A.J. Paul opened the Royal Theatre on August 14, 1911 with live music and one reel films between including D.W. Griffith’s “As a Man Soweth” and the Powers Picture Play, “The Haunted Island.”
The address of 316 St. Charles was home to one of New Orleans' early nickelodeons and the first of two Dreamland Theatres in NOLA. Josiah Pearce opening here as the Dreamland taking just 7 days to convert the medical retail space to a movie theater. It launched on August 24, 1907 on a 10-year leasing agreement with Max Linder in “Harlequin’s Story.” It was Pearce’s second theater following the opening of the Electric Theatre in 1906 followed by Dreamland, Grand, Bijou Dream, Trianon and Tudor. Pearce & Sons also had theaters in Houston, Texas. In 1909, Pearce sublet the Dreamland.
The venue featured highlights of the World Series one day after the Pittsburgh Pirates won the series in 7 games. John Depinet appears to have closed the Dreamland later that year. Pearce reopened it and sublet it once again. The operator, Ficthenberg Enterprises - another early NOLA chain operator - closed and Pearce operated to the end of its 10-year leasing agreement according to the trade press closing August 23, 1917 with the contents removed for a retail store.
One of three Regent Shoe Stores in New Orleans located here in a retail re-conversion. M.A. and Ira Weingrun of Avenue Theatres Inc. would acquire what was then referred to as “the Regent Shoe building” on a 10-year leasing agreement in 1938. They retained the shoe store’s name in creating the second movie theaters at the address. The opening of the Regent took place on November 11, 1938 with “Army Girl.” The auditorium was bathed in blue and silver with the lobby in walnut and maple woods with cream-baked porcelain giving off a streamline moderne look.
Within hours of opening, Weingrun was in deep financial hot water with lawsuits racking up. Avenue Theatres would be dissolved and the Regent was part of a sheriff’s auction to recoup lost money. The venue’s name officially changed on May 13, 1939 (ads caught up two days later) as Joy’s Rio Theatre owned by the Joy Houk Circuit. It played third-tier double features at steep discount prices (a nickel for kids and a dime for adults at any time). The name was later marketed as the Joy Rio Theatre (dropping the apostrophe) then the Rio Theatre and, after a significant summer 1949 refresh, the New Rio Theatre beginning in July of 1949.
The New Rio earned its stripes as an amazing grindhouse with live burlesque and exploitation movies basically cranked out until the last customer left… or was carried out. The New Rio ended its service on February 12, 1950 with Sunny Knight, “The Mighty Mite” Jackie Del Rio, “The Flame of New Orleans” Jerry Ruzell and and the “Voluptuous Vamp” Vangie Lee on stage and the 1934 exploitation film, “Guilty Parents” with a mere five shows that day.
Under new operators, the venue was refreshed as the proposed Cinema 50, a foreign art movie house. But it officially lanhced as the Avenue Theatre on August 2, 1950 with “Saints in Sinners.” It now seated 350 patrons. It would be branded as the Avenue Art Theatre, the Avenue Art Cinema and simply “The Avenue” in various branding strategies. The Avenue was a success and at various points offered Spanish language films weekly on Thursdays. In 1960, the policy went full grind with adult titles. This policy included an arrest on the charge of presenting lewd films on September 17, 1960. This may have been it as the last advertised shows were three films for 35 cents and open all night ending on September 18, 1960 with Candy Barr performing on the big screen. And it that’s the way it ended, what could have been more appropriate? The space became a travel agency in 1961.
Herman Fichtenberg’s Fichtenberg Amusement Enterprises opened the Alamo Theatre on October 10, 1908 with Selig’s brand new release, “The Ranchman’s Love,” and Edwin S. Porter’s “A Voice From the Dead” with live musical numbers between. Fichtenberg Amusement would add the Dreamworld, Plaza, Pico and Globe Theaters. On March 25, 1917, Fichtenberg Amusement merged with Saenger Amusement under th latter’s namesake.
The venue operated some eight years under Saenger Amusements.The Alamo ceased operations at end of lease on August 31, 1925 with Erich von Stroheim’s “Greed.” Earlier in the year, F. Rubinstein & Co. had purchased the lease. Rubenstein’s opened after a significant interior refresh on October 22, 1925. It received a streamline moderne exterior makeover in the 1930s. It was then folded into a long running W.T. Grant retail store followed by a number of others.
Demolition of the former theater and its neighbor occurred in June of 2020 following the catastrophic collapse of the Hard Rock Casino project on October 12, 2019 after the top floors of the 18-story hotel project collapsed. To allow crews to safely dismantle the collapsed tower and recover victims’ remains, the venerable buildings had to be removed.
Demolition of the former theater and its neighbor occurred in June of 2020 following the catastrophic collapse of the Hard Rock Casino project on October 12, 2019 after the top floors of the 18-story hotel project collapsed. To allow crews to safely dismantle the collapsed tower and recover victims’ remains, the venerable buildings had to be removed.
Sam S. & Lee Shubert’s Shubert Bros. Circuit surged in 1906 to 35 theatres in America’s most prominent cities. The NOLA location was the Lyric Theatre but Stone Brothers architects had drawn up the Shubert’s new building going up here on Baronne. The Shubert Theatre launched on a ten-year leasing agreement on December 29, 1906 with Clay Clement in “In Sam Houston.” And after a disastrous first season, the Shubert moniker was the only thing left as they bolted here consolidating at their Lyric Theatre.
