Palace Theater
5 Wick Avenue,
Youngstown,
OH
44502
5 Wick Avenue,
Youngstown,
OH
44502
2 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 70 of 70 comments
Jack:
If you ever get the oportunity, take in a concert at Powers (DeYor), it will bring back some of the magic you spoke of in an earlier post.
We here in Youngstown are so proud of that theater.
Thanks Wolfgirl!
My favorite seat in the Palace was the lower box stage right. It was glorious. The seats in the boxes were wider than the rest, and I felt special.
The Palace indeed was a very special place that can never again be duplicated. The history of this theater was not as extensive as the Park which as I said was the theater that put Yougstown on the map, but in terms of shear beauty, it could not hold a candle to the Palace.
I’ve seen thousands of photos of other grand old theaters here at Cinema Treasures, and I wouldn’t trade any of them for the Palace.
Even the Manager’s office was a thing of beauty; the dressig rooms were shere luxury for the performers, and the projection booth was a joy for the projectionists … roomy, clean and cool as opposed to the cramped conditions in other theaters.
As patrons went up to the Mezzanine (sp) it was like walking through an art gallery with all the beautiful paintings that hung there. The theater really lived up to its name.
Don’t get me wrong, the Warner Theater was and still is beautiful, but it could not compare to the Palace, and while it always was equipped for stage shows, it wasn’t until it became Powers Auditorium that they were used. The Warner has dressing rooms both stage left and right as well as under stage along with a green room, but they are anything but plush.
I’m sure many visitors to this site are familiar the editorial cartoon printed in the Times the day of the opening of Sid Rothafel’s Roxy theatre in NYC. For those who haven’t seen the cartoon, it shows a small boy, holding the hand of an adult while looking wide-eyed at the fabulous Roxy lobby. In the caption the boy is asking: “Does God live here?†I often think that the people who didn’t personally experience the grand theatres of pre-TV movie years have genuinely missed out on one of life’s best offerings. Many of us devotees have, I’m sure, felt just like that little child.
My first time at the Palace Theatre in Youngstown was with an uncle sometime in the late 40’s. The maternal side of our family was not rich by any standard; but like many immigrant families, was very much into music, cultural things, and such. We lived about 20 miles from Youngstown, and a trip to Y-town’s downtown was a real treat.
My uncle took it to be his duty to introduce me to as much of the best life had to offer as possible. Although very talented in many ways, he worked in a cement factory by day. Several times a month, however, he would dress up and go to some special event in Cleveland, Pittsburgh or Youngstown. (He took me to my first opera when I was 6!)
On this special day, he told me we were to experience something that was soon to be gone. It actually turned out to be several things. In Youngstown he parked his Packard and we went into a very fancy barbershop where, while I got a trim, my uncle got “the works†shave, haircut, shine, manicure and hot towels from a brass warmer. After stopping at the train station to pick up his girl friend, we went to The Mural Room (anybody remember it?) for dinner and my first bowl of turtle soup. I don’t think the soup impressed my young taste buds.
Then we walked to the Palace where both a movie and several Vaudeville acts were promised. As the tuxedo-clad doorman graciously tore our tickets, I was spellbound by the beautiful grand staircase that sat mid-lobby. The chandeliers twinkled and glistened. The plush red carpeting was like walking on a cloud. Statues and oil paintings in the lobby and mezzanine areas, young men dressed like the cast of a Sigmund Romberg operetta, and concession girls in evening dresses combined to convey an evening that was more than “killing time†or catching a flick.†Indeed the theatre itself, and those who worked there, were an iatrical part of the MAGIC that was an evening “at the Palace.â€
We were seated mid-auditorium. The plush décor and architectural features would rival any present day symphony hall. The lights dimmed and. A single spotlight lit a circle in the middle of the stage. A young man in a white dinner jacket stepped from behind the heavy red velvet curtain. He smiled and welcomed us to the Palace. He began to sing, the curtains opened. The orchestra grew in volume and the stage glowed as brightly as a summer day.
There followed singers, dancers, an act with trained bears, a magician, and a finale in which the entire cast, sans bears, bowed to thunderous applause. After a brief intermission, the movie came on the screen, cartoon, newsreel, trailers and feature. Sorry, I don’t remember the name of the feature.
Three hours flew by. As we crossed the street in the direction where the Packard waited, my uncle took my hand and asked if I had enjoyed the afternoon and evening. I stumbled for words. It was too overwhelming. I grinned as he looked down at me and said, “…remember this, it won’t be here forever.â€
I enjoy many memories of great films at the Palace, White Christmas being one of my favorites. All the magic slowly disappeared, vaudeville, that swank barber shop, the trains, and the plush hotel restaurant, the Packard, the department shores and myriad of shops on Federal street. All of them needed each other to survive. The magic faded and left downtown.
A decade or so later, a “developer†promised to put a luxurious office complex with a Cinerama theatre on the second or third floor where the Palace stood. The lights at the Palace dimmed and the grand curtain closed for the last time. Until the end came in the form of a wrecking ball, this grand lady maintained her beauty and dignity to the very end. All that followed was a parking lot.
