Theaters like this-and the bigger,grander Byrd in Richmond-must be “treasured”,used,talked up,and used as often as possible.I wish I had a nickel for everytime I’ve told people to go to the Byrd for a NEW experience(for most).This theater ib Cannon Villiage should be viable,but don’t be complacent.The ONE item I wish this site offered would be a seperate list of REAL theaters that still show scheduled shows.Movie palaces are a rare thing now,we need to know where the active ones are w/o plowing through lists of vacant lots.
THIS THEATER NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TO OPEN.It has been restored,first by one man’s effort,then finished by a community effort.On 11-10-06,it reopened with a production.The DESERET MORNING NEWS article of 12-1 gives a good account,including pictures.This effort goes along with a real effort to turn the old downtown of Magna into something.
Up the street and around the corner on Campbell Ave.were 3 other grand to near-grand theaters that are largely forgotten.Those were the Music Acedemy,Rialto and HUGE Roanoke theater.There are pictures availible,if MR MEMORY,the all seeing wizard could get them.I got them from TWIG of old Roanoke site.He has a rich stack of old theater pictures.The 3 mentioned were gone by the late 50’s.Why?The destruction of the Jeffereson was totally senseless.I am told by one OLD timer,that back in the 1st half of the 20th century,people would find the theaters on Campbell Ave.and the American,very handy for those times when they were changing trains in Roanoke,or spending the night to catch a train out the nxt.day.Roanoke’s railroad heritage is a rich one.
I’ve got a shot of the interior from the OLD ROANOKE website showing how ornate the place was before a “modernization” dulled down the place.I saw a lot of movies there before it became a vacant lot.1776 was probably the most memorable.It made a good companion for the larger,el grande,American two blocks North.
Hey,Mr.M,great article.The writer really brought the places alive for the reader,especially those old enough to remember and care about a lost world.I remember being “dumped"into the "kiddie matinee” world many times while my mother shopped.The article brought back to mind how much the movie goer-and everyone-owes John Gorri,the inventor of AC.My father went to a jr.high in Jacksonville named after him.
I guess my feelings for the Avalon were colored by getting a Vandermeade 33 rpm record in a BIG box as a white elephant gift at a HP Christmas party a few years ago.Other folks got good stuff.
Thanks Mr.M,man of mystery.As stated above,I have a special love for the Florida.By the way,I have Mr.Wood’s book.It is a masterpeice.But he missed my early childhood church(1929) at Park and Copeland sts.
BAD news.The place now has a big for sale sign up.The owner wouldn’t come off a 10 mil asking price,so now it is all up in the air.This is a shame for the miriad of reasons to be expected.This was to be a center pc.of the new entertainment didtricr.Infighting has been brutal between certain civic forces and the blood spilled has poisoned the waters.
I drove through Paterson Friday,since my wife had never been there.It was stunning how grubby,filthy and dreary it all was.The Fabian just sits there rotting.The potential is still there,in theory,but the reality bited.Since my co.will be moving out of Paterson in a year from now,I’ll no longer be tortured by it’s presence.
I first saw downtown Suffolk about 1988.Still had a lovely big hotel and a Leggett dept.store.Saw a bldg that looked like a closed theater.But the place now is useless.As the peanut has lost importance for the area and other ravages,Suffolk has not had much good happening.
This is a rare,1st person acount that goes right to the core of your soul.As someone who passes this place on a regular basis,this gives more poignant reality to the sad sight.I do not doubt that this place could be viable again.He could draw people from the sw side of Richmond like crazy with a little publicity.A big spread in the Times-Dispatch,etc.,would do wonders-but the BIG prob.is the people running an operation.The lovely Hull is a prime example.That is a labor of love.
Theaters like this-and the bigger,grander Byrd in Richmond-must be “treasured”,used,talked up,and used as often as possible.I wish I had a nickel for everytime I’ve told people to go to the Byrd for a NEW experience(for most).This theater ib Cannon Villiage should be viable,but don’t be complacent.The ONE item I wish this site offered would be a seperate list of REAL theaters that still show scheduled shows.Movie palaces are a rare thing now,we need to know where the active ones are w/o plowing through lists of vacant lots.
I got this off Grant Smith’s utahtheaters site.Any cinema fan will find good stuff there.
