Capitol Theater
322 NW 14th Street,
Miami,
FL
33136
322 NW 14th Street,
Miami,
FL
33136
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The Harlem Theater is listed in editions of Film Daily Yearbook from 1940-1955 as a Negro theatre for African American audiences.
It is mentioned in the April 24th 1937 edition of Motion Picture World which is possibly when it opened.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
Given the address this theatre was very close to the old Regal Beer brewery.
This was called the Capitol from 1972-1974.
This was operating as the SKYDOME in 1931.
The Regal Beer brewery was on NW 20th Street just east of 7th Avenue. About where I-95 crosses 20th Street now. We passed the brewery often on the way to my father’s business near the old produce market on 10th Ave. My dad used to tell a story that during the Depression Regal had a beer tap at the NE corner of the building on 20th Street where they would give away free beer for an hour. With pails and pitchers in hand, the line would form early, but hour always ran out before the line got their free beer. In the late ‘40 and early '50s you could still see the pipe they plugged the tap into sticking out of the building.
This was in the Hope (AR) Star in August 1940:
MIAMI, Fla.-Blank pistols are standard equipment for ushers at the Harlem theater in the Miami negro section. Jack Woodberry, an usher, explained the practice when ho was brought into court on a charge of shooting at a negro boy. He said his pistol was loaded only with blanks to frighten youngsters who threaten to crash the gate. Otherwise, he added, the boys return and throw rocks at the theater entrance. A fine against Woodberry was suspended.
That sounds like a real dumb idea.
This theater was renamed the Capitol in the 1950’s, originally the name of the downtown Miami theater that became the studios for WTVJ (then Channel 4). The Harlem/Capitol was torn down in the late 1960’s for construction of the 836 Expressway.
Was that Regal Brewery the one next to Booker T. Washington High (later Junior) High? If so, I remember it well when I went to school there during the first year of integration. A sour smell fill the air all day long at the school.
The Regal Brewery was on the Miami River near [i think] 20th Street. They made both the Regal and National brands.
1973 Miami News article on closing of the Capitol
View link
Go to Page 3.