Luis; Many thanks for your input and up-date on the status of the Teatro Roble and other cinemas. I added this theatre and a few others in Mexico mainly because they were designed by noted American architects such as the Eberson’s and S. Charles Lee.
I have several books on cinemas/theatres in Mexico, but unfortunately (for me) they are written in Spanish, a language I have little knowledge of. I could add further theatres with the main details and maybe you could fill in some details for us? Or maybe you could add some? It’s always interesting to learn more about theatres in other countries and I hope we can enlarge the database for South America further.
Warren;Thanks for the additional information and details on the Metropolis Theatre. It is listed in the 1914-1915 edition of the American Motion Picture Directory, so I presume was screening movies at that time.
saps; The booth is back upstairs now. The area in the rear orchestra downstairs (where the booth was for the last 40+ years) and the remainder of that seating area has now become part of an enlarged lobby and concession stand, achieved by constructing a new inner rear wall to the auditorium.
All seating (originally the capacity was 2,058 in 1927) is on one level. Where the balcony would normally be located is the projection booth in the centre and two provate boxes either side of it.
The slightly smaller (1,771 seat, same architects) Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre along Hollywood Boulevard also had the same seating configuration as the Chinese Theatre.
Film Daily Yearbook’s 1930-1933 and 1949-1955 list a Little Broadway Theatre, 1312 East Broadway, East St. Louis as operating as a Negro theatre with a seating capacity of 600 (in all editions). Could this be the same theatre or one just along the street?
My copies of F.D.Y. 1941 and 1943 editions only show the Broadway Theatre with 465 seats.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbooks 1941, 1943 and 1952 as the Capitol Theatre with a seating capacity of 2,000. Operated by Paramount Pictures Inc through their subsidiary Mullins & Pinanski.
The Regal Cinema opened on 10th October 1932 screening George Arlis and Bette Davis in “The Silent Voice”.
It was given a Grade II Listed status in 2002. It closed on 1st May 2003. Since then, various plans for re-use have been proposed (casino, bowling alley, restaurant, residential and even twin cinemas) nothing has happened to-date (August 2005)
I have references to this being named the Olympia Theatre (could be a typo) operating in Film Daily Yearbook’s 1930-1933 as a Negro theatre with a seating capacity of 500. It’s not listed in copies of F.D.Y. for 1941 or 1943.
The F.D.Y. for 1949-1955 also list it as a Negro theatre same seating capacity but called the Harlem Theatre.
The opening film at the Teatro Roble on 3rd May 1950 was Cantinflas starring in “Puerta Joven”.
Luis; Many thanks for your input and up-date on the status of the Teatro Roble and other cinemas. I added this theatre and a few others in Mexico mainly because they were designed by noted American architects such as the Eberson’s and S. Charles Lee.
I have several books on cinemas/theatres in Mexico, but unfortunately (for me) they are written in Spanish, a language I have little knowledge of. I could add further theatres with the main details and maybe you could fill in some details for us? Or maybe you could add some? It’s always interesting to learn more about theatres in other countries and I hope we can enlarge the database for South America further.
The 1950 edition of Film Daily Yearbook listed the Nugget Theater on Main Street with a seating capacity given as 710.
The seating capacity for the original Nugget Theater is listed as 520 in the 1941 and 1943 editions of F.D.Y.
Exterior photo of the Crystal Theatre here:
http://www.exithere.net/theaters/c27_crystal.html
The Carey Theatre was one of the first Negro theatres to operate, opening in early 1916.
Listed as Metropolis Theatre, 2644 3rd Avenue, no other details given.
Editions of F.D.Y. 1941 and 1943 list the Savoy theatre as being operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.
Editions of the F.D.Y. 1941 and 1943 list the Rialto Theater as being operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.
Editions of F.D.Y. 1941 and 1943 list the Carlton Theater as being operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.
Warren;Thanks for the additional information and details on the Metropolis Theatre. It is listed in the 1914-1915 edition of the American Motion Picture Directory, so I presume was screening movies at that time.
saps; The booth is back upstairs now. The area in the rear orchestra downstairs (where the booth was for the last 40+ years) and the remainder of that seating area has now become part of an enlarged lobby and concession stand, achieved by constructing a new inner rear wall to the auditorium.
All seating (originally the capacity was 2,058 in 1927) is on one level. Where the balcony would normally be located is the projection booth in the centre and two provate boxes either side of it.
The slightly smaller (1,771 seat, same architects) Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre along Hollywood Boulevard also had the same seating configuration as the Chinese Theatre.
I Have reference of a Delora Theatre operating as a Negro theatre in editions of Film Daily Yearbook 1949-1955. No further details given.
Film Daily Yearbook’s 1930-1933 and 1949-1955 list a Little Broadway Theatre, 1312 East Broadway, East St. Louis as operating as a Negro theatre with a seating capacity of 600 (in all editions). Could this be the same theatre or one just along the street?
My copies of F.D.Y. 1941 and 1943 editions only show the Broadway Theatre with 465 seats.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbook’s 1940-1949 as a Negro theatre.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbooks 1941, 1943 and 1952 as the Capitol Theatre with a seating capacity of 2,000. Operated by Paramount Pictures Inc through their subsidiary Mullins & Pinanski.
The Film Daily Yearbook 1941 has it listed as the Roxy Theater.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbook’s 1941 and 1943 editions as ‘Closed’, no seating capacity given.
Also listed in F.D.Y. 1941 and 1943 editions as ‘Closed’ 400 seats.
The 1941 F.D.Y. lists the Roosevelt(455 seats). In the 1943 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as ‘Closed’ 455 seats.
Film Daily Yearbooks 1941 and 1943 editions list the Grand Theater as open with 500 seats.
The Regal Cinema opened on 10th October 1932 screening George Arlis and Bette Davis in “The Silent Voice”.
It was given a Grade II Listed status in 2002. It closed on 1st May 2003. Since then, various plans for re-use have been proposed (casino, bowling alley, restaurant, residential and even twin cinemas) nothing has happened to-date (August 2005)
I have references to this being named the Olympia Theatre (could be a typo) operating in Film Daily Yearbook’s 1930-1933 as a Negro theatre with a seating capacity of 500. It’s not listed in copies of F.D.Y. for 1941 or 1943.
The F.D.Y. for 1949-1955 also list it as a Negro theatre same seating capacity but called the Harlem Theatre.
Listed as the Esquire Theatre in Film Daily Yearbooks from at least 1941.
The Granada Theater is listed in both the 1941 and 1943 editions of Film Daily Yearbook as ‘Closed’. It is not in the F.D.Y. 1950 edition.