O.T. Crawford took on the venue repositioning it as “The largest movie theater in the world” with motion pictures beginning on March 9, 1908. A December 23, 1910 fire in the Shubert Arcade almost destroyed the theater with its screenings moved to the Crescent until the severely damaged building was reopened. The venue reopened on July 2, 1911 temporarily as the Shubert Theatre still playing movies. On September 10, 1911, the venue was renamed as the Lafayette Theatre. Josiah Pearce & Sons Syndicate was among the operators of the venue. They signed a 30 year leasing agreement in 1917 - not making it very far into that contract.
The Lafayette scuffled as better theaters converted to sound. The cavernous venue was not equipped for the new medium and went into receivership and auctioned on May 16, 1929 with the auction listing suggesting a conversion to an auto parking garage - the fate of its neighboring building. In 1931, it would be wired for sound and resume motion picture operations with third-tier, discount double features. Under new operators it was given a streamline moderne refresh rebranding as the New Lafayette Theatre in late 1939.
The once mighty Schubert Theatre then hit rock bottom as a burley house at its rebranding as the Star Theatre playing a combination of third-run and exploitation films on April 9, 1944. The policy was a one hour and fifteen minute stage show repeated up to four times a day with the feature film and shorts thrown in after the live show.
In May of 1947, the post-War immigration led to a revival of foreign film and the Star became the Star Art Theatre showing films from around the globe. By late Fall, that had failed with the lease expiring. Irwin Poché Enterprises changed the fortunes of the venue hiring architects Freret & Wolf who did the unlikely job of transferring it from dirty burley house back to its original intent of live stage plays and high profile events. Certainly, this would be its last chance as a live house.
The Poché Theatre opened on November 2, 1947. Films would be inserted where no live events were scheduled. On October 13, 1950, the venue was renamed the Civic Theatre shifting back to film programming beginning with Robert Montgomery in “Eye-Witness.” In 1965, the Civic shifted back to live programming the way the Shuberts had drawn up some 60 years prior. This would undoubtedly be the very last chance to prove itself as a live house. And that period lasted until February 13, 1977’s Godspell. The space was then converted to the Civic Center Discotheque opening November of 1977 yet retaining the integrity of the original theater - its balconies and other features intact. But disco died and the venue fell into disrepair.
After closing, the building was going to become lofts but Brian Gibbs decided to give the Shubert turned Civic one more shot as a theatre - its fourth such reinvention - restoring it in 2010-2012 and reopening it for live events in September 19, 2013 with the concert, “Empire of the Sun.” The venue was still chugging along in the 2020s. An unlikely story but true.
Consider adding and/or altering (along with the others already there):
Formerly Known as: Poché Theatre, Star Art Theatre, New Lafayette Theater
Formerly Owned by: Josiah Pearce & Sons Syndicate
Firms: Stone Brothers Architects; Feret & Wolf Architects
Architects: Douglass Vincent Freret; Albert Jacob Wolf, Jr.
Harlon O. Jones architectural drawings show a Spanish Renaissance architectural style that was matched by the interior furnishings selected by Fischer & Jiroch of Cleveland.
Nathan Sobel of Sobel, Richards, Shear Enterprises opened the original Carrollton Theatre #1 on March 17, 1917 with “The Matrimaniac.” Patrons expressed delight with the venue’s pipe organ. Now under the United Theatres nameplate, the circuit added sound to remain viable.
Carrollton #1’s final show was Warren Baxter in “Bell in Heaven” supported by Red Ryder serial #13 on February 1, 1935. The cliffhanger of the serial would not be realized at the next showtime. An incredible projection booth explosion after hours obliterated the theatre and damaged ten neighboring buildings in the process.
United Theatres proposed a new showplace and local residents objected not wanting another bomb factory of that scale. So a more modest brick concept with a fireproof booth was proposed by United Theatres and designed by architect Herbert A. Benson. That one passed muster with the local government and perhaps a few residents. It relaunched October 1, 1935 with “Every Night at Eight” and supported by three shorts: Phil Regan and the Sons of the Pioneers. musical short,“Romance of the West,” “Tid-Bits,” and the Mickey Mouse cartoon, “Mickey’s Garden.”
On the night of Martin Luther King’s assassination, April 4, 1968, 22 fire bombs were set off in the event’s aftermath and the Carrollton Theatre was one such recipient. United made the repairs unable to salvage the look of the streamline moderne interior though, to give them credit, reopening the venue. Trans-Lux took over on October 1, 1969 - the theater’s 34th Anniversary. They dropped it a year later very likely at its leasing expiry or in a business decision to sub-lease the house.
The Carrollton Theatre became a dynamic independent as a repertory house on a 5-year leasing or subleasing agreement from 1970 to 1975 playing golden age Hollywood double features. It may have been best remembered for this programming by locals. That ended on the theater’s 50th Anniversary playing a double feature of “Marked Woman” and “Devotion” on October 1st & 2d, 1975.
On October 3, 1975, the last operator went a different direction taking the venue to promo chic era programming with “Deep Throat” and “Devil in Miss Jones.” The Carrollton Adult Theatre appears to have ended with John Holmes in “4 Women and Orita De Chadwick in “Big Switch.” It became an events and banquet hall. After the 2005 Katrina flooding, it was turned into a senior medical services building.
The New Gentilly Theatre was announced in 1928 with land purchased for the new-build theater. The $22,000 venue was designed by local architect F.T. Daunis and was the first theater in Gentilly Terrace. The first ad appears on December 16, 1928 with Lois Wilson in “Sally’s Shoulders.” The theater went more than a year playing silent films until putting DeForest Sound into the venue at the very end of 1929.
