A young man who really gets involved in his business has taken over the Lyric Theater on the Downtown Territorial Mall. It has been closed the past year. Gerald Thomas, who has theaters at Taft and Arvin Calif., began in the business as a janitor in San Francisco
when he was 10 years old. He is now 28 (and unmarried) and owns Thomas Theaters of California.
“Theater management always has problems with unruly patrons, characters trying to enter the theater who would pose a danger or threat to those inside. When I have such a problem, I get right in the middle and solve it myself,” Thomas said. “People who are too drunk or people who cause a commotion in the theater do not belong in there, I get them out.”
Thomas plans to open the Lyric Wednesday with a matinee showing of “The Island at the Top of World.” “I’m going to be showing second-run movies,” he said. “They’ll all be family-type movies generally rated G through PG with some Rs like "The Godfather.” There’ll be
no X-rated movies. Thomas has installed all newly reconditioned projection equipment and refurbished the front of the theater.
The screen will be about 60% brighter than before,“ he said. "Kids are welcome. They’ll be safe in my theater.”
The Lyric will seat 500 people and matinees will start at noon.
Cost will be 75 cents for children under 12: $1.50 for 12 and above and $1 for the military.
On the East Bank of New Orleans there were dozens of theaters, most of them neighborhood theaters, but theaters on the West Bank were also plentiful.
One of the first ones was the Folly Theater at 501 Opelousas St. It opened in 1940 and closed about twenty years later. Another early theater was the Algy at 440 Vallette St. It spanned the ages from about 1945 to 1961. Then, of course, there was the Algiers Drive-In at 3500 General Myers Ave., a very popular place for about fifteen years in the 1950s and ‘60s. And for almost thirty years, beginning in the 1960s, you could see flicks at the Abalon (not Avalon) at 411 Opelousas.
If you wanted to see a movie in Gretna or Harvey, you also had choices such as the Beverly Theater, which opened and closed in 1950, or the Hollywood Theater at 229 Newton St., opened in 1935 and closed in 1950. The Tower Theater at 122 Huey P. Long Ave. had a pretty long run from 1945 to 1955, and the Gretna Greet Drive-In lasted for twenty years from 1955. In Harvey, a theater named the Gay was popular throughout the 1950s.
Seeing a movie in Marrero was a little more difficult. The Royal Theater was popular from 1940 until 1955, but the Marrero Drive-In on 8th Street had only a brief run.
Oh, and there is one other theater I recall, the Gordon at 4th Street in Westwego. Somehow, I remember that in 1965 the Gordon and the Algiers Drive-In, among others, were running movies featuring a very popular starlet of the day, and you could see playing just about everywhere Annette Funicello in a movie entitled How to Stuff A Wild Bikini.
On 1/16/56, the Tyler was showing “Blood Alley” with John Wayne and Lauren Bacall. The co-feature was “Ain’t Misbehavin”. Adult admission was 50 cents. Children under 12 were admitted free of charge after 6 p.m.
In 1956, the Capitol was being run by New England Theatres, Inc. The double bill on 1/16/56 was “East of Eden” and “Young at Heart” wiith Frank Sinatra and Doris Day.
The legend is that the original name was the Colonial. The theater operator, a Cockney gentleman, was disturbed by the poor worksmanship of the man installing the marquee and told him to “get the bloody ‘ell off of there”. The rest is history.
In May 1976, the Palace was showing a revival of Gone with the Wind. Most of the theaters in the area appear to have been owned by a company called Cinema National. A local newspaper ad also shows a few independent theaters, including two adult venues, the Franklin on 237 South Avenue and the Studio on Wescott Street.
On 5/18/76, the Salina was showing “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “Torso” starring Suzy Kendall (or at least parts of her, given the title). Family fun for all.
Other theaters in Panama City as of 8/56 were the Bud Davis Drive-In, Gulf Drive-in, Isle of View Drive-In, Wayside Drive-In, Panama Theater and Bay Theater.
You can’t see the Hollywood Hotel in the 1954 picture. The hotel was on the northwest corner of Hollywood and Highland and was torn down in 1959. The Kodak theater is there now. I believe the taller building is still standing.
The address is 1348 Lincoln. A few years ago, the building was being used as a banquet hall. It’s currently being renovated, with the future occupants unknown.
On 4/29/77, the Airport was showing a double feature – “A Star is Born” (1976 version) and “Carrie”. The phone number was 892-1181. Tickets were $1.50 until 7 p.m. Mon-Thurs and until 3 p.m. Sat-Sun.
By 1956, the price of a ticket had climbed to 35 cents. Kids under 12 got in for 9 cents. The vaudeville acts were gone, though. The theater was open from 1 p.m. to midnight.
On 8/22/56, the Arcata was showing “Doctor at Sea”, along with “The Divided Heart”. The theater’s phone number was VA 2-1727. Other theaters advertised in the Eureka Humboldt Standard that day were the Fortuna (playing the same double bill as the Arcata), the Eureka, the Liberty, the Rialto and the Midway Drive-In.
Back to June 1975:
LYRIC THEATER OPENS UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP
A young man who really gets involved in his business has taken over the Lyric Theater on the Downtown Territorial Mall. It has been closed the past year. Gerald Thomas, who has theaters at Taft and Arvin Calif., began in the business as a janitor in San Francisco
when he was 10 years old. He is now 28 (and unmarried) and owns Thomas Theaters of California.
“Theater management always has problems with unruly patrons, characters trying to enter the theater who would pose a danger or threat to those inside. When I have such a problem, I get right in the middle and solve it myself,” Thomas said. “People who are too drunk or people who cause a commotion in the theater do not belong in there, I get them out.”
