Tonight on WGBH 2 at 7:00 PM, Emily Rooney’s Greater Boston, will feature a 10 minute segment on the plight of The Gaiety Theatre. [i believe this show repeats at midnight — RN]
Unfortunately I must also report that Judge Spina of the SJC has rejected the standing of the Glass Slipper to request an injunction against demolition. His decision begins, “I have failed to conclude that the petitioners will suffer irreperable harm if an injunction does not issue…”
Thus, the remaining impediment to demolition of The Gaiety Theatre will be removed without a trial on the merits of the case ever having been heard. There now appears to be no further recourse.
Though this may be of little consolation to Gaiety Friends, the appeals process remains open to challengers of Kensington Place.
As the Pagoda Theatre, this closed in late January, 1995. From a Boston Herald article published February 7, 1995:
“A recent cut from three to two screens, an afternoon-only, five-days-a-week schedule and a lack of new movies hurt the theater, which played mostly Hong Kong action pictures. Despite this genre’s crossover success at such venues as the Museum of Fine Arts and Brattle Theater, the Pagoda failed to tap the English-speaking audience. Typically, the outside posters for their offerings included only the Chinese titles, and the Pagoda rarely billed its openings in advance.”
When it closed, it was the last remaining Chinese-language cinema in Boston.
Can you add a way to register for e-mail notifications even for theatres where I haven’t posted comments? Ideally, I’d like to get e-mail whenever anyone posts a comment for any theatre in Massachusetts.
A Boston Globe survey of sub-run theatres, published on September 16, 1982, said that the Granada was a 99-cent theatre at the time. This was the lowest admission price of all the houses listed.
Youths throwing rocks and bottles injured three policemen and damaged theaters in Malden and Danvers last night at midnight showings of “The Song Remains the Same,” a movie featuring the rock group Led Zeppelin.
At the Granada Theater in Malden, youths caused some $5000 damage as they slashed theater seats and the movie screen and tore radiators out of the floor. Police Sgt. John McCallan said: “They just went wacky. They wanted to raise some hell, and they sure did.”
Malden Police called in help from the Metropolitan Police, Medford, Melrose, Everett and State Police departments to empty the theater and break up the groups of roving youngsters. Four of the theatergoers were arrested on charges including being idle and disorderly and assault and battery on a police officer.
Earlier Friday, it was announced that the Led Zeppelin band was breaking up because of the death of the group’s drummer, John Bonham. Sgt. McCallan said it was unclear whether the news had prompted the rioting, but pointed out that similar disturbances have erupted in other towns which have held midnight showings of rock movies.
I found a Boston Globe article from October 30, 1994, which says that a “Java Jo’s” coffee shop opened in the former East Milton Cinema building. It goes on to say:
“In the back room of Java Jo’s in East Milton, located in the former cinema, stands the old movie screen, still framed by red velvet curtains.”
I believe this business is still located there but I don’t know if the screen is still standing. Anyone been there lately?
The demonstration took place and attracted about 40 people, many from Chinatown. I haven’t seen it written up in the daily papers, but the Chinatown newspaper Sampan has posted a short video. (Warning: this is a 6 meg video file).
That was the Park Theatre in Everett. I never got there before it closed. In its last years someone tried to revive it as a live stage, but I don’t know how long that lasted, or whether the building is still standing today.
If you live in the Boston area, you should be able to get to a library that has the Boston Globe on microfilm, and just pick some random Friday or Saturday with lots of movie ads.
It’s sad to see how many Boston-area suburban towns are now entirely without movie theatres. Waltham, Lexington, Belmont, Arlington, and (of course) Somerville should consider themselves damn lucky.
This is listed as a Single Screen, and I’m sure it was for most of its life. But in the 1970s, I recall walking around the area and seeing a marquee for a “State II Cinema” next to the “State”. I don’t know if this was done by dividing the original auditorium or by carving it out of some other part of the building.
Thist is listed as “Triplex” but I don’t think that can be correct. The Cheri was the first multiplex in Boston, and I’m not sure it was even open yet when this was torn down.
