Teatro Paradise

Historical Facts on the Paradise: Inagurated on December 12, 1945 it was a Cobian Theater marketed during the Inauguration as “The best in the Antilles” and also “As good as the Paramount”. Capacity was 1200 seats and it had a Mezzannine.

Inaugural show was “Rhapsody in Blue”
Antecedents: at the begining of the Century (1912) there was a Teatro Nuevo located at the same address which featured silent movies.

Last December 2005 Rio Piedras, (in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of its inauguration); the town where it is located celebrated a “Night for the Paradise”. There were several activities at the libraries around the area, conferences on the history of Rio Piedras Theaters, presentations of the rennovation plans, the street was closed and a genuine town party happened. Music, food, artisans. The theater was opened, cleaned and illuminated. There is no roof, but in the walls we played Cinema Paradiso as a great metephor. It wwas a beautiful, almost magic cativity. People did not want to leave!

It was a long narrow theater. I went a lot when I was at UPR and lived at the Darlington. Saw it in January and looks as awful as in the Jan. 19 pics. Well, they were taken a few days after I passed by the theater. What a shame!

If I remember correctly, in the 60s Rio Piedras had the Paradise (Cobian), Modelo (a Llamas theater) and Cobian’s New Victoria, the remodeled old Victoria which the interior was decorated as the newly remodeled Puerto Rico in Santurce nd played day-and-date with Santurce theaters. I don’t remember any other theaters in Rio Piedras. I don’t know what to tell you. If they destroyed the Paramount, except for the facade, then they can do the same with the Paradise. I really don’t know what to tell you. Sorry. Have a good night, Davsot.

thanks, if you can, add me.

I am doing a documentary about Cine Roosevelt. If you have any memorabilia or information about Teatros Cobian, the original owners of the cinema, please contact me at