Markell Amusement Co. had built the Weymouth Theatre in 1927 and continued building here on East Adams. Just prior to launching, however, the city fought the opening of the $40,000 Milton Theatre in January of 1928. The theatre passed and opened in 1928 before closing as a silent house in 1930.
Varney & Gravy took over the Milton Theatre in 1931 creating Adams Theatre Corporation of East Milton that April. They first started advertising films at the Adams Theatre in May of 1931. It was renamed the State Theatre under new operators in 1933. The venue appears to have closed at the end of its 30 year-leasing period.
New operators refreshed it and rebranded it as the Milton Art Theatre. It opened on January 10, 1957 with “Vitelloni” and a string of art films direct from Boston after playdates there On September 23, 1964, it changed programming to more Hollywood hits as the Milton Cinema with “The Pink Panther.” It ran as a sub-run discount house until end of another 30-year leasing period on September 23, 1987.
The Milton got one more chance with a new set of operators but they didn’t make it too far. John McDonald Jr. and Frank Santoro took on the venue as a proposed playhouse but ran it as a movie house until getting the plan together. It opened with “Stakeout” on November 18, 1987 closing permanently on December 30, 1988. They returned the property to the City. It first became a coffee house with performance space before being turned into a restaurant.
The New Braintree Theatre opened on April 23, 1926 with a talent show and Clara Bow in “The Keeper of the Bees” supported by Alice Day in “Love and Kisses.” It celebrated the 1961 New Year by closing permanently following showtimes of “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs” and “The Subterraneans.” An article months later said the space had been recaptured for an arcade and offices.
The Regent Theatre was at 440 Hancock Street in North Quincy’s Norfolk Downs neighborhood and opened by New England Theatre Corp. (aka NETOCO). Its Colonial style architecture wowed on December 14, 1925 launching with Tom Meighan in “Irish Luck” and Norma Shearer in “Slave of Fashion” supported by a newsreel and comedy short on the big screen.
Per the comment above, the men’s lounge was on that flight of stairs as well as the projection booth. The all reserved seating gave way over time. Late in 1929, NETOCO installed Vitaphone sound on disc to keep the venue viable. In April of 1930, NETOCO was subsumed as Public NETOCO and then Paramount.
In 1948, the Paramount decree was entered into with Paramount unspooling a lot of of its subsidiaries and O&O theater. In 1949, the venue was taken on by American Theatres Corporation (ATC). On January 4, 1950, the venue announced a weekends only policy. It closed permanently on December 10, 1950 at the end of a 25-year leasing term with Ann Blyth in “Our Very Own” and Joan Caulfield in “Petty Girl.”
In 1953, the Seymour Stadfeld law group acquired the venue with plans to reshape it. The venue reopened as a bank and a local public library branch.
Auburn had a silent-era theater and, after a long stretch with no theater, used the High School or theatrical operations in 1937/8. The Starlight Theatre was instituted and operated by The Union Oil and Royalty Company likely on a 20-year lease in January of 1940 in a contemporary plaza. They sublet it to private local interest, Ervin W. Rau in July of 1940. It was renamed July 20, 1940 as the Marian beginning with “My Little Chickadee.”
The lease was acquired by Andy Anderson Theatres on October 31, 1947 and who changed it to the Auburn Theatre. The owner of the properpty, Orson Minor Crewdson, died and the property was auctioned off on June 11, 1948. Anderson Theatres bought it at the sale for $4,100.
It was reportedly sold effective July 1, 1950 to Hansford D. Scott and Sam Regal who reverted it to the Marian moniker after a refresh. It went out of business following the October 20, 1959 showing of “Mr. Rock and Roll.” It was auctioned off the next day and - it is assumed - that it was retrofitted for other purposes.
Looks like it may have opened on June 30, 1950 with “Lady in a Jam” and “Lady From Cheyenne.” It closed at the end of its 30-year leasing period in 1980.
The Satuit Playhouse was open in 1923 and retained that name - we think - for the Satuit Brook that flows into Scituate Harbor. (There is no evidence that it was called the “Scituate Playhouse” prior to the 1980s). However, in June of 1960, it was called, simply, Playhouse (Theatre by the Sea).
In October of 1970, the venue closed for a major retrofit. the Playhouse was twinned to the plans of Julian Borowko and Associates of Weymouth in an architectural style called Contemporary Nautical. The 1,000 seat theatre was split into two with a weathered look and the two auditoriums flanked by ships' lanterns and rough weathered pine wood. IT reopened as Playhouse 1 & 2 with Scrooge an The Owl & the Pussycat on December 25, 1970.