With the opening of the Gentilly Woods Theatre, there was likely some confusion about which theater was which. On May 13, 1970, the theatre’s signage and marketing was refreshed to the Gentilly Orleans Theatre. A reviewer in 1977 called the projection “erratic,” the sound system “deafening” and the smell “musty” not helped by plastic floral arrangements. But there was a love of its eclectic art bookings. But that would end a year later. After showtimes on May 18, 1978, the Gentilly Orleans Theatre was decimated by a fire ending its run. It was demolished thereafte
The original Cinerama Theatre concept was unveiled in July of 1953 by H.A. Broussard and the ultra-wide cinema was drawn up by architect Robert L. Stephan. It was as part of a shopping center that was perfect for its era - except that it wasn’t built. Almost 10 years later, in 1962, ultra-widescreen specialist Martin Theatres rekindled the project announcing theaters in six cities including right here in NOLA.Martin used architects Finch, Alexander, Barnes, Rothschild and Paschal Associates of Atlanta as the main firm with Curtis & Davis as the local associates.
The $1,000,000 Martin Cinerama Theatre was ready to go January 17, 1963 as the first hardtop theater built since the War years. “The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm” and a carefully selected group of usherettes were on hand. Producer George Pal was on hand to greet attendees. Cinerama spectacles were slow to the marketplace so features could play months at a time. As a result, the theater’s halcyon days were all in the 1960s.
Trans-Lux took on the venue buoyed by “2001: A Space Odyssey” beginning on May 29, 1969. But the hits were evasive thereafter. The venue even tried porno-chic era adult films as a foreshadowing of the Cinearama Theater’s shaky future. Trans-Lux’s Cinerama with its Hollywood features discontinued service after “The Four Musketeers” on April 17, 1975 citing years of losses. The next day, Griffith Enterprises of Miami took on the rocking seat theater as the renamed Cinerama Adult Theatre on a subleasing agreement with a double-feature of “The Devil in Miss Jones” and “Deep Throat” in the peak of the porno chic era operating as the Cinerama Adult Theatre.
Two challenges were not far off. The first was that a local judge ruled that “Deep Throat” was obscene and Donald James as manager of the adult theatre was responsible. “The Genius,” another adult film screened there, was also deemed obscene. So the venue was a lightning rod of police activity.
The second problem was that Cinerama wasn’t cool with the trademarked Cinerama being used without modification. So the venue received a new, new name: the Sinerama Adult Theatre - still using the logo albeit with one letter changed. They were then told to remove the logo - which they did because the venue was a hit no matter the trademark. It would morph into the Pussycat Adult Theatre in 1982 under a new operator. That ended at what appears to be the end of a 25-year leasing agreement. The adult movies would end with seating on the reconfigured main floor created for a bingo hall under a concept called Riverboat Hallelujah. It opened on August 2, 1987. The venue was torn down in February of 2001.
(The entry would be better served as Trans-Lux Cinerama. The use of Sinerama - aka Sinerama Adult Theatre - as a second to last exhibition name is confusing; and the final cinematic name - Pussycat Adult Theatre - doesn’t represent the entry well. Its main origin and intent is that of Cineramatic exhibition.)
The Hollywood Theater opened on April 11, 1923 with a benefit screening. Burk & Dufrechou (William R. Burk and Francois P. Dufrechou, Jr.) created the plans for the 500-seat venue. The Hollywood was converted to sound to remain viable.
A June 7, 1933 fire gutted the theater. Diboll & Owen (Allison Owen and Collins C. Diboll) created the architectural plans for the renewed venue for owner Edward H. Thomassle. With the theater reopening four months later, it is assumed foundational if not structural elements of the original were in place for its reopening. Its last ad was July 1, 1951 for “Highway 301.”
The building was converted to a restaurant with the upper floors remaining for apartments. It has since been demolished.
March 4, 1949 grand opening ad is in photos with Betty Grable in “When My Baby Smiles at Me.” The Beverly seems to have closed on a Christmas Day 1959 double feature of “The Perfect Furlough” and “No Name on the Bullet.”
Berenson Brothers Circuit contracted with Architect Andrew M. Lockett, Jr. who designed the Tower Theatre in 1941. The streamline moderne venue opened with 1,100 seats on July 30, 1942 with Sabu in “The Jungle Book.” It featured a balcony for African American customers. Gretna Mayor Charles F. Gelbke welcomed the full house. It would later become a part of the United Theatres Circuit.
An April 18, 1968 grand reopening as the Tower Art Theatre came and went after the City Council misunderstood the programming endeavors as adult. So that opening didn’t take place until May of 1968. The Tower Art closed with Zita Marlowe in “Meeting on 69th Street” and “Eddy” on December 31, 1973.
It reopened on January 16, 1974 as a discount, double-feature $1 house with “Naked Angels” and “The Walking Major” open four days a week. That policy lasted one month closing February 14, 1974. Gay Times Inc. was next up to open the venue as an Adult film center on July 31, 1974 through December 8, 1974. The building was given to the City as it was trying to rid the city of pornography. And they had it bulldozed in 1977
The Gretna Greens (with an “s”) Drive-In opened on April 9, 1953 with “Son of Paleface” and “Union Station” supported by the Woody the Woodpecker cartoon, “Born to Peck.” It operated until storm damage with its last show March 8, 1964 with “El Cid.”
Ernest Boehringer planned the Liberty Theatre in 1916 - a four aisle film theatre with what they considered novel everything - ventilation, projection, seating, you name it. And Boehringer opened the patriotically-named Liberty just prior to the end of WW1. And he placed lots and lots and lots of ads in preparation for the opening. One wondered how the Boehringer Amusement Co. could afford such a long runway for the theatre and so much in marketing dollars. The Liberty opened with “Over the Top” on July 2, 1918 as a prominent first-run house. And Boehringer likely couldn’t pay that because he left prior to the sixth month anniversary locking up after the New Year’s Eve 1918 show. Saenger took on the venue and the $14k annual leasing with a new pipe organ in January of 1919.
