The Capitol is now home to the Aberdeen Community Theater and its website is essentially the theater’s website. Films are still shown occasionally along with the ACT’s productions: http://aberdeencommunitytheatre.com/
I think except for the Century 9 and the Metreon theaters and perhaps a few others, I think almost all the theaters within San Francisco are traditional slope floor theaters – Stonestown, Castro, Balboa, 4 Star, Embarcadero, Empire, Presidio, Bridge, Lumiere, Opera Plaza, Vogue, etc.
I think it is one thing to add an historical note about a crime – historical or contemporary – that occured at a theater. It is another matter to use a theater’s comments page as a blog about the incident or a condolence page or to ruminate about what theaters in general should do to keep this senseless nightmare from happening again. I am not against these discussions, quite the contrary, but I do think they should be conducted elsewhere.
I agree; what has happened is dreadful, but comments about this horror are not really about this theater in terms of its architecture or exhibition history.
Fascinating; the modernizaton of the Fisher was probably, if not definitely, the last theater design project of the Rapp & Rapp firm before it was dissolved; the two brothers had passed on well before 1961. Many now regard this design as looking very dated, whereas the entrance arcades, which are original and in a very different design, now look classic.
It is interesting too to read that even after the redo, the Fisher had, perhaps still has, has motion picture projection capability, but it would appear to have rarely used; perhaps occasionally for special events or trade shows, but I can’t recall any public showings there since it became a well-known house for Broadway shows.
I think the last operating true movie palace in downtown Toronto was probably the Uptown, also a Thomas Lamb design of the 1920s, which closed and was razed in 2003. There are at least two single screen theaters still operating in Toronto that date to the 1940s or even earlier; the Kingsway and the Bloor. The twinned Fox in the eastern part of the city dates to 1914. There is also the twinned Humber, which opened in 1949 (although its current status seems a bit uncertain).
Regarding San Francisco: most San Franciscans as well as myself certainly regard the landmark Castro Theater as a palace (though perhaps less elegant than say the long gone Fox and Paramount there). Also there is an operating porn theater, the Market Street Cinema which had long and distinguished history; it was once a Grauman house and a Loew’s and hosted a number of roadshows in the 1960s before it became what it is now. San Francisco still has some historic and classic neighborhood houses; look at the San Francisco list of theaters for some of these survivors.
I don’t see another operator taking it over especially for the reasons Broan cites; currently Chicago does not have many smaller operators except for Classic Theaters which I doubt would be interested. The closing will probably give the Muvico at Rosemont a boost.
If one views this .pdf and scrolls down to pages 43-45 using the page counter at the bottom (not the table of contents], there will be dound three pages about the Ritz, some pictures of the building in its current state, and recommendations for its renovation.
There are additional pictures and history on this webpage.
This page has additional history of the Hippodrome in Aldershot.
The Capitol is now home to the Aberdeen Community Theater and its website is essentially the theater’s website. Films are still shown occasionally along with the ACT’s productions: http://aberdeencommunitytheatre.com/
I think except for the Century 9 and the Metreon theaters and perhaps a few others, I think almost all the theaters within San Francisco are traditional slope floor theaters – Stonestown, Castro, Balboa, 4 Star, Embarcadero, Empire, Presidio, Bridge, Lumiere, Opera Plaza, Vogue, etc.
I think it is one thing to add an historical note about a crime – historical or contemporary – that occured at a theater. It is another matter to use a theater’s comments page as a blog about the incident or a condolence page or to ruminate about what theaters in general should do to keep this senseless nightmare from happening again. I am not against these discussions, quite the contrary, but I do think they should be conducted elsewhere.
I agree; what has happened is dreadful, but comments about this horror are not really about this theater in terms of its architecture or exhibition history.
This page, from Roland Lataille’s Cinerama site, has several pictures of this theater over the years.
Here is an article about the closing, which includes an exterior photo that will enlarge if clicked upon.
The effort by a church group to buy and convert the Portage has been abandoned: View article
The Varsity is among the many theaters threatened by the studios' insistence that theaters go digital: View article
Fascinating; the modernizaton of the Fisher was probably, if not definitely, the last theater design project of the Rapp & Rapp firm before it was dissolved; the two brothers had passed on well before 1961. Many now regard this design as looking very dated, whereas the entrance arcades, which are original and in a very different design, now look classic.
It is interesting too to read that even after the redo, the Fisher had, perhaps still has, has motion picture projection capability, but it would appear to have rarely used; perhaps occasionally for special events or trade shows, but I can’t recall any public showings there since it became a well-known house for Broadway shows.
Moves are being made to get this theater reopened: View article
The Hippodrome in 1910: View link:
There is a c. 1930 picture of the theatre here which will enlarge if clicked upon.
I think the last operating true movie palace in downtown Toronto was probably the Uptown, also a Thomas Lamb design of the 1920s, which closed and was razed in 2003. There are at least two single screen theaters still operating in Toronto that date to the 1940s or even earlier; the Kingsway and the Bloor. The twinned Fox in the eastern part of the city dates to 1914. There is also the twinned Humber, which opened in 1949 (although its current status seems a bit uncertain).
Regarding San Francisco: most San Franciscans as well as myself certainly regard the landmark Castro Theater as a palace (though perhaps less elegant than say the long gone Fox and Paramount there). Also there is an operating porn theater, the Market Street Cinema which had long and distinguished history; it was once a Grauman house and a Loew’s and hosted a number of roadshows in the 1960s before it became what it is now. San Francisco still has some historic and classic neighborhood houses; look at the San Francisco list of theaters for some of these survivors.
There is an interior picture of the Palace on this webpage: View link
I don’t see another operator taking it over especially for the reasons Broan cites; currently Chicago does not have many smaller operators except for Classic Theaters which I doubt would be interested. The closing will probably give the Muvico at Rosemont a boost.
This theater is one of two Colorado theaters acquired by Allen Theatres of Las Cruces, NM: View article
New official website: http://www.allentheatresinc.com/
A new small cinema has been proposed that would occupy part of the footprint of this now-demolished theater: View aticle
The theater’s official official website is now: http://themapletheater.com/
An article about the coming changes to the Maple Art Theater: View link
If one views this .pdf and scrolls down to pages 43-45 using the page counter at the bottom (not the table of contents], there will be dound three pages about the Ritz, some pictures of the building in its current state, and recommendations for its renovation.
It is being renovated and restored but for use as a church: View article
A view during the day: View link
This article about the renovation of the Austin Art House has some pictures that show traces of the former theater.