Gilbert Stuart Theatre

crownx on September 23, 2005 at 5:31 am

I was there for a short time during my training of Lockwood & Gordon. I remeber large attendance for kid shows. The manager at the time, around 1954 was Joe Jarvis.

Gerald A. DeLuca on July 15, 2005 at 5:43 pm

From 1959, after the Hollywood on Taunton Avenue closed, until around 1965, when the Four Seasons opened, this was East Providence’s only active movie theatre. Today the Patriot Cinemas 10 (formerly Four Seasons) is the only one.

Gerald A. DeLuca on July 13, 2005 at 5:02 pm

Here is a photo dating to 1946 when the Gilbert Stuart was called the Lyric. The movie poster in the left case is for Blonde Alibi. A blurb accompanying this photo in the “Images of America” volume East Providence says that the theatre opened on Maple Avenue circa 1920, was operated by Edith Chase who accompanied silent movies on the piano. The blurb states too that in 1928 this was the second theatre in the state to have sound movies after Fays in Providence. (I think the Majestic was the first.)

Gerald A. DeLuca on June 30, 2005 at 2:05 pm

The first appearance of the Odeon in city directories was in the 1923-1924 edition with the address of 19 Maple. In the 1927-28 edition there is now a Lyric Theatre at that address. In 1933 it is given as 10 Maple…which I think was a typo. Going back to 1913, there was a Lyric Theatre (pictures) at 34 Brow Street; in 1919 the address given is 12 Brow Street. Brow Street is a few miles away from Maple, nearer to Taunton Avenue and not in Riverside. That would give us another theatre in East Providence by the name of Lyric at one time. But I doubt I’ll be able to verify that. The Globe/Lyric on Maple Avenue became the Gilbert Stuart in the 1950s, I believe.

rlaurinojr on January 1, 2005 at 1:58 am

Hello,

I remember this place as a kid although I never had an opportunity to go there. I used to live at 99 Maple Ave and used to pass by this place all the time. In the 80’s this use to be a warehouse for a arcade machine vendor. (I use to see them bring them in and out all the time. A couple machines at a time with an old ‘tommy" lift gate pick-up truck.) I would love to find out more about this theatre as well as other forgotten spots in Riverside such as the Bowling Alley on Turner St. (across the street from St. Marks Episcopal Church) and other places that have slipped away. Please email me if you have any information on this or other spots.

My email is:

Thank-you and Have A Great New Year!

Ray Laurino

RobertR on October 13, 2004 at 9:56 pm

This sounds like it was a nice place.

Gerald A. DeLuca on March 19, 2004 at 12:51 pm

In some of their newspaper ads of the 1950s they adopted folksy commentary. Of RAINTREE COUNTY, a film of tepid critical success, the management wrote: “Held Over 2nd Smash Week. The public is the final arbiter of entertainment and they endorse this great motion picture.” The Gilbert Stuart referred to itself in its ads as “The little theatre off Riverside Square.” It was a very likable place.