That couldn’t have lasted very long. This page says that the adjoining BU Theatre bought the Symphony Cinemas building some time between 1978 and 1981. I recall it was earlier in that range, rather than later.
I’ve never been to one of these places, but it sounds like the movies are an afterthought — nobody’s attending it to actually watch the film. If the establishment never showed anything else during its history, I’m dubious about whether it belongs here.
Boston had two or three porno-only houses that I could have listed, but I didn’t, for this reason.
The very latest from Lee Eiseman:
Subject: last word
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Tonight on WGBH 2 at 7:00 PM, Emily Rooney’s Greater Boston, will feature a 10 minute segment on the plight of The Gaiety Theatre. [i believe this show repeats at midnight — RN]
Unfortunately I must also report that Judge Spina of the SJC has rejected the standing of the Glass Slipper to request an injunction against demolition. His decision begins, “I have failed to conclude that the petitioners will suffer irreperable harm if an injunction does not issue…”
Thus, the remaining impediment to demolition of The Gaiety Theatre will be removed without a trial on the merits of the case ever having been heard. There now appears to be no further recourse.
Though this may be of little consolation to Gaiety Friends, the appeals process remains open to challengers of Kensington Place.
As the Pagoda Theatre, this closed in late January, 1995. From a Boston Herald article published February 7, 1995:
“A recent cut from three to two screens, an afternoon-only, five-days-a-week schedule and a lack of new movies hurt the theater, which played mostly Hong Kong action pictures. Despite this genre’s crossover success at such venues as the Museum of Fine Arts and Brattle Theater, the Pagoda failed to tap the English-speaking audience. Typically, the outside posters for their offerings included only the Chinese titles, and the Pagoda rarely billed its openings in advance.”
When it closed, it was the last remaining Chinese-language cinema in Boston.
Java Jo’s web site. I’ve e-mailed the owner and pointed him to this page; I’ll let you all know if I get a response.
If the screen is still there, I wonder why the coffee shop hasn’t tried to use it for occasional special-event screenings.
Can you add a way to register for e-mail notifications even for theatres where I haven’t posted comments? Ideally, I’d like to get e-mail whenever anyone posts a comment for any theatre in Massachusetts.
Speaking of bookstores in that area … is Either/Or Books still there, near the Hermosa Pier?
The other theatres listed in that article (with their current status):
Wellesley Community Playhouse (closed)
Fresh Pond Cinema I & II, Cambridge (later closed for years, then rebuilt and reopened as first-run Entertainment Cinemas 1-10, now Loews Fresh Pond)
North Reading Cinemas 1-2-3 (no idea)
Dedham Cinema 1 & 2 (this is probably the current Dedham Community Theatre)
Somerville Theater (still gloriously open, now with 5 screens)
Regent Cinema, Arlington (still open, but now primarily as a live stage)
Captiol Theater, Arlington (still open, now with 6 screens)
Medford Square 1-2-3 (sadly closed and demolished)
King’s Plaza, West Peabody (no idea)
Loring Hall, Hingham (still open)
Cameo Theater, South Weymouth (still open)
Studio Cinema, Belmont (still open)
Brookline Cinema (closed)
Warwick Cinema 1&2, Marblehead (closed)
Westgate Mall, Brockton (no idea)
Cabot Street Cinema, Beverly (still open)
Satuit Playhouse, Scituate (demolished, but replaced last year by the new Mill Wharf Cinemas 1&2 at the same location)
Strand Theater, Ipswich (no idea)
Surf 1&2, Swampscott (no idea)
Milton Cinema (closed)
Harvard Square Theater, Cambridge (now a 5-screen Loews first-run)
West Newton Cinemas (still open)
Randolph Cinemas 1&2 (no idea; probably replaced by or expanded into the current Randolph Showcase megaplex)
Pembroke Cinemas 1&2 (no idea)
Allston Cinemas (closed and demolished)
Queen Anne Cinema, Norwell (no idea)
The Bexley and World theatres in Columbus were part of a chain called ‘Art Theater Guild’.
