State Palace Theatre

The Loew's State seated 3335 people when it was a movie theatre.

I visited and toured the Loew's State during 1988 and have not seen it since, but these are my recollections.

The State (as well as the Saenger) has a large handsome lobby to direct patrons past the store fronts on Canal Street. The most usual aspect of this (and the Saenger) is that the lobby is "T" shaped with large door ways opening onto each of the side streets. Beyond the head of the "T" is the orchestra foyer with its own doors opening onto the side streets.

Like many other Thomas Lamb Loew's theaters, there is only a single large balcony, no mezzanine.

I remember the State being tripled at that time, with 2 screens under the balcony and the balcony seats looking onto the proscenium screen.

The stage was hemp.

The one thing that I will always remember about that trip was the carpet in the orchestra aisles. It must have been original to 1926 (?) as it was worn through the pile, through the backing and through the pad all the way down to bare concrete.

There was a photo of the theater soon after it opened showing a cooling tower on the stage-house roof with the words "Loew's Vaudeville" painted on the slats.

In the old projection booth were the old Ashcraft Super Cinex projection lamps sitting on even older bases. Newer automated equipment was actually running.

Michael, the orchestra plays next door at the Orpheum. Rock concerts play across the street at the Saenger. The State Palace is trying to get any booking it can.

Wow. How restored is this place?? When I went there in the late 80s to see "Jason Takes Manhattan," it was a fairly spooky place. I was the only white person in the audience & people were throwing things at me and heckling (!), so I left early. The place was trashed. There were chandeliers hanging from threadbare strings, the drapery was all torn up (as was much of the seating), and the grand staircase felt very, very creaky. Most of it looked original, but the way they had it tripled was nothing short of sacrilidge. I found this all very interesting as a Chicago native, having seen the painstaking refurbishment/restoration of the Chicago Theater on State. I beleive this theater may have had the same architechts? You tell me.

Hmmm, I just commented in the Joy Theater section about how when I was in New Orleans in February, and remember them having a "Superbowl" party in one of the "abandoned" theaters on Canal Street. I had at first assumed it was the Joy, but now I am not sure if it may have been the State. Either way, either the Joy or the State was hosting a "Superbowl" party, where I assume they played the game on the screen.
If it was in fact the State, it looked quite abandoned too, just like the Joy Theater, because the next day when I walked past, the theater was boarded up tight. I really wanted to go over to Bourbon Street for the evening, but almost wished I had gone to the superbowl party in the theater, just to see the inside.

Canal St sure had a lot of theaters in it's day.

When I was last in New Orleans for Labor Day 2003, the theater was opened Fri Sat and Sun showing classic movies. I wanted to go but never made it. Does anybody know if they still are doing that?

I went to the movies here a couple of times when I lived in New Orleans. I remember that the interior (though triplexed) was intact enough to be impressive. The entrance foyer was thoroughly redone in a tacky 60's re-do. The main lobby was mostly original. It had new light fixtures, and an even coating of beige paint, but you could make out what it should have looked like. Fortunately the movie I saw was playing in the theatre that had been formed from the balcony, so I had a great view of the proscenium, organ grills, and the dome overhead. There was also a small gallery (closed, at that time( at the top of the auditorium, which was a holdover from segregation days.

Here is a photo I took of the State Palace in 2001.

Does anyone know if the Loew's State is in an area where flooding is severe?

I'm not sure about the State Palace, but I have seen the Joy theater and the Saelenger (sp?) under quite a bit of water on that end of Canal St. The closer to the Mississippi you go on Canal Street, the less the flooding is if that's any consolation.

Here is a vintage photo of the Loew's State in New Orleans.

A report on the State Palace, the Joy, and other New Orleans theatres, including exterior flood photos.

I can't see the flood photos, it says "unauthorized file". Does anyone have direct links to the photos?

The current issue of Newsweek, September 12, 2005, has a large photo on pages 42 & 43 of a flooded Canal Street. On the left can be seen the marquee of the Saenger Theatre. On the right is Loew's State. Vehicles and people can be seen in about two feet of water or more.

There's some great photos I found of the interior of the State Palace here, only a month or less before this nightmare that struck New Orleans:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rotoflex/

And another album in the same site:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rotoflex/sets/740498/

Here is a recent exterior photo with the Loews State marquee:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/422957939/422957939dsYlGQ

A view of the auditorium, as power is restored after hurricane Katrina struck:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rotoflex/52322100/in/pool-83469653@N00/

Ken, it doesn't look "too bad" in there. Apparently the Orpheum suffered much worse.

This aerial view has the State, Saenger, and Joy all in one shot! You can click on the larger version to get in even closer. This must be pre-Katrina.


http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=nzs91f7gtgs4&style=o&lvl=1&scene=2790604

Bway, great shot. The Orpheum is also visible to the left.

