State Theatre

100 Main Street,
Jewett City, CT 06351

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Showing 1 - 25 of 52 comments

robboehm
robboehm on March 30, 2015 at 7:43 am

Uploaded photo from Cinema Tour referred to by bicyclerider. He shows the address as 80. When you look at his picture the entrance is now at the right hand side of the building whereas the postcard image shows it further to the left. Possible explanation, when the theater was twinned the building was modified and the entrance relocated to what had been the store next door. Can’t tell if the façade was altered. In the postcard the theater entrance portion is significant higher than the adjacent buildings.

robboehm
robboehm on January 22, 2015 at 12:25 pm

Never heard of the second film on the marquee in the postcard, Honolulu Lu until now. Starred Lupe Velez, Leo Carrillo and Bruce Bennett.

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on June 3, 2012 at 2:04 pm

From 1941 a photo postcard view of Main Street along with the State Theatre in Jewett City.

rokcomx
rokcomx on June 3, 2012 at 5:03 am

In summer 1974, the State in Jewett City was being run by the Boston/NYC branch of the Pussycat Cinema chain and screening Deep Throat. The State shared employees with the nearby Palace Twin in Norwich, also part of the chain, which sometimes showed mainstream films on one screen and X-rated features on the other.

robboehm
robboehm on May 8, 2011 at 5:38 pm

Just came upon this. When I summered in nearby Voluntown in the 1950s the theatre was only open on weekends. I’m surprised it lasted as long as it did.

bicyclereporter
bicyclereporter on June 15, 2010 at 8:01 pm

Stupid me, I forgot to post about this the other day. I was on a bike trip and snapped pix (emailed to CinemaTour). It’s the Jewett City Pharmacy. The marquee is still there but empty of letters and “STATE” is still above it.

2 poster holders are on either side of the exit doors. There’s a drop ceiling but it’s spacious inside. The owner says the back offices are where the stage house is, but there are no remnants of the original theater.

jessNdavie
jessNdavie on March 18, 2009 at 2:04 pm

Hi,
I was wondering if any of you know who might possibly be in ownership of this empty shell of a theater now? Please let me know if you have any information. I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks so much.

movies10063
movies10063 on November 21, 2008 at 7:04 pm

the state theatre had 216 seats in each auditorium

Roger Katz
Roger Katz on December 8, 2006 at 5:49 pm

Please update status to closed.

bvita
bvita on September 25, 2006 at 6:24 am

Actually the equipment went to North Dakota where it will be installed next month. Most of the seats went to NH. We pulled the booth out the majority of the chairs in May. The remaining 153 chairs were pulled in July.

All of the equipment is now out of the buiding and what’s left is an empty shell.

Brian Vita, President
Cinema Service & Supply, Inc.
www.cssinc.com

Roger Katz
Roger Katz on September 25, 2006 at 12:16 am

No. It was sent off to Idaho or Iowa or something.

larryb7313
larryb7313 on September 24, 2006 at 8:03 pm

does this theatre still have all of its equipment?

SpikeSpiegel6262044
SpikeSpiegel6262044 on April 9, 2006 at 8:17 am

That’s sad, I hate to hear about these small theaters closing. I have an idea that may sound retarded. Is there a local theater group in the community? Maybe it can be used for live performances and can play movies once in a while.

Roger Katz
Roger Katz on April 7, 2006 at 5:55 pm

The State Theatre is closing down for good on April 16, 2006. The final two films it will play are Casablanca and The Big Sleep. I think this is it for the State. Closing four times in four years sounds like its death knell. See the article at View link

moviectbuff81
moviectbuff81 on December 22, 2005 at 5:18 pm

How much are tickets at the theatre and how much are the items at the concession stand? Is there typically just two showings (one per movie) each weekend night?

kevin51
kevin51 on December 22, 2005 at 3:09 pm

Yes the Lisbon landing Theatres have killed our business thats why my predecessors have faired not very well.

kevin51
kevin51 on December 22, 2005 at 3:07 pm

Yes the theatre is only open on weekends because little or no one comes in Mon _ Thurs. And it is extremely expensive to heat the building for only a handfull of people. We have been showing first run art movies such as Pride and Prejudice and Good Night and Good Luck. but because our low attendance the movie companies will not make us new prints untill we can boost our attendance dramaticlly.So now we will be getting art films as they come off other theatres. We had tried running Kids films on Saturday and Sunday afternoons with little or no attendance.Also I have had Tried a few second run movies with the same result.

Roger Katz
Roger Katz on December 22, 2005 at 12:42 am

You can see my photos of it taken this summer when it was under previous management at http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=7258

Roger Katz
Roger Katz on December 22, 2005 at 12:41 am

The theatre was completely renovated less than two years ago. New seats and digital signage were but a couple of the renovations. The place looks really good.

moviectbuff81
moviectbuff81 on December 21, 2005 at 7:44 pm

Lately there have been a lot of second-run movies at the theatre showing on weekends only. I believe its business got hurt after the large Marquee Cinemas 12 opened in Lisbon Landing Shopping Center in Lisbon, CT only a few miles away. What renovations were made to the theatre in the past few years? Advertising recent renovations might help out the business. Bringing independent or art films is an excellent way to compete against the megaplexes.

kevin51
kevin51 on December 21, 2005 at 4:23 pm

I am the fourth owner of this theatre since 2003. I am trying to keep it going even though I am losing losing money every day that I am open. I love these old neighborhood moviehouses and I am not doing this for the money.It is becoming extremely harder to do business since local papers like the Norwich Bulletin and New London day no longer will list movie times for free. I am presently showing art films trying to build a following for these films I would appreciate it if all you wonderful people would try to get the word out for me so I can keep this wonderful theatre open. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP.

Roger Katz
Roger Katz on December 12, 2005 at 2:21 pm

The function of this theatre should be changed. It is not showing second run movies anymore. it is now showing art movies.

StateTheatreTwin
StateTheatreTwin on October 28, 2005 at 4:28 pm

Dear Ashley,

We closed the theater in late August due to lack of area support, criminal activity (cars being broken into, vandalism, loitering, violence, etc.), and the theater’s need of major, expensive reparations! The theater will most likely be gutted and used as retail space (if anyone is foolish enough to rent it!) in the future. It is a quaint theater stuck in a town over-run by drugs, gin-mills, and low-class residents! How sad…….

kevin51
kevin51 on October 20, 2005 at 5:01 pm

we hope to have the theatre re opened sometime in november. details as i can give them to everyone i will post thank you

angeltriplea
angeltriplea on September 19, 2005 at 5:11 am

Did the theater close again? I haven’t seen any movie’s listed outside of the building in over a week.