Tudor Theatre

610 Canal Street,
New Orleans, LA 70130

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Publix Theaters Corporation, Saenger Amusement Company

Nearby Theaters

1930's image courtesy of Henry F. Beck

The Tudor Theatre was located on Canal Street and was opened by Josiah L. Pearce in May 1913. it was equipped with a Moller theatre pipe organ. Taken over by Saenger Amusements around 1918, it stood next to the somewhat smaller Globe Theatre, also part of the Saenger circuit. It was later part of the Publix chain. The Tudor Theatre was still open in 1956, but had closed by 1957. It was later demolished.

Contributed by Bryan

Recent comments (view all 5 comments)

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 9, 2006 at 11:00 am

There seem to be a number of listings for theaters on Canal Street, but I didn’t see any with the Center as an alternate name. If in fact this theater has no listing, I will add it. Any information would be appreciated:
http://tinyurl.com/r4ffu

ArthurHardy
ArthurHardy on June 11, 2010 at 3:47 pm

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.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on June 2, 2012 at 5:30 pm

The Tudor Theatre was opened in 1913 by Josiah Pearce & Sons, who had opened their first New Orleans movie house, the Electric Theatre, located on Canal Street, in late 1905 or early 1906.

An article on movie theaters in New Orleans in the July 15, 1916, issue of The Moving Picture World described the Pearce’s career in the city. In 1906, they opened a house called the Dreamland Theatre on St. Charles Street, followed by the Grand Theatre on Canal Street, opened in 1907, the Bijou Dream Theatre, built on St. Charles Street for $25,000 in 1910, and the $45,000 Trianon Theatre on Canal Street in 1911. The Pearce’s had expended $85,000 on the Tudor Theatre.

As of 1916 they were operating seven theaters in New Orleans, including the recently-opened Newcomb Theatre on Canal Street, making their’s the largest moving picture chain in the city.

The company expanded well beyond New Orleans, and a biographical sketch of Frederick William Pearce published in 1922 said that at one time they not only operated movie theaters from Pennsylvania to Texas, but had roller coasters and other outdoor amusements in parks from New England to Colorado.

Josiah Pearce & Sons closed its New Orleans headquarters in 1918, moving to Detroit and concentrating on the outdoor amusement business. It’s likely that 1918 was the year that the Saenger chain took over the Tudor Theatre and the Pearce’s other interests in New Orleans.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on April 30, 2013 at 4:10 pm

The April 19, 1913, issue of Motography ran a brief item about the Tudor Theatre (apparently not yet named) that was then nearing completion:

“The new Pearce theater, now under construction at New Orleans, is nearing completion. In less than six weeks the finest picture theater in the south will be thrown open to the public. Located at 610 Canal street, the new theater probably is one of the most expensive of the United States. Josiah L. Pearce & Sons will introduce another new feature of motion picture theaters in the new pipe organ which is on its way to New Orleans, and is thought to be the best of its kind in the south. The organ was built at Hagerstown, Md., and it is said to have cost $25,000.”
Hagerstown was the home of the M. P. Möller organ company.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on June 18, 2014 at 5:42 pm

Just added a 1917 photo.

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