I remember seeing a few movies here back in the late 60’s early 70’s.
I also recall Duggan Hill the founder of City Lights, a dance troupe trying to purchase the theater from the city for a $1! I think this was circa 1983 – 5. Obviously, nothing ever came of that. I believe Hill ended up with a home for City Lights on Washington Street near the old Nick the Greeks in the South End.
I’m glad Emerson is doing something with the Paramount – but, I’m not as attached to that theater as I was say, The Center, The Puritain, and the National. Those were the theaters I mainly frequented as a kid To my late teens.
The note on the top of the page says the theater closed in 1980. Was it an adult theater by that time? I don’t remember this theater playing films in the 70’s…
Nice to know that it will be somehow salvaged like the Paramount as an entertainment/culture center and not office space.
What a mess. The place WAS rather scary during that period. I’m glad Emerson kept the place from being reduced to rubble like the Gary and the Publix (among others!)! I’m sad I’ll never see movies in that theater or the Wang again, but at least I have the Saxon and Music Hall memories.
I’m curious to see what’s going on with the Modern!
This theater is amazing. I went to the Halloween double feature here, and although the prints were very old and it didn’t take place in the large house due to renovations, it was a great time!
Anyone know what’s happening with this space? I walked by the theater on Friday, and it looks like there may be some renovations happening there. Wondering if it’s going to reopen like the Opera House.
Caught a first run showing of the Departed here last night. This theater did it right. The small theaters have a real sense of style. The “owl” lightcovers and curtains (not sure what to call them) are just wonderful. They have popcorn with real butter…wow. I ususally try to get there a few times a month. The main theater is pretty amazing as well. I’ve seen quite a few flicks here before they switched to the modern seating. I remember taking in a show of “A Circle of Friends” during one summer when the air conditioning was broken and they had huge fans in the place…took me back to my days as a kid at the National, Puritan, and Center.
I’ve seen a few concerts here as well. The sound is as amazing as the sound at the Orpheum. I bought balcony tickets to a John Lennon show called “Working Class Hero” and was very impressed (by both the show and the theater). Being a Beatles fan, I hope there are more tribute shows booked at this great theater. Oh, I saw “Get Back” here as well.
But, I digress…
This theater blows the Common and Fenway out of the water in terms of style. The Capitol is also amazing. This, the Capitol, the Coolidge, and Brattle are great theaters. I think the Kendall is pretty nice as well, but the location is bad for someone like me who travels via the T.
Yes, I have been to the Circle recently and it does indeed look pretty good. It’s interesting to find out that this was once a single screen theater. Especially considering it’s location. But, I suppose the area may have dramatically changed over the years.
Makes sense that this was(is?) a Paramount house since I belive National Amusements was (is?) owned by Viacom at one point. I can’t keep up with all the corporate changes these days.
The small theaters in the back are not great, but they’re better than of the old Copley Place closets.
It this the last of National Amusement theaters in Boston now that the Allston Cinema is gone?
I remember this as the Pussycat cinema. I remember going there to catch and adult flick in ‘84. Yes, the place smelled like what a brothel probably smells like…
I never went to it as the Stuart though.
I went into the McDonalds a few years ago though. There’s a Falafel Palace (or there was a few years ago) that looks like it may have been a White Castle Burger joint years ago.
Ah, yes the Plaza Theater! I’ll check with my old pal Sid to see if he can confirm the Village Cinema as an old Reade house. He worked as an usher for quite a few theaters in the early 70’s.
One theater I’d like to get information on is the old Roxbury Cinema located on Warren Street in Roxbury. It mainly showed Blaxploitaton films during Blaxsploitations short run! I haven’t been in that area for quite a few years, but the building was still standing in 1992. It was some sort of “Church of the Almighty” or something.
A wonderful second run theater. What a huge place this was. I spent much of my childhood seeing all sorts of movies here. Elvis movies, Jerry Lewis flicks, Beach Party flicks, Horror Fare, Sword and Sandal films, Sergio Leone’s Eastwood films, I even caught James Bond films here.