At its 10th Anniversary, Sanger closed briefly after wiring the Liberty for sound. And they booked the return of “The Jazz Singer” with Vitaphone disc-based audio on October 12, 1928 as the Liberty was now a second-run house.
Mort H. Singer took on the venue as part his circuit on September 24, 1936. The venue got its most significant update to a streamline moderne look after closing for a month reopening on a third-run continuous discount grind policy for a dime or 15 cents. But Singer died in 1944. On November 4, 1944, the Liberty transferred from Mort H. Singer to RKO operation. The Liberty Theatre closed as a true grindhouse with live burlesque and bawdy film content. The burley ground to a halt on March 4, 1954 with live acts and adult-themed exploitation films.
National Lumber and Demolishing tore down the Liberty Theatre for $4,400 as it joined the Parking Lot Brigade in April of 1954 for Dixie Parking Service.
Correction to the entry above: Walter Reade (with an “e”) Organization Inc. acquired the Sena Mall Cinema from Gulf States Theatres on March 27, 1967. Reade declared bankruptcy ten years later ankling the location on January 16, 1977. After the Mall operated it independently briefly, Gulf States Theatres re-contracted in late summer 1977 to operate the cinema.
Sena Mall was conceptualized in 1964. Gulf State Theatres booked the Sena Mall Cinema in its formative years starting on December 27, 1966. Walter Reade Organization Inc. acquired the Sena Mall Cinema from Gulf State Theatres on March 27, 1967 leading to a much higher profile marketing campaign and prestigious “New Hollywood” bookings for the venue. It was New York-based Reade’s first Southern cinema.
Reade filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on January 5, 1977. It closed around 40 locations with Reade ankling the $20,000 monthly lease owing zero dollars to the Sena Mall when it closed there January 16, 1977. The Mall operated the venue temporarily as a sub-run discount operation at $1 admission.
The Mall folks re-contracted with Gulf State Theatres - likely on a more favorable leasing agreement. The circuit struck gold with “Rocky Horror Picture Show” late night screenings beginning on June 9, 1978. But in the multiplex world, there would be no time warping as the Sena Mall location was screen-challenged and closed on May 7, 1989. Martin Wine Cellar took on the venue soon thereafter as a retail location.
Closed October 13, 1971 with The Computer Who Wore Shoes and King of the Grizzlies as a token screening following a run of adult titles ending in September of 1972 as a form of settlement.
The architects of the Elysium Theatre were Fayrot and Livundale. It opened November 21, 1903 with the play, “Duchess du Barry.“
The Elysium was sold to new operators LalaBrothers in November of 1916. They refreshed the venue and changed its name to Theola - getting the beginning and end of Theodore Lala’s name in there. Ziblich Amusement Co. converted it to a movie theater, the Dreamland in 1921. The Dreamland added sound to remain viable.
United Theatres closed the venue for a major refresh in July of 1956. It spent $60,000 to reopen it on October 6, 1956. The Dreamland ended operations on September 12, 1963 with “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Bikini Beach” becoming the Paris Theatre the next day, a grind adult house, on September 13, 1964. It survived into the home video era.
The first ad for the National Theatre appeared in 1920. They installed sound to remain viable. The venue went to art and foreign language films under new operators beginning on June 11, 1965 with Jane Fonda in “Circle of Love” as the Plaza Art Theatre.
The Plaza Art found a very large audience in 1972 with its “Underground Cinema” series that included “Deep Throat.” That brought legal scrutiny, as well, and the Plaza went back to more art centric fare. The Plaza appears to have gone out of business on February 12, 1976 with “Shampoo.” In August of 1976, it was given zoning approval to modify to a church.
Antoine Demharters and R. Theriot spent a scant $5,000 building the Peacock Theatre in 1927. It appears to have opened November 20, 1927 silently with “The Cat and the Canary.” In September of 1929, the venue added sound to remain viable. It appears to have closed on May 24, 1959 with “Some Like it Hot” and a jazz concert featuring “The Last Straws.”
On May 15, 1960, it returned as the Peacock Theatre showing art films beginning with “The 400 Blows.” It closed January 4, 1968 with “Up the Down Staircase” and “Any Wednesday.” It became a church with few changes in 1969 as it was offered in late 1969 as a functional theater.
For its final run, it became the Cinne Arts - an adult theatre in the porno chic era - playing “Red Man Cometh” on February 19, 1970. The theatre operated by General Theatrical Enterprises Inc. was rebranded as Studio Cinema on July 4, 1970 and constantly under police surveillance. It was closed by Judge Walter F. Marcus, Jr. on May 18, 1971 - one of six adult cinemas close that day. By October, the venue had been transformed into a skating rink ending its cinematic run of almost 44 years.
The suburban Jeff Theatre launched on September 9, 1940 with “If I Had My Way (I’d go to the Jeff Theatre)”. The name was taken from the “Jeff” or Jefferson Parish and run successfully in the War years but was gone in the early TV age.
The Jeff was refreshed and reopened on July 27, 1951 with “Great Missouri Raid” for its final stretch run. Just months later, the Jeff was reduced to two day a week operation and the remodeling money went for naught with the Jeff closing permanently on December 15, 1951 with “Cavalry Scout” and “Ma & Pa Kettle.” A classified ad soon appeared selling off 940 theatre seats. The long-running Jefferson Feed Store opened in the location on October 3, 1959 keeping the cinema’s attractor.
A.J. Paul opened the Royal Theatre on August 14, 1911 with live music and one reel films between including D.W. Griffith’s “As a Man Soweth” and the Powers Picture Play, “The Haunted Island.”
