I just posted a 1930s photo of the Criterion Theatre.
The 3 color photos previously posted by Don Lewis/Billy Smith, are of a different building across the street, and not the Criterion.
The 2008 street view confirms that the photo I posted is indeed the correct, even numbered side of the street.
Seven of the original buildings, including the Criterion Theatre building with it’s rectangular stonework above the entrance, remain intact.
The Criterion Theatre is directly across the street from the vacant lot next door to Follett Food Market.
So the Criterion Theatre would have an even number address, not an odd number.
(Unfortunately the 2008 street view is too blurry to get a correct address for the Criterion.)
It is possible that the above mentioned Follett Theatre in the Overview, is the building that Don Lewis/Billy Smith believed was the Criterion.
So the Follett Theatre should have it’s own CT page, using those 3 photos, which should be deleted from the Criterion’s page to avoid confusion.
Added this photo back in February, but here is the proper date and photo credit. Better scanned version of it too.
Globe marquee on the far left.
“The Man With Nine Lives” starring Boris Karloff.
the Apple maps are not reliable.
Copy & paste the address into Google and click on the map it gives you.
It will pull up an April 2019 Street View of the Regency Cinema at that location then.
Circa 1986 photo added credit El Paso County Historical Society.
Below additional history accompanied it on their Facebook page.
As early as 1921, there was talk among the businessmen of the growing Five Points area about the need for a movie theater, “but only a high-class house, showing the best of first-run pictures would pay, it was pointed out, as people would rather drive downtown than see poor pictures.”
Nineteen years later, on March 28, 1940, the Pershing opened in the heart of Five Points. A large supplement to the El Paso Times featured numerous display ads by local merchants welcoming the theater to the neighborhood. These included all those you might expect from the area, but also a notable ad taken out by C.C. Dues and W.H.M. Watson of the Crawford Theater across from San Jacinto Plaza. They wished manager Will Winch “a pleasant history and a bright future.” But they also took the opportunity to mention that their theater would be showing Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase and Legion of Lost Fliers.
The theater was designed by a couple of Dallas architects at a cost of $75,000. One of the Pershing’s major features was the marquee, which was made of porcelain enamel, featured 300 flashing lights and was called “the last word in this field.” It had terraza stone in the floor of the lobby and thickly padded carpets in the aisles and the stairway to the balcony. The theater accommodated 450 downstairs and another 250 in the balcony and had a parking lot for 68 cars.
Over the next four decades, the Pershing became known as El Paso’s family theater. All of Disney’s films premiered there.
But by the 1980s, the Pershing had seen better days. The Pershing was the last single-screen high-class movie theater built in El Paso before the rise of the malls and their multi-screen theaters forever changed the business.
In 1984, a church called La Puerta Gospel Church asked the city plan commission about holding services in the theater. But a city ordinance prevented bars and churches from being too close to one another. That’s the Pershing Inn right next door, which has been there since 1949. And just down the street are Lupe’s and the Italian Kitchen, which both serve liquor. The request was denied.
On June 8, 1986, the Pershing closed after 46 years with a showing of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. It reopened later that year as a second-run theater, then became a dollar theater in 1988.
In January 1989, photographer Marty Snortum bought the building. After extensive work, he made office space available to graphic designers, a filmmaker and other artists.
Update courtesy Ted Okuda. “June 14, 1956: A circus parade heads south on State Street, past the Shangri-La restaurant (222 N. State), on its way to the United Artists Theater (45 W. Randolph) to promote the opening of the movie TRAPEZE (starring Burt Lancaster, Gina Lollobrigida and Tony Curtis)”
In the book “Ripon” By Amanda Gesiorski, Naomi Jahn, Christian Krueger; Edited by Andrew Prellwitz and David Sakrison, on page 87 it says the Grand Opera House burned down in 1906.
I just posted a 1930s photo of the Criterion Theatre. The 3 color photos previously posted by Don Lewis/Billy Smith, are of a different building across the street, and not the Criterion. The 2008 street view confirms that the photo I posted is indeed the correct, even numbered side of the street. Seven of the original buildings, including the Criterion Theatre building with it’s rectangular stonework above the entrance, remain intact. The Criterion Theatre is directly across the street from the vacant lot next door to Follett Food Market. So the Criterion Theatre would have an even number address, not an odd number. (Unfortunately the 2008 street view is too blurry to get a correct address for the Criterion.) It is possible that the above mentioned Follett Theatre in the Overview, is the building that Don Lewis/Billy Smith believed was the Criterion. So the Follett Theatre should have it’s own CT page, using those 3 photos, which should be deleted from the Criterion’s page to avoid confusion.
Photo added courtesy Mary Louise Pye.
May 2019 article with interior photos.
https://mymodernmet.com/k9-cinemas/?fbclid=IwAR1y-w5DjIQuNhGXauHnfW4cZo-rrMXRPVE0TMSaly2K7sin3X4kuSLNYmg
Five photos added via Suzanne Edmonds.
