Princess Theatre

503 Broad Street,
Gadsden, AL 35901

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42ndStreetMemories
42ndStreetMemories on April 11, 2021 at 7:28 am

Theatre can be seen down the block on the right hand side in this 1940 Shorpy picture https://www.shorpy.com/node/26140?size=_original#caption

Theatrespawn
Theatrespawn on March 21, 2013 at 12:54 am

Note how similar the marquee is to the Decatur Princess Theatre. I suspect Crescent Amusement Co. out of Nashville owned the Gadsden Princess at some time.

Mike Goodson
Mike Goodson on March 11, 2013 at 3:43 pm

The Princess was said to be the last word in moving picture show houses. It had the latest equipment and it was as comfortable as money could make it. It was air conditioned with an 80-ton ice machine and was heated with the most modern apparatus known.

Mike Goodson
Mike Goodson on March 11, 2013 at 3:39 pm

The Princess enjoyed a long and successful life until 1937, when plans were announced to remodel and enlarge the theater.

The Princess reopened June 17, 1937, to a huge crowd in the totally rebuilt auditorium. The opening night feature, “Woman Chases Man,” was viewed by a capacity crowd of 1,500.

Mike Goodson
Mike Goodson on March 11, 2013 at 3:37 pm

The Princess Theatre was originally known as the Imperial Theatre when it opened on Nov. 24, 1920. The first movie shown was “The Right to Love,” which starred Mae Murray and David Powell. A capacity crowd filled the 730 seats on opening night.

Mike Goodson
Mike Goodson on March 11, 2013 at 3:34 pm

The Princess Theatre’s last movie was Nov. 4, 1963. Fewer than 100 people were enjoying the movie “All The Way Home.” It ended at 10:30 p.m., and the theater closed its doors for what would be the last time.

Mike Goodson
Mike Goodson on August 9, 2012 at 3:47 pm

The Princess Theatre burned in 1963.