Entertainment Cinemas took it on and it became very briefly the Scituate Playhouse 1•2•3 from June 20, 1985 until the fourth cinema was ready on July 4, 1985 now as the Scituate Playhouse 1•2•3•4. In 1997, the Entertainment Cinemas was purchased by Hoyts which listed it as Hoyt’s Scituate 4. They moved on March 5, 2000 and it carried on independently as Scituate Playhouse Cinemas 1-4. It closed on August 31, 2001 at the end of its lease. Stephen and Ronald Warner razed the building.
The venue was replaced by Patriot Cinemas 260-seat twin, The Mill Wharf launching on June 18, 2004 with “Shrek 2” and “Harry Potter: The Prisoner of Azkabah.”
In 2011, South Shore Cinemas took on the Mill Wharf and the Cameo in South Weymouth. It ran it until the COVID-19 pandemic of March 2020. It reopened under new operators on June 16, 2023 with “Elemental" as the Reel Harbor Theater.
The Weymouth Drive-In Theatre survived one 30-year lease and a final 10-year lease but it wasn’t without challenges. Drive-In Theatre launched May 28, 1936 playing outdoor films with a single loudspeaker. Just weeks later, they were sued by Camden, New Jersey’s Park-In which claimed it had built the first drive-in theatre in the world (it was absolutely not true; but they had the patents to protect their methodology of presentation). The Weymouth settled moving on. Meanwhile, the complaints about sound leakage from locals grew.
Weymouth Heights citizens finally got the venue closed in 1947 due to the sound. The operators finally installed individual speakers and were able to reopen Drive-In Theatre on May 1, 1948. In February of 1950, American Theatres Corporation (ATC) took over the venue renaming it as Weymouth Drive-In Theatre at its season opening on April 8, 1950. ATC also took on the Saugus and West Springfield ozoners.
On August 31, 1954, Hurricane Carol destroyed the Weymouth Drive-In Theatre closing it for the year. ATC built a brand new drive-in complex with Cinemascope projection reopening on May 25, 1955 with “Drum Beat” and “Combat Squad.” It closed for the season on September 22, 1963 and was demolished. That demolition went awry leading to lawsuits stemming from damaged cars in the area struck by the falling tower. ATC moved on from the project and the original operators, led by Thomas G. DiMaura, returned under the operational name of Drive-In Theatres Corporation of Weymouth.
Hoping to move to year-round operation, a new plan with a twin screen and a hardtop indoor cinema were announced in 1963. The plans approved in 1964 called for a 734-car screen tower and a 702-car screen tower for 1,436 car capacity. Towers were markedly larger with 120' by 75' screens The facility had a playground and concession stand/projection booth combo with 70mm capability and the first with Todd-AO capability, but no indoor theatre. It opened as the Weymouth Twin Drive-In Theatre on July 16, 1965 with one screen ready to go with “Tickle Me” and “The Millionairess.”
In 1975, the Twin knew you got to know when to fold ‘em as the Weymouth Twin Drive-In Theatre exited with “The Gambler” and “Mandingo” on Screen 2 and a triple feature of “Walking Tall: Part 2,” “This is a Hijack,” and “Chastity” on November 15, 1975. The Harborlight Mall project was announced and they would knock the twin over in March of 1976. The ozoner didn’t go easily or quietly as when the screen came down, it took the crane that was removing her down as well breaking the operator’s leg. But that was her last kick and the Harborlight opened as a more permanent replacement for the 40-year old ozoner.
That is until the Harborlight Mall went into greyfield descent and was demolished in 2001 prior to its 25th Anniversary.
The Odd Fellows Opera House was built in 1889 opening in early 1890 as a 600-seat live events hall. The venue experimented with motion pictures and - by 1927 - they were the biggest draw. The venue’s name was changed to the Jackson Theatre in a largely full-time conversion to movies (though with local talent shows and plays mixed in).
The Jackson Theatre converted to sound and reduced to 400 seats likely in that conversion. In the Fall of 1933, the venue changed names to the Roosevelt Theatre. Under new operators, it received a streamline-ish makeover - streamline elements but largely unchanged - reopening on April 2, 1938 as the New Jasan Theatre (not Jason or Jason’s) in East Weymouth. Two months later, it lost “New” resuming as the Jasan Theatre. In 1941, it got a whole new technology plant in a projection and sound upgrade.
In 1950, a new-build Jasan Theatre was approved for construction by Affiliated Theatres as a suburban venue and its own dedicated parking area. That plan stalled and the parking-challenged Jasan closed in 1952. New operator Nat Hochberg took it and the Stoneham Theatre over in 1952. He then sold the Jasan to his projectionist, Mario Cicchese, who refreshed the venue for a rebranding.
Cicchese reopened as the Victor Thatre on August 7, 1953 with an island-fest double-feature of “Road to Bali” and John Payne in “Caribbean.” Cicchese refreshed one last time on May 5, 1954 that included a switch to widescreen projection to show CinemaScope film titles. He left in 1957 and new operators resumed as the Victor closing on February 17, 1960 with “The Best of Everything.”