The Strand opened February 5, 1916 with Mary Pickford in “Madame Butterfly” and customers appreciated the venue’s new Moller pipe organ.
The address of 316 St. Charles was home to one of New Orleans' early nickelodeons and the first of two Dreamland Theatres in NOLA. Josiah Pearce opening here as the Dreamland taking just 7 days to convert the medical retail space to a movie theater. It launched on August 24, 1907 on a 10-year leasing agreement with Max Linder in “Harlequin’s Story.” It was Pearce’s second theater following the opening of the Electric Theatre in 1906 followed by Dreamland, Grand, Bijou Dream, Trianon and Tudor. Pearce & Sons also had theaters in Houston, Texas. In 1909, Pearce sublet the Dreamland.
The venue featured highlights of the World Series one day after the Pittsburgh Pirates won the series in 7 games. John Depinet appears to have closed the Dreamland later that year. Pearce reopened it and sublet it once again. The operator, Ficthenberg Enterprises - another early NOLA chain operator - closed and Pearce operated to the end of its 10-year leasing agreement according to the trade press closing August 23, 1917 with the contents removed for a retail store.
One of three Regent Shoe Stores in New Orleans located here in a retail re-conversion. M.A. and Ira Weingrun of Avenue Theatres Inc. would acquire what was then referred to as “the Regent Shoe building” on a 10-year leasing agreement in 1938. They retained the shoe store’s name in creating the second movie theaters at the address. The opening of the Regent took place on November 11, 1938 with “Army Girl.” The auditorium was bathed in blue and silver with the lobby in walnut and maple woods with cream-baked porcelain giving off a streamline moderne look.
Within hours of opening, Weingrun was in deep financial hot water with lawsuits racking up. Avenue Theatres would be dissolved and the Regent was part of a sheriff’s auction to recoup lost money. The venue’s name officially changed on May 13, 1939 (ads caught up two days later) as Joy’s Rio Theatre owned by the Joy Houk Circuit. It played third-tier double features at steep discount prices (a nickel for kids and a dime for adults at any time). The name was later marketed as the Joy Rio Theatre (dropping the apostrophe) then the Rio Theatre and, after a significant summer 1949 refresh, the New Rio Theatre beginning in July of 1949.
The New Rio earned its stripes as an amazing grindhouse with live burlesque and exploitation movies basically cranked out until the last customer left… or was carried out. The New Rio ended its service on February 12, 1950 with Sunny Knight, “The Mighty Mite” Jackie Del Rio, “The Flame of New Orleans” Jerry Ruzell and and the “Voluptuous Vamp” Vangie Lee on stage and the 1934 exploitation film, “Guilty Parents” with a mere five shows that day.
Under new operators, the venue was refreshed as the proposed Cinema 50, a foreign art movie house. But it officially lanhced as the Avenue Theatre on August 2, 1950 with “Saints in Sinners.” It now seated 350 patrons. It would be branded as the Avenue Art Theatre, the Avenue Art Cinema and simply “The Avenue” in various branding strategies. The Avenue was a success and at various points offered Spanish language films weekly on Thursdays. In 1960, the policy went full grind with adult titles. This policy included an arrest on the charge of presenting lewd films on September 17, 1960. This may have been it as the last advertised shows were three films for 35 cents and open all night ending on September 18, 1960 with Candy Barr performing on the big screen. And it that’s the way it ended, what could have been more appropriate? The space became a travel agency in 1961.
Herman Fichtenberg’s Fichtenberg Amusement Enterprises opened the Alamo Theatre on October 10, 1908 with Selig’s brand new release, “The Ranchman’s Love,” and Edwin S. Porter’s “A Voice From the Dead” with live musical numbers between. Fichtenberg Amusement would add the Dreamworld, Plaza, Pico and Globe Theaters. On March 25, 1917, Fichtenberg Amusement merged with Saenger Amusement under th latter’s namesake.
The venue operated some eight years under Saenger Amusements.The Alamo ceased operations at end of lease on August 31, 1925 with Erich von Stroheim’s “Greed.” Earlier in the year, F. Rubinstein & Co. had purchased the lease. Rubenstein’s opened after a significant interior refresh on October 22, 1925. It received a streamline moderne exterior makeover in the 1930s. It was then folded into a long running W.T. Grant retail store followed by a number of others.
Demolition of the former theater and its neighbor occurred in June of 2020 following the catastrophic collapse of the Hard Rock Casino project on October 12, 2019 after the top floors of the 18-story hotel project collapsed. To allow crews to safely dismantle the collapsed tower and recover victims’ remains, the venerable buildings had to be removed.
Demolition of the former theater and its neighbor occurred in June of 2020 following the catastrophic collapse of the Hard Rock Casino project on October 12, 2019 after the top floors of the 18-story hotel project collapsed. To allow crews to safely dismantle the collapsed tower and recover victims’ remains, the venerable buildings had to be removed.
Sam S. & Lee Shubert’s Shubert Bros. Circuit surged in 1906 to 35 theatres in America’s most prominent cities. The NOLA location was the Lyric Theatre but Stone Brothers architects had drawn up the Shubert’s new building going up here on Baronne. The Shubert Theatre launched on a ten-year leasing agreement on December 29, 1906 with Clay Clement in “In Sam Houston.” And after a disastrous first season, the Shubert moniker was the only thing left as they bolted here consolidating at their Lyric Theatre.
O.T. Crawford took on the venue repositioning it as “The largest movie theater in the world” with motion pictures beginning on March 9, 1908. A December 23, 1910 fire in the Shubert Arcade almost destroyed the theater with its screenings moved to the Crescent until the severely damaged building was reopened. The venue reopened on July 2, 1911 temporarily as the Shubert Theatre still playing movies. On September 10, 1911, the venue was renamed as the Lafayette Theatre. Josiah Pearce & Sons Syndicate was among the operators of the venue. They signed a 30 year leasing agreement in 1917 - not making it very far into that contract.
