The Ritz Cinema opened on 13th July 1936 with Binnie Hales in “Hyde Park Corner”. The opening was attended by Binnie Hales and local resident playwright Ben Travers. The original seating capacity of 612 was in stalls and balcony levels. It was built for and operated by the independent Truman Dicken circuit and the opening day coincided with the opening day of the nearby Oscar Deutsch built Odeon Theatre, Bridgewater.
Operating since at least 1941 when it is listed in that year’s edition of Film Daily Yearbook with a seating capacity of 882. It was operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management.
Still listed as under Warner Bros. control in 1950, the seating capacity given in the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. was 1,134.
Al; The West End Theatre is now the Lagree Baptist Church. The West End Theatre is located in the middle of the block and only has a frontage on 125th Street. The building you are searching for would have been built to the left of the West End Theatre. In the photo posted by Warren on 20th November 2005 there is a building next to the West End, which is still there today (just seen in my photo posted 8th May 2006). To me that looks too low a building to be a 1,800 seat theatre on a single floor. But I could be wong…..I will try and check out the next door building when I am in NYC in a couple of weeks time and see what lays behind and whether the facade goes around the corner to St. Nicholas Avenue.
Originally opened in May 1912 as the Kosmorama, it had a seating capacity of 1,200. In December 1914 it became the Cine-Max Linder. It was modernised into an Art Deco style in the 1930’s.
Totally modernised again in 1987 it now has seating for 700 (300 Stalls, 250 Mezzanine and 150 Balcony). The auditorium interior is totally black so that all focus is on the screen. The cinema is THX certified and can screen 70mm film.
There is no listing for a Fairfax Theatre in the Film Daily Yearbook;1941 edition.
In the 1943 edition there is a Fairfax Theatre listed with 700 seats operated by Paramount through their subsidiary E.J. Sparks.
The 1950 edition of F.D.Y. lists a Fairfax Theatre with 555 seats. However the address is different from the one given in the headers above. It is located at 4122 Heschel Street, Jacksonville
Could there have been two different Fairfax Theatre’s operating in the city at seperate periods of time?
I should have been more specific and said that the front of house (foyers and lobby spaces) have been gutted for the current use of Hamilton Place discount store. As Joey states, the auditorium block is huge and could well be still in a state of limbo as seen in Warren’s photo posted July 28th 2005.
The exterior (rebuilt facade and entrance) photographed in July 2003. The brick mass of the auditorium block can be seen at the rear: http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142660071/
Lost Memory;Thanks for the additional information. I must say that it now seems to be the Renaissance Ballroom was part of the complex with the Renaissance Theatre, but they were two seperate, but adjacent buildings. The square trim in the brickwork matches at the top of each building, set on end on the ballroom and flat on the theatre. Today, the ballroom building is now gone, but the theatre building lingers on (or did a couple of years ago).
I now realise that there was never a ballroom in the 2nd floor of the theatre building and that space is or never was large enough for that use, but is an ideal size for first a billiard parlour, then restaurant use. The name ‘Casino’ must have been part of the initial opening names;Renaissance Casino Theatre, Renaissance Casino Ballroom, even possibly Renaissance Casino Billiard Parlour? I see there is a Renaissance Pharmacy in the ballroom building.
The street scene is totally changed today, from the 1927 view. It has been widened with a dual carriagway, the left hand side of the street has been taken up with road widening and on the right I can’t recall seeing the church to the north of the ballroom.
The Tivoli Theatre is listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1943 edition with a seating capacity of 1,309. Unfortunately, no address or further details are given.
The Ritz Cinema opened on 13th July 1936 with Binnie Hales in “Hyde Park Corner”. The opening was attended by Binnie Hales and local resident playwright Ben Travers. The original seating capacity of 612 was in stalls and balcony levels. It was built for and operated by the independent Truman Dicken circuit and the opening day coincided with the opening day of the nearby Oscar Deutsch built Odeon Theatre, Bridgewater.
Operating since at least 1941 when it is listed in that year’s edition of Film Daily Yearbook with a seating capacity of 882. It was operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management.
Still listed as under Warner Bros. control in 1950, the seating capacity given in the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. was 1,134.
