Casino Theatre
212 W. Bay Street,
Jacksonville,
FL
32202
212 W. Bay Street,
Jacksonville,
FL
32202
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Contributed by
Jack Coursey
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
My parents grew up in Jacksonville during the teens and 20s of the 1900s. They thought of the Casino as being a lower class theatre, and said it had the nickname of “The Fishhouse.” I remember the house being open, and noted that it always seemed to play third or fourth run double bills. I also saw the theatre’s facade a number of times. From the looks of the neighborhood and the theatre itself, I thought I would be a bit afraid to attend a performance there.
My father used to shine shoes in the early 50’s at the penny arcade next door. The name of the arcade owner was Buster Paul. He owned the billiard hall over the arcade as well. Possibly may have owned the Casino (which my father could only remember as “The Fishhouse' as well).
I went to the Casino once in the early 50’s when I was about 12.. It wasn’t air conditoned and I remember big fans in the ceiling and sunlite coming under the exit doors. I saw a double feature Bela Lugosi. It was across from the bus station and probably had a lot of transients. To me it was always strange and my mother said there were rats in the theatre.
A Robert-Morton theater organ size 2/4 was installed in the Casino Theatre in 1920.
Opened in 1920 – closed in 1955.