Mary Anderson Theatre
612 S. 4th Street,
Louisville,
KY
40202
612 S. 4th Street,
Louisville,
KY
40202
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The Mary Anderson was the oldest theatre on Louisville’s Fourth Street. Originally opened as a vaudeville house, it was converted to film sometime in the 1920s. The theatre closed in the early 1970s and has been converted into office space. The theatre was named for actress Mary Anderson who made her stage debut in this city.
Contributed by
Charles Zoeller
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Recent comments (view all 17 comments)
Sad story. The Mary Anderson was a wonderful downtown theater of the era. It had one of those star-studded ceilings with revolving clouds, and a fine old ornate lobby with staircase, urns, and the rest.
The Mary Anderson’s fate paralleled that of Fourth Street, with various attempts to salvage it that in fact promoted its decline. In the early 60s, the balcony was closed off and turned into The Penthouse Theater. ‘Cleopatra’ showed at the Penthouse. That, of course, was the end of the Mary Anderson’s ceiling.
Louisville saved the Brown Theater but not the Mary Anderson. RIP.
Like other people, I assumed that the theater was named for the second-rate actress with small parts in “Gone With the Wind” and “Lifeboat.” But it was the older stage actress who had a Louisville connection. It would be interesting to know how the theater came to be named for her.
Marty, I believe that you have this theatre confused with what was once the Loew’s-United Artists, an atmospheric designed by John Eberson. To the best of my knowledge, the Mary Anderson was a conventional playhouse that did not have revolving clouds and/or a star-studded ceiling.
Opus 9 a 2 Manual/4 Rank WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ was shipped to this theatre in 1912. Sometime later it was removed and ended up in New York, New York, but nothing else is known about what happrned to it.
Marty is confusing the Mary Anderson with the United Artists/Loewe’s/Penthouse. The Mary Anderson was across the street, next to the Rialto. It was not terribly well suited to be a movie theater. It wasn’t very wide and the projection booth was in the upper stratosphere so that the image on the screen was noticeably distorted. It looked like the screen was tilted backwards. The most interesting aspect of the theater was for a time the management thought it would cute to have “usherettes” who would dress in costume, depending upon the movie shown. For example, when they showed “Cactus Flower” the usherettes were dressed as nurses. Some of the other films shown there I can recall are Barbarella and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Eventually it became a church. I understand it has been completely converted to office space now.
Designed by noted Louisville-based architect William J. Dodd.
I am looking for a Rapp & Rapp designed theatre in Louisville from around 1915. An article heralding the completion of the Palace Theatre in Rockford in February of 1915 says that the Rapps had a theatre under construction in Louisville at the time? Any know which one it might have been?
I remember seeing “Cleopatra” in the upstairs “Penthouse” at the United Artists (now Palace) Theatre. What a theatre street 4th Street was back in the 60s!
At any rate just remember that this theater was named after Mary Anderson, the stage actress from the Louisville area. Is the Mary Anderson Theater Building now called the Mary Anderson Office Building? If it’s not it seems like it should be! Pehaps a movement should be started for that to happen. Is a plaque on the building to commemorate the theater?
Anyone know what happened to that Mighty WurliTzer Theater Pipe Organ when it went to New York, New York? If you know anything about the organ, please email us!
“Gee Dad, it "WAS” a WurliTzer!"
1983 photo of the Mary Anderson Theatre.
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Operated by the Libson Circuit and followed by Mid States until its closing.