Al; The West End Theatre is now the Lagree Baptist Church. The West End Theatre is located in the middle of the block and only has a frontage on 125th Street. The building you are searching for would have been built to the left of the West End Theatre. In the photo posted by Warren on 20th November 2005 there is a building next to the West End, which is still there today (just seen in my photo posted 8th May 2006). To me that looks too low a building to be a 1,800 seat theatre on a single floor. But I could be wong…..I will try and check out the next door building when I am in NYC in a couple of weeks time and see what lays behind and whether the facade goes around the corner to St. Nicholas Avenue.
The 1950 edition of F.D.Y. lists the Ritz Theatre at 829 N. Davis Street, Jacksonville.
Kevin;Many thanks for filling in this additional historical information on the Excelsior Cinema
Originally opened in May 1912 as the Kosmorama, it had a seating capacity of 1,200. In December 1914 it became the Cine-Max Linder. It was modernised into an Art Deco style in the 1930’s.
Totally modernised again in 1987 it now has seating for 700 (300 Stalls, 250 Mezzanine and 150 Balcony). The auditorium interior is totally black so that all focus is on the screen. The cinema is THX certified and can screen 70mm film.
Correction, the address given in 1950 for ‘that’ Fairfax Theatre is 4122 Herschel Street, Jacksonville, FL 32210
There is no listing for a Fairfax Theatre in the Film Daily Yearbook;1941 edition.
In the 1943 edition there is a Fairfax Theatre listed with 700 seats operated by Paramount through their subsidiary E.J. Sparks.
The 1950 edition of F.D.Y. lists a Fairfax Theatre with 555 seats. However the address is different from the one given in the headers above. It is located at 4122 Heschel Street, Jacksonville
Could there have been two different Fairfax Theatre’s operating in the city at seperate periods of time?
Listed in editions of Film Daily Yearbook 1947-1955 in the ‘Negro’ Theatres section, but not in the main State/City listings.
I should have been more specific and said that the front of house (foyers and lobby spaces) have been gutted for the current use of Hamilton Place discount store. As Joey states, the auditorium block is huge and could well be still in a state of limbo as seen in Warren’s photo posted July 28th 2005.
Photographed in July 2003:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142910058/
Photographed in July 2003:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142890244/
Four views of the RKO Hamilton Theatre as seen in July 2003:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142789725/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142790179/
Close-ups of details
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142790673/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142791128/
Two views of the former Players Cinema as seen in June 2005:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142772569/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142773500/
Two photographs from July 2004:
The entrance on W.181st Street:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142694356/
The auditorium section as seen around the corner on Audubon Avenue:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142694582/
The exterior (rebuilt facade and entrance) photographed in July 2003. The brick mass of the auditorium block can be seen at the rear:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142660071/
Four views of the former Odeon Theatre taken in July 2003:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142308365/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142308805/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142309237/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142309540/
Three views of the former Loew’s Rio Theatre taken in July 2003:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142274860/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142275376/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142275926/
Two exterior views from July 2003:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142204641/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142205068/
Two photographs taken in July 2003:
Facade and marquee:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142173254/
Detail in close-up:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142173666/
Lost Memory;Excellent research and data found. I will check out the building again when I am in NYC in a few weeks time.
Here is a July 2003 photograph of the former Alhambra Theatre in Harlem:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142133303/
Here is a current (July 2003) view of the former Lafayette Theatre, in Harlem:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142119473/
Lost Memory;Thanks for the additional information. I must say that it now seems to be the Renaissance Ballroom was part of the complex with the Renaissance Theatre, but they were two seperate, but adjacent buildings. The square trim in the brickwork matches at the top of each building, set on end on the ballroom and flat on the theatre. Today, the ballroom building is now gone, but the theatre building lingers on (or did a couple of years ago).
I now realise that there was never a ballroom in the 2nd floor of the theatre building and that space is or never was large enough for that use, but is an ideal size for first a billiard parlour, then restaurant use. The name ‘Casino’ must have been part of the initial opening names;Renaissance Casino Theatre, Renaissance Casino Ballroom, even possibly Renaissance Casino Billiard Parlour? I see there is a Renaissance Pharmacy in the ballroom building.
The street scene is totally changed today, from the 1927 view. It has been widened with a dual carriagway, the left hand side of the street has been taken up with road widening and on the right I can’t recall seeing the church to the north of the ballroom.
The Tivoli Theatre is listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1943 edition with a seating capacity of 1,309. Unfortunately, no address or further details are given.