Capitol Theatre
50 N. George Street,
York,
PA
17401
50 N. George Street,
York,
PA
17401
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Built 1906 as a one-level dance hall named The Theatorium; converted to movie theatre in 1917 and renamed The Jackson.
Purchased by Nathan and Louis Appell Sr. in 1926 who remodeled the theatre and reopened as the Capitol Theatre in 1927. It is equipped with a Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ. Closed in 1977 but renovated and reopened in 1981 as part of the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center.
The Strand-Capitol Theatre has its own page on Cinema Treasures.
Contributed by
Joe Jefcoat
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
PHONE:
717.846.1111
Originally had 1,024 seats.
Owners:
1926-1953 Warner Brothers
1953-at least 1967 Stanley Warner Corp. of New York, N.Y.
Later-1969 RKO Stanley Warner (Partially owned by Pacific Theaters)
It’s nice to see that they still show movies.
Anyone have more info or photos?
The Theatorium was showing movies at least as early as 1908. An item in the September 19 issue of The Moving Picture World that year said that the Theatorium was enjoying such success that it had been compelled to double its floor space.
Does anyone have any information or photos for the Hi-Way Theatre that was on Carlisle St? Have several ads for it. Thanks!
The HiWay Theatre was located on W. Market Street near the border with W. York. It was close to the fire house which was located across the street. The Hiway Theatre, at least while I was living in York in the 1960’s going to college was operated by the William Goldman Theatre chain from Philadelphia. The Hiway had a special reserved seat engagement of “The Sound of Music” in 1966, but it was shown in 35mm and not stereo sound. The theatre building itself is still standing, but the marquee and front of the theatre have been demolished. It looks like it has become part of the Pewterax company which is located next door to the left of the theatre.
Thanks Dennis. From the various ads I have from the 60’s,they had a very unusual booking system. They would go from a huge hit movie to a grade b to a more artsy picture to a porno and back again.
Marcel: William Goldman Theatres used that strange booking policy. If they did not have a first run movie to play, they would fill in with “x rated” movies, but never the XXX that were shown at the adult theatres that operated at that time. The HiWay Theatre was all one floor and my guess is it seated somewhere in the 600-700 range if my memory of the interior is correct. I know there were two aisles with sections of seats along the walls and a center section of seats. The proscenium, once again if my memory serves me, was framed in wood rather than the traditional plaster. I remember getting the feeling looking at it like a ranch house type feeling. If anyone esle has any more information it would be nice to add the theatre to this website, because I do not think it is currently listed. I think the only time I was in this theatre was to see “Sound of Music” which I had already seen a long time before this at the William Goldman Midtown Theatre in Center City Philadelphia. There it was shown in the Todd-Ao and stereo sound.