I have it on pretty good authority that this theatre is closing after those Thursday evening shows.
Whether it’s because AMC doesn’t want the property, or because they couldn’t reach a new lease agreement in time, I’m not sure. Also unclear is whether it might eventually reopen under different ownership. Stay tuned…
This theatre has no showtimes after 7:45 pm for Thursday, January 26. Since that’s supposed to be the night for changing all the Loews theatres over to AMC, I wonder what’s afoot.
This theatre has no evening showtimes scheduled for Thursday, January 26, only matinees. Since that’s supposed to be the night for changing all the Loews theatres over to AMC, I wonder what’s afoot.
Is your local Loew’s Theatre closing earlier than usual this Thursday, January 27?
On CinemaTour.com’s forum, someone noticed an LA Times ad in which the Beverly Center Cineplex has no Thursday evening shows listed — only matinees. Loew’s website confirms this. It also shows the Fresh Pond in Cambridge with no shows starting after 7:45 this Thursday night.
Anyone care to speculate on the significance of this? These two are not on the list of locations that Loew’s is legally required to divest. I checked those five too, and none of them are closing early this Thursday.
A couple of strip clubs remain on La Grange Street — the Glass Slipper and Centerfolds. These, and a couple of lingering adult bookstores, are all that remains of the Combat Zone.
I hope this place is doing well. It takes guts for a local company to open a brand-new urban multiplex these days.
The Gateway is run by the same good local folks who run the Drexel Theatre in Bexley, the Drexel Grandview, and downtown Columbus’s Arena Grand theatre (not currently listed here at CinemaTreasures). They also formerly ran the Drexel North.
Until the Gateway opened last year, the High Street strip opposite Ohio State University had been without a movie theatre for over a decade and a half. The last movie theatres on North High, the University Flick and the World (Roxy), closed in the 1980s.
The Gateway cinema is part of a large-scale redevelopment of the area around North High Street and 11th Avenue, now called the ‘South Campus Gateway’. As another part of this project, a new Barnes & Noble replaced Long’s Bookstore which was formerly located at 15th and High.
This 1928 map shows LOEW’S NEW COLUMBIA THEATRE, at the corner of Washington and Motte streets.
The map also shows pretty clearly the problems its location caused. The Boston Elevated Railway Washington Street El ran alongside its front façade, while another branch (the Atlantic Avenue el) snaked along the north side of Motte Street. Also, the Columbia was quite literally on ‘the other side of the tracks’ from Boston’s theatre district.
If this 1928 map is correct, then King’s book is wrong. The map shows the Cobb across Washington Street from the Columbia (at the corner of Cobb Street), but the Apollo three blocks further south (between Davis and Florence streets).
Today, this is an industrial zone which no longer looks anything like what is shown on the map.
If this 1928 map is correct, then King’s book is wrong. The map shows the Apollo Theatre on the same side of Washington Street as the Columbia, but three blocks further south (between Davis and Florence streets).
Today, this is an industrial zone which no longer looks anything like what is shown on the map.
On this 1928 map, the theatre is shown as WALDRONS CASINO. It’s a half block up Hanover Street from Scollay Square, on the left side of the street. This part of Hanover Street no longer exists.
I have not added the Olympic to this site because I don’t know anything about it, beyond its presence on the map. David Kruh’s book about Scollay Square does not mention it. Do you know if it ever showed movies?
The following article appeared in the Norwood Bulletin on August 25, 2005. I am reposting it here with permission from the newspaper’s editor. The Bulletin has not published any more articles on the subject since then … but maybe they’ll follow up on it now, after getting my phone query this week.
An Uncertain Curtain Call
Fiddlehead Theatre plays at a standstill; Un-Common alliance quashed
By Cathy Maloney
Correspondent
Fiddlehead Theatre fans may be heartened by the marquee change at the historic downtown theater recently. The Bye Bye Birdie billboard, in place since the show ended in April, was removed to announce a one night concert by Norwood’s own Harry and the Potters.
But a theater alliance announced in June between Fiddlehead and a Mansfield theater group was called off by Fiddlehead just two weeks after it was announced. And Fiddlehead’s own performance schedule is silent, with no auditions announced.
The Un-Common Theatre of Mansfield, a youth theater production company, was to have done three performances at Fiddlehead â€" two this year and one in the spring of 2006. In addition, a combined holiday musical production with Fiddlehead was planned for December of this year.
Fiddlehead Theatre founder and president Meg Fofonoff recently confirmed that the planned alliance had been called off, but declined further comment. She also declined to comment on plans for Fiddlehead’s upcoming season.
The Fiddlehead web site has no specific information yet on the 2005-2006 season, and no calls for auditions.
When the alliance was made in June, Fofonoff had plenty to say in a statement.