Were movies ever shown here?
A Boston Globe survey of sub-run theatres, published on September 16, 1982, said that the Granada was a 99-cent theatre at the time. This was the lowest admission price of all the houses listed.
From the Boston Globe archives, December 7, 1980:
Youths throwing rocks and bottles injured three policemen and damaged theaters in Malden and Danvers last night at midnight showings of “The Song Remains the Same,” a movie featuring the rock group Led Zeppelin.
At the Granada Theater in Malden, youths caused some $5000 damage as they slashed theater seats and the movie screen and tore radiators out of the floor. Police Sgt. John McCallan said: “They just went wacky. They wanted to raise some hell, and they sure did.”
Malden Police called in help from the Metropolitan Police, Medford, Melrose, Everett and State Police departments to empty the theater and break up the groups of roving youngsters. Four of the theatergoers were arrested on charges including being idle and disorderly and assault and battery on a police officer.
Earlier Friday, it was announced that the Led Zeppelin band was breaking up because of the death of the group’s drummer, John Bonham. Sgt. McCallan said it was unclear whether the news had prompted the rioting, but pointed out that similar disturbances have erupted in other towns which have held midnight showings of rock movies.
I found a Boston Globe article from October 30, 1994, which says that a “Java Jo’s” coffee shop opened in the former East Milton Cinema building. It goes on to say:
“In the back room of Java Jo’s in East Milton, located in the former cinema, stands the old movie screen, still framed by red velvet curtains.”
I believe this business is still located there but I don’t know if the screen is still standing. Anyone been there lately?
And here’s an editorial from Sampan: The Gaiety Deserves a Fair Trial
The demonstration took place and attracted about 40 people, many from Chinatown. I haven’t seen it written up in the daily papers, but the Chinatown newspaper Sampan has posted a short video. (Warning: this is a 6 meg video file).
Sampan also published this article last week, shortly before the demonstration:
A Third Life for the Gaiety? Also chech out their Timeline of Recent Events.
That was the Park Theatre in Everett. I never got there before it closed. In its last years someone tried to revive it as a live stage, but I don’t know how long that lasted, or whether the building is still standing today.
If you live in the Boston area, you should be able to get to a library that has the Boston Globe on microfilm, and just pick some random Friday or Saturday with lots of movie ads.
Why did this close? Has it been reused for any other purpose, or is it sitting vacant?
From an article I read last year, this sounds like the old theatre was torn down and replaced by a new one, rather than a “remodeling”.
What is now on this site?
It’s sad to see how many Boston-area suburban towns are now entirely without movie theatres. Waltham, Lexington, Belmont, Arlington, and (of course) Somerville should consider themselves damn lucky.
I take it they won’t ask people to turn off cell phones before shows?
This is listed as a Single Screen, and I’m sure it was for most of its life. But in the 1970s, I recall walking around the area and seeing a marquee for a “State II Cinema” next to the “State”. I don’t know if this was done by dividing the original auditorium or by carving it out of some other part of the building.
Thist is listed as “Triplex” but I don’t think that can be correct. The Cheri was the first multiplex in Boston, and I’m not sure it was even open yet when this was torn down.
That couldn’t have lasted very long. This page says that the adjoining BU Theatre bought the Symphony Cinemas building some time between 1978 and 1981. I recall it was earlier in that range, rather than later.
Clear Channel has done a great job restoring and reopening the Opera House (formerly Keith Memorial or Savoy Theatre) in Boston.
Now if they’d only put some effort into fixing up their other Boston venue, the Orpheum…
I’ve never been to one of these places, but it sounds like the movies are an afterthought — nobody’s attending it to actually watch the film. If the establishment never showed anything else during its history, I’m dubious about whether it belongs here.
Boston had two or three porno-only houses that I could have listed, but I didn’t, for this reason.
This is great news. Clear Channel did a wonderful job rescuing and restoring the Opera House (aka Savoy, aka BF Keith Memorial) in Boston last year.