Henry L. Kincade & Co. built this low-cost theatre in 1912 for just $20,000. One worker was killed during its building. The venue opened with movies and live programming on December 16, 1912. On February 3, 1920 under new operators it became the Quincy Theatre with Vila Dana in “The Willow Tree.” The Q was wired with sound to remain viable.
Under new operators, it became the Capitol Theatre on September 7, 1944 with Esther Williams in “Bathing Beauty.” It closed in May of 1951. Its theatre seats were torn our in 1952 and it had a slow motion finish. It was partially demolished in 1959. At the end of its 50-year leasing term, it was demolished for an addition to the neighboring Sears store in 1962. This gave way for the 8-screen Entertainment Cinemas at Quincy Fair Mall in 1988.
The Sea Street Theatre opened on June 15, 1907. Opening films were Gaumont’s “Looking for Lodgings” and Pathé Frères “Cinderella.” Professor E.A. Gibson opened the venue and it featured live singing between the one reel films - undoubtedly operating with a single projector in its opening years. It added “Dream” to its moniker at some point.
The Sea Street Dream Theatre was still in operation in 1914 and -from a transportation point of view - was well positioned. It operated in an existing space just 2 minutes from the Boston & Houghs Neck Steamboat Company’s landing and a step or two from the ouster of the QC-Houghs Neck electric car line. Foot traffic was likely why it charged a full dime instead of a nickel for its programming.
It’s assumed the building was demolished in 1944 based on the legal filings of that day. It’s listed at 1287 Sea Street in the maps of that day (and 2513 Sea Street in the legal filing) which both map to pretty much its former location.
Henry L. Kincaide of the Kincaide Theatre decided the time was right to build another venue. It was built to the plans of Ernest W. Campbell as the Alhambra and replaced an 1816-built building and an 1849-constructed building. The Alhambra Theater opened on February 19, 1917 with Marguerite Clark as “Snow White.” The venue added sound to remain viable.
It became the Art Theatre on January 25, 1945. B&Q Theatres took on the venue along with a dozen others in Massachusetts. The Art Theatre closed November 6, 1961 with Len Barker in “Tarzan’s Savage Fury” and Glenn Langan as “The Amazing Colossal Man.” The Alhambra Building was demolished in the Summer of 1963. The remaining lots (and properties) from 1367-1397 were then utilized to construct a modern office building offset from Hancock Street.
The Casino Theatre opened in Quincy Point on June 7, 1920 in a former automotive garage / tool factory space with “Daughter of Two Worlds” with Norma Talmadge. It became the Lincoln Theatre on October 22, 1926 after a refresh by new operators. It failed quickly and transitioned to boxing and wrestling matches in 1928 and into 1929 before closing.
It reopened with sound on April 30, 1930 as a discount movie house showing “They Had to See Paris” and “Chasing Rainbows” and supported by Laurel & Hardy in “The Hoose-Gow” for 15 cents. The neighboring Lincoln Lanes opened in 1951 serving as a great pair.
The Lincoln Theatre transitioned to widescreen to present CinemaScope titles. It proved to be a survivor with a 25-year leasing period and a 20-year leasing period closing on March 30, 1975 with “Mr. Majestic” and “The Man with the Golden Gun” for just 99 cents. At least it remained true to its programmatic mission. The Lincoln Lanes remained open until 1976.
A September 25, 1979 City Council meeting sealed the fate of the Lincoln Theatre and its neighbor - both said to be drawing gang activity. They approved $140k to demolish both places. That happened in March of 1980.
The first Strand Theatre in Quincy had opened on October 13, 1919 in the former Quincy Auditorium location on Hancock Street. The New Strand was a $300,000, 1,650 impressive structure that launched here on August 30, 1926 with plans by architect William John Freethy of Boston. The opening films were “Padlocked” with Lois Moran and Corinne Griffith in “Into Her Kingdom.”
The Strand was equipped with sound to remain commercially viable. It was then equipped with widescreen capability to present CinemaScope titles. In 1976, the license was transferred from Capanas Amusement to Quincy Cinema Inc. It closed on June 27, 1982 with “Victor/Victoria.” Tony Delpidio took the 1,650 blue and green theatre seats with him. South Shore Bank had acquired the property and tore it down in November of 1982 for a bank parking lot for employees short-term.
Chester H. Rogers ran the Gem Theatre, a silent movie house advertising from 1925 to 1927. He leased the venue in September of 1927 to a new operator who put in a pipe organ and improved the facility. It was Markell’s Weymouth Theatre that launched there on November 10, 1927 with Richard Barthelmess