“Theater is at its best when you can create a symbiotic relationship like the one we are working on here,†she said. “The costs of theatrical productions are soaring and more theater groups are looking to help each other by loaning each other sets and costumes.â€
Chris Lowey, Un-Common Theatre president, said she was informed by Fiddlehead that the alliance was off two weeks after the June announcement was made.
Un-Common’s first production at Fiddlehead, Bat Boy, was scheduled to be performed the last weekend of July. Lowey was able to secure a location in Bellingham in time for the show.
As for why the alliance was called off by Fiddlehead, Lowey said it was “for their own reasons†and that Fiddlehead’s “situation changed.â€
Lowey did acknowledge that it’s a tough time for community theatre groups.
“I don’t have people to manage along with a building,†she said. “There is a simple solution â€" money.â€
Unlike Fiddlehead, which is privately owned, Lowey’s theater group leases space for its productions.
“We don’t have the pressures that those who own and manage properties do,†Lowey said.
Until this year’s arrangement with Fiddlehead, Un-Common performed at the Orpheum in Foxboro and other locations.
Royalties for live productions are paid based on seating capacity. Fiddlehead has a 514-seat main stage, as well as 210 seats upstairs.
Children’s theater classes were held this summer, the last session finishing up Aug. 19.
Fiddlehead Jr. Theatre’s summer program included five sessions which had the children working on productions such as Les Mis Jr. and Little Shop of Horrors.
No, any exhibitor should choose what movies he or she thinks will appeal to his or her local market. There are always more movies available to be shown than there are places to show them, so any booking involves a conscious choice.
Lots of movies show ‘destructive lifestyles’. Take, for instance, Walk the Line. Drunknenness, drug abuse, adultery (the last of which seems to get implicit approval from the film-makers). It’s still a great film.
Beverly Center was Cineplex’s first entry into the US market, in the early 1980s. This was before Cineplex merged with Odeon. It is not actually in the City of Beverly Hills, but just outside it in LA.
I had at least one friend who refused to go to this place because the theatres were so small.
I have it on pretty good authority that this theatre is closing after those Thursday evening shows.
Whether it’s because AMC doesn’t want the property, or because they couldn’t reach a new lease agreement in time, I’m not sure. Also unclear is whether it might eventually reopen under different ownership. Stay tuned…
So, is it closing or is it staying open this Friday? Enquiring minds want to know…
oops, the above should read “Thursday, January 26”
Once the AMC merger is complete, will this be the only operating theatre in the US that still proudly uses “Loew’s” in its name?
This theatre has no showtimes after 7:45 pm for Thursday, January 26. Since that’s supposed to be the night for changing all the Loews theatres over to AMC, I wonder what’s afoot.
This theatre has no evening showtimes scheduled for Thursday, January 26, only matinees. Since that’s supposed to be the night for changing all the Loews theatres over to AMC, I wonder what’s afoot.
Is your local Loew’s Theatre closing earlier than usual this Thursday, January 27?
On CinemaTour.com’s forum, someone noticed an LA Times ad in which the Beverly Center Cineplex has no Thursday evening shows listed — only matinees. Loew’s website confirms this. It also shows the Fresh Pond in Cambridge with no shows starting after 7:45 this Thursday night.
Anyone care to speculate on the significance of this? These two are not on the list of locations that Loew’s is legally required to divest. I checked those five too, and none of them are closing early this Thursday.
A couple of strip clubs remain on La Grange Street — the Glass Slipper and Centerfolds. These, and a couple of lingering adult bookstores, are all that remains of the Combat Zone.
I hope this place is doing well. It takes guts for a local company to open a brand-new urban multiplex these days.
The Gateway is run by the same good local folks who run the Drexel Theatre in Bexley, the Drexel Grandview, and downtown Columbus’s Arena Grand theatre (not currently listed here at CinemaTreasures). They also formerly ran the Drexel North.
Until the Gateway opened last year, the High Street strip opposite Ohio State University had been without a movie theatre for over a decade and a half. The last movie theatres on North High, the University Flick and the World (Roxy), closed in the 1980s.
The Gateway cinema is part of a large-scale redevelopment of the area around North High Street and 11th Avenue, now called the ‘South Campus Gateway’. As another part of this project, a new Barnes & Noble replaced Long’s Bookstore which was formerly located at 15th and High.
This 1928 map shows LOEW’S NEW COLUMBIA THEATRE, at the corner of Washington and Motte streets.
The map also shows pretty clearly the problems its location caused. The Boston Elevated Railway Washington Street El ran alongside its front façade, while another branch (the Atlantic Avenue el) snaked along the north side of Motte Street. Also, the Columbia was quite literally on ‘the other side of the tracks’ from Boston’s theatre district.
If this 1928 map is correct, then King’s book is wrong. The map shows the Cobb across Washington Street from the Columbia (at the corner of Cobb Street), but the Apollo three blocks further south (between Davis and Florence streets).
Today, this is an industrial zone which no longer looks anything like what is shown on the map.
