Was this theater next to the Regal? I recall back in the ‘50’s coming into the Northern end and seeing 2 boarded up theaters across from a large tire store. Believe it was Goodyear. I’ve been racking my brain to recall these theaters.
posted by AlLarkin on Dec 12, 2005 at 1:41pm
I don’t know when they shut down, but I know that I went to the Princess at least until 1954. The Regal and the Princess were on State Street, but were across from a plaza and the Old State House, not a tire store. The old pictures as shown on Hogriver.org, show the Lowes Poli and the Fox Poli. At least by 1952, they were re-named the Lowes and the Lowes Palace and were almost next to each other on Main Street, south of State Street. I learned later that E.M.Lowes theater wasn’t connected to the Lowes theater chain. Poli is in a mausoleum in the West Haven Cemetery about 200 feet from my fathers grave.
I would love to see the photos that are in the “Images of America” for the Palace and other Hartford theaters but not having the book, I would ask that the photos that Mr. DeLuca mentions, be scanned and posted along with your comments to the ‘ADD PHOTO’ link at the top of this page.
When I attended this theater in the early 50’s, as I did all of the downtown Hartford theaters, this and the Loews next door, were truly very ornate. During intermissions, when all the lights were on, I would look up at the huge chandelier, painted ceiling and ornate sculpture and think that I really was in a palace. The Allyn, Loews and the Loews Palace were the first to install air conditioning. The E.M. Loew’s that was next to the Allyn, never did get refridgerated. It was still packed in the summer time. They used big fans and opened all of the doors.
In 1952, this was one of my favorite theaters. It always had two features, news, previews and two cartoons. Doors opened at 10:00 with first showing at 10:15. One of my favorite stories that I tell, is the day that I saw two movies at the Princess, ran out, took a right and took a second right on Main St.. Ran up to the Grand Theater across from the G. Fox company, to see two more movies. Came out, reversed direction back to Asylum St. Turned right, ran down past the E.M. Loew’s to the Allyn theater and got in just before the 5pm curfew for kids to be allowed in on their own. Six movies in one day along with all of the previews, cartoons and other stuff. My absolute best movie day. Hartford had six theaters downtown. I attended all of them. A lot!
Was this theater next to the Regal? I recall back in the ‘50’s coming into the Northern end and seeing 2 boarded up theaters across from a large tire store. Believe it was Goodyear. I’ve been racking my brain to recall these theaters.
posted by AlLarkin on Dec 12, 2005 at 1:41pm
I don’t know when they shut down, but I know that I went to the Princess at least until 1954. The Regal and the Princess were on State Street, but were across from a plaza and the Old State House, not a tire store. The old pictures as shown on Hogriver.org, show the Lowes Poli and the Fox Poli. At least by 1952, they were re-named the Lowes and the Lowes Palace and were almost next to each other on Main Street, south of State Street. I learned later that E.M.Lowes theater wasn’t connected to the Lowes theater chain. Poli is in a mausoleum in the West Haven Cemetery about 200 feet from my fathers grave.
I would love to see the photos that are in the “Images of America” for the Palace and other Hartford theaters but not having the book, I would ask that the photos that Mr. DeLuca mentions, be scanned and posted along with your comments to the ‘ADD PHOTO’ link at the top of this page.
When I attended this theater in the early 50’s, as I did all of the downtown Hartford theaters, this and the Loews next door, were truly very ornate. During intermissions, when all the lights were on, I would look up at the huge chandelier, painted ceiling and ornate sculpture and think that I really was in a palace. The Allyn, Loews and the Loews Palace were the first to install air conditioning. The E.M. Loew’s that was next to the Allyn, never did get refridgerated. It was still packed in the summer time. They used big fans and opened all of the doors.
In 1952, this was one of my favorite theaters. It always had two features, news, previews and two cartoons. Doors opened at 10:00 with first showing at 10:15. One of my favorite stories that I tell, is the day that I saw two movies at the Princess, ran out, took a right and took a second right on Main St.. Ran up to the Grand Theater across from the G. Fox company, to see two more movies. Came out, reversed direction back to Asylum St. Turned right, ran down past the E.M. Loew’s to the Allyn theater and got in just before the 5pm curfew for kids to be allowed in on their own. Six movies in one day along with all of the previews, cartoons and other stuff. My absolute best movie day. Hartford had six theaters downtown. I attended all of them. A lot!