Cinerama Theatre
811 Hope Street,
Providence,
RI
02906
811 Hope Street,
Providence,
RI
02906
11 people
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Daytz Theatre Enterprises Corp., Lockwood & Gordon Enterprises
Previous Names: Hope Theatre
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News About This Theater
The Hope Theatre was opened on November 24, 1927 as a neighborhood theatre. It originally had 1,011 seats. By 1957 it was operated by Daytz Theatre Enterprises Corp. In August 1961, it was converted for use in exhibiting 3-projector Cinerama features, which it did successfully until the process became obsolete.
A period of revivals and some first runs ensued until the theatre was twinned in the 1970’s and became a very successful art house showing some of the best product of the period, as well as occasional series of Hollywood classics in revival.
This policy continued through 1983, when the theatre property was purchased and the site was demolished for the purpose of erecting a CVS drugstore.
Contributed by
Gerald A. DeLuca
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Recent comments (view all 63 comments)
The Theatre Historical Society archive has the MGM Theatre Report for this theater when it was the Hope. It’s Card # 545. There is an exterior photo taken May 1941. Address is 811 Hope, condition is Good. It was not showing MGM films, and it had 934 seats.
I was manager of the Hope Theater during Summer of 1955 and previously managed the Cameo Theater (Summer 1954) in South Weymouth, MA for Louis & Gordon Theaters Co of Boston. I was Assistant Manager of the Avon Cinema during the early 1950’s, also owned by Louis & Gordon. The Hope was a very busy, quality 2nd run movie house with a strong neigborhood following in those days.
Robert,
I ran the theatre in the late 70’s and worked there from 1969. When I started, it was Lockwood & Gordon which must have been a successor to Louis and Gordon. It was purchased by SBC Theatres around ‘71 or so and remained in their hands until it was sold and torn down.
Just wondered if you knew Doug Amos or Jack O'Sullivan from your L&G days.
Does anyone recall (or willing to research) if the 70mm re-releases of “Gone With The Wind” (1967-68) and/or “This Is Cinerama” (1973) played here?
I worked there in various capacities from 1968-79 and don’t recall either.
The 70mm release of “Gone With the Wind” did not play there. It played at the Four Seasons (now East Providence 10) in East Providence. I saw it there. I thought it was an abomination for the way it cropped and vandalized the original movie’s aspect ratio. “This is Cinerama” played there beginning August 9, 1961. I submitted a comment on that somewhere below. Check it out.
The Hope (Cinerama) Theatre was two miles from the Strand in Pawtucket and 1 ½ miles from the Avon in Providence.
The Hope Theatre first opened on or about November 4, 1927.
Here’s a new 4-page 50th anniversary FIDDLER ON THE ROOF retrospective featuring a roadshow playdate chronology and historian Q&A. The Cinerama’s lengthy run is mentioned in the piece.
A (work-in-progress) chronology of Providence’s 70mm presentations has been published. The Cinerama gets several mentions in the article.