The Lafayette scuffled as better theaters converted to sound. The cavernous venue was not equipped for the new medium and went into receivership and auctioned on May 16, 1929 with the auction listing suggesting a conversion to an auto parking garage - the fate of its neighboring building. In 1931, it would be wired for sound and resume motion picture operations with third-tier, discount double features. Under new operators it was given a streamline moderne refresh rebranding as the New Lafayette Theatre in late 1939.
The once mighty Schubert Theatre then hit rock bottom as a burley house at its rebranding as the Star Theatre playing a combination of third-run and exploitation films on April 9, 1944. The policy was a one hour and fifteen minute stage show repeated up to four times a day with the feature film and shorts thrown in after the live show.
In May of 1947, the post-War immigration led to a revival of foreign film and the Star became the Star Art Theatre showing films from around the globe. By late Fall, that had failed with the lease expiring. Irwin Poché Enterprises changed the fortunes of the venue hiring architects Freret & Wolf who did the unlikely job of transferring it from dirty burley house back to its original intent of live stage plays and high profile events. Certainly, this would be its last chance as a live house.
The Poché Theatre opened on November 2, 1947. Films would be inserted where no live events were scheduled. On October 13, 1950, the venue was renamed the Civic Theatre shifting back to film programming beginning with Robert Montgomery in “Eye-Witness.” In 1965, the Civic shifted back to live programming the way the Shuberts had drawn up some 60 years prior. This would undoubtedly be the very last chance to prove itself as a live house. And that period lasted until February 13, 1977’s Godspell. The space was then converted to the Civic Center Discotheque opening November of 1977 yet retaining the integrity of the original theater - its balconies and other features intact. But disco died and the venue fell into disrepair.
After closing, the building was going to become lofts but Brian Gibbs decided to give the Shubert turned Civic one more shot as a theatre - its fourth such reinvention - restoring it in 2010-2012 and reopening it for live events in September 19, 2013 with the concert, “Empire of the Sun.” The venue was still chugging along in the 2020s. An unlikely story but true.
Consider adding and/or altering (along with the others already there):
Formerly Known as: Poché Theatre, Star Art Theatre, New Lafayette Theater
Formerly Owned by: Josiah Pearce & Sons Syndicate
Firms: Stone Brothers Architects; Feret & Wolf Architects
Architects: Douglass Vincent Freret; Albert Jacob Wolf, Jr.
Harlon O. Jones architectural drawings show a Spanish Renaissance architectural style that was matched by the interior furnishings selected by Fischer & Jiroch of Cleveland.
Nathan Sobel of Sobel, Richards, Shear Enterprises opened the original Carrollton Theatre #1 on March 17, 1917 with “The Matrimaniac.” Patrons expressed delight with the venue’s pipe organ. Now under the United Theatres nameplate, the circuit added sound to remain viable.
Carrollton #1’s final show was Warren Baxter in “Bell in Heaven” supported by Red Ryder serial #13 on February 1, 1935. The cliffhanger of the serial would not be realized at the next showtime. An incredible projection booth explosion after hours obliterated the theatre and damaged ten neighboring buildings in the process.
United Theatres proposed a new showplace and local residents objected not wanting another bomb factory of that scale. So a more modest brick concept with a fireproof booth was proposed by United Theatres and designed by architect Herbert A. Benson. That one passed muster with the local government and perhaps a few residents. It relaunched October 1, 1935 with “Every Night at Eight” and supported by three shorts: Phil Regan and the Sons of the Pioneers. musical short,“Romance of the West,” “Tid-Bits,” and the Mickey Mouse cartoon, “Mickey’s Garden.”
On the night of Martin Luther King’s assassination, April 4, 1968, 22 fire bombs were set off in the event’s aftermath and the Carrollton Theatre was one such recipient. United made the repairs unable to salvage the look of the streamline moderne interior though, to give them credit, reopening the venue. Trans-Lux took over on October 1, 1969 - the theater’s 34th Anniversary. They dropped it a year later very likely at its leasing expiry or in a business decision to sub-lease the house.
The Carrollton Theatre became a dynamic independent as a repertory house on a 5-year leasing or subleasing agreement from 1970 to 1975 playing golden age Hollywood double features. It may have been best remembered for this programming by locals. That ended on the theater’s 50th Anniversary playing a double feature of “Marked Woman” and “Devotion” on October 1st & 2d, 1975.
On October 3, 1975, the last operator went a different direction taking the venue to promo chic era programming with “Deep Throat” and “Devil in Miss Jones.” The Carrollton Adult Theatre appears to have ended with John Holmes in “4 Women and Orita De Chadwick in “Big Switch.” It became an events and banquet hall. After the 2005 Katrina flooding, it was turned into a senior medical services building.
The New Gentilly Theatre was announced in 1928 with land purchased for the new-build theater. The $22,000 venue was designed by local architect F.T. Daunis and was the first theater in Gentilly Terrace. The first ad appears on December 16, 1928 with Lois Wilson in “Sally’s Shoulders.” The theater went more than a year playing silent films until putting DeForest Sound into the venue at the very end of 1929.
