Paramount Theatre
30 Center Street,
Rutland,
VT
05701
30 Center Street,
Rutland,
VT
05701
2 people
favorited this theater
This beautiful downtown vaudeville playhouse built in 1913-14, originally seating 1,000 has been almost completely restored.
Originally, the town of Rutland sat on the rail line connecting Boston and Montreal, and was a benefactor from the top name talent that would stop to play this house while making the trip.
When built, this venue was said to have been one of the finest in the country.
It was used as a movie theater as part of the Paramount New England chain from the 1930’s thru the late-1970’s, when it ultimately closed and fell into disrepair, until a community grass-roots campaign spent 10 years during the 1990’s raising the funds to buy the building and restore it to opening day splendor.
The restored building initially had no projection equipment and was exclusively used for live performances.
The theater had many innovations for the day. Interestingly, the theatre was essentially considered fireproof, including the original Dubarry rose tapestry that covered the sidewalls. (The tapestry fabric has been remade for the renovation by a New York company, matched to original.) The building also had automatic sprinklers installed as an original feature.
It was sold and converted to the Paramount Theatre when the New England Paramount chain bought the theatre to add to the growing circuit in 1931.
Contributed by
Aaron Bennet
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Recent comments (view all 12 comments)
In its final years as a movie house, this theatre was simply called “The Movies”. The Grand Theatre, located a block away, finished its days as a moviehouse known as “Movieland”. Both were operated by Cinema North, which currently has the Plaza 9 in Rutland and the Westway 4 in West Rutland.
This is a modern photo of the Paramount Theater.
In the 1942-43 edition of the Motion Picture Almanac, there is a long list of theatre circuits in the US and Canada. The Paramount in Rutland is listed under the M&P Circuit (Mullin & Pananski) of Boston, which was affiliated with Paramount. According to the list, M&P controlled 5 theatres in Vermont, the Paramount, Grand and Strand in Rutland, and the Paramount and Magnet in Barre.
Saw this theatre last week on a cycling trip. Great downtown and the theatre fits right in with all the filled up storefronts. The Indigo Girls were playing the night I was leaving.
Photos can be seen here.
At one time this theatre was also known as The Movies.
1980 photo of The Movies Theatre.
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The Paramount has started showing classic movies and plans to show second run movies. An article is here.
What goes around comes around,Movies again at the PARAMOUNT.
I attended a show at the Paramount last year. It is absolutely beautiful!
From the 1940s a photo postcard view of downtown Rutland along with the Paramount Theatre on Center Street.