Paramount Theatre Centre and Ballroom

Yes it looks great. It has the nicest ceiling I have ever seen.

I am a Christian Concert promoter in which I have rented the Paramount on several occasions to bring in top Christian acts, with one event selling out the 1486 seat theatre. This is a beautiful theatre. I would be interested in a theatre in Indiana and renovating it into a Christian media center for the arts, stage, radio, newspaper, publishing, etc. To date, we have done 152 shows, with 7 of them being at the Paramount.

I had the pleasure of seeing this theatre in the fall of 2000. Luckily, a Christian singer was performing there that evening so the theatre was open. I owe CheerfulHeart or some other Christian promoter many thanks because the singer's performance was probably the only reason the theatre was open that Saturday. I also owe many thanks to the couple who got married that same day. Their wedding reception gave me access to the wonderful ballroom. We then walked across the street for a visual tour of the State. The State, though not quite as impreessive as the Paramount, is still an impressive theatre. There's not many cities the size of Anderson that can boast having two open palaces. A trip to Anderson is well worth while.

There are several orchestra's that perform at the Paramount with the Anderson Symphony orchestra performing there regularly. There are a lot of weddings that take place in Paramount Theatre, which prevents the number of show dates that are open to promoters or the public in addition to limited availability to having live theatre productions. The Paramount and the State theatre are practically right across the street from each other. Both are wonderful theatres. The State's website is http://www.statetheatre-ent.com/ and the Paramount in http://www.parathea.org The Paramount was opened on August 29, 1929 and the State Theatre was opened May 30, 1930.

The statement that this is one of only twelve Eberson atmospherics left is not correct. I checked on this web site under Eberson theatres and found sixteen atmospheric theatres that are open plus four more that are closed but still intact.

Even the most casual perusal of the photos on this theatre's web site will show one that it is definitely NOT art deco; it is clearly Spanish in decor. Perhaps the outdoor facade is art deco, but nothing of the original interior is! At least here they used their heads and concealed the latter day lights truss in the auditorium within a lattice arbor, and did not simply puncture the dome, and hang something, as they did in the case of the 'restored' Hippodrome in Baltimore!

In the early 70's I was City Manager for Cinecom Theatres in Anderson,and managed the Paramount,in addition to supervising the State Theatre,North and South Drive Ins and the Mounds Mall Cinema.
I enjoyed my time there very much.

Kurt J. Noack
Noackkurt@aol.com

Haven't seen too many theatres on this site with both an art deco/atmospheric description so will have to try and visit Anderson IN and see this combined artistic style!

Jim: Just read your post concerning the art deco exterior and the spanish interior decor as I just couldn't picture in my mind's eye a theatre having an art deco/atmospheric interior!

Some interior photos and restoration information are available at http://www.conradschmitt.com/CaseStudies/paramount.asp

Brian: THANKS! A Conrad Schmitt re-creation!

I was in this Theatre less than a month ago, and the interior will just blow you away. The way this theatre was restored is just astounding. Everywhere you look there is a new experience. The walls have villages on them, that look like a take off of the palace of Versailles and the atmospheric effects on the ceiling will really give you an experience. The lower Lobby is exceedingly sensational and the upper lobby near the balcony is just the same. This theatre is really decked out with historic chairs, and old fixtures, and wall sconces. It really gives you the feeling of being an a Palace.

Ashley Paradiso

According to notes in the THS Newsletter issued as as a supplement to Marquee Vol 11 # 2 (The Theatre Historical Society of America quarterly magazine), 'the Paramount Theatre, Anderson IN was done in the "Eberson" style - but the architect was A.M. Strauss of Ft. Wayne, IN.' HHhhhuuuummmm!!!!?????

Apparently, "Eberson syle" is someone's reference to what became known as the 'Atmospheric' TYPE (a 'STYLE' is an historic reference, as opposed to one of the two TYPES: 'Standard' {sometimes called Hard Top in slang}; and 'Atmospheric' which is the 'stars-and-clouds' look). The writer of that blurb in the Newsletter was the late Andrew Corsini (John Fowler) who was very aware of the two different Types, so he was here being a little Puckish in using Eberson's name to denote the Type of theatre in question. This practice is common today where one often reads of someone selling a new light fixture in the "Tiffany style" when in fact it was produced decades after Mr. Tiffany's death, and invariably it is only stained glass, and not at all the refined technique and panache of the great artist.

