The original Loehmanns Plaza Twin Theatres were built by District Theatres byr advertised as Potomac Theaters Per the Washington Post of May 11, 1971 Theatres opened on Wednesday May 12, 1971 with “Lovers and other Strangers and "The Barefoot Executive” with “Free gifts to all”
The District vs Potomac names were political, District Theatres was an inter-city chain, Potomac was in the ‘burbs.
The Kaywood opened at 3:00 PM on Wednesday December 26, 1945. Per the Washington Post of December 21, 1945
“A new theatre seating 1000 will be opened at Kaywood Gardens in Mount Rainier Wednesday at 3 PM (12/26/1945) Mayor Floyd B. Mathias of Mount Rainier and T. Howard Duckett of the Prince George’s Bank and Trust will be among the guests.”
Last time I was in the Embassy booth they still had twin Century JJs. Another plus to working the Embassy was that the booth entrance was around back in the alley, very private.
Saw Apocalypse Now there.. first run.. handed a program like a stage show.. great show.
Worked for KB off & on from the late 60s through the late 70s, (ran the Crystal City from 71 to 73).. In Virginia & DC.. KB was the best employer of their time. The Goldman’s and Burkas treated their people well. Am still intouch with three of the managers from that period (Mary Booth died in 2009)
Went to the Arco several times in ‘64-'64.. Saw West Side Story.. As stated above, the seating was staggered. On the “short end” of some rows they had constructed a “farmboy chair” (our name for them), these were 1 ½ width seats.. you could see where two seat backs had been joined to make the seat.
Can’t remember anything special.. good popcorn.. snuck our friends in the exit doors..
The small group of minnies on the lower level were run by Roth Theatres as I recall..
The real Tysons Twins.. the 1200 seat 800 seat back to back was at Fashion Court then down two levels.. back in the ancient daze when the now lower level of shops was the delivery tunnel under the mall..
Wallace Theatre is at the corner of Belvoir Rd and 16th Street on Ft Belvoir (South Post) View link
Wallace Theatre was “The” base theatre in the 60’s and 70’s (maybe later)
A new movie theatre has been constructed on Abbot Road “North Post”
The world premier of Star Trek, at the MacArthur.. per Gary Arnold of the Washington Post was December 6, 1979.. Gary Arnold states in the Dec 6 Post “Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Trekkies are supposedly converging on Washington to surround tonight’s world premiere of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture” at the K-B MacArthur with hopeful vibrations. Producer Gene Roddenberry, director Robert Wise and all the principal cast members, including William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, are expected to attend the 7 p.m. showing, an invitational benefit for the scholarship and youth education fund of the National Space Club. A black-tie reception will follow at the National Air and Space Museum."
Casino Royale Theatre was not a “real” theatre.. it was a porn house that had no beginnings as a legitimate movie house. In the 60s 14th St was lined with nightclubs. The Casino Royale was on the second floor on the NW corner of 14th & H St NW (the Speakeasy was on the first floor. The Casino Royale was a rock & roll club that catered to GIs on liberty. As Viet Nam wound down so did the GIs and the club was turned into a “theatre” for a few years.
The Washington Post of January 20, 1971 announced that the inaugural feature of the new Avalon2 was to be the English language “A Drama of Jealousy” with Marcello Mastroianni but a sub-title print was received of the same movie but titled “The Pizza Triangle”
The Avalon 2 was equipped with Super Simplex projectors and Peerless Magnarc lamps
Washington Post of January 10, 1971
A display ad announces
“The most unique, intimate theatre in all of Washington comes to Chevy Chase Wednesday January 20th, Avalon2”
Inaugural Attraction, “A Drama of Jealousy” with Marcello Mastroianni
The renowned and renewed RKO-Stanley Warner AvalonI theatre is giving birth to a beautiful offspring, the Avalon2 Theatre
The York Theater, eighth link in the chain of photoplay houses operated in the Capital by Harry M. Crandall, is now in course of construction on Georgia avenue, occupying the entire area between Princeton and Quebec streets. The newest of the Crandall theaters will have a seating capacity of 1,000 on one floor, no provision having been made for a balcony. The total floor area will be 10,000 square feet.
Entrance on Georgia Avenue
Entrance to the York will be from Georgia avenue into a foyer fifty feet long and twenty feet wide, with a ceiling height of twenty-five feet. The lobby walls will be of marble with inset, self-lighted poster panes. Lighting will be of the indirect, self-diffusing type.
