Carlton Theatre
79 Mathewson Street,
Providence,
RI
02903
79 Mathewson Street,
Providence,
RI
02903
3 people
favorited this theater
A medium sized theatre in downtown Providence used through much of its existence as a second-run or move-over theatre. The Carlton Theatre was demolished in 1954 and a parking lot is on the site today.
Contributed by
Gerald A. DeLuca
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Recent comments (view all 37 comments)
Hi! i’m an interior architecture student from RISD researching on the Rialto Theater.
Does anyone know why the architecture of the facade of Rialto and Carlton are so similar? Were they by the same architect, and who was he??
I know that the original structure of Rialto (when it was first the Westminster Congregational Church) was designed by Warren, Tallman & Bucklin (architects of the Arcade), and William R. Walker & Sons did the 1902 facade renovations (to become the Scenic Temple?)
Please solve the mystery for me?
thanks,
ming
071118= Prov Theaters dougvbrown files
Researching Mathewson St (79) Carlton –(121)Rialto- (126)Casino and
(193) Union St Empire Theater bldgs Prov.,RI
Read recently that the Carlton Theater bldg -at 79 Mathewson St Prov. RI
architect was William R. Walker & Sons who designed several other bldgs down city Prov— After reading MING’s keen observation of the Carlton facade VS the Rialto facade my mystery is the Casino Theater bldg -126 Mathewson St Prov RI …. if it was also designed by William R. Walker & Sons ?
As an eyewitness to the Casino Theater bldg (Shepard’s Tearoom-1947)
the 1916 photo of the Emery/Carlton Theater bldg had me fooled to thinking it was the Casino Theater -because of the alley windows design ..
at Shepard’s one alley window was actually the kitchen rear door & on hot days many smoke break hrs and the alley architecture was etched in my
mind and the aromas……Guess you have to had been there
Thanks MING…..
An ad appearing in the Providence newspaper on August 30, 1926:
[i]Edward M. Fay announces the reopening next Monday at noon of the new Emery, a Fay Theatre, 79 Mathewson Street.
Completely refurnished, redecorated and re-established as a modern theatre, a marvel of the decorator’s art. Under new and efficient managerial supervision. A Playhouse providing entertainment in comfort for each member of the family. Its shows guaranteed to be consistently good —– vaudeville and pictures.[/i]
Here is an October 1916 ad.
Notice on the death of Providence exhibitor John F. Toohey, who ran the Carlton over a period of years. This article includes a brief history of the theatre up to its closing in 1953 and razing in 1954. Boxoffice magazine, October 14, 1963:
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Item in Boxoffice magazine, October 25, 1952:
“The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima” packed them in at the Majestic. It was scheduled to move to the Carlton for an undetermined period."
A view of the Carlton Theatre marquee and Mathewson Street can be seen in this photo which probably dates to the late 1940s or early 1950s.
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The Emery Theatre closed for the sumer of 1927 for refurbishing, was renamed the Carlton Theatre, and opened under that name on Labor Day, September 5, 1927 with a film program of The Gingham Girl (“Broadway’s greatest musical show brought to the screen”), starring Geo. K. Arthur and Lois Wilson. But this was a silent film. Sound would not fully arrive for another couple of years. Also on the program was an Our Gang comedy called “The Glorious Fourth”, the news, and five live Vaudeville acts. The theatre’s grand organ and orchestra are mentioned in the ad. Programs ran from noon to 10:30 P.M., Sundays from 2:30.
In an unusual bit of programming in February 1921, Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid was booked simultaneously in five downtown Providence theatres: the Strand, the Emery, the Modern, Fays, and the Rialto. Occasionally some highly anticipated movies might play in two downtown theatres, but never five! It seems to have run only one week, in an era when that was pretty much the norm, with films running a single week downtown, then moving to second run theatres and outlying houses. Each of these theatres accompanied this feature with short subjects or live Vaudeville acts.
In September 1926, this theatre was part of the eleven-theatre Celebrate Paramount Week.
Newspaper ad.