Leroy Theatre
66 Broad Street,
Pawtucket,
RI
02860
66 Broad Street,
Pawtucket,
RI
02860
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Showing 26 - 36 of 36 comments
I’m wondering if the Casino Theater on Broad Street might be the one later named the Lafayette? It would be at least a mile north of the Leroy (over the Central Falls line), which would account for the disparity in the street numbers (66 for Leroy). I have not yet checked to see if the Lafayette is listed in Cinema Treasures. ML (I LOVED the Leroy and am so grateful to have lived during the Golden Age of movies, which were given a glorious setting in this palatial theater. Albo Vitali’s boxing etc. is a sad post-script.
Gerald, the best I can do concerning the Imperial Theater is to show page copies from Pawtucket City directories that went back to 1915. In 1918 or thereabouts, the words in parentheses (moving pictures) were added.
I would have to scan in those copies and host them on photobucket.com
Is that legal? FWIW, the theater was in operation until 1938 and it stood on the present day site for Social Security building. The building was the original NYNHH Railroad Depot.
I am also showing on my photocopies other theaters in Central Falls that do not appear on Cinema Treasures but do have the words (moving pictures) after their name like New Casino Theater, 472 Broad St. Central Falls. and a different location and name for the Bellevue Theater on Dexter St. in 1918.
Nice, but to be listed on Cinema Treasures, it has to have shown movies at some point in its history. Still a link could be placed to any info or pics.
Gerald, I am going to look for more info on the Imperial Theater this week. I want to make absolutely sure that is a theater. It is listed as theater per the photo tag but I want to see it in a city directory.
I’ll be headed to the Pawtucket Library this week.
Interesting photo. And I was not aware of the Imperial. I don’t believe there is a listing for it. Please add one.
You’ll need to lighten up the photo a bit, but on the left hand side, you can see the sign for the Leroy Theater.
The theater directly across the street is the Imperial Theater. I am seaching for info on this theater also. It ran from 1920-1935
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…and an interior shot.
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Here’s a 1948 photo of the Leroy. On screen is “The Snake Pit."
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I would have to agree with other here and their comments. There is NOTHING in Pawtucket as far as theaters. I’ve been to the Darlton, Fairlawn, Strand and I think another one was Loew’s.
It is really very, very sad that the Leroy was torn down and for NO reason other than simplistic developers greed. It might have been a simple theater but it was beautifully elegant in its simplicity. I loved the Leroy Theater and neighboring Mullen’s Music.
I went to this theater about twice a month as a youngster during the 60’s and saw Woodstock the Movie there.
I also saw some concerts later on including the Monkees, Bread and England Dan and John Ford Cooley or something like that name.
That section of Pawtucket used to be very attractive at one time. Now there is nothing, absolutely nothing to offer.
Nostalgic point here. There use to be a stage theater across the street from the Leroy where they would have plays. I believe the site now holds a Social Security building.
The entire movie “American Buffalo” was shot in a vacant storefront in the adjacent Fanning Block, which was demolished at the same time as the Leroy, and in the Times Square Restaurant (renamed Riverside Diner for the film) across the street.
A scene from the 1996 film “American Buffalo”, directed by Rhode Islander Michael Corrente and starring Dustin Hoffman, was shot in front of the Leroy Theatre. I saw films in this beautiful theatre many times during the 1970s. It is a disgrace that the city of Pawtucket did not care enough to prevent the destruction of this wondrous place. Now Pawtucket has nothing, nothing at all. No more Capitol, Strand, Darlton, State, Broadway…and no more Leroy.