Sheridan Theatre

The address for the Sheridan Theatre was 410 Arthur Godfrey Road at 41st St., ran Cinerama 3 strip from 4/11/63 til 12/8/63, switched to 70mm on 12/19/63, screen dimensions for a louvered screen were 85ft by 28ft.

Need to update the address as posted on May 2.

In 1963 when the Sheridan was a Cinerama theater, the seating is given as 1178.

This once glorious roadshow Cinerama house was also the premiere showing of DEEP THROAT in Florida. Details of how that happened are outlined in the documentary INSIDE DEEP THROAT by the hilarious couple who made it happen. Although the Sheridan is never mentioned by name, locals who remember the era know that everything said in the documentary is true.

As a kid I saw KRAKATOA EAST OF JAVA, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY here. SONG OF NORWAY, MAN OF LA MANCHA, and GOODBYE MR, CHIPS (the musical)could be seen here usually preceded by a meal at the excellent nearby Forge Restaurant

What a fantastic second home for me was the Sheridan in the early 50's. Just a neighborhood school kid who brought the projectionists coffee from the old Groover's drug store across the street (then the Jarvis pharmacy).I felt so important hauling the film cans up to the booth. I learned how to thread up the old Simplex arc projectors. I remember the Hertner Electric MG set and the old Gordos Rectifiers glowing, what technology? The air-conditioning equipment was in an area located near the exits which required at least 6 or 7 switchs and mercury contactors to get all the pumps and water towers and fans going. The Sheridan had many storage rooms and hidden stairways I think as a kid I really got a kick out of getting in to the movies for free. Remember when the honchos from Florida State Theaters came in unannounced and wondered why I was helping out in the concession stand. Don't know what the manager said. Our family moved shortly after South Pacific and the road shows came in. The Old Forge down the street was a great place to eat.

This link has a flyer for OKLAHOMA! at the Sheridan.

http://www.shirleyjones.com/scenes.htm

heres a shot i took last week of the sheridan, could not tell if it was closed or in use, there was no signage or information on the door

http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/131002427/in/photostream/

I believe the Sheridan was demolished years ago. I am pretty sure the photo above is not it.

I'm afraid, Woody, that photo is not the Sheridan. An office building is located on its hallowed grounds.

Woody I have been looking at all the pics you have posted, Great Work! The Sheridan's building no longer exists, it was a free standing building. The picture you have there shows the west side of the Forge restaurant, not sure what that is now, but it's not where the Sheridan was. I saw 2001 A Space Odyssey there. Wonderful theatre.

This was the Sheridan. Woody's flickr photo link above is of the still open Forge Restaurant down the street.

http://preview.aalvarez733.photosite.com/album1/viewof41st.html

CAN-CAN on roadshow.

http://preview.aalvarez733.photosite.com/Album1/Sheridan_Can_Can.html

Al,

Great album. I really enjoyed it! I can't help to wonder where you guys get all these pics. Let me know if you ever run across a picture of the old Strand Theatre in Miami. I would love to have a picture of it.

Thanks Louis. I need to figure out a way to blow up the postcard images. The Strand Art was already porn during my Miami movie-going days and I don't think I ever went in. I will keep an eye out for photos.

Happy holidays from Florida State Theatres, 1965.

http://preview.aalvarez733.photosite.com/album1/scan0009.html

Here's a good photo of the Sheridan Theatre in Miami Beach. The marquee shows Edward G. Robinson's "The Last Gangster," so this photo is from around 1938.

Wow! Finally a decent photo of one of Florida's most important theatres. Thanks, Miamiguy.

MiamiGuy,

Great pic! I remembered the Sheridan as a stand alone building. If I may ask, where did you get this pic? I would love to see what else they got. Al recommended this website:

http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/memories

I have been going over it for the last couple of months. There is a huge database of pictures, mostly of Miami and Hialeah, famous people of the area, but not a whole lot on old theatres. I guess there are not too many of us who like the old movie houses, so those contributions have been sparse as far as that website is concerned, but nonetheless, I find it fascinating. I love old pictues.

It came from what's left of an old advertising brochure I bought at Art Deco Weekend a few years ago. It was probably put out by the City of Miami Beach in the 1930s, but the cover is gone, so I can't tell for sure.

The Sheridan sure was a gorgeous theatre. It reminds me of the Marlin hotel in South Beach.

The Sheridan unlike it's neighbor, The Roosevelt, kept busy, never turned into a porn house. I saw 2001 there. The Sheridan was the only theatre that had the big screen for quite sometime, so all the top billings were screened there. I am not sure who owned the Sheridan, I do not think it was Wometco, but I may be wrong.

Louis, the Sheridan was an ABC Florida State Theatre. It did not stay porn only because the City of Miami Beach shut it down when it banned DEEP THROAT which had its South Florida premiere there.

The photo link I posted has changed, here's the updated one for the Sheridan Theatre in Miami Beach.

Florida State Theatres christmas ad in 1966. "Hawaii" is at the Sheridan:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25725093@N07/2418296597/in/photostream/

Al,

I was perusing over your picture album. SUPER EXCELLENT!!! I noted on the Miami's inagural program a list of theatres owned by Wometco. Much to my surprise I see The Strand listed. I guess that answers a few more questions about the Strand that we did not know before.

Thanks, Louis. I am still adding items that may help unravel more questions with sharp eyes like yours.

If showing "Deep Throat" was not undignified enough, this ad sure was an insult to this roadshow palace.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25725093@N07/2468536323/

Al,

That is really a cool pic. I remember when they were playing Fiddler on the Roof at The Sheridan. Do you have any idea what year that ad was from? My reason for asking is because I am curious to see if the pic was a current pic, or a pic that they had and used for the ad.

I don't remember when the Sheridan closed. I watched 2001 A Space Odyssey there. Funny thing I was talking about Kubrick and his films with my wife on Saturday. I told her, I think I am going to email Al to see if he has the answer!!!! I couldn't remember what year 2001 came to be. Kubrick also had Clockwork Orange out at a time close to 2001 so things tend to get blured. I remember the images, but I can't associate the images with the times.

You know, the Roosevelt also went porn in it's latter years. I think the Roosevelt went down the tubes before the Sheridan.

Louis, I am pretty sure that ad appeared way after the Sheridan was shuttered and they used an old photo.

"2001: A pace Odyssey" ran at the Sheridan (advertised as Cinerama although it was a single projector version) from May to November, 1968. It was then replaced by "Finain's Rainbow". There were several revival showings, usually in 70mm as part of "MGM's Fabulous Four" which included "Doctor Zhivago", "Ryan's Daughter" and "Gone With The Wind".

The Sheridan closed in late 1972 after a long run of "Fiddler On The Roof" and then reopened briefly in 1973 for "Deep Throat" until that film was banned in Miami Beach within weeks. "Throat" then played across bay for years.

I guess the last "normal" movie that ever played there was Fiddler on the Roof, making that pic the most recent. I assume they did not want throat on the marquee for the sales pitch!

Man, how's this for deja vu. I just realized that my doctor's office is in the building that occupies the Sheridan's former location. The office building is now called "Galleria Silver."

The Sheridan opened in 1937.

Cinerama in Miami.

http://cinematreasures.org/news/20931_0_1_0_C/