Metropolitan Theater
934 F Street NW,
Washington,
DC
934 F Street NW,
Washington,
DC
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Built for Harry Crandall, whose mini-chain also included the Lincoln, Knickerbocker, and the Tivoli, the Metropolitan was built in 1917. It was designed by architect Reginald Geare, who also designed the Lincoln and Knickerbocker Theatres for Crandall (the Knickerbocker was renamed the Ambassador in 1923 and rebuilt by Thomas W. Lamb after the roof of the theater collapsed in a heavy snowstorm in 1922, killing 98 and injuring 136).
The 1400-seat Metropolitan, located on F Street, had a three story Georgian Revival facade, with four sets of Doric pilasters below an ornately sculpted pediment. Between four sets of decorative friezes just below the pediment, the theater’s name was incised into the stone in bold lettering.
Around the late 20s, a large marquee replaced the more simple original, somewhat obscuring the arched window over the main entrance. Also, a 60-foot tall vertical sign was also added at this time, with its top support punched right into the sculpture on the pediment. Up until the early 40s, the Metropolitan included live stage entertainment, including a house orchestra, in addition to movies. The theater was also the site of the Washington premiere of “The Jazz Singer” in 1927, the first theater in the capital to show a “talking picture”. A year later, the Metropolitan was acquired by the Warner Brothers chain, which it remained into the 50s.
The theater received two massive remodels in 1954 and 1961 in an attempt to entice more movie goers with its attendance falling. Unfortunately, the Metropolitan closed a few years later, and was razed in 1968.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Here is an article about the Metropolitan from the 1/06/18 edition of the Washington Post:
Crandall’s Metropolitan Theater, now in the course of erection at F and Tenth streets, in which all right and title was purchased by Harry M. Crandall, Barry Bulkley and R. W. Bulkley, will throw open its doors to the public of Washington about the middle of February. This new and handsome addition to the amusement houses of the nation’s Capital covers approximately 10,000 square feet. The entrance is on F Street, the lobby extending back 30 feet to a rotunda promenade leading directly to the auditorium proper of the theater, which, extending at a direct right angle, covers the remainder of the property to Tenth Street. This affords an immense area on the first floor, the plans calling for 1,200 seats on the orchestra level alone.
Extending over half of this space is hung the cantilever balcony and mezzanine. Private boxes and loge seats will occupy the entire mezzanine. The arrangement of the balcony is novel in that it consists of a series of rises reached by a system of ornamental fireproof tunnels or promenades. This is declared to be utilizing such manner of balcony approaches for the first time in theater construction in the United States.
The mezzanine floor will have a seating capacity of more than 300, while the balcony will seat approximately 700, giving the theater a total seating capacity of over 2,200. This makes the Metropolitan the largest theater in Washington. The house is of fireproof construction throughout, and the general lines and architectural plan is of the Adams period. The front of the theater on F Street is of Pompeian art brick with Tennessee limestone trimmings. The foyer and rotunda promenade are of highly polished grey—veined Vermont marble finished with carved ornamental New Hampshire granite. The interior decorations will be in rich tones of old rose and medieval ivory heightened with gold. On each floor of the theater will be a broad, spacious promenade handsomely appointed and lavishly furnished.
The Metropolitan Theater will be strictly a motion picture house and Mr. Crandall has already arranged for the first Washington showing of many photographic productions featuring the well known stars of the film and stage worlds. The theater was designed by Reginald W. Geare and was built by Frank L. Wagner. In the transaction P. A. Drury has conveyed to H. M. Crandall nineteen parcels of real estate for a consideration of $175,000. The negotiations were conducted through the real estate office of Moore & Hill, Inc.
Here is a vintage photo of the Metropolitan Theater. Date given with photo is 1920.
Obviously the Washington Post wasn’t any more accurate in 1918 than they are today. The Metropolitan never had a mezzanine AND balcony, just a balcony —– but a big one. Anyone reading the Post ought to know they insist on calling CASABLANCA a “B movie.” When a reader tried to set them straight, the tenaciously pig-headed Post once again spat out the same nonsense, calling it a B movie — albiet the best B movie ever.
I remember seeing Hitchcock’s DIAL M FOR MURDER here in 3-D. It was the only 3-D ever made by Hitchcock, but after the first 3 days the 3-D version was pulled and replaced by a regular print. If you ever take the Universal tour they’ll tell you DAIL M never played anywhere in 3-D even though made in that process.
A Moller theater organ opus 2561 size 3/17 was installed in the Metropolitan Theater in 1918.
Far be it to me to defend anything printed in the Washington ComPost (pile), but perhaps what the reporter described as a “mezzanine” at the Metropolitan Theatre was actually the front of the big balcony. It was common in many theatres with only one balcony to refer to the front section as the “mezzanine”. This only applies if there was a cross-aisle spanning the width of the balcony behind the front section. I don’t know if such a cross-aisle existed at the Metropolitan. Also note the difference between the actual seating capacity and that reported in the newspaper article.
“I remember seeing Hitchcock’s DIAL M FOR MURDER here in 3-D. It was the only 3-D ever made by Hitchcock, but after the first 3 days the 3-D version was pulled and replaced by a regular print.”
Sorry rlvjr, you’re mistaken. We’ve been trying to locate documentation of any 3-D playdates for this film. When I read your post, I arranged to look at microfilm from Washington.
DIAL M opened flat at the Metropolitan, just as it did in every other major city across the country. In fact, the newspaper ads emphasized that you can “See it without glasses.”
Bob Furmanek
Vice President
3-D Film Preservation Fund
http://www.3dfilmpf.org/
http://www.shorpy.com/node/5539?size=_original Link will take you to large format photo from January 1921, attraction Poli Negri in “Passion”.
Renewing link.
Between June 15-June 24 of 1961, the Metropolitan played THE RAT RACE while the Ambassador played BECAUSE THEY’RE YOUNG.
The Metropolitan was closed between September 6 and October 4 of 1961. The Ambassador played COME SEPTEMBER.
Between June 12-July 2 of 1963, the Metropolitan played THE WONDERUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM while the Ambassador played WEST SIDE STORY.
Between May 20-July 7 of 1964, the Metropolitan played the first run of WHAT A WAY TO GO while the Ambassador played a series of second-run features.
Between November 18-December 22 of 1964, the Metropolitan played the first run of GOODBYE CHARLIE while the Ambassador played a series of second-run features.
Between April 14-May 11, the Metropolitan played the first run of CHEYENNE AUTUMN while the Ambassador continued with its first run of JOHN GOLDFARB, PLEASE COME HOME.
This site has some vintage exterior photos:
http://tinyurl.com/lctym5