With the opening of the Gentilly Woods Theatre, there was likely some confusion about which theater was which. On May 13, 1970, the theatre’s signage and marketing was refreshed to the Gentilly Orleans Theatre. A reviewer in 1977 called the projection “erratic,” the sound system “deafening” and the smell “musty” not helped by plastic floral arrangements. But there was a love of its eclectic art bookings. But that would end a year later. After showtimes on May 18, 1978, the Gentilly Orleans Theatre was decimated by a fire ending its run. It was demolished thereafte
The original Cinerama Theatre concept was unveiled in July of 1953 by H.A. Broussard and the ultra-wide cinema was drawn up by architect Robert L. Stephan. It was as part of a shopping center that was perfect for its era - except that it wasn’t built. Almost 10 years later, in 1962, ultra-widescreen specialist Martin Theatres rekindled the project announcing theaters in six cities including right here in NOLA.Martin used architects Finch, Alexander, Barnes, Rothschild and Paschal Associates of Atlanta as the main firm with Curtis & Davis as the local associates.
The $1,000,000 Martin Cinerama Theatre was ready to go January 17, 1963 as the first hardtop theater built since the War years. “The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm” and a carefully selected group of usherettes were on hand. Producer George Pal was on hand to greet attendees. Cinerama spectacles were slow to the marketplace so features could play months at a time. As a result, the theater’s halcyon days were all in the 1960s.
Trans-Lux took on the venue buoyed by “2001: A Space Odyssey” beginning on May 29, 1969. But the hits were evasive thereafter. The venue even tried porno-chic era adult films as a foreshadowing of the Cinearama Theater’s shaky future. Trans-Lux’s Cinerama with its Hollywood features discontinued service after “The Four Musketeers” on April 17, 1975 citing years of losses. The next day, Griffith Enterprises of Miami took on the rocking seat theater as the renamed Cinerama Adult Theatre on a subleasing agreement with a double-feature of “The Devil in Miss Jones” and “Deep Throat” in the peak of the porno chic era operating as the Cinerama Adult Theatre.
Two challenges were not far off. The first was that a local judge ruled that “Deep Throat” was obscene and Donald James as manager of the adult theatre was responsible. “The Genius,” another adult film screened there, was also deemed obscene. So the venue was a lightning rod of police activity.
The second problem was that Cinerama wasn’t cool with the trademarked Cinerama being used without modification. So the venue received a new, new name: the Sinerama Adult Theatre - still using the logo albeit with one letter changed. They were then told to remove the logo - which they did because the venue was a hit no matter the trademark. It would morph into the Pussycat Adult Theatre in 1982 under a new operator. That ended at what appears to be the end of a 25-year leasing agreement. The adult movies would end with seating on the reconfigured main floor created for a bingo hall under a concept called Riverboat Hallelujah. It opened on August 2, 1987. The venue was torn down in February of 2001.
(The entry would be better served as Trans-Lux Cinerama. The use of Sinerama - aka Sinerama Adult Theatre - as a second to last exhibition name is confusing; and the final cinematic name - Pussycat Adult Theatre - doesn’t represent the entry well. Its main origin and intent is that of Cineramatic exhibition.)
The Hollywood Theater opened on April 11, 1923 with a benefit screening. Burk & Dufrechou (William R. Burk and Francois P. Dufrechou, Jr.) created the plans for the 500-seat venue. The Hollywood was converted to sound to remain viable.
A June 7, 1933 fire gutted the theater. Diboll & Owen (Allison Owen and Collins C. Diboll) created the architectural plans for the renewed venue for owner Edward H. Thomassle. With the theater reopening four months later, it is assumed foundational if not structural elements of the original were in place for its reopening. Its last ad was July 1, 1951 for “Highway 301.”
The building was converted to a restaurant with the upper floors remaining for apartments. It has since been demolished.
Favrot & Livaudais created the architectural plan for the New Ideal.
March 4, 1949 grand opening ad is in photos with Betty Grable in “When My Baby Smiles at Me.” The Beverly seems to have closed on a Christmas Day 1959 double feature of “The Perfect Furlough” and “No Name on the Bullet.”
Berenson Brothers Circuit contracted with Architect Andrew M. Lockett, Jr. who designed the Tower Theatre in 1941. The streamline moderne venue opened with 1,100 seats on July 30, 1942 with Sabu in “The Jungle Book.” It featured a balcony for African American customers. Gretna Mayor Charles F. Gelbke welcomed the full house. It would later become a part of the United Theatres Circuit.
An April 18, 1968 grand reopening as the Tower Art Theatre came and went after the City Council misunderstood the programming endeavors as adult. So that opening didn’t take place until May of 1968. The Tower Art closed with Zita Marlowe in “Meeting on 69th Street” and “Eddy” on December 31, 1973.
It reopened on January 16, 1974 as a discount, double-feature $1 house with “Naked Angels” and “The Walking Major” open four days a week. That policy lasted one month closing February 14, 1974. Gay Times Inc. was next up to open the venue as an Adult film center on July 31, 1974 through December 8, 1974. The building was given to the City as it was trying to rid the city of pornography. And they had it bulldozed in 1977
1,046 seats for the Oakwood twin cinema at opening on July 21, 1967 with The Gnome-Mobile and Hawaii. It would go from 2 to 3 to 4 auditoriums.
The Gretna Greens (with an “s”) Drive-In opened on April 9, 1953 with “Son of Paleface” and “Union Station” supported by the Woody the Woodpecker cartoon, “Born to Peck.” It operated until storm damage with its last show March 8, 1964 with “El Cid.”
Ernest Boehringer planned the Liberty Theatre in 1916 - a four aisle film theatre with what they considered novel everything - ventilation, projection, seating, you name it. And Boehringer opened the patriotically-named Liberty just prior to the end of WW1. And he placed lots and lots and lots of ads in preparation for the opening. One wondered how the Boehringer Amusement Co. could afford such a long runway for the theatre and so much in marketing dollars. The Liberty opened with “Over the Top” on July 2, 1918 as a prominent first-run house. And Boehringer likely couldn’t pay that because he left prior to the sixth month anniversary locking up after the New Year’s Eve 1918 show. Saenger took on the venue and the $14k annual leasing with a new pipe organ in January of 1919.