I went on to work in theatres, own my own small chain and, as mentioned in other postings was fortunate enough to restore several theatres. Many people like me have tried, from time to time, to recreate those wondrous feelings when it really meant something to get “dressed up†and go to a dinner and a movie. While we can never duplicate all of the magic, we can still honor that golden past.
Jack Oberleitner
The State Theater had two curved staircases in their lobby and it was built around the same time. The effect was a U shape.
The State Lobby was small compared to the Palace so that there was only two levels compared to the Palace and Warner which had three.
Also the State had a long narrow Foyer that led into the lobby from West Federal Street.
Like the Palace and Warner, the State was a first run house and in the later years, owned by the same company that owned the Palace and showed the major pictures like The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady on extended runs. In it’s final two years it went back to second and third runs and finally closed after showing I Am Curious Yellow running afoul of the City censors.
In it’s second life it became a nite club.
The other downtown theaters were built earlier than the 1920’s.
The Strand as far as I know did not have a balcony since it was the smallest.
Thank you for your quick response regarding the staircase. The reason I was asking is my grandfather was involved in the contruction of this theater along with others in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virgina. There is a family story regarding a circular staircase that I have been trying to confirm but it seems, based on your response, that it may be regarding a different theater. Do you happen to know if there is/was another theater built in Youngstown around the same time that had a circular staircase?
No, it had a very grand staircase in the center of the lobby, and another set of stairs off to the right of the lobby. On the mezzanine there were stairs on either side that led to the upper balcony.
The Grand Staircase was white marble as you can see from the photos at http://community.webshots.com/user/ladynews500
This was truely a very splended theater and the black and white photos do not do it justice.
Right up to the very end, the Palace was well kept, and there was really no excuse for tearing it down.
This theater lived up to it’s name in every respect. In fact, it was by far the most beautiful theater in Ohio.
As for sound the accustics were the very best, and there was nowhere that you couldn’t hear the performances during those occasions when they had Broadway plays, or Big Bands.
As I said before, my favorite place to watch shows was in one of the box seats at stage right. Those box seats were larger than the seats elsewhere in the auditorium and extremely comfortable.
Does anyone know if this theater had a circular staircase?
William Castle staged a big premiere for “Homicidal” here in 1961. The theater is heavily featured in the documentary about the movie on the DVD.
Rat attack in 1946:
http://tinyurl.com/yjbrcu
Yes. I don’t have any details, but I do know from articles that I read that it drew in a number of museums and art galleries as well as individuals with deep pockets.
were all of the pieces purchased?
Clarification:
When the Palace closed an auction was held to sell off its precious antique furniture, works of art and theater items and equipment. The theater was in possession of a number of valuable oil paintings that were on exhibit.
The auction at the Park on the other hand was for theater memorabelia … photos, contracts, posters and the like dating as far back as about 1908.
It is a complete and utter disgrace that this beautiful theatre was demolished and 38 years later it is a PARKING LOT! I hang my head in disgrace for the City of Youngstown in the State of Ohio!
I found the theatre photos that you recently added to the FR website. Thanks.
I’ll put a couple up on my Farrell Report Web site. They’ll be on page 2. Give me a little time to do this.
I thought there were photos on my Web Shots site, but these are newer, and I can’t take credit for taking them.
Do you have an exterior photo of the Powers taken from across the street which would show the full exterior not just a closeup of the doors? The b/w photo shows the auditorium from a distance in 1964 when Bonnie and Clyde was playing. It shows the entire front facade above the Warner marquee and there seems to be some art deco design work above the top windows. Is that still there? Thanks for your observations!
wolfgirl500: I just viewed the Palace Webshot photos and found the b/w photo exterior photo and lobby photo in color most interesting as I stand corrected in my hearing of the word..changes. The lobby is very similar to the Warner lobby in Erie, but what has been changed is the exterior with the absence of the Warner marquee and corner oval designs which are similiar to the marquee in Erie which hasn’t been changed over the years. I also noticed the addition of more front doors and the name change, but more importantly the absence of the ticket kios which the Warner in Erie still has and will keep though it needs restoration. Check out the Warner link on CT to see photos for comparison value.
So very sad to read that the site remains a parking lot 38 years after the Palace closed its doors! At least the lavish interior was dismantled and sold at auction prior to demolition! My hometown art deco theatre was demolished in the early 90’s and in its place is a small park now, but the town already had a fairly large park! I hold the Mayor at the time to allow this theatre to go down under HIS WATCH! That Mayor is no longer living so I can’t tell him how I feel about his long ago theatre decision! BTW, I wonder if this theatre had an organ? By chance, do you know?
Photos of the Palace Theater in Youngstown can be seen at: http://community.webshots.com/user/ladynews500
If I’m not mistaken the theater sat about 2200 and was the most beautiful theater in the city.