State Theater
1504 Central Avenue,
Cincinnati,
OH
45202
1504 Central Avenue,
Cincinnati,
OH
45202
2 people
favorited this theater
A Beaux Arts style structure which was given an Art Moderne remodel in the 1940’s stood about two blocks from the earlier Casino Theater (1913) by the same architects, Rapp, Zettle and Rapp of Cincinnati and financed by the Provident Bank. It was an early venue of I. Frankel of Cleveland who had a small string of theatres in the Cincinnati area.
It opened as the Metropolitan Theater in 1915 and became the property of the Goldman family in 1944 when the name was change to the State Theater. In 1984 it was renamed Allison’s West End Cinema. The theater had no balcony, but did present vaudeville on its 20 foot deep stage in addition to silent and later sound flicks. The theater was also second-run. Allison’s West End Cinema closed in 1989. It is the home of the Lighthouse Ministries church today.
Contributed by
hanksykes
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
Here is a 1981 photo. You can Metropolitan engraved at the top:
http://tinyurl.com/chjowt
1983 photo of the West End Theatre
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Dec. 1985 photo of the West End Theatre.
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The former State Theater, photographed in December 2005:
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When the Metropolitan Theater opened it featured vaudeville and silent films in 1915 and was built by the Provident Bank and owned by Harry Lynch who later leased it to the Frankel Chain of theaters. One of its early organists was High C (John) Guice who went on to later fame in Hollywood playing at the Million Dollar Theater,plus in 1927 he became featured organist at Cincinnati’s new Albee Theater. His background had been learned playing church organs.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyum/3892814953/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyum/3892819047/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyum/3892821037/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyum/3892822937/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyum/3892824705/
More photos of the State Theatre.
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I remember growing up in the 60s and what a great building that was. Of course, I did not appreciate all that back then. Too bad the area has been overtaken by gangs and such.
Apparently the land on which this theater sits was transfered to Alice Roosevelt Longworth in 1937