Beverly Theatre

13 E. National Avenue,
Brazil, IN 47831

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Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on May 13, 2022 at 8:22 am

The 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory lists a movie house called the Princess Theatre at 15 E. National Avenue, next door to the store that would become the Beverly. I’ve been unable to find out how long this theater lasted.

The January 11, 1935 issue of Motion Picture Daily had an item about a new theater that might have been the Beverly, but it doesn’t give an exact location or name:

“Brazil, Ind., Jan. 10.— A new downtown theatre is being completed here from a remodeled business building by a company headed by H. V. Neese. It will seat 500.”

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on September 2, 2021 at 9:55 pm

The April 18, 1957 issue of the Brazil Daily Times said that the Beverly Theatre building was being remodeled for the Thrift Department Store, which was located one door west. The floor had been leveled. The article didn’t say how long the house had been closed.

The January 6, 1940 issue of Boxoffice had a brief item datelined Brazil saying “Samuel M. Grimes has opened the new Cine, a 375-seat house.” I’ve been unable to find a theater called the Cine mentioned in the local newspaper, or any mention of a Samuel Grimes. The size and maybe the timing sort of match up with the Beverly, though.

SethG
SethG on June 8, 2021 at 1:21 pm

The building was very old, but I’m not sure on the theater. The building was a deep two story brick building constructed sometime before 1883. The 1921 map shows a haberdasher there. The 1946 update shows the theater, which had a simple rectangular wooden awning or marquee.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on November 18, 2013 at 7:05 pm

I think there were two narrow aisles flanking the continental seats. There are two doors, one to each side, at the back of the auditorium. The Beverly Theatre might have already been fairly old in 1938, as the seats appear to have wooden backs. The owners probably couldn’t afford more than a new coat of paint to spruce the place up.