Paramount Theatre
33 Clinton Avenue North,
Rochester,
NY
14604
33 Clinton Avenue North,
Rochester,
NY
14604
2 people
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Rochester’s Paramount Theatre opened in 1916 as the Piccadilly Theatre. Probably the first large scale movie palace in this city. Opening day advertisements boasted of the theatre’s velvet carpeted rotunda, elegant fixtures comfortable seats, and the forest of potted palms around the orchestra pit. The Piccadilly’s orchestra shared the pit with one of Rochester’s earliest true “theatre” organs (as opposed to a church transplant). Pieces of the organ survive downstate, incorporated into an organ in Elmira, New York. It was operated by Loew’s Inc. in the 1920’s
In 1932 the Piccadilly Theatre became the Century Theatre, the name by which most older Rochesterians remember it.
In the late-1940’s it went through a final name change and became the Paramount Theatre. The Paramount’s main lobby was remodeled into a separate theatre, known as the Studio 2, in the 1960’s. Though it’s marquee carried the name “Studio 2”, the towering “Paramount” sign still dominated the Clinton Avenue facade. Patrons to the original auditorium now had to enter through the side entrance on Mortimer Street.
The 1970’s saw a period of decline and a steady stream of “blaxploitation” flicks. In a burst of short sightedness the theatre was finally closed and, after a few mild protests, demolished. The most ironic thing about the Paramount/Piccadilly’s demolition is that the city is now attempting to construct a performing arts center on the exact same site!
I never entered the Paramount Theatre (my family almost always went to the Palace Theatre, across the street), but friends who did patronize it said that remnants of its original elegance lingered right up to the very end.
Contributed by
Carl Laitenberger
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Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
Here’s a link to a photo on the Rochester Library’s website.
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(You can use the photo if you keep the information intact at the bottom of the photo.)
The first listing of the Piccadilly Theatre appears in the Rochester, NY, city directory for the year beginning August 15, 1916. Page 1560 lists Theatres and Places of Amusement, and the address given for the Piccadilly is “35 Clinton av. N.” The publication “Architecture & Architects of Rochester, NY” (Schmidt, 1959) attributes the design of the building to the firm of Foote & Headley, Rochester (i.e., Orlando K. Foote and Arthur B. Headley).
“The most ironic thing about the Paramount/Piccadilly’s demolition is that the city is now attempting to construct a performing arts center on the exact same site!” This is very ironic and so sad that the City of Rochester didn’t have the foresight then to have kept what they had so the saying comes to mind…“one doesn’t know what one has until you lose it.”
Too true Patsy, too true.
movie534: Interesting that a CT member would comment about my post almost 2 years later! Anyone have some updated news?
The architect for the conversion of the Century Theatre into the Paramount in 1948 was Rochester’s own Michael J. DeAngelis. There’s a picture of the post-renovation lobby in Boxoffice, May 22, 1948.
My Gosh! You’ve really gotta hate that late 40’s streamlining! It would be great to find some photos showing the original decor. I know the auditorium survived somewhat intact right up to the end.
A.K.A. Loews Piccadilly,funny sounding name.
As I entered the Theatre I remember the Lobby being slightly like a hill. My first time there was to see Creature From The Black Lagoon in 3D Wow, hat an experience for a 12 yr old boy back then!!!
The Piccadilly was a Loew’s vaudeville theatre. I don’t know when the Martina gang (did I say that?) took it over but the place was very run down and somewhat unkempt. I saw Omega Man and a couple of others there.
Martina ran a bunch of old downtown theatres and were always in court suing the other chains for unfair booking practices. Thing was, Matina always seemed to get pretty good movies. All the Martinas became pretty run down in the late sixties and early seventies finally closing up in quick succession.