Loew's State Theater
205 Massachusetts Avenue,
Boston,
MA
02115
205 Massachusetts Avenue,
Boston,
MA
02115
4 people
favorited this theater
Opened in 1922, the Loew’s State Theater was a decadent movie palace with velvet seating, opera-type box seats and balcony seating.
Replete with a luxurious ladies room with chairs and sofas and huge mirrors around the room. The theater was filled with chandeliers and carpeted in an Asiatic theme. The theater also had a very large pipe organ and huge red velvet drapes that opened and closed at each showing.
After closing as a movie theatre in 1959, it went over to live performance and concerts use. Sadly, the old Loew’s State Theater on Massachusetts Avenue in Boston was demolished in May, 1968.
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Recent comments (view all 57 comments)
One of the first events at this theater sponsored by the Boston archdiocese was some sort of presentation for Boy Scouts. This took place on Sunday afternoon, July 5, 1959. The younger brother of a friend in Quincy attended.
First sentence of the introduction claims that this was a “decadent” movie palace. The mind boggles at the meaning of that!
Let me set the record straight, On September 11, 1959, The Archdiocese of Boston and Cardinal Richard Cushing renamed the Loew’s State Theater, located at 205 Massachusetts Avenue “The Donnelly Memorial Theater” in honor of the Late Mr & Mrs Edward Calvin Donnelly, Sr. of Back Bay. Their continuous devotion and contribution was closely involved with the Holy Cross Cathedral, located in the South End. Their work within the Catholic Church, had spanned over fifty years. The Donnelly Family had been involved in the Advertising Industry in Boston since 1850.
Thank you for clearing this matter up. Now I am wondering if the Donnelly Company that prints phone directories in parts of the country is related to the company E.C. was connected to.
Thanks for the info Clement.
According to the Boston Globe archives, the last show at the Back Bay Theatre was the Four Seasons on Sunday night, May 26, 1968.
The last show that I saw here was “The Kingston Trio” on stage around 1958. It was already re-named “The Donnelly Memorial Theater” at that time. Over the years, while growing up on West Concord St,I saw many movies here. The last movie I saw here was “I want To Live.”
I added a from 1928 map to the Photo section that shows the State, the Fine Arts and the ballroom.
Commended for showmanship in this 1928 trade article: Boxoffice
This opened on March 12th, 1922.