THIS THEATER NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TO OPEN.It has been restored,first by one man’s effort,then finished by a community effort.On 11-10-06,it reopened with a production.The DESERET MORNING NEWS article of 12-1 gives a good account,including pictures.This effort goes along with a real effort to turn the old downtown of Magna into something.
Up the street and around the corner on Campbell Ave.were 3 other grand to near-grand theaters that are largely forgotten.Those were the Music Acedemy,Rialto and HUGE Roanoke theater.There are pictures availible,if MR MEMORY,the all seeing wizard could get them.I got them from TWIG of old Roanoke site.He has a rich stack of old theater pictures.The 3 mentioned were gone by the late 50’s.Why?The destruction of the Jeffereson was totally senseless.I am told by one OLD timer,that back in the 1st half of the 20th century,people would find the theaters on Campbell Ave.and the American,very handy for those times when they were changing trains in Roanoke,or spending the night to catch a train out the nxt.day.Roanoke’s railroad heritage is a rich one.
I’ve got a shot of the interior from the OLD ROANOKE website showing how ornate the place was before a “modernization” dulled down the place.I saw a lot of movies there before it became a vacant lot.1776 was probably the most memorable.It made a good companion for the larger,el grande,American two blocks North.
Hey,Mr.M,great article.The writer really brought the places alive for the reader,especially those old enough to remember and care about a lost world.I remember being “dumped"into the "kiddie matinee” world many times while my mother shopped.The article brought back to mind how much the movie goer-and everyone-owes John Gorri,the inventor of AC.My father went to a jr.high in Jacksonville named after him.
Good article in the WA POST on the grand re-opening and festivities.
I guess my feelings for the Avalon were colored by getting a Vandermeade 33 rpm record in a BIG box as a white elephant gift at a HP Christmas party a few years ago.Other folks got good stuff.
sorry
HEY!They had tryouts for Hottest Mom In America here last week.That’s putting it to good use.Tryouts this week in Chicago.
Appears to be a less than prosperous production company.
Gym seems closed now.
Went by it several times last week.Big metal gate in front now.For sale sign up.
If you go all the way thru the series of pics,you’ll see some interior shots too.Also see a bit of the funky place Saskatoon is.Thank you Mr.M.
Hey Chief,try to get inside and recon for any interior features.
Looks like it might have been in the 300 range.Wish some group could take the big theater on the ocean back to a performance venue of some sort.
Thanks Mr.M,man of mystery.As stated above,I have a special love for the Florida.By the way,I have Mr.Wood’s book.It is a masterpeice.But he missed my early childhood church(1929) at Park and Copeland sts.
BAD news.The place now has a big for sale sign up.The owner wouldn’t come off a 10 mil asking price,so now it is all up in the air.This is a shame for the miriad of reasons to be expected.This was to be a center pc.of the new entertainment didtricr.Infighting has been brutal between certain civic forces and the blood spilled has poisoned the waters.
I drove through Paterson Friday,since my wife had never been there.It was stunning how grubby,filthy and dreary it all was.The Fabian just sits there rotting.The potential is still there,in theory,but the reality bited.Since my co.will be moving out of Paterson in a year from now,I’ll no longer be tortured by it’s presence.
What is the current state of this structure?
I first saw downtown Suffolk about 1988.Still had a lovely big hotel and a Leggett dept.store.Saw a bldg that looked like a closed theater.But the place now is useless.As the peanut has lost importance for the area and other ravages,Suffolk has not had much good happening.
Saw the new movie-the Break Up with Jennifer Aniston tonight.This theater has a role.You see quite a bit of it.
Saw the new movie-the Break Up with Jennifer Aniston tonight.This theater has a role.You see quite a bit of it.
Readers wouldn’t know or appreciate the great work Grant does.He is also a Cinema Treasure.
This is a rare,1st person acount that goes right to the core of your soul.As someone who passes this place on a regular basis,this gives more poignant reality to the sad sight.I do not doubt that this place could be viable again.He could draw people from the sw side of Richmond like crazy with a little publicity.A big spread in the Times-Dispatch,etc.,would do wonders-but the BIG prob.is the people running an operation.The lovely Hull is a prime example.That is a labor of love.