I didn’t realize the place had two balconies until my father and sister performed here as part of the old Boston Philharmonic. I greeted them onstage and looked out at the house to see the two balconies. The orchestra pit was all boarded up…this was say, 1977-78 I’m guessing. The place was in bad shape. But, I remember all the hubbub around the Boston Center for the Arts perhaps saving it, and the Boston Ballet possibly using it as performing space.
I remember this theatre as a grindhouse in the early 70’s.
As a youngster I saw endless horror double features at this place. Going on a Friday night to see a movie at this theater was an adventure, since it was located in Boston’s old “Combat Zone”, along with the Publix.
Yes, later it played martial arts films as the Pagoda, before it closed as a movie house.
The Saxon pretty much became a grindhouse from 77 until it’s closing. At one point during a “Boston Celebration” (maybe 1980-81?) they showed movies for a dollar. I remember one day being “Peter Guber” day. They showed “Jaws” and “The Deep” on a double bill. I also caught “Midnight Express” during that celebration. The trailers that were shown during that time were for the original “Friday the 13th” and “Gorp” among others, so that should give you and idea of when the celebration was going on.
I remember seeing rats running around on the stage during a viewing of Bad Boys with Sean Penn. And guys drinking beer out of brown bags during “10 to Midnight”. Fond memories indeed.
I remember catching all of the original Star Wars fims at this theater. Not getting into Star Wars on opening night, but taking the day off for both Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
I also remember seeing StarCrash here on one of the small screens downstairs.
This was a former Walter Reade theater, as was the Hearthstone Cinema located in the Hearthstone Plaza in Brookline, which when I discovered it in the later 70’s was a second run house in beautiful shape.
I remember seeing a few movies here back in the late 60’s early 70’s.
I also recall Duggan Hill the founder of City Lights, a dance troupe trying to purchase the theater from the city for a $1! I think this was circa 1983 – 5. Obviously, nothing ever came of that. I believe Hill ended up with a home for City Lights on Washington Street near the old Nick the Greeks in the South End.
I’m glad Emerson is doing something with the Paramount – but, I’m not as attached to that theater as I was say, The Center, The Puritain, and the National. Those were the theaters I mainly frequented as a kid To my late teens.
I remember when it was being demolished.
I knew how Brooklyn Dodgers fans felt when Ebbets was torn down.
A piece of my heart gone…
I also felt bad when the Puritain burned down.
The note on the top of the page says the theater closed in 1980. Was it an adult theater by that time? I don’t remember this theater playing films in the 70’s…
Nice to know that it will be somehow salvaged like the Paramount as an entertainment/culture center and not office space.
Hope to see it up and running in my lifetime…
Great photo.
This was quite a theater. Isn’t there a fancy restaurant in it’s place now?
What a mess. The place WAS rather scary during that period. I’m glad Emerson kept the place from being reduced to rubble like the Gary and the Publix (among others!)! I’m sad I’ll never see movies in that theater or the Wang again, but at least I have the Saxon and Music Hall memories.
I’m curious to see what’s going on with the Modern!
This theater is amazing. I went to the Halloween double feature here, and although the prints were very old and it didn’t take place in the large house due to renovations, it was a great time!
Anyone know what’s happening with this space? I walked by the theater on Friday, and it looks like there may be some renovations happening there. Wondering if it’s going to reopen like the Opera House.
While the screen sizes in this theater (and Fenway) are impressive, the understaffing and general disrepair of this theater are at times, frustrating.
But, I guess that’s just the way “new” theaters are these days.
I’ve seen Romney at this theater before, and he had to stand in the same long line to get his “dots”…so what can you do?
Caught a first run showing of the Departed here last night. This theater did it right. The small theaters have a real sense of style. The “owl” lightcovers and curtains (not sure what to call them) are just wonderful. They have popcorn with real butter…wow. I ususally try to get there a few times a month. The main theater is pretty amazing as well. I’ve seen quite a few flicks here before they switched to the modern seating. I remember taking in a show of “A Circle of Friends” during one summer when the air conditioning was broken and they had huge fans in the place…took me back to my days as a kid at the National, Puritan, and Center.
