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Also known as New Comerford Theatre, Paramount Theatre

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F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts

Wilkes-Barre, PA

71 Public Square

, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 United States

(map)

570.832.4599

Status:	Open
Screens:	Single Screen
Style:	Art Moderne

Function:	Movies, Performing Arts
Seats:	1950
Chain:	Independent

Architect:	Charles A. Ryan
Firm:	Unknown

A perfect example of an Art Moderne theater, it opened as the New Commerford Theatre on August 18, 1938, with a seating capacity of 2,047. Built as the flagship theater for the Michael Comerford chain.

By 1943, it was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc, through their subsidiary Frank Walker. Later renamed the Paramount Theatre after the 1949 anti-trust suits, it continued showing movies until 1977. Suffered a major flood with 14 feet of water in 1972. Susequent renovations stripped out the ornate lobby and many fixtures were sold.

It closed in the early-1980's and was facing demolition, when in 1986 S.T.O,P. was able to get the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was subsequently restored and reopened as the Kirby Center for the Performing Arts.

Related Websites

F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts (Official)

Contributed by Drew Taylor, David A. Litterer

YOUR COMMENTS

The architect was Charles Ryan.Became Paramount theatre in 1949.Closed in 1977.Later restored and reopened in 1986.Originally opened as Comerford on 18 August 1938.

posted by atmos on Jan 6, 2005 at 1:29am

Here is a photo of the F.M. Kirby Center which I took in 2002.

posted by Gerald A. DeLuca on Apr 17, 2005 at 5:52am

Here is a photo of the Paramount theater from early 1970's before it became the F.M. Kirby center and had the marquee replaced.

posted by Bobs on Jul 26, 2005 at 8:18am

A couple photos of the F.M. Kirby Center, Comerford Theatre.
http://www.agilitynut.com/p/wbt304.jpg
http://www.agilitynut.com/p/wbt2304.jpg

posted by Chuck1231 on Sep 27, 2005 at 10:21pm

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980

Comerford Theater ** (added 1980 - Building - #80003564)
Also known as Paramount Theatre
71 Public Sq., Wilkes-Barre
Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Penn-York Utilities,Inc.
Architectural Style: Art Deco, Moderne, Other
Area of Significance: Architecture
Period of Significance: 1925-1949
Owner: Private , Local Gov't
Historic Function: Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Theater
Current Function: Recreation And Culture
Current Sub-function: Music Facility, Theater

posted by Lost Memory on Jan 9, 2007 at 10:06am

According to the THSA annual of the Deco theatres John Eberson there is a drawing in the Wilkes-Barre Historical Society Archives for a Paramount Theatre dated 1 May 1931.Eberson designed this building for Comerford.It is quite possible that this theatre is an altered version of his original design.

posted by atmos on Jan 21, 2007 at 11:27pm

This is another photo of the F.M. Kirby Center.

posted by Lost Memory on Aug 4, 2007 at 10:29am

Here is a larger photo of the F.M. Kirby.

posted by Lost Memory on Aug 14, 2008 at 5:21pm

F.M. Kirby Center photo

posted by Lost Memory on Jan 26, 2009 at 7:17pm

This is a July 1946 ad for the Commerford.

posted by Lost Memory on Feb 20, 2009 at 8:06pm

1968 photo of the Paramount Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c38%2c3%2c-1&catpageindex=54&catpagesize=10&ProductID=33350
1986 photo of the Paramount Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c38%2c3%2c-1&catpagesize=10&ProductID=33352

posted by Chuck1231 on Apr 17, 2009 at 5:25pm

Thanks for the photos of the Kirby to those who posted them! I stumbled onto this site and started looking at local PA theatres (Pittsburgh), just for a lark. Then i saw this place and remembered that this was where i first met my boyfriend on that wonderful night in October 2004. Thanks for the memory!

posted by Caran on Nov 7, 2009 at 4:52pm

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