Loew's Palace Theatre
1325 Main Street,
Bridgeport,
CT
06604
1325 Main Street,
Bridgeport,
CT
06604
15 people favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 60 comments
Wow! What a beauty and what a shame.
Thanks for reposting the photos.
the earlier link to my July 2009 pics no longer works. To see them visit:
View link
Relinking!
Amazing photos of these great movie palaces.Those were the days.
Actually, forgot to post, but it wasn’t an article, just a letter to the editor bitching.
What did it say?
Slight mention in the CT Post.
Amazing theater, this should be saved if the majestic is in as good of condition as the palace this could become a major performance center. Two theaters in one building. Maybe one for live and the other for film or some combination. Just amazing that the palace has never been stripped. Save it now!
Bridgeport has been in the dumps for so many years, but lately there are stirrings of renewal. Here they have not one, but two incredible palaces waiting for renewal. Bridgeport is very fortunate to have these in place for restoration and should take advantage of restoring building that will NEVER be built again.
Great pics, but could do without the Steven Segal b.s. who cares about him.. We are just interested in the Theatre’s…..
I’m currently trying to get support to restore the theatres and would like to put together a list of people who
1) could provide some historical information about the site or who attended when it was open (e.g. russello)
2) would be interested in aiding with the restoration project
3) are interested on being on a mailing list about it’s restoration.
If you’re interested please email me at
Thanks, Christina
Another LOEWS PALACE?
This building in a NATIONAL TREASURE, there are a few movie palaces
left in America, today most cities realize the value of these historic places and are restoring them (most recent the beautiful LOWES KINGS in Brooklyn) However, no place else in this country is there such a treasure as in Bridgeport Ct. TWO spectacular movie palaces sit and wait, for decades for rebirth, no place else is there such a building in America, let us form the groups, collect the donations, and get to work restoring this amazing treasure! Easy to reach from I-95 and from rail service, this building has it all!
THANKS! That is truely impressive. You are right, it’s in a similar parallel to the Loews Kings in Brooklyn, also a diamond in the rough, and totally restorable. Hopefully it gets done before it’s too late.
Really awesome pictures. She needs to rescued soon or it may be too late. Looks to be heading down the same road as Loews Kings in Brooklyn N.Y. Hopefully someday she can see a rebirth.
Some pictures inside the Palace from July 2009 – still looking magnificent, but the old girl is certainly on the decline.
http://www.urbexforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4904
is this theater still vacant?
Hopefully both the Palace and the Majestic can be restored. If not, I hope someone attempts to rescue the pipe organ.
I lived in a suburb of Shelton and would take the train from Bridgeport. Once the new Rt. 8 opened up, we drove right by these theaters in the 70’s. A neighbor told me that the Palace was the place to see a show. He had seen the Andrew Sisters there and the place was always packed. Once drugs hit Bridgeport, people started to avoid the Park City and the whole downtown area began to fade. I happened upon the Palace one day when it was showing a film. In its final days, porn was what flickered off that big screen. The ticket taker let me take a look inside and believe me it was like going back in time. The Waterbury Palace shows the potential of this complex.
I didn’t actually post the pictures that I linked to on 12/23/08. They were posted by a man whose handle is “826 PARANORMAL” – he has quite a few interesting photostreams there. Some were posted 6/5/07 and some 10/2/08. If a movie shoot had been held there they may have repainted a few small sections for the filming. (at the Loews Jersey, they actually built a few sets – candy counters, etc, nice faux black marble with white streaks – the theatre still uses those counters). I think also a lot of the plaster damage is localized, some areas are definitely in worse shape than others. It’s still salvageable though. Looks a lot like the Waterbury Palace. The Palace and Majestic would look great restored – I hope they can pull it off. At least the roofs have been replaced – they look brand new from the Google arial photos.
I’m a little confused by the photos posted by spectrum on 12/23/08. Some of the photos show the theater in deplorable condition where others dated 9/08 show the theater being in remarkably good condition. What is the reference to a movie set? Was the old theater used to film a movie of some sort? This theater appears to be remarkable and much has been made of Bridgeport’s attempt to reinvigorate itself. What beter way to do it than through a performing Arts Center created from one of the country’s most beautiful remaining Movie Palaces?
Here’s a photo of the interior of the palace:
http://reliques.online.fr/theaters/theaters02.html
That is so sad. This looks like it was once a beautiful theatre. What a shame that it had to go like that!
When was this theatre closed? There were plans to convert it into a Cinerama theatre in 1961 – View link