I’ve seen a few concerts here as well. The sound is as amazing as the sound at the Orpheum. I bought balcony tickets to a John Lennon show called “Working Class Hero” and was very impressed (by both the show and the theater). Being a Beatles fan, I hope there are more tribute shows booked at this great theater. Oh, I saw “Get Back” here as well.
But, I digress…
This theater blows the Common and Fenway out of the water in terms of style. The Capitol is also amazing. This, the Capitol, the Coolidge, and Brattle are great theaters. I think the Kendall is pretty nice as well, but the location is bad for someone like me who travels via the T.
Yes, I have been to the Circle recently and it does indeed look pretty good. It’s interesting to find out that this was once a single screen theater. Especially considering it’s location. But, I suppose the area may have dramatically changed over the years.
Makes sense that this was(is?) a Paramount house since I belive National Amusements was (is?) owned by Viacom at one point. I can’t keep up with all the corporate changes these days.
The small theaters in the back are not great, but they’re better than of the old Copley Place closets.
It this the last of National Amusement theaters in Boston now that the Allston Cinema is gone?
I remember this as the Pussycat cinema. I remember going there to catch and adult flick in ‘84. Yes, the place smelled like what a brothel probably smells like…
I never went to it as the Stuart though.
I went into the McDonalds a few years ago though. There’s a Falafel Palace (or there was a few years ago) that looks like it may have been a White Castle Burger joint years ago.
Ah, yes the Plaza Theater! I’ll check with my old pal Sid to see if he can confirm the Village Cinema as an old Reade house. He worked as an usher for quite a few theaters in the early 70’s.
One theater I’d like to get information on is the old Roxbury Cinema located on Warren Street in Roxbury. It mainly showed Blaxploitaton films during Blaxsploitations short run! I haven’t been in that area for quite a few years, but the building was still standing in 1992. It was some sort of “Church of the Almighty” or something.
A wonderful second run theater. What a huge place this was. I spent much of my childhood seeing all sorts of movies here. Elvis movies, Jerry Lewis flicks, Beach Party flicks, Horror Fare, Sword and Sandal films, Sergio Leone’s Eastwood films, I even caught James Bond films here.
I didn’t realize the place had two balconies until my father and sister performed here as part of the old Boston Philharmonic. I greeted them onstage and looked out at the house to see the two balconies. The orchestra pit was all boarded up…this was say, 1977-78 I’m guessing. The place was in bad shape. But, I remember all the hubbub around the Boston Center for the Arts perhaps saving it, and the Boston Ballet possibly using it as performing space.
Too bad, I have fond memories of the place.
I remember this theatre as a grindhouse in the early 70’s.
As a youngster I saw endless horror double features at this place. Going on a Friday night to see a movie at this theater was an adventure, since it was located in Boston’s old “Combat Zone”, along with the Publix.
Yes, later it played martial arts films as the Pagoda, before it closed as a movie house.
The Saxon pretty much became a grindhouse from 77 until it’s closing. At one point during a “Boston Celebration” (maybe 1980-81?) they showed movies for a dollar. I remember one day being “Peter Guber” day. They showed “Jaws” and “The Deep” on a double bill. I also caught “Midnight Express” during that celebration. The trailers that were shown during that time were for the original “Friday the 13th” and “Gorp” among others, so that should give you and idea of when the celebration was going on.
I remember seeing rats running around on the stage during a viewing of Bad Boys with Sean Penn. And guys drinking beer out of brown bags during “10 to Midnight”. Fond memories indeed.
Yes, this was indeed an amazing theater.
I remember catching all of the original Star Wars fims at this theater. Not getting into Star Wars on opening night, but taking the day off for both Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
I also remember seeing StarCrash here on one of the small screens downstairs.
This was a former Walter Reade theater, as was the Hearthstone Cinema located in the Hearthstone Plaza in Brookline, which when I discovered it in the later 70’s was a second run house in beautiful shape.