The exterior of the theater will be golden brown brick laid in white mortar, with cornice, coping and clerestory walls trimmed in gold.
Silk Canopy Inside
The entrance will be surmounted by a marquee of wrought iron, copper and Tiffany glass, to harmonize with the color treatment of the building, which will extend to the curb line and be fitted with brilliant flood lights, bathing the entire front of the structure in bright light.
The decorative scheme utilized throughout the interior will be in silver, black and gold. One interior feature deserving mention is the treatment of the proscenium, which will be built in three arches under a silk canopy extending over the audience beyond the orchestra platform. The screen and side curtains, as well as the overhanging canopy, will be of gold silk, further beautified by concealed colored lighting making possible many extraordinary effects. There will also be elaborate balloon fixtures hanging from the ceiling.
Of special interests will be the ventilating and heating system specially designed for the theater. The unique feature of the new system will be that heat will be blown in from the ceiling. The same system will serve to introduce cooled air during hot weather and is capably of completely changing the atmosphere of the theater every thirty seconds.
Crandall’s York Theater was designed by, and is built under the personal supervision of Reginald E. Geare, who also planned and supervised construction of Crandall’s Metropolitan and Knickerbocker theaters.
The York will open about October 15, and will be devoted to exclusive showings of photoplays of the highest grade. The completion of the York will give Mr. Crandall three houses of the first rank in the northwest residential portion of Washington, the Knickerbocker and the Savoy being the other two.
Washington Post, Jun 1, 1919
The original Loehmanns Plaza Twin Theatres were built by District Theatres byr advertised as Potomac Theaters Per the Washington Post of May 11, 1971 Theatres opened on Wednesday May 12, 1971 with “Lovers and other Strangers and "The Barefoot Executive” with “Free gifts to all”
The District vs Potomac names were political, District Theatres was an inter-city chain, Potomac was in the ‘burbs.
The Kaywood opened at 3:00 PM on Wednesday December 26, 1945. Per the Washington Post of December 21, 1945
“A new theatre seating 1000 will be opened at Kaywood Gardens in Mount Rainier Wednesday at 3 PM (12/26/1945) Mayor Floyd B. Mathias of Mount Rainier and T. Howard Duckett of the Prince George’s Bank and Trust will be among the guests.”
Last time I was in the Embassy booth they still had twin Century JJs. Another plus to working the Embassy was that the booth entrance was around back in the alley, very private.
Saw Apocalypse Now there.. first run.. handed a program like a stage show.. great show.
Worked for KB off & on from the late 60s through the late 70s, (ran the Crystal City from 71 to 73).. In Virginia & DC.. KB was the best employer of their time. The Goldman’s and Burkas treated their people well. Am still intouch with three of the managers from that period (Mary Booth died in 2009)
Good company, good people & great times..
Went to the Arco several times in ‘64-'64.. Saw West Side Story.. As stated above, the seating was staggered. On the “short end” of some rows they had constructed a “farmboy chair” (our name for them), these were 1 ½ width seats.. you could see where two seat backs had been joined to make the seat.
Can’t remember anything special.. good popcorn.. snuck our friends in the exit doors..
The small group of minnies on the lower level were run by Roth Theatres as I recall..
The real Tysons Twins.. the 1200 seat 800 seat back to back was at Fashion Court then down two levels.. back in the ancient daze when the now lower level of shops was the delivery tunnel under the mall..
Masonic Auditorium 13th & New York Ave.. Moving Pictures and Vaudeville, Pictures change every night.. Display Ad, Washington Post March 7, 1910..
Wallace Theatre is at the corner of Belvoir Rd and 16th Street on Ft Belvoir (South Post)
View link
Wallace Theatre was “The” base theatre in the 60’s and 70’s (maybe later)
A new movie theatre has been constructed on Abbot Road “North Post”
View link
The world premier of Star Trek, at the MacArthur.. per Gary Arnold of the Washington Post was December 6, 1979.. Gary Arnold states in the Dec 6 Post “Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Trekkies are supposedly converging on Washington to surround tonight’s world premiere of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture” at the K-B MacArthur with hopeful vibrations. Producer Gene Roddenberry, director Robert Wise and all the principal cast members, including William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, are expected to attend the 7 p.m. showing, an invitational benefit for the scholarship and youth education fund of the National Space Club. A black-tie reception will follow at the National Air and Space Museum."
