Palace Theater
5 Wick Avenue at Central Square,
Youngstown,
OH
44502
5 Wick Avenue at Central Square,
Youngstown,
OH
44502
1 person
favorited this theater
The Keith Albee Palace Theater was located at 5 Wick Avenue at Central Square in the heart of downtown Youngstown, Ohio. The theater opened on March 16, 1926 and remained in operation for only thirty eight years. The opening act was Betty & Burt Wheeler, an outstanding dance and comedy team of the 1920’s.
In 1928, the theater converted to sound equipment and as vaudeville faded into the past, the Palace Theater still retained a steady billing of live entertainment including the Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey Bands, The Glen Miller Orchestra, Paul Whiteman, Horace Heidt, and others.
A Neo-Classical style building, the theater had many unique features including an underground tunnel linking it with The Tod Hotel across Central Square.
The theater closed on Sunday, November 29, 1964. The closing picture was “First Men In The Moon”. The lavish interior appointments were dismantled and sold at auction prior to demolition.
The site still remains a parking lot thirty eight years after the Palace Theater closed it’s doors.
Contributed by
John C. Harris
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Recent comments (view all 52 comments)
The ST. Moritz Ice Follies was at the Palace Theater for a four day stay .
Here is a link to the Vindicator article about it along with the ad.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BUNJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DYQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4388%2C1642679
Burkesneice, in the photo section for this theater I’ve placed a copy of the ad for you.
Hope that the link and photo help.
Here is the link to another article about the ice show.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BENJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DYQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=974%2C1498756
Wayne, in regards to your comment on Youngstown audiences, they were sticklers for perfection and would not settle for second best, and over the years many performers were booed off the stage.
There is a report that in the dressing room of a Broadway theater someone wrote: “If you think you’re good, try playing Youngstown, Ohio.”
I’ve tried to search out the authenticity of this story and which New York theater this was at, but couldn’t verify it, but hopefully someone can verify it.
Wayne, in regards to your comment on Youngstown audiences, they were sticklers for perfection and would not settle for second best, and over the years many performers were booed off the stage.
There is a report that in the dressing room of a Broadway theater someone wrote: “If you think you’re good, try playing Youngstown, Ohio.”
I’ve tried to search out the authenticity of this story and which New York theater this was at, but couldn’t verify it, but hopefully someone can verify it.
Hi, My mother talked about the Palace Theater many times. When she moved to Youngstown from Coraopolis, Pa in the late 40’s, she and a friend worked next door at Friedmans. It was a deli/lunch counter and also a candy shop. Mom said they would sneek into see shows because there was a side door that was always unlocked. She talked about all the big shows and big bands that they got to watch. I wish she was alive so I could show her the wonderful pictures of the theater. I almost thought that was her in the one picture standing alone and the movie banner reads The More the Merrier. But that was made before she moved to Youngstown. Is it possible that Friedmans is to the right of the marque? Thank you for all your hard work with this website.
I do recall doors leading to Rodney-Ann’s. If I’m not mistaken it was on the right hand side of the lobby, but I could be wrong and hopefully someone might know for sure.
When Mother and I would attend a movie at the Palace we would go there after the show for something to eat.
I’ve added a photo of the lobby that shows the doors that I was talking about. Does that ring a bell?
@ wolfgirl, It was funny to read your comments about Youngstown audiences being a tough crowd, because I have said the same thing for years. My band started playing at the Cedars Lounge, on North Hazel St. in 1983 when I was still in high school. We played for years there to develop a following. We really had to work at it. The first time we headlined a show at a club in New York City, we were an immediate smash hit and nobody there really even knew us. I remember thinking, “Gee, that was easy, not like playing Youngstown.”
Barry Manalow played here recently using members of the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra as backup and commented that the sold out audience was fantastic and that he’d come back any time.
We’ve become so accustom to having top shelf performers come here that we’ve been spoiled silly.
I’ve been to movies that got rave reviews at the local first run houses here that were total flops attendence wise and to others where the SRO sign was set up by the box office that got poor reviews so go figure.