Jim;
Thanks for your definition on style, I understand all that. What I was querying was the naming of A.M. Strauss as the architect of the Paramount, Anderson and not John Eberson, when it states on the headers here and on the website of Conrad Schmitt that Eberson was the architect.

I notice that in David Naylor's book 'Great American Movie Theaters' the Embassy (Emboyd) Theatre, Fort Wayne, IN is credited to be the work of A.M.Strauss with John Eberson. So the two have worked together before, in this instance 1928 a year before the Paramount, Anderson,IN.

John Eberson had more than one legal locus of operation throughout his career, but he was no doubt not always registered in every state in which a developer wanted his work. One way around this legal hindrance, is to contract with a local architect, who is called the 'Architect of Record', who is legally responsible for what is submitted as plans to local authorities, and for what is actually built. With a man as renowned as Eberson, there was no hesitation by a local man to sign on as the local representative of the 'great man' since it was also lucrative to the local architect to enter into such an alliance. It oftentimes led to that man becoming a junior partner in Eberson's firm, or so the man hoped. Building a movie palace was a HUGE enterprise demanding many talents and lots of money, so it was not difficult to imagine developers searching about for an architect/designer who had a proven track record of successful designs. By the mid 'Twenties, there were hundreds of architects who had eagerly thrust their hand into such designs, but not all covered themselves with glory, as Ben Hall recalls in his landmark book THE BEST REMAINING SEATS.

Sounds like the name Eberson and Frank Lloyd Wright are in the same category of architectural/historical importance! I'm a follower of both of these great visionaries. Would also include E.B. Green and Stickley of the arts and craft movement, too.

Photos:
http://www.agilitynut.com/05/10/inpara1.jpg
http://www.agilitynut.com/05/10/inpara2.jpg

Link:
http://www.theatreorgans.com/cicatos/Organs/paramount.htm

Some history on the Grand Page Organ that was installed in the Paramount Theatre. i got this from the Indiana Organ Society site.
The Grande Page Theatre Pipe Organ was shipped from Lima, Ohio, to the Paramount Theatre on January 3, 1929. Because the Paramount Grande Page was installed well after the advent of the talkies, it was not required to provide constant accompaniment to the films but was featured at premieres, during intermission, and for sing-a-longs.

Several ownership changes occurred in the 60s, 70s, and 80s and after the Paramount Theatre closed in 1985 the Page organ sustained major water damage and became barely playable. After two more ownership changes the theatre closed again in 1987; by this time the Page organ would not play at all.

The Paramount Theatre opened on August 20th. 1929.

Added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1991

Paramount Theater Building (added 1991 - Building - #91001165)
Also known as Paramount Centre;095-015-46071
1124 Meridian St., Anderson
Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event
Architect, builder, or engineer: Eberson,John, Strauss,Alvin M.
Architectural Style: Mission/Spanish Revival
Area of Significance: Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation
Period of Significance: 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Commerce/Trade, Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Museum, Specialty Store, Theater
Current Function: Recreation And Culture, Social
Current Sub-function: Meeting Hall, Museum, Theater

I saw Seven Brides for Seven Brothers here maybe about 10 years ago. Enjoyed the experience, but the similar atmosphere-style Louisville Palace about 150 miles south is a much better theater.

Here is another photo of the Paramount Theater.

The correct website for this theater is http://www.andersonparamount.org/

This is a recent photo of the Paramount.

Here is a more recent and larger photo of the Paramount Theater.

Recent photos of this theatre are HERE

Here is a recent night view of the Paramount marquee.

A 1996 view of the Paramount Theater in Anderson here and here.

Glad to see they've added back the vertical "Paramount" sign.

Here is a 2008 photo of the Paramount.

1932 Picture

1982 Photo

1982 Photo

1985 Photo

1985 Photo

This is a nice shot of the Paramount.

An October 2009 photo can be seen here.

Another photo of the Paramount Theatre.

http://images.indianahistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/V0002&CISOPTR=831&CISOBOX=1&REC=17