Astor Theatre
176 Tremont Street,
Boston,
MA
02108
176 Tremont Street,
Boston,
MA
02108
7 people
favorited this theater
The Tremont Theatre was opened on October 14, 1889, and was the third Tremont Theatre to be built on the site. In November 1947, it was remodeled and reopened as the Astor Theatre. One of the premiere first run movie theatres in Boston’s past. It was located opposite the Boston Common on Tremont Street. It was where De Mille’s “The Ten Commandments” played in the 1950’s.
Demolished in July 1983, the Loews Boston Common multiplex now occupies the same general spot.
Contributed by
Gerald A. DeLuca
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Recent comments (view all 62 comments)
I have an old postcard photo of my great grandmother Marguerite Estabrook that was taken around 1900-1915.
She is dressed in an Oriental Robe and is holding a Chinese fan.
The back of the postcard reads ‘Jamieson 173 Tremont Street Boston Mass.’
She did sing at her church in Needham Mass, but that’s all we know of her.
I originally thought Jamieson was a photography studio but cannot find anything on 173 Tremont.
I can only find 176 tremont info, which is the theatre.
Does anyone know or remember what might have been at 173 tremont?
My map search brings up the Loews Theatre, which makes me believe this photo was taken inside the ‘Tremont theatre’ and maybe my great grandmother performed there.
Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks!
I believe that 173 Tremont is the address not of the Loews Boston Common (and formerly the Tremont/Astor theatre), but rather of the building on the other side of Avery Street.
1
Thanks Ron, there must have been a Jamieson Photography studio around the corner.
Thanks again-
For a minute there I thought maybe she was part of some Vaudville Show-which would have been totally out of character from what we know of her blue-blood English up-bringing!
In the 1895 Boston city directory, in a list of theaters, there is a “Kinetoscope Parlor” located at 169 Tremont St., very near the entrance of the Tremont Theatre. Kinetoscopes were early moving picture machines.
Cool photos.
Rossellini’s Open City played the Tremont in February, 1947. An Italian-language neorealist movie was not a typical film for this house. The movie had already had a run at the Old South in 1946, and perhaps elsewhere.
Having been going to the Astor since about 1950 I found it to be one of the most uncomfortable seating wise next to the Exeter. When they installed Cinemascope in 1952-53 they had one of the biggest screens in town. The biggest were the Metropolitan and the Lowes Oprpheum. The biggest was actually the Coolidge Corner(inside) and the Avon Drive-In outside. They had one of if not the best early stereo sound systems in the city. I remember all the big coming attractions billboards advertising coming events. The add for the Ten Commandments and The longest Day were up for weeks before opening.The last movie I saw at the Astor was a 3D showing of The House Of Wax in 1972-73 on New Years Eve. It was fun for me and the wife because neither one of us were into clubs. I do believe that The Stewardesses in 3D never showed at the Astor. It played at the Music Hall during its downside. I remember taking my girlfriend(now my wife) and we both walked out halfway through. I also remember going to the Orpheum for a re-release in the late 60’s of a 70mm blowup of The Girl Can’t Help It and also of 7 Brides For 7 Brothers. They had a huge screen and fully curved because these were originally 35mm Cinemascope films. There were several 70mkm equipped theatres downtown before and after Sack took over. The Cinerama, Lowes Orpheum, Metropolitan.Astor RKO Keiths and maybe others. After Sack took over we had the Gary, Saxon, Capri and I believe the Paris. Also we had the Walter Reade with a huge screen. Saw many big films there like Ryans Daughter and Star Wars.
To set the record straight the Astor had a modified Todd-AO screen it wasn’t a deep curve like the early Todd-AO screens. It was one of the biggest screens in the greater Boston area as the stage and dressing rooms to the right of the stage were removed to make room for the screen. There was movable top and side masking and it was one of the few theaters where the 70mm picture was wider and taller than any other format. The screen was never opened to its full size when running 35mm. There was a curtain but it was not used during the last few years the theater was open. So aside from the Cinerama theater and the Wang center (Music Hall) the Astor had one of the biggest screens in Boston. It was also one of the first theaters in Boston to use a an electric motor to drive the projectors.
In a 1918 Boston street directory, the Tremont Theatre was listed at 176 Tremont St., where the lobby entrance was located, and also at 26 Avery Street. Perhaps the latter was the office address. Also at 176 Tremont were 6 businesses.