels each.
I saw 2001 at the Cinerama in Seattle the after it had played for just a few months probably when I was very young. That theatre was built around 1962 and was planned just for Cinerama. It was all screen and fastastic. Also saw Blade Runner years later there in a Cinerama like lense presentation. Wow! Nothng but the biggest and widest screen ever. The theatre is still open and the best place to see a film. All the lastest advances in film presentation show up here.
I would like to make the correction, dick, but I am not sure to which photograph you are referring. The photograph of the Fox Theatre in Brooklyn, NY has the Paramount in the background, but the photograph is taken in Brooklyn, not Boston. Would you please identify the photograph to which you refer?