Rivoli Theatre
125 Dudley Street,
Roxbury,
MA
02119
125 Dudley Street,
Roxbury,
MA
02119
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The Rivoli Theatre was one of several neighborhood movie theatres many years ago in the area of the Dudley elevated railway station in Roxbury, to the south of downtown Boston. It was run at one time by M & P Theatres, a Paramount affiliate. Further information welcomed.
Contributed by
Ron Salters
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Recent comments (view all 25 comments)
Yes, it is a hobby. Just look over this site and you will come to that conclusion. I did not live in the area, although I worked in the Dudley Sq. area in the late-1960s. I have been interested in theater buildings since I was 10 or 11 years old. The visitors to this website probably range in age from teens/college-age all the way to 70s and 80s. If you have memories of the Rivoli and other theaters in Roxbury and Dorchester, you can post them on this site.
Movies I have seen their. King Kong, Frankenstine, Wolfman, Superman, Did the most all of the Saturday mattinees. Three stooges,Captian Marvel. The Tingler with Vincent Price. They actualy wired chairs to some sort of transformer and at key moments sent juce to the seats causing differant sections to be shocked. A woman would scream and fake a faint. Strecher barrers would carry her out. They basic scared the hell out of you! About the theater. It was on Dudley street. If you view the link above where the captial “T” is was where the actual entrance was. Dana street was a side street between the Rivoli and the Church. There was a side exit door on Dana street.Some one would pay the price to get in. Then he would go inside inside and open the door and a half a dozen kids would rush in and scatter through out the theater to hide. Some got found some didnt! This all took place 1950 to about 1955. I was also there as a child when that side door opened up and a half a dozen African Americans came in and jumped a caucasian usher beat him kicked him and stabbed him. I have never even till this day seen that amount of blood on the ground in one place. I have no idea what became of that person. It was rough in those times also. If you have any other questions feel free to ask. I am quite famillier with that area. Ther was also on Washington street heading toward Boston called if I remember corectely the Roxey Theater. Sorry about the blood story but thing like that need to be told less we forget Enjoy!!!
It sat at the rear of that UPS truck is. The street to the right was not there during its time!
Linesides- I have rotated the Streetview photo above around and around, but I don’t see a UPS truck. Wasn’t the Rivoli across the street somewhere along where the trees are and all the cars are parked with their back ends against the sidewalk?
I worked on Vernon St near Dudley terminal 1968-70 and it was very rough then. The movie theaters were all gone by that time. The area was OK until about 2PM or 3PM or so. Many people where I worked carried weapons. I did not have a gun, although I knew how to use one. I did have a “pig-sticker” knife which I bought in a gun shop in Alabama. I was glad when our office moved to the Forest Hills section of J.P. in Sept. 1970. I think Dudley Square is more stable today (I hope).
Go to the view above put your cursor on the street and click the right arrow.> I believe it is a safer neighborhood than when you were in their. If you need to go back I would recomend day light hours only. I am 67 years old. Lived off of Washington street half way between Dudly street station and Egleston station on Galena street. Moved out in 1957. I wonderfull memories from these days.
I then moved to the Heath street projects in Jamaca plain. 58 to 68. Last white person to leave!
Linesides- OK, it took me about 5 minutes of riding around, but I found the UPS truck, with 2 yellow backhoes working in the distance. That location is about where I thought the Rivoli entrance was. If you went to the movies at any of the Jamaica Plain movie theaters, please make comments. Most of them are listed here in Cinema Treasures, also.
Ron there was a theater located in the building indicated in the link I have supplied. I am leaning towards the Perkins Street site. The other location I know that there was a Bowling Alley in that building. I don’t remember the name. Don’t remember what I saw their. Dont rember Just what building. Maybe some other folks could chime in. Ron, Is this web site your baby? http://www1.whdh.com/weather/radar/
Linesides- no, it’s not my baby; it’s run by guys in Calif. There used to be more members making comments from eastern-MA; now there’s only a few. There are 3 theaters listed here for JP- the Egleston, the Madison and the Strand. The latter two were on Centre St. I don’t see anything around Perkins St. Problem is that some of the neighborhood theaters are listed here under just plain “Boston” while others are listed under their neighborhood, such as JP, Roxbury, Dorchester, East Boston, etc. Makes it hard to find all of them, sometimes.
Ron – you left out the Jamaica Theatre, which was on Centre st. quite near Perkins street. It is represented here.