If this 1928 map is correct, then King’s book is wrong. The map shows the Apollo Theatre on the same side of Washington Street as the Columbia, but three blocks further south (between Davis and Florence streets).
Today, this is an industrial zone which no longer looks anything like what is shown on the map.
On this 1928 map, the theatre is shown as WALDRONS CASINO. It’s a half block up Hanover Street from Scollay Square, on the left side of the street. This part of Hanover Street no longer exists.
Here’s a more direct link to that 1928 map.
Here’s a more direct link to that 1928 map.
I have not added the Olympic to this site because I don’t know anything about it, beyond its presence on the map. David Kruh’s book about Scollay Square does not mention it. Do you know if it ever showed movies?
The photos accompanying that newspaper article show a flood, which is not explained anywhere in the article text. Can someone say more about this?
If this is to become a performing art center, will it be de-multiplexed?
This is from April 2005: Norwood Cooperative Bank Donates $2,500 to Norwood Theatre Facade Improvement Campaign. Has a photo of the facade, with the bank president and Fiddlehead’s director standing side-by-side.
I don’t think AMC has closed any former GCC theatres in the Boston area.
Loews, however, has closed almost everything that Sack Theatres ever built or bought.
The following article appeared in the Norwood Bulletin on August 25, 2005. I am reposting it here with permission from the newspaper’s editor. The Bulletin has not published any more articles on the subject since then … but maybe they’ll follow up on it now, after getting my phone query this week.
An Uncertain Curtain Call
Fiddlehead Theatre plays at a standstill; Un-Common alliance quashed
By Cathy Maloney
Correspondent
Fiddlehead Theatre fans may be heartened by the marquee change at the historic downtown theater recently. The Bye Bye Birdie billboard, in place since the show ended in April, was removed to announce a one night concert by Norwood’s own Harry and the Potters.
But a theater alliance announced in June between Fiddlehead and a Mansfield theater group was called off by Fiddlehead just two weeks after it was announced. And Fiddlehead’s own performance schedule is silent, with no auditions announced.
The Un-Common Theatre of Mansfield, a youth theater production company, was to have done three performances at Fiddlehead â€" two this year and one in the spring of 2006. In addition, a combined holiday musical production with Fiddlehead was planned for December of this year.
Fiddlehead Theatre founder and president Meg Fofonoff recently confirmed that the planned alliance had been called off, but declined further comment. She also declined to comment on plans for Fiddlehead’s upcoming season.
The Fiddlehead web site has no specific information yet on the 2005-2006 season, and no calls for auditions.
When the alliance was made in June, Fofonoff had plenty to say in a statement.
“Theater is at its best when you can create a symbiotic relationship like the one we are working on here,†she said. “The costs of theatrical productions are soaring and more theater groups are looking to help each other by loaning each other sets and costumes.â€
Chris Lowey, Un-Common Theatre president, said she was informed by Fiddlehead that the alliance was off two weeks after the June announcement was made.
Un-Common’s first production at Fiddlehead, Bat Boy, was scheduled to be performed the last weekend of July. Lowey was able to secure a location in Bellingham in time for the show.
As for why the alliance was called off by Fiddlehead, Lowey said it was “for their own reasons†and that Fiddlehead’s “situation changed.â€
Lowey did acknowledge that it’s a tough time for community theatre groups.
“I don’t have people to manage along with a building,†she said. “There is a simple solution â€" money.â€
Unlike Fiddlehead, which is privately owned, Lowey’s theater group leases space for its productions.
“We don’t have the pressures that those who own and manage properties do,†Lowey said.
Until this year’s arrangement with Fiddlehead, Un-Common performed at the Orpheum in Foxboro and other locations.
Royalties for live productions are paid based on seating capacity. Fiddlehead has a 514-seat main stage, as well as 210 seats upstairs.
Children’s theater classes were held this summer, the last session finishing up Aug. 19.
Fiddlehead Jr. Theatre’s summer program included five sessions which had the children working on productions such as Les Mis Jr. and Little Shop of Horrors.
We’re going to have to rename a lot of theatres here at CinemaTreasures once the merger closing date arrives …
Any exhibitor should play any movie?
No, any exhibitor should choose what movies he or she thinks will appeal to his or her local market. There are always more movies available to be shown than there are places to show them, so any booking involves a conscious choice.
In Chicago, add ‘ABC-Great States’ to the list of chains that have fed into this merger.
‘Las Vegas’ and ‘South Coast’ don’t sound like they go together. What body of water is this on the coast of?
Lots of movies show ‘destructive lifestyles’. Take, for instance, Walk the Line. Drunknenness, drug abuse, adultery (the last of which seems to get implicit approval from the film-makers). It’s still a great film.
Beverly Center was Cineplex’s first entry into the US market, in the early 1980s. This was before Cineplex merged with Odeon. It is not actually in the City of Beverly Hills, but just outside it in LA.
I had at least one friend who refused to go to this place because the theatres were so small.