Mayfair Theatre

The Mayfair Theatre has been around longer than nearly any movie theatre in Baltimore. Opening back in the 1870's. the Mayfair was a gym of sorts and later was transformed into a theatre, known as the Auditorium. The Auditorium was right next to the Academy of Music, and around the corner was the Maryland Theatre, and in the middle of the group was the old Congress Hotel. Known as Kernan's Corner for years, this group of theatres was the best example of a "Theatre District" Baltimore would ever come to know. The Academy of Music would only survive until the 1920's, when it was torn down to make way for Baltimore's largest theatre, the Stanley. (The Stanley would later be torn down to make way for a parking lot.) In the 1940's, the theatre would be known as the Mayfair, which it was known as until it closed in the 1980's. Sadly, in the 1990's, the roof fell in after bad weather, and the building is in dire need of repairs. One proposal was to make the building into apartments.

There was a good article on the MAYFAIR in Marquee magazine of 4th Qtr., 1977 (Vol. 9 #4), pages 18-21, titled “Natatorium-Auditorium-Mayfair” by Robert K. Headley, Jr. It features seven vintage and modern photos, and may be available as described here:
PHOTOS AVAILABLE:
To obtain any available Back Issue of either "Marquee" or of its ANNUALS, simply go to the web site of the THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA at:
www.HistoricTheatres.org
and notice on their first page the link "PUBLICATIONS: Back Issues List" and click on that and you will be taken to their listing where they also give ordering details. The "Marquee" magazine is 8-1/2x11 inches tall ('portrait') format, and the ANNUALS are also soft cover in the same size, but in the long ('landscape') format, and are anywhere from 26 to 40 pages. Should they indicate that a publication is Out Of Print, then it may still be possible to view it via Inter-Library Loan where you go to the librarian at any public or school library and ask them to locate which library has the item by using the Union List of Serials, and your library can then ask the other library to loan it to them for you to read or photocopy. [Photocopies of most THSA publications are available from University Microforms International (UMI), but their prices are exorbitant.]

Note: Most any photo in any of their publications may be had in large size by purchase; see their ARCHIVE link. You should realize that there was no color still photography in the 1920s, so few theatres were seen in color at that time except by means of hand tinted renderings or post cards, thus all the antique photos from the Society will be in black and white, but it is quite possible that the Society has later color images available; it is best to inquire of them.

Should you not be able to contact them via their web site, you may also contact their Executive Director via E-mail at: execdir@historictheatres.org
Or you may reach them via phone or snail mail at:
Theatre Historical Soc. of America
152 N. York, 2nd Floor York Theatre Bldg.
Elmhurst, ILL. 60126-2806 (they are about 15 miles west of Chicago)

Phone: 630-782-1800 or via FAX at: 630-782-1802 (Monday through Friday, 9AM--4PM, CT)

A May 2005 photo of the exterior of the Mayfair Theatre:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20561948@N00/15547828/

circa 1898 view of the Auditorium/Mayfair Theatre.
http://external.bcpl.lib.md.us/hcdo/cfdocs/photopage.cfm?id=10347

Here is a link with additional photos:
http://www.kilduffs.com/MAA.html

www.urbanatrophy.com has done an excellent job photographing the Mayfair as it sits today in Sept. 2006. See dozens of photos of what the old theatre looks like now inside and out. Check out the site to see the photos.

www.urbanatrophy.com has done an excellent job photographing the Mayfair as it sits today in Sept. 2006. See dozens of photos of what the old theatre looks like now inside and out. Check out the site to see the photos.

This is another recent photo of the Mayfair Theater.

I was wondering if anyone had photos of the exterior and interior of the Mayfair from the days it was known as the Auditorium that they would be willing to share. Thanks

Another recent photo of the Mayfair Theater can be seen here.

Here are some recent photos of the Mayfair Theater. Click each photo to expand it.

This is a 2008 photo.

A November 2008 photo can be seen here.

This is a 2009 photo.

The comment above by Jim Rankin made me think about the knowledge that he brought to CT. I came across a folder of things that he sent me prior to his passing. He really knew the theatres. I am sure everyone misses him that was familiar with his knowledge.

1987 photo of the Mayfair Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c20%2c3%2c216&catpageindex=8&ProductID=28038

Here is a 1985 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/py9vgu

A nice 2009 photo is here.

Here is an undated photo:
http://tinyurl.com/qrmo4h

ken mc ae you sure that is the Mayfair Theatre, even compared to the old pictures of the Auditorium Theatre the front of the building is totally different.

Well, it is undated and it is a photo. :)

Here is another 2009 photo.