Thomas plans to open the Lyric Wednesday with a matinee showing of “The Island at the Top of World.” “I’m going to be showing second-run movies,” he said. “They’ll all be family-type movies generally rated G through PG with some Rs like "The Godfather.” There’ll be
no X-rated movies. Thomas has installed all newly reconditioned projection equipment and refurbished the front of the theater.
The screen will be about 60% brighter than before,“ he said. "Kids are welcome. They’ll be safe in my theater.”
The Lyric will seat 500 people and matinees will start at noon.
Cost will be 75 cents for children under 12: $1.50 for 12 and above and $1 for the military.
Here is the lineup on 3/11/23:
“The Dangerous Age” A First National Production starring Lewis Stone, Cleo Madison and Ruth Clifford.
Added attractions – Movie Chats, Felix the Cat
Next Saturday and Sunday:
“If You Believe It, It’s So” – A Paramount Picture
From bestofneworleans.com:
On the East Bank of New Orleans there were dozens of theaters, most of them neighborhood theaters, but theaters on the West Bank were also plentiful.
One of the first ones was the Folly Theater at 501 Opelousas St. It opened in 1940 and closed about twenty years later. Another early theater was the Algy at 440 Vallette St. It spanned the ages from about 1945 to 1961. Then, of course, there was the Algiers Drive-In at 3500 General Myers Ave., a very popular place for about fifteen years in the 1950s and ‘60s. And for almost thirty years, beginning in the 1960s, you could see flicks at the Abalon (not Avalon) at 411 Opelousas.
If you wanted to see a movie in Gretna or Harvey, you also had choices such as the Beverly Theater, which opened and closed in 1950, or the Hollywood Theater at 229 Newton St., opened in 1935 and closed in 1950. The Tower Theater at 122 Huey P. Long Ave. had a pretty long run from 1945 to 1955, and the Gretna Greet Drive-In lasted for twenty years from 1955. In Harvey, a theater named the Gay was popular throughout the 1950s.
Seeing a movie in Marrero was a little more difficult. The Royal Theater was popular from 1940 until 1955, but the Marrero Drive-In on 8th Street had only a brief run.
Oh, and there is one other theater I recall, the Gordon at 4th Street in Westwego. Somehow, I remember that in 1965 the Gordon and the Algiers Drive-In, among others, were running movies featuring a very popular starlet of the day, and you could see playing just about everywhere Annette Funicello in a movie entitled How to Stuff A Wild Bikini.
On 1/16/56, the Lee was showing a double feature, “The Big Knife” and “The Whitetail Buck” (Thrills of the Deer Trails!).
On 1/16/56, the Tyler was showing “Blood Alley” with John Wayne and Lauren Bacall. The co-feature was “Ain’t Misbehavin”. Adult admission was 50 cents. Children under 12 were admitted free of charge after 6 p.m.
In 1956, the Capitol was being run by New England Theatres, Inc. The double bill on 1/16/56 was “East of Eden” and “Young at Heart” wiith Frank Sinatra and Doris Day.
The legend is that the original name was the Colonial. The theater operator, a Cockney gentleman, was disturbed by the poor worksmanship of the man installing the marquee and told him to “get the bloody ‘ell off of there”. The rest is history.
Thanks, that would be great.
800 Kronur for a movie? Outrageous. Probably another 200 Kronur for Raisinets.
Seymour, do you still have a copy of your study? I would like to read it if at all possible.
In May 1976, the Palace was showing a revival of Gone with the Wind. Most of the theaters in the area appear to have been owned by a company called Cinema National. A local newspaper ad also shows a few independent theaters, including two adult venues, the Franklin on 237 South Avenue and the Studio on Wescott Street.
On 5/18/76, the Salina was showing “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “Torso” starring Suzy Kendall (or at least parts of her, given the title). Family fun for all.
Here are two 1950s era ads from www.drive-inthruwisconsin.com:
http://tinyurl.com/yj7l9f
Here is a 1974 ad from drive-inthruwisconsin.com:
http://tinyurl.com/yc7ye5
Here is a 1971 ad from Shawano Outdoor’s predecessor:
http://tinyurl.com/yblqkp
Here are some ads from drive-inthruwisconsin.com:
http://tinyurl.com/st744
Here are some ads from drive-inthruwisconsin.com:
http://tinyurl.com/y4dyrq
Here are some newspaper ads from drive-inthruwisconsin.com:
http://tinyurl.com/y43xs4
Other theaters in Panama City as of 8/56 were the Bud Davis Drive-In, Gulf Drive-in, Isle of View Drive-In, Wayside Drive-In, Panama Theater and Bay Theater.
You can’t see the Hollywood Hotel in the 1954 picture. The hotel was on the northwest corner of Hollywood and Highland and was torn down in 1959. The Kodak theater is there now. I believe the taller building is still standing.
The address is 1348 Lincoln. A few years ago, the building was being used as a banquet hall. It’s currently being renovated, with the future occupants unknown.
On 4/29/77, the Airport was showing a double feature – “A Star is Born” (1976 version) and “Carrie”. The phone number was 892-1181. Tickets were $1.50 until 7 p.m. Mon-Thurs and until 3 p.m. Sat-Sun.
By 1956, the price of a ticket had climbed to 35 cents. Kids under 12 got in for 9 cents. The vaudeville acts were gone, though. The theater was open from 1 p.m. to midnight.
On 8/22/56, the Arcata was showing “Doctor at Sea”, along with “The Divided Heart”. The theater’s phone number was VA 2-1727. Other theaters advertised in the Eureka Humboldt Standard that day were the Fortuna (playing the same double bill as the Arcata), the Eureka, the Liberty, the Rialto and the Midway Drive-In.
Duly noted.