Rivoli Theatre

125 Dudley Street,
Roxbury, MA 02119

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: M & P Theaters, Paramount Pictures Inc.

Nearby Theaters

1939 photo courtesy of the Boston Public Library.

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 opened by 1927. For many years it was run by M & P Theatres, a Paramount affiliate. It was still open in 1956, but had closed by 1957.

Contributed by Ron Salters

Recent comments (view all 28 comments)

rsalters (Ron Salters)
rsalters (Ron Salters) on April 1, 2012 at 11:23 am

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).

LINESIDES
LINESIDES on April 1, 2012 at 1:28 pm

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.

LINESIDES
LINESIDES on April 1, 2012 at 1:34 pm

I then moved to the Heath street projects in Jamaca plain. 58 to 68. Last white person to leave!

rsalters (Ron Salters)
rsalters (Ron Salters) on April 2, 2012 at 11:07 am

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.

LINESIDES
LINESIDES on April 8, 2012 at 5:07 am

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/

rsalters (Ron Salters)
rsalters (Ron Salters) on April 8, 2012 at 10:47 am

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.

MarkB
MarkB on July 4, 2012 at 11:05 am

Ron – you left out the Jamaica Theatre, which was on Centre st. quite near Perkins street. It is represented here.

rrahim
rrahim on November 10, 2013 at 6:14 am

Hi there, I rember the Rivoli as being the “Plush” movie theatre in the early 1950’s. My siblings and I went there when we had the 25 cents admission price. They gave out prizes at the end of each show. They ripped your ticket in half, giving you one half back and the second half went into a bucket. At the end of the show, the master of ceremony would come on stage and pull a winning ticket out of the bucket and announce the winner and the prize. I once won a “Roy Roger’s watch” . I loved that theatre. That’s when you got more than you paid for when you attended the movies!

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on March 31, 2017 at 3:12 pm

Two 1939 photos added courtesy of the Boston Public Library.

reggiemack
reggiemack on March 3, 2024 at 8:20 pm

Does anyone remember Florio? He was the very distinguished gentleman who ran the Rivoli theatre in the fifties and the sixties. He was such a nice man. He was very kind and extremely generous to his patrons and the community, at-large. He was always well groomed and immaculately dressed except when he would replace his suit jacket with the work smock he would wear during box office duty or providing concessions. He was friends with my parents and grandparents. He “baby-sat” me and my siblings almost every Saturday by hosting us at his movie theatre. Mom would call him to let him know we were on our way. When we reached the theatre, he would get us “settled-in” with our goodies and whatnot. Then he’d start the “first” movie. Afterwhich, he’d call my mother and let her know that we were in his care. She’d then do her weekly chores, run errands, shop for groceries, etc., without the additional burden of having to maintain her rather large flock, in tow. Given that we got “More than our money’s worth” at the Rivoli she had about 4-5 hours free to get it all done! Then, after treating us with extra goodies or movie gifts like special movie posters or small movie toys to go home, he’d call my mother to let her know we were on our way home. The “Village” was in full swing in those days, when the community took care of its own. In the late sixties, we moved to the suburbs. Still, Florio would travel out to our home on occasion to visit with us. He was a lovely man to me and my sibling, my entire family. The Rivoli Theatre and more significantly, Florio were such an integral part of my wonder years. I miss him to this day! I felt so very close to him and I never even knew his last name. If anyone knows/remembers anything about him or his family and/or his relationship with the Rivoli and/or the community, please, please, share.

Cheers!

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