Casino Royale Theatre was not a “real” theatre.. it was a porn house that had no beginnings as a legitimate movie house. In the 60s 14th St was lined with nightclubs. The Casino Royale was on the second floor on the NW corner of 14th & H St NW (the Speakeasy was on the first floor. The Casino Royale was a rock & roll club that catered to GIs on liberty. As Viet Nam wound down so did the GIs and the club was turned into a “theatre” for a few years.
Once a single and known as the “RebYank” theatre ie: Rebyank Drive is the side street south of the theatre.
1972 picture, in the background..
http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?656
Two more pictures from Shorpy
http://www.shorpy.com/node/6662?size=_original
http://www.shorpy.com/node/6660?size=_original
One newer snap..
View link
Another picture..
View link
Picture.. 1964.. behind the bus..
http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?650
Pictures.. from a transit site, in the background of the bus..
http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?132
http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?133
The Waldorf Theatre Today..
View link
Same picture as above.. larger format..
http://www.shorpy.com/node/6026?size=_original
Couple more pictures
http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/stucat/DCLoews74a.JPG
http://www.shorpy.com/node/5844?size=_original
The Washington Post of January 20, 1971 announced that the inaugural feature of the new Avalon2 was to be the English language “A Drama of Jealousy” with Marcello Mastroianni but a sub-title print was received of the same movie but titled “The Pizza Triangle”
The Avalon 2 was equipped with Super Simplex projectors and Peerless Magnarc lamps
Washington Post of January 10, 1971
A display ad announces
“The most unique, intimate theatre in all of Washington comes to Chevy Chase Wednesday January 20th, Avalon2”
Inaugural Attraction, “A Drama of Jealousy” with Marcello Mastroianni
The renowned and renewed RKO-Stanley Warner AvalonI theatre is giving birth to a beautiful offspring, the Avalon2 Theatre
Try this link..
http://www.shorpy.com/node/5544?size=_original
York Theatre Building in 2009
View link
1920 Picture
http://www.shorpy.com/files/images/28536u_0.jpg
Harry M. Crandall Constructs the York in Petworth
The York Theater, eighth link in the chain of photoplay houses operated in the Capital by Harry M. Crandall, is now in course of construction on Georgia avenue, occupying the entire area between Princeton and Quebec streets. The newest of the Crandall theaters will have a seating capacity of 1,000 on one floor, no provision having been made for a balcony. The total floor area will be 10,000 square feet.
Entrance on Georgia Avenue
Entrance to the York will be from Georgia avenue into a foyer fifty feet long and twenty feet wide, with a ceiling height of twenty-five feet. The lobby walls will be of marble with inset, self-lighted poster panes. Lighting will be of the indirect, self-diffusing type.
The exterior of the theater will be golden brown brick laid in white mortar, with cornice, coping and clerestory walls trimmed in gold.
Silk Canopy Inside
The entrance will be surmounted by a marquee of wrought iron, copper and Tiffany glass, to harmonize with the color treatment of the building, which will extend to the curb line and be fitted with brilliant flood lights, bathing the entire front of the structure in bright light.
The decorative scheme utilized throughout the interior will be in silver, black and gold. One interior feature deserving mention is the treatment of the proscenium, which will be built in three arches under a silk canopy extending over the audience beyond the orchestra platform. The screen and side curtains, as well as the overhanging canopy, will be of gold silk, further beautified by concealed colored lighting making possible many extraordinary effects. There will also be elaborate balloon fixtures hanging from the ceiling.
Of special interests will be the ventilating and heating system specially designed for the theater. The unique feature of the new system will be that heat will be blown in from the ceiling. The same system will serve to introduce cooled air during hot weather and is capably of completely changing the atmosphere of the theater every thirty seconds.
Crandall’s York Theater was designed by, and is built under the personal supervision of Reginald E. Geare, who also planned and supervised construction of Crandall’s Metropolitan and Knickerbocker theaters.
The York will open about October 15, and will be devoted to exclusive showings of photoplays of the highest grade. The completion of the York will give Mr. Crandall three houses of the first rank in the northwest residential portion of Washington, the Knickerbocker and the Savoy being the other two.
Washington Post, Jun 1, 1919