Florida Theatre

Here’s a 1926 photo of the office building. A slither of the theatre’s auditorium behind the building can be seen at right. This must have been quite a demolition project. Shame on those responsible!
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/flobuild.jpg

Elvis Presley appeared here on August 7, 1956, PRIOR to his engagement at the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville Aug. 10-11!

Lost Memory The article starts at View link

Research shows that the following organists have been known to have played the Florida Theatre Wurlitzer: Zita O'Brien (orignally from Chicago and featured at the Picadilly Theatre; in St. Pete, she organized the “St. Patrick’s Morning Musical” in the early fifties at the Florida—featuring area musicians including her console work);
John H. Miller (c. 1951, who featured daily programs at the Florida and also served as registrar for the A.G.O.); Don Berger (c. mid-forties, who was also organist at WTSP Radio. Mr. Berger made news when he was discovered in a car in which he had rigged a hose to end his life with carbon monoxide poisioning in October of 1945; a “Mrs. Crowther” was featured in advertising on June 20, 1927; George Henninger was also featured in the early years of the Florida.

Here’s a new link to an early view of the entrance, which had a lobby that cut through the office building and connected to the auditorium behind it. This was similar to the arrangement of the Paramount Theatre in Times Square, New York City, which also had its auditorium behind an office building: View link