I recall seeing “Magnificent Seven” with Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Yule Brenner in the late 60s at the Pier. My family was summering in Narragansett & we walked to the Cinema in the evening.
In wasn’t aware of the Casino Cinema which was destroyed in the ‘38 hurricane. My guess, it was close to the Towers remnant of Narragansett Casino. I’ve seen images of the Narragansett Casino and it appeared to encompass a large area.
this was a favorite venue for myself and classmates while attending URI just up the road in Kingston. I enjoyed walking around Wakefield on summer’s evening and going to see a film there.
Gerald you mention the www.thebomestheatre.com website. I notice
a photo there of the Liberty circa 5/41 . image has a watermark …Historical Society of America …
I cannot make out what it says before or after this. Do you know who they are or where I can view their original photo?
I saw movies at the Shipyard (~1960-68) It was a great way for families to have a night out.. Just hang a speaker in your window and you were good to go.. Also in that same vicinity was the Atlantic Mills discount outlet, where we shopped every year getting ready for school.. A friend of mine and I, also frequented the Shipyard Ice Skating Rink every Saturday for a couple of years.
Years later (~1978), I worked at RI Imports (owned by Jake Kaplan) who either owned or leased the grounds of the old Shipyard Drive-In. We parked new imported cars (Nissan, Saab, Mitsubishi), driving up and down the rolling slopes which, years before, held carloads of families facing the big screen. The screen was still up when I worked down there.
Lost Memory’s image references in Feb 2005, have changed slightly.. Everything is the same except lead the number with a zero.. e.g. “ritship12.jpg” is now “ritship012.jpg”
Wayne Underwood asks about the entrance to the old Loew’s Theater on Richmond Street. I am familiar with that side of the building, as I waited there each weekday morning (~1969), for the city bus to take me to the East side where I attended high school. I recall the Loew’s sign on Richmond and guessing that door was used for people to exit the theatre. With 3800 people in attendance, it would have been useful to have at least one additional exit. Perhaps in the early days, it was an entrance for the live performers (organist, musicians in the orchestra pit). Does anyone have any definitive information about this side street entrance?
In Gerald’s reference posted on Jun 19, 2005, he describes a collection of images at Prov Public Library. They are all quite fascinating. Image #80 shows a section of Albee lobby with a large painting on the wall of someone in a robe and dog at their foot. Do we have any information who is the subject of that painting?
I lived on Gallatin St, the road adjacent to the theater during part of my childhood (early 60s) and enjoyed matinees there, with my siblings. I walked to Roger Williams JH, and during those years, had many an occasion to look up a the Bomes Theatre sign on my way home. The ornate facade on many of those old theaters were especially impressive to a young fellow. My Mom was born on Gallatin St and watched many double features at The Liberty in the 30s & 40s. A good friend of mine told me his recollection going to movies there in the 50s. He liked the Westerns in the double feature matinees. He realized later, it was the country music (Roy Rogers, Gene Autry) he especially enjoyed in those movies.
My college classmate, who played piano very well, is Ken Dulgarian’s brother. I remember seeing him in the College Hill Bookstore and told me he worked there sometimes as it was a family business. My older brother tells me of his high school classmate who was another of Ken’s brothers (who played bassoon). Later when I worked at Brown, some colleagues pointed out Ken to me, dressed in a nice suit, walking in front of the bookstore.. They told me, there goes the mayor of Thayer Steet. I only learned afterwards, it was in reference to him owning much of that block. Gerry and Brian, you both described the Art Cinema as being out-of-the-way. That is funny because I felt the Castle on Chalkstone that way, but that made it more fun to seek out and watch films there as well <grin>
Thanks to all the contributers on this post, to awaken fond memories of this old theater. Now for an update…
From notes of the RI Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission dated May 14, 2008. View link
Notes to the commission follows regarding Bomes Theatre (aka Liberty, Art):
“ built in 1921. The neighborhood movie theater exhibits terracotta trim on the brick exterior; the original marquee appears to remain but has been boxed inside later panels; original storefronts have been altered; some deteriorated original windows appear to remain behind plywood panels. On the interior, the lobby area has been altered; the proscenium arch remains together with cornice, cove ceiling, and decorative details but all are quite deteriorated.”
They go on to say, that although some features are deteriorated or missing, the theater has not been remodeled or irreversibly altered and has preliminary approval for nomination to the National Registry. The present owner is Michael Van Leesten who is planning to rehabilitate the theater to a community cultural center. As i noted from the earlier comments, this planning seems to be taking some time.
