Miami Theatre

The Miami Theatre seated 1800 people.

The above info seems to have replaced my comments about the Miami Theatre. The comments may be correct but the Miami Theatre was never located on Bird Road. The only Miami Theatre that I know was locatd in downtown Miami on Flagler Street and was run by Wometco Theatres. It closed I believe in 1979.

Here is a view of the exterior of the Miami from about the time it opened.

I saw many a movie at the Miami Theatre in the early 70's, the most memorable was a double feature Bullitt with Steve McQueen and Bonnie and Clyde. The Olympia Theatre across the street was a real palace. I seem to remember Flagler having about 5 movie houses. The Olympia, The Miami, The Paramount, The Florida and The Towne (which was showing nudie flicks by the early 70's) There was another theatre on Miami Avenue near the Gesu Church called the "Rio" which we were barred from going there by Mom cause all the bums and crime went there. Chaplinfan

Photos below are credited from 1946, which conflicts with the opening date stated above:

http://www.moviepalaces.net/miami.jpg
http://www.moviepalaces.net/miami-boxoffice.jpg
http://www.moviepalaces.net/miami-lobby.jpg
http://www.moviepalaces.net/miani-huylers.jpg

I think that the date of the photo is incorrect. The movie on the marquee, "Miracle on 34th Street" came out in 1947.

Two other historical notes about the Miami. Owner Wometco also owned first Miami TV Station, WTVJ, Channel 4, and used the upper lobby for a TV studio for a while.

Also, since Wometco got all the 20th Century Fox films, they were the first to be set up for Cinemascope, including #1, The Robe.

Also, in keeping with 1940's segration, there was a separate ticket booth on NW 1st that sold tickets to a Black only section.

I always wondered why that theatre had 2 entrances. When I was a kid, that rear entrance had been closed, I never saw it in operation. I thought it was to alleviate congestion from the front entrance.

I have to disagree with willimd about the Miami Theater having a Black only section. As someone who grew up in the Miami of the 1940's and early 1950's and who went to school at Gesu in downtown Miami I can categorically state that none of the downtown theaters had Black only sections. Such a thing was against the strict State of Florida segregation laws, which were strictly enforced. In addition, the Miami Theater was on East Flagler Street and was about 4 blocks away for NW 1st St.

Bryan's photo of September 15, 2004 illustrates the most unique vertical sign I have ever seen. The box office looks pretty cool too.

This page and the following have photos of the Miami, including the one Bryan posted a while ago:
http://tinyurl.com/lso6w

I have only the haziest recollection of this movie theatre, considering it closed down when I was a very young kid, but I do remember its façade being around long after its close.

IIRC, it was near the nostalgia-inducing "McCrory's 5 & Dime", which famously also had a separate lunch counter for black customers.

From word of mouth via old time Miamians (the kind of people, that to this day still pronounce Miami, My-ah-mah), I heard this S. Charles Lee theatre was a jewel of art nouveau design and convenience.

It even had the very innovative idea of the Huyler's restaurant and candy shop, adjacent to its box office entrance.

If I were building a movie theatre today (à la Hamid Hashemi of Muvico fame), I'd be sure to include a restaurant just next door too.

The Miami on a postcard.

http://preview.aalvarez733.photosite.com/album1/scan0017.html

Well, here's some interesting news for you --there were actually TWO "Miami" theaters!

Miami Theatre...145 E. Flagler (the newer one)
Miami Theater...265 E. Flagler (the older one)

Look at this Miami map from 1938 which shows the "Miami Theater" on the CORNER of E. Flagler Street & N.E. 3rd.

Compare that with Bryan Krefft's photo link above which shows the Miami Theatre with "Cowen's" to the right of it instead of on the corner!

Also, the 1949 Miami Telephone Book lists the Miami Theatre at 145 E. Flagler St., whereas the above map's index lists the Miami Theater at 265 E. Flagler.

