Poplar Theatre
8118 Willow Street,
New Orleans,
LA
70118
8118 Willow Street,
New Orleans,
LA
70118
No one has favorited this theater yet
Showing all 5 comments
Announcing a book about New Orleans Movie Theaters
THEREâ€\S ONE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
The History of the Neighborhood Theaters in New Orleans
is being written by 89-year-old Rene Brunet, the dean of the motion picture industry in Louisiana, and New Orleans historian and preservationist Jack Stewart. The 160-page,coffee table book will be released in November and is being published by Arthur Hardy Enterprises, Inc. Attention will be focused on 50 major neighborhood and downtown theaters, culled from a list of nearly 250 that have dotted the cityâ€\s landscape since the first “nickelodeon†opened in 1896 at 626 Canal Street. The book will be divided by neighborhoods and will open with a map and a narrative about each area. Each major theater will feature “then and now†photographs, historic information, and a short series of quotes from famous New Orleanians and from regular citizens who will share their recollections.
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED
We are trying to acquire memorabilia and additional photos of this theater for this publication. (deadline July 1.) You will be credited in the book and receive a free autographed copy if we publish the picture that you supply. Please contact Arthur Hardy at or call 504-913-1563 if you can help.
opened in Apr. 1921. Closed in 1969. Operated by Saenger Amusement Co. and later United Theatres.
A Hillgreen-Lane theater organ opus 607 was installed in the Poplar Theater in 1921. In 1926 that organ was replaced by a Hillgreen-Lane theater organ opus 895 size 2/5.
I spent most of my youth in the old Poplar in New Orleans. I believe the manager was Rose Kern, and she was a character. Before each kiddie feature, she would come outside with a large box and “disarm” all the kids. (Squirt guns, sling shots, cap pistols etc.)
The Poplar was a local chain theater that was abandoned completely intact. The Jensen sound system, the carbon arc projectors, seats, candy counter were all there until it was torn down. James A. Noe purchased the property and sold it to Whitney Bank in the late 1960s. During demo. I explored the old theater for the last time. I was sad to see a great “nabe” go.
The Poplar is listed in the 1945 Film Daily Yearbook with seating for 840.