I’ve seen several films at the Elmwood. This would have been in the 60s. It was a pleasant community cinema.
I recall seeing “Magnificent Seven” with Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Yule Brenner in the late 60s at the Pier. My family was summering in Narragansett & we walked to the Cinema in the evening.
In wasn’t aware of the Casino Cinema which was destroyed in the ‘38 hurricane. My guess, it was close to the Towers remnant of Narragansett Casino. I’ve seen images of the Narragansett Casino and it appeared to encompass a large area.
this was a favorite venue for myself and classmates while attending URI just up the road in Kingston. I enjoyed walking around Wakefield on summer’s evening and going to see a film there.
Gerald you mention the www.thebomestheatre.com website. I notice a photo there of the Liberty circa 5/41 . image has a watermark …Historical Society of America … I cannot make out what it says before or after this. Do you know who they are or where I can view their original photo?
I saw movies at the Shipyard (~1960-68) It was a great way for families to have a night out.. Just hang a speaker in your window and you were good to go.. Also in that same vicinity was the Atlantic Mills discount outlet, where we shopped every year getting ready for school.. A friend of mine and I, also frequented the Shipyard Ice Skating Rink every Saturday for a couple of years.
Years later (~1978), I worked at RI Imports (owned by Jake Kaplan) who either owned or leased the grounds of the old Shipyard Drive-In. We parked new imported cars (Nissan, Saab, Mitsubishi), driving up and down the rolling slopes which, years before, held carloads of families facing the big screen. The screen was still up when I worked down there.
Lost Memory’s image references in Feb 2005, have changed slightly.. Everything is the same except lead the number with a zero.. e.g. “ritship12.jpg” is now “ritship012.jpg”
Wayne Underwood asks about the entrance to the old Loew’s Theater on Richmond Street. I am familiar with that side of the building, as I waited there each weekday morning (~1969), for the city bus to take me to the East side where I attended high school. I recall the Loew’s sign on Richmond and guessing that door was used for people to exit the theatre. With 3800 people in attendance, it would have been useful to have at least one additional exit. Perhaps in the early days, it was an entrance for the live performers (organist, musicians in the orchestra pit). Does anyone have any definitive information about this side street entrance?
In Gerald’s reference posted on Jun 19, 2005, he describes a collection of images at Prov Public Library. They are all quite fascinating. Image #80 shows a section of Albee lobby with a large painting on the wall of someone in a robe and dog at their foot. Do we have any information who is the subject of that painting?
I lived on Gallatin St, the road adjacent to the theater during part of my childhood (early 60s) and enjoyed matinees there, with my siblings. I walked to Roger Williams JH, and during those years, had many an occasion to look up a the Bomes Theatre sign on my way home. The ornate facade on many of those old theaters were especially impressive to a young fellow. My Mom was born on Gallatin St and watched many double features at The Liberty in the 30s & 40s. A good friend of mine told me his recollection going to movies there in the 50s. He liked the Westerns in the double feature matinees. He realized later, it was the country music (Roy Rogers, Gene Autry) he especially enjoyed in those movies.
My college classmate, who played piano very well, is Ken Dulgarian’s brother. I remember seeing him in the College Hill Bookstore and told me he worked there sometimes as it was a family business. My older brother tells me of his high school classmate who was another of Ken’s brothers (who played bassoon). Later when I worked at Brown, some colleagues pointed out Ken to me, dressed in a nice suit, walking in front of the bookstore.. They told me, there goes the mayor of Thayer Steet. I only learned afterwards, it was in reference to him owning much of that block. Gerry and Brian, you both described the Art Cinema as being out-of-the-way. That is funny because I felt the Castle on Chalkstone that way, but that made it more fun to seek out and watch films there as well <grin>
Thanks to all the contributers on this post, to awaken fond memories of this old theater. Now for an update…
From notes of the RI Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission dated May 14, 2008.
View link
Notes to the commission follows regarding Bomes Theatre (aka Liberty, Art):
“ built in 1921. The neighborhood movie theater exhibits terracotta trim on the brick exterior; the original marquee appears to remain but has been boxed inside later panels; original storefronts have been altered; some deteriorated original windows appear to remain behind plywood panels. On the interior, the lobby area has been altered; the proscenium arch remains together with cornice, cove ceiling, and decorative details but all are quite deteriorated.”
They go on to say, that although some features are deteriorated or missing, the theater has not been remodeled or irreversibly altered and has preliminary approval for nomination to the National Registry. The present owner is Michael Van Leesten who is planning to rehabilitate the theater to a community cultural center. As i noted from the earlier comments, this planning seems to be taking some time.