State Theatre
181 Montcalm Street,
Ticonderoga,
NY
12883
181 Montcalm Street,
Ticonderoga,
NY
12883
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The State Theatre was very plain inside and I’d guess seated between 700 and 850 people including the balcony. It was located in downtown Ticonderoga.The exterior was art deco-ish but I don’t remember the interior well enough to label the style. The main floor auditorium was a work in progress. Memory tells me they were insulating it. The outside of the theatre was white tile with green trim — a combination quite often used by the Shine theatre chain.
Although I have no confirmation the State Theatre was originally part of the Shine chain, the theatre’s exterior was very similar to the Shine theatres located in Watertown, Potsdam, Amsterdam, and Auburn. Sometime before 1981, the theatre had been twinned between the balcony and the main auditorium.
The day we toured the State Theatre the heating wasn’t working but the balcony theatre was open. If possible I always try to see a movie in the theatres I visit, so we stayed for the screening of “The Entity”. Memory tells me there were two other crazies besides us sitting in this 50 degree theatre watching this movie. Well, everyone was a lot younger in 1981, including Barbara Hershey who looked great as ususal.
I haven’t been back to Ticonderoga since 1981, but I know the fort survived but the State did not. The manager of another theatre told me the State Theatre is gone.
Contributed by
Richard Grows
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
The State was taken over in the early 90’s by a theatre employee who de-twinned it (piggyback configuration) and was restoring it. One night, about 10 or 12 years ago now, the theatre collapsed.
The address for the State Theatre AKA Playhouse, was 181 Montcalm Street, Ticonderoga, NY.
In his 1987 book, “Great American Movie Theaters,” David Naylor reported that the theatre first opened in 1916: “Entry to the State is marked by an Art Deco marquee attached to its original Greek Revival street facade. The theater was known as the Playhouse before a renovation in 1937 for movie showings. At that time, the classical decor of the interior was revamped along Moderne lines. Of special note were the new light fixtures, formed by strips of glass and illuminated in a variety of colors. Although the State was twinned in 1984, the current owner has announced plans to restore this last old theater in town to its 1937 appearance.”
In January 1945 the State Theater was part of the Kalle chain:
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The circuit was called Kallet Theatres (not Kalle). It was a family-owned company headed, in 1945, by M.J. Kallet, according to the Film Daily Year Book edition of that year. At that time, Kallet operated 36 theatres in Upper New York State, with headquarters in Oneida, where it ran the Kallet, Madison, and Regent Theatres.
The circuit was called Kallet Theatres (not Kalle). It was a family-owned company headed, in 1945, by M.J. Kallet, according to the Film Daily Year Book edition of that year. At that time, Kallet operated 36 theatres in Upper New York State, with headquarters in Oneida, where it ran the Kallet, Madison, and Regent Theatres.
Thanks for the correction Warren. I missed that “t” in the ad print.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
State Theater (added 1999 – Building – #92000454)
Also known as The Playhouse
Essex County – 18 Montcalm St., Ticonderoga
(less then 1 acres, 1 building)
Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event
Architect, builder, or engineer: Kallet-Comerford Corp.
Architectural Style: Art Deco, Classical Revival
Area of Significance: Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation
Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Theater
Current Function: Vacant/Not In Use
This was the State Theater 1983.
The State Theatre opened in June of 1937. The original marquee featured 800 incandescent bulbs and “countless yards of neon tubing”.