Capri Theater

The State theatre was a real theatre not a peep show. As a single it had plenty of seats and when they twinned it it still had plenty of PORNO seats.

When in 1960 Ben Hur moved over from the Saxon was it still shown in 70mm stereo or was it in 35mm? How many weeks did it last at the Capri?

As the “Copley Theatre”, this house was listed in a 1918 Boston street directory at 186 Dartmouth Street, west side of street, between Harwich St. and Huntington Ave. This was before the theater was reconstructed with its main entrance on Huntington Ave.

In an article in the old Boston Post of May 14, 1950 “Many Hits Made Upon Hub Stages” by drama critic Elliot Norton, mention is made of the play “Harvey” which opened at the Copley Theatre on Tues. Oct. 7, 1944. Written off by everyone as a quick flop, the Boston audiences at the Copley liked it from the start and it went on to New York where it became one of the most popular plays of the 1940s. It was later made into a sucessful movie.

I believe that the “Capri Theatre” at 701 Washington St. was a very small, rather dingy place that shared space with a porno bookstore…I suspect it was more of a cruising site than a movie house. I think there was a very similar movie/bookstore joint in the late 1970’s next to the Publix, though I don’t recall its name. Possibly these places had names for incorporation purposes, but not for exhibition on any kind of sign or marquee…it is likely that they got their “viewing audiences” from the clientele of the porn stores, so names really didn’t matter.

I have seen those other two (three, actually — as there’s reference to another North Station II on Portland), so I guess I knew the answer to my question. I can’t imagine it’s very easy to get an accurate record of those storefront porn theatres, but they’re interesting to those interested in theatre histories (return of the nickelodeon..? sorta…). I found ads in either the Phoenix, Globe, or Real Paper for the Art Cinema, the Pussycats, and the South Station, but not the ones referenced in the article (or, as far as I recall, the North Station — though I’ll have to check on that one).

In any case, I’ve consulted the Boston Business Directory Theatre & Cinema section for 62, 67, 72, and 77 for a googlemap experiment which is a sort of sidebar (for my own use) to an essay I’m writing (settled on theatres in Boston/Camb/Somerville & what they were playing Mem Day 1977 vs. Mem Day 2008 — if anyone’s interested, I’ll post links), and I don’t believe I saw any indication of those Combat Zone theatres, though some of the previously legit theatres make the list.

Thanks for the reply. Awesome site. It’s been really helpful in filling in Boston theatre history.

I believe that the question asked by pmont was, can a theater be listed here if it only showed porn.

No, there are lots of adult theaters listed.

This 1928 map shows the Copley Theatre at its new location on Stuart Street. There is not yet an entrance on Huntington Avenue; that apparently came later.

The architects were Putnam and Cox and it opened Dec. 1914. I knew it in the late-1940s and early 1950s as a Shubert house which was dark most of the time. When a play opened there in October 1953, I jumped at the chance to see the theatre. I attended the Sat. matinee of “Anna Lucasta” on stage on Oct. 10, 1953. This was a rare, for those days, non-union non-Equity production, so there was a picket line in front of the entrance on Huntington Ave, just up from the SS Pierce Bldg, and across from the side of the BPL. I timed my movements carefully and managed to get thru the line and into the lobby. I had a balcony seat, but was told to sit downstairs. The theater was situated so that after coming in from Huntington Ave., you turned right into the back of the house. It had one balcony. I don’t recall any other stage attractions there in the 1950s, but occasionally movies were presented. Then Sack took it and renamed it Capri, and put on a new marquee. I saw at least one movie there some time circa 1960 or 1961. The auditorium and stage were within the block. I never did understand the story about cutting the Toy Th. up and turning it around, etc. After the land was taken for the Mass. Turnpike extension, Sack moved the Capri name over to the old Strand down Huntington Avenue, on the opposite side of the street. In recent years, the New England Life Hall on Clarendon St. near Boylston St. was renamed “Copley Theatre”.

King’s book says this theatre had several different street addresses over time, as its entrance moved from one street to another. It opened at 188 Dartmouth Street. Then, when it was turned around and expanded, the address became 461 Stuart Street. Finally, a new entrance was added at 22 Huntington Avenue.

Thanks to Ron for pointing out the error of my previous message. Guess the mystery of the Capri is solved!

Thanks. The ad says July 30, 1962 — not 1961.