Paramount Theater
195 Market Street,
Newark,
NJ
07102
195 Market Street,
Newark,
NJ
07102
8 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 65 comments found
This theater actually opened in 1886 as H.C. Miner’s Newark Theatre, not 1895. For more information check out my blog post After the Final Curtain
I walked by the Paramount on 5/9/11. It is completely boarded up. Whatever store was there is gone. No notice that any future construction or renovation was planned.
Thanks Alex and AlbanyGregg.
Any word on what is happening at this theatre?
Has the new owner done anythning with it?
Nowadays I work just down the block from the Paramount. It really is horrible to see how awful it, and all of Market Street, looks, especially with the new Prudential Center on the next block.
Back in the mid-1960s, when I was little, I was a big Jerry Lewis fan. As a Paramount star, they were always showing revivals of his films at the Paramount in Newark. I remember making my poor mother (who was NOT a Lewis fan) take me to the Paramount to see “The Errand Boy,†“The Bell Boy†and “Cinderfella.†I only have a vague memory of the interior, just of sitting in the balcony and marveling at the vast, elegant space. It was probably the largest theatre I was ever in (except possibly the Lowe’s in Newark) until finally went to Radio City Music Hall.
Well, it looks like Don Lewis and Ayers have discovered another long lost theater! I searched the database to see if there was another Paramount listed in Newark as a former name and there is not. This theater looks rather substantial. What we don;t know is if it actually showed movies. If this photo is accurately from the early 1900’s it is possible that it was solely a vaudeville house and never actually showed films, but it looks like it was a beautiful theater nonetheless.
The 1900s postcard view of the Paramount and the 2009 view are two different Paramount theaters. The 1900s Paramount is located on Broad St right across from city hall the 2009 theater is located on Market St near the Prudential/ Rock arena.
Thanks gallion.Jerry Lewis writes about his theatre days in “DEAN and ME” he even writes about his failed twin cinemas.
From the early 1900s a postcard view of the Paramount Theater in Newark.
From 1948 to 1952 there were four first run movie theaters in downtown Newark.
They were Loews State, Paramount, Branford, and Proctors. The Adams was not in
their league during this time. I was head usher at Loews State in 49&50 and later
asst mgr there. I read somewhere about “Ben Hur” shown at the Adams in the late
fifties. Not likely as this was MGM and Loews was still open then.
Also, the local wisdom them was that Jerry Lewis had worked at the Paramount in
the early forties as an usher. About 10 years ago Jerry mentioned, during a TV interview, that
he worked at Loews State around 1941, and was fired for trying to unionize his
fellow ushers. I am hazy on the Adams, but believe it became a burlesque house
in the late forties. There was also a burlesque on Washington called the Empire, and
perhaps I am confusing these two. Loews State on Broad st was to my mind the most
beautiful of these old movie palaces. by gallion 6/13/10
Another 2009 photo of the Paramount Theatre.
View link
Sounds like it could be the Adams Theatre on Branford Place?
In the late 1950’s my family lived in Linden, NJ. In June of 1959 my cousin visited from MO and we went to see “Around the World In 80 Days” at a theater in downtown Newark. The lobby was all white, appeared to be mostly marble, with a huge staircase leading to the balcony. Does anyone recall which theater that was and if it is still standing? I’ll never forget how beautiful the lobby was.
Here is a thought; Imagine if the new Owner, Prudential/Rock, and Corey Booker and the City of Newark pooled thier resources together and refurbished the facade and marquee of this theatre it could be a win win for all involved. The Rock (around the corner) could advertise events at the arena on the marquee and to take it a step further reclaim the lobby space and have a mini pro-shop offering Devil’s and Newark Bears licensed merchandise, after all sports wear seems to be the attraction on Market St. and maybe a part time box office for all of Newarks Art’s, NJPAC, The Rock, Symphony Hall, Bears Stadium.
Just a poor man’s idear.The theatre may never open again but for a CT'r this would be a little foreplay!
Photo from a different angle.
View link
registering
Some more photos from the same photographer.
View link
View link
Here is a 2004 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/y8a77br
Does anyone have contact info for Morris Shasho? I’m trying to dig it up but to no avail.
Thanks!
Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/leebs3
I was at the Rock recently for an afternoon event. You can get a good clear elevated view of the Paramount from inside the glass walled concourse.
This is another 1981 photo.
Here is a 1981 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/dkon8y
Here is the link to that story:
View link
In todays Star Ledger, there is an article about a gentleman who purchased this theatre for 2 million dollars and wants to bring it back to its former glory. He said however that he is not against putting all retail in it if his plans for a theatre fall through.
It shows him standing under the marquee.