2012 Seattle Now & Then link with additional photos.
https://pauldorpat.com/2012/10/27/seattle-now-then-the-arabian-theatre/
February 1982 image added credit the Asbury Park Sunday Press, courtesy Patrick Leon Asay.
May 7, 1967 image credit the Asbury Park Sunday Press, courtesy Randy Rossman. Shows front of the theater after the grand opening.
Post closing marquee photo added courtesy Robert Oberkehr.
July 1, 1940 photo credit John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration.
Thank you Ken Roe for all that you do. It is much appreciated.
Added this photo back in February, but here is the proper date and photo credit. Better scanned version of it too. Globe marquee on the far left. “The Man With Nine Lives” starring Boris Karloff.
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/view-of-pedestrian-and-street-traffic-in-times-square-new-news-photo/553039689
Update, May 1, 1940 photo credit Andreas Feininger/Getty Images.
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/view-of-pedestrian-and-street-traffic-in-times-square-new-news-photo/553039689
the Apple maps are not reliable. Copy & paste the address into Google and click on the map it gives you. It will pull up an April 2019 Street View of the Regency Cinema at that location then.
For ghamilton above, who mentioned the Mosque Theatre.
http://scottymoore.net/richmond.html?fbclid=IwAR3fKqrD0yb4G1l1FHypYuJIlUSoM_eztIKoc8lF403u_7JkFFSmKuTLFLs
Oak Park commission OKs Lake Theatre digital marquee:
https://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/8-30-2019/Oak-Park-commission-OKs-Lake-Theatre-digital-marquee/
2011 article with re-use of the frieze from the theatre.
http://www.elpasoinc.com/lifestyle/local_features/room-with-a-view/article_729bc800-1f6d-11e1-89cd-001a4bcf6878.html?fbclid=IwAR0FG4L4Zvjb4DJXyks6Tt0_HkdOCNCMf9-E4IyE1eFnfPjZYS85KBo_1bI
Circa 1986 photo added credit El Paso County Historical Society. Below additional history accompanied it on their Facebook page.
As early as 1921, there was talk among the businessmen of the growing Five Points area about the need for a movie theater, “but only a high-class house, showing the best of first-run pictures would pay, it was pointed out, as people would rather drive downtown than see poor pictures.”
Nineteen years later, on March 28, 1940, the Pershing opened in the heart of Five Points. A large supplement to the El Paso Times featured numerous display ads by local merchants welcoming the theater to the neighborhood. These included all those you might expect from the area, but also a notable ad taken out by C.C. Dues and W.H.M. Watson of the Crawford Theater across from San Jacinto Plaza. They wished manager Will Winch “a pleasant history and a bright future.” But they also took the opportunity to mention that their theater would be showing Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase and Legion of Lost Fliers.
The theater was designed by a couple of Dallas architects at a cost of $75,000. One of the Pershing’s major features was the marquee, which was made of porcelain enamel, featured 300 flashing lights and was called “the last word in this field.” It had terraza stone in the floor of the lobby and thickly padded carpets in the aisles and the stairway to the balcony. The theater accommodated 450 downstairs and another 250 in the balcony and had a parking lot for 68 cars.
Over the next four decades, the Pershing became known as El Paso’s family theater. All of Disney’s films premiered there.
But by the 1980s, the Pershing had seen better days. The Pershing was the last single-screen high-class movie theater built in El Paso before the rise of the malls and their multi-screen theaters forever changed the business.
In 1984, a church called La Puerta Gospel Church asked the city plan commission about holding services in the theater. But a city ordinance prevented bars and churches from being too close to one another. That’s the Pershing Inn right next door, which has been there since 1949. And just down the street are Lupe’s and the Italian Kitchen, which both serve liquor. The request was denied.
On June 8, 1986, the Pershing closed after 46 years with a showing of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. It reopened later that year as a second-run theater, then became a dollar theater in 1988.
In January 1989, photographer Marty Snortum bought the building. After extensive work, he made office space available to graphic designers, a filmmaker and other artists.
Evening Star, Washington, D.C.
Update courtesy Ted Okuda. “June 14, 1956: A circus parade heads south on State Street, past the Shangri-La restaurant (222 N. State), on its way to the United Artists Theater (45 W. Randolph) to promote the opening of the movie TRAPEZE (starring Burt Lancaster, Gina Lollobrigida and Tony Curtis)”
In the book “Ripon” By Amanda Gesiorski, Naomi Jahn, Christian Krueger; Edited by Andrew Prellwitz and David Sakrison, on page 87 it says the Grand Opera House burned down in 1906.
8/9/1967 Loews Theatre fire, courtesy of The Tennessean.
May `63 fire newspaper image added credit Denver Public Library North Denver Collection.
Here is what appears to be the official website.
https://www.dolby.com/us/en/professionals/content-creation/screening-rooms/vine-screening-room.html
1957 photo added.