Kitty alluded to a third Miami theatre on Bird Road. That was a short lived converted space called the Miami Twin showing films with spanish subtitles.

Beautiful theater. Anybody have interior views? If it were still intact as a single screen I would quickly be down there.
What were the roadshow houses in Miami and do any of them survive?

Here's a lobby view of the Miami

And the Miami Theatre's ticket booth

I haven't found a main room/screen view yet, but if I get lucky and find one I'll post it.

I think the Miami was an absolutely beautiful theater.

Gorgeous lobby.
The film looks like either Unfaithfully Yours or the Ghost and Mrs Muir.
Can anyone tell for sure?

The Roadshow houses in South Florida were mostly in Miami Beach. The Sheridan, Beach, Lincoln, Colony, Carib, and Roosevelt all ran consistent roadshows. The Florida downtown ran Cinerama for a limited time along with the Roosevelt and the Sheridan.

In later years the Bay Harbor, Coral, Sunny Isles Twin, Gateway, Sunrise Twin, Byron and Dadeland Twin all ran some roadshow films.

The Lincoln, Colony, Roosevelt, and Gateway survive in varying forms.

The Miami opening gala was on April 18, 1947 with the film "Carnival In Costa Rica".

Interesting item in the photo above is the poster frame heading of "HOY" (or "TODAY") in Spanish, predating the Cuban influx.

If the magic works, this should link to the opening day program.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25725093@N07/sets/72157604574373572/

Excellent program!!!

Isn't it funny that we find all this information on what would have been the 61st Anniversary of the Miami Theatre's grand opening! You know 60 years is nothing for a building. Take the Strand Theatre, which was built in 1926, functioning as a church, but nonetheless still standing.

All of these great movie houses went down the tubes because the neighborhoods went to hell in a hand basket. Downtown with it's crime and the building of I-95 which basically dismembered the Allapatah, Overtown, and Wynnwood areas. Too bad they are forever gone. I miss old Miami, what I would give to bring these things back.

WOW..ran into this site when i was doing a little history lesson on the Cameo. Looks like many of you had some amazing fun! Here are a few night pics I took last night. ENJOY!


https://dl-web.getdropbox.com/get/n512379017_1669643_6979.jpg?w=bef35b90

https://dl-web.getdropbox.com/get/n512379017_1669579_2563.jpg?w=dccef09e

Eddie,

Welcome to Cinema Treasures. Your links have 404 errors. These usually occur when the URLs (links) are wrong. Recheck your links, I am dying to see your pics!

Opps..

Put them on Flicker

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41635954@N00/3095932152/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41635954@N00/3095089441/

Here is a circa 1947 photo from the UCLA collection:
http://tinyurl.com/94acve

It looks like the theater is advertising Spanish films. There is also a sign by the door that says "Teatro". Interesting that they were doing that so close to the opening.

Interesting.

HOY was interesting, but the film is "THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR".

Here is something interesting. This link to one of Al's wonderful research work:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25725093@N07/3491302787/sizes/l/

shows a Miami Theatre on E. Flagler and 3rd, year? 1941. I guess this is the Miami Theatre that shows up on the map that Miami Guy posted:

http://www.southbeach-usa.com/news/pop-culture-history/2007/07/01/downtown-miami-theater-map/

This Miami Theatre later became the Town.

If you guys will note that on that same 1941 ad there is a Center Theatre, and the old Parkway, which hasn't been listed yet. Never heard of the Center, but the Parkway was around for quite sometime.

Louis, the Center and the Parkway are on CT. I actually went to the Parkway as a kid. It was a wonderful Wometco art house with art exhibits in the lobby but it has since been demolished.

I have not listed the old Miami because my brother (who still lives in Miami) insists that the old MIAMI building was not the same as the Town location and that it is still there today.

mystery solved using google street view, here is what remain of this beautiful theatre, the correct address is 145 Flagler Street
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/3991501178/
i wonder if anything remains of the interior?