Uptown Theatre

In 1955, the Uptown Theatre’s last year, it presented live entertainment by the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Sarah Vaughan, Al Hibbler, Muddy Waters and the Les Brown Orchestra. I would appreciate any additional information about the Uptown Theatre. Thanks!
Joe Mosbrook

The Uptown Theater was operated by Warner Bros. theaters as well as the smaller Doan theater across the street on St. Clair Avenue in the Glenville section of Cleveland, the Variety on the west side, the Colony at Shaker Square and the Vogue in Shaker Heights. Warners, then known as Stanley Warner Theaters built the Great Northern Theater in North Olmsted in the early 1960s.

St. Clair & 105th was far more than a few blocks from Loew’s Park & the Keith’s 105th.

To all of the above, here is true history, right from the horses mouth. I was the Assistant Manager of the Uptown Theater from approximately 1947 through 1950. And it was definitely UPTOWN not UP-TOWN. And whats more, it did have at least 3,200 seats, because one year I had to count them for the City tax rolls. On June 11, 1948, the theater hosted a “Major Bowes” type amateur Show, sponsored by ESSO, (forerunner of EXXON), the winner of which would appear on that new fandagoed box called television. Thats when I met my wife to be, (now going on 62 years). Fond Memories. Admission was $.50 adult, $.25 junion & $.10 child.

The July 2, 1929, issue of The Film Daily ran the following obituary for architect Nicola Petti:

“Cleveland — Nocoli [sic] Petti, local architect who designed ten local picture theaters, is dead after a brief illness. He was 49 years old. Among the houses designed by Petti are the Uptown, Variety, Kinsman, Cedar-Lee and Imperial. He is survived by three sons and two daughters.”