Gorman Theatre
29 Kendall Street,
Framingham,
MA
01702
29 Kendall Street,
Framingham,
MA
01702
1 person
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Opened in 1902 by the Gorman Brothers, this was Framingham’s first theater. Variety acts, stage shows, as well as movies were on the bill. The Gorman Brothers on occasion would bring their famous diving horses, which competed, in carnivals and circuses around the country to their Framingham theatre until their retirement years when they moved the horses to the Benson Animal Farm in Nashua NH.
An Esty Organ was installed in 1925. Sound was installed in 1929. In 1947 it was closed for renovation, reopening nine months later by General Cinema which also had aquired the St. George Theatre around the corner, and were in the process of building the first shopping center theater in the country, the Cinema at Shoppers World.
The Gorman Theatre closed April 30, 1970.
Contributed by
David Wodeyla
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
http://www.natickmass.info/chapter2.html is a link to a history of the Gorman, written in 1970 by Virginia Lucier for the Framingham News.
The link has changed. It’s a part of http://natickmass.info/
The address for the Gorman Theatre, was 29 Kendall Street, Farmington, Ma.
Sorry, the Film Daily may have a spelling error. The name of the town is Framingham. The link to the web page is http://natickmass.info/Gorman.htm
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Gorman includes a photo of the entrance made in 1941. The year “1902” appears above the marquee and it is very vintage in appearance. Because my copy of the photo is a washed-out Xerox, it’s not possible to read the attractions. The Report states that the Gorman has beeen a MGM customer for over 10 years, that the theatre is in Good condition; and the seating is: main floor- 406, balcony- 379, total: 785. The population in Framingham in 1940 was 23,200 and the competing theatres for the Gorman are the Hollis and St. George theaters.
Ron, if you check my photo in this link, http://natickmass.info/Gorman.htm is it the same as your photo? I’ve been searching for a view that shows the marquee, with no luck yet. My email is
To dwodeyla: Your photo is different and much better- clearer, sharper and showing much more. The MGM photo has the cornice above “1902” at the top; the large poster case on the left edge; the other large poster case on the right edge, and the gutter and sidewalk at the bottom. The marquee is the same. There is even a similar black sedan parked in front of the right poster case. The arrangement of photos in that case are different. The MGM photo was taken probably about the same time-frame as your photo. The MGM photographer was standing at the same place as your photographer only he moved closer to the building.
As “Gorman’s” this theater is listed in the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook as having 1800 seats and open 6 days per week. The seat count is too high.
A Sanborn map from 1922 lists 850 seats with 2 balconys. The building was modernized in 1948.
I saw wait until dark here.By this time it was in real bad shape.I can remember huge holes in the seats sticky floors.I am not sure when it was torn down but i am sure it was not long after i was there.