Thanks Will! You are right! All four are all in one shot.

I've been looking at opening day descriptions of this theatre in the local papers. They refrence two large frescos on either side of the auditouirm painted by Henri Robert. Does anyone have a picture that shows this or know anything about Henri Robert? Were these truly frescos - dry pigment applied over wet plaster? Do they still exist under the wall covering?

Here is another pre-Katrina photo of the State Palace Theater.

The "Loews State" or State Palace Theater was just shut down by the New Orleans Fire Dept. for fire code violations. Since Hurricane Katrina, it has been used very little. Last time I was in the theater it was in need of complete renovation. It was "a ghost of its elegant past" and I hope someone saves this classic treasure.

Any photos available of the interior?

I have been trying to contact the management of the State Palace over the last year. My corporation would like to lease the Stagte Palace for theater productions we are planning to perform in the New Orleans area starting late 2007 to early 2008. We would be willing to renovate the theater if the lease terms were agreeable.
I attended a movie at the State Palace in the late 80's and fell in love with the theater. When the production idea was pitched to me, I immediately thought of this theater and how wonderful it would be to see it used for its intended purpose once again. If anyone has any conact information for the management, I would appreciate the information. Thanks!

My dad served in the navy during the early 1950s. Recently he let me go through the many photographs he took during that time. There were lots of pictures of him and his navy buddies in various ports. In the background of one photo there is a theatre called the Loew's State, taken in New Orleans when my dad went there on leave.

A closeup of the marquee reveals the movie playing as MGM's Wide-Vision Screen, Technicolor "Latin Lovers" starring Lana Turner and Ricardo Montalban, which was released in 1953:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b254/davebazooka/State.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b254/davebazooka/MarqueeCloseup.jpg

Here is another vintage photo that shows the Loew's State Theater.

Here is a 1935 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ynk54k

Washee Ironee was released in September of 1934.

WHAT a sad state (no pun intended) this theater has fallen into since the last time I saw it 4 years ago! Here's a photo I took of the State Theater about two weeks ago when I was in New Orleans for Mardis Gras. New Orleans looked good...at least the touristy areas like the French Quarter, Downtown, and the Garden District looked as beautiful as usual.... They need our tourist dollars desperately, so please visit New Orleans, they are ready and waiting, and there's nothing wrong with the areas anyone would visit as a tourist.

But since they did get some water along Canal St during the flood, the theaters along Canal suffered greatly. Even though it wasn't terribly flooded like other areas, remember a foot of water on Canal St is brutal for the theaters, which remember, you enter at ground level into, but SLOPE down to the stage...so a foot of water may not seem like much outside....but as it rushes into a theater towards the stage, it inundates an orchestra level.... All four of the theaters along Canal, the Saenger, the State, and the Joy are now closed (the Joy was closed prior to the flood, but usable). The Orpehum alos had serious damage, but I forgot to check the place out to see if it reopened.

Anyway, here's a photo of the sad Loews State, which certainly saw better days. It's status can also be changed to closed until further notice too....it even had a for sale sign on it....
Excuse the quality as I took it with from the Canal St Streetcar:

Click here for current photo of the State Theater

This is another vintage photo of the Loew's State.

The last time I was in New Orelans was 2003 Labor Day weekend and they were showing movie classics all weekend. As much as I wanted to go, I didn't because it just didn't feel safe.

Didn't feel safe??

Accoring to this article,

http://www.nola.com/timespic/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-10/1231914211231780.xml&coll=1

the owners of the State Palace theatre are still deciding whether to renovate, sell or demolish the theatre (ditto for the Joy. The Saenger is going ahead with a renovation project, and so is the Orpheum; they expect to have the Orpheum finished by the end of the year.)

Hopefully they will chose to renovate!

1973 photo of the Loew's State Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c18%2c3%2c-1&catpageindex=9&ProductID=27906
1980 photo of the Loew's State Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c18%2c3%2c-1&catpageindex=9&ProductID=27907
1982 photo of the Loew's State & Joy Theatres.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c18%2c3%2c-1&catpageindex=9&ProductID=27908

Here's another image that shows the old marquee of the State, as well as the Saenger at night. That site has some beautiful images:

http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=new+orleans&ProductID=27891

interested in saving the State Palace or performing there? drop me a line: jroseland@live.com

Bway, your link don't work, is the link that you were referring to?
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c18%2c3%2c2036&catpagesize=25&ProductID=27909

That must be a different photo...the link has a different product ID#...they must have deleted the photo I originally linked to, as it used to work.

This will always be the "Loews" or "Loew's State" to me. I saw "Gone With The Wind" there for the first time. The Saenger and the Loews were New Orleans two great movie houses.

The Loew's State appears to be one of the filming locations for "The Vampire's Assistant" opening today.