Columbia Theatre
500 Broadway Street,
Paducah,
KY
42001
500 Broadway Street,
Paducah,
KY
42001
2 people
favorited this theater
The Columbia Theatre stands as a testament to America’s love for movies and theatre the 1920’s and 1930’s. The 1927 built, brick building has an elaborate facade of blue/white terra cotta tiles. The facade displays eclectic assortment of architectural details, including spiraled Byzantine columns, classical urns, friezes and capitals and busts of Greek goddesses. This theatre in its day was an elegant and exquisite delight… Today needs someone to restore it to its grandeur.
Contributed by
carol
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Recent comments (view all 59 comments)
Very sad to see what happens to many old grand theaters
This is a July 2009 photo.
I looked all through the comments and I didn’t see this link posted. It is a great August 1947 Life photo of the Columbia Theatre
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What a handsome-looking theatre! Are there any photos of the theatre’s interior available, btw? Again, just curious.
Here is an October 2009 photo.
Thanks for the latest photo, Lost Memory. It’s heartrending to see such a handsome theatre shut down like that.
I think the first line of the introductory paragraph for the page is supposed to read “The Columbia Theatre stands as a testament to America’s love for the movies and theatre in the 1920’s and 1930’s.” It’s part of the text of the PDF Proposal for renovation of the Columbia and Arcade theaters, available at Paducah Main Street. (The PDF is essentially the same content as the web page, but of course you can make the photos a bit bigger.)
I’ve tried to find the year of the Art Moderne renovation but the closest I can come is an item in the June 21, 1952, issue of Boxoffice that said “The Columbia Amusement Company, Paducah, is doing extensive remodeling at its Columbia Theatre.” 1952 seems a bit late for the Skouras-esque swoops and swirls that were apparently appliqued to the original, restrained interior style (which looks Adamesque to my eye.) There might have been an earlier renovation, but if so Boxoffice isn’t telling me about it.
What I have found in Boxoffice is a few references to the Keiler family’s Columbia Amusement Company operating not only the Columbia, the Arcade, and the Kentucky Theatre, but also a house called the Rialto, currently not listed at Cinema Treasures. There was also one reference to an Orpheum Theatre operated by the Keilers at Paducah, but that might have been an aka for the missing Rialto.
Not sure that the Orpheum and Rialto were the same theatre, found reference to a Rialto in the 400 block of Broadway and the Orpheum in the 600 block of Broadway.
Somewhat blurry shot of the Rialto marquee here:
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My name is Joe i am looking for any information on the Columbia Theater in Paducah KY. My wife and I are making a proposal to the city of Paducah in restoration of the theater. I am looking for pictures of the interior from when it was in full working order. We are looking to restore the theater in full working order and as close to the same as it was on April 18, 1927. I am also looking for anyone who would like to lend a hand in the restoration of the theater. I can be contacted at or 618 841 3129