Century Theatre
208 Dauphin Street,
Mobile,
AL
36602
208 Dauphin Street,
Mobile,
AL
36602
No one has favorited this theater yet
Built in 1937 in the midst of the Depression with Cooper Van Antwerp as architect, the Century Theatre was an ultra-modern cinema that caused culture shock in a city still mourning the South’s defeat in the Civil War. More information is needed about the Century’s history and the current status of the site.
Contributed by
Warren G. Harris
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
This is a vintage photo of the Century Theater. Date given with photo is 1937. The site also mentions that this was formerly the Crescent Theater.
It’s probable that the Century was a gut renovation of the Crescent. Here’s an image of the Century’s streamlined auditorium, copied from a 1939 trade journal: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/centurymobile.jpg
There was another cinema nearby, the 500-seat Crown Theatre, at 212 Dauphin Street.
There is a Crown Theater listed on this site as the Midtown Theater but the address given is 270 Dauphin Street. Maybe its a different Crown Theater.
In its infinite wisdom, the 1957 Film Daily Year Book has two theatres listed for 212 Dauphin Street, the 500-seat Crown and the 450-seat Empire. I would guess that the FDYB address given for the Crown is incorrect. There are no other theatres listed for Mobile’s Dauphin Street, though the Booker T is listed without a specific address.
Located at 208 Dauphin Street is Derry’s Ole Tyme Cafe. This is an interior photo.
In 2004, there was a fire in this building. Some exterior photos after the fire can be seen here and here. Its the building with the blue awning. All of the buildings on that block appear to be old but I haven’t read anything that indicates that the cafe is located in the former theater building.
Here’s a new link to an image described above on 11/11/07 at 11:08am:
View link
This theater is alive and well. It is now known as the Crescent Theater. Theater with an “er”. Independent films and classic films are shown here. Here is their website.
This is a photo of the Crescent Theater.
Century described in this 1937 trade article: Boxoffice