At its 10th Anniversary, Sanger closed briefly after wiring the Liberty for sound. And they booked the return of “The Jazz Singer” with Vitaphone disc-based audio on October 12, 1928 as the Liberty was now a second-run house.
Mort H. Singer took on the venue as part his circuit on September 24, 1936. The venue got its most significant update to a streamline moderne look after closing for a month reopening on a third-run continuous discount grind policy for a dime or 15 cents. But Singer died in 1944. On November 4, 1944, the Liberty transferred from Mort H. Singer to RKO operation. The Liberty Theatre closed as a true grindhouse with live burlesque and bawdy film content. The burley ground to a halt on March 4, 1954 with live acts and adult-themed exploitation films.
National Lumber and Demolishing tore down the Liberty Theatre for $4,400 as it joined the Parking Lot Brigade in April of 1954 for Dixie Parking Service.
Correction to the entry above: Walter Reade (with an “e”) Organization Inc. acquired the Sena Mall Cinema from Gulf States Theatres on March 27, 1967. Reade declared bankruptcy ten years later ankling the location on January 16, 1977. After the Mall operated it independently briefly, Gulf States Theatres re-contracted in late summer 1977 to operate the cinema.
Sena Mall was conceptualized in 1964. Gulf State Theatres booked the Sena Mall Cinema in its formative years starting on December 27, 1966. Walter Reade Organization Inc. acquired the Sena Mall Cinema from Gulf State Theatres on March 27, 1967 leading to a much higher profile marketing campaign and prestigious “New Hollywood” bookings for the venue. It was New York-based Reade’s first Southern cinema.
Reade filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on January 5, 1977. It closed around 40 locations with Reade ankling the $20,000 monthly lease owing zero dollars to the Sena Mall when it closed there January 16, 1977. The Mall operated the venue temporarily as a sub-run discount operation at $1 admission.
The Mall folks re-contracted with Gulf State Theatres - likely on a more favorable leasing agreement. The circuit struck gold with “Rocky Horror Picture Show” late night screenings beginning on June 9, 1978. But in the multiplex world, there would be no time warping as the Sena Mall location was screen-challenged and closed on May 7, 1989. Martin Wine Cellar took on the venue soon thereafter as a retail location.
Closed October 13, 1971 with The Computer Who Wore Shoes and King of the Grizzlies as a token screening following a run of adult titles ending in September of 1972 as a form of settlement.
The Grand Theatre was opened on October 7, 1942 with Ann Southern in “Maisie Gets Her Man”.
The architects of the Elysium Theatre were Fayrot and Livundale. It opened November 21, 1903 with the play, “Duchess du Barry.“
The Elysium was sold to new operators LalaBrothers in November of 1916. They refreshed the venue and changed its name to Theola - getting the beginning and end of Theodore Lala’s name in there. Ziblich Amusement Co. converted it to a movie theater, the Dreamland in 1921. The Dreamland added sound to remain viable.
United Theatres closed the venue for a major refresh in July of 1956. It spent $60,000 to reopen it on October 6, 1956. The Dreamland ended operations on September 12, 1963 with “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Bikini Beach” becoming the Paris Theatre the next day, a grind adult house, on September 13, 1964. It survived into the home video era.
The first ad for the National Theatre appeared in 1920. They installed sound to remain viable. The venue went to art and foreign language films under new operators beginning on June 11, 1965 with Jane Fonda in “Circle of Love” as the Plaza Art Theatre.
The Plaza Art found a very large audience in 1972 with its “Underground Cinema” series that included “Deep Throat.” That brought legal scrutiny, as well, and the Plaza went back to more art centric fare. The Plaza appears to have gone out of business on February 12, 1976 with “Shampoo.” In August of 1976, it was given zoning approval to modify to a church.
Antoine Demharters and R. Theriot spent a scant $5,000 building the Peacock Theatre in 1927. It appears to have opened November 20, 1927 silently with “The Cat and the Canary.” In September of 1929, the venue added sound to remain viable. It appears to have closed on May 24, 1959 with “Some Like it Hot” and a jazz concert featuring “The Last Straws.”
On May 15, 1960, it returned as the Peacock Theatre showing art films beginning with “The 400 Blows.” It closed January 4, 1968 with “Up the Down Staircase” and “Any Wednesday.” It became a church with few changes in 1969 as it was offered in late 1969 as a functional theater.
For its final run, it became the Cinne Arts - an adult theatre in the porno chic era - playing “Red Man Cometh” on February 19, 1970. The theatre operated by General Theatrical Enterprises Inc. was rebranded as Studio Cinema on July 4, 1970 and constantly under police surveillance. It was closed by Judge Walter F. Marcus, Jr. on May 18, 1971 - one of six adult cinemas close that day. By October, the venue had been transformed into a skating rink ending its cinematic run of almost 44 years.
The suburban Jeff Theatre launched on September 9, 1940 with “If I Had My Way (I’d go to the Jeff Theatre)”. The name was taken from the “Jeff” or Jefferson Parish and run successfully in the War years but was gone in the early TV age.
The Jeff was refreshed and reopened on July 27, 1951 with “Great Missouri Raid” for its final stretch run. Just months later, the Jeff was reduced to two day a week operation and the remodeling money went for naught with the Jeff closing permanently on December 15, 1951 with “Cavalry Scout” and “Ma & Pa Kettle.” A classified ad soon appeared selling off 940 theatre seats. The long-running Jefferson Feed Store opened in the location on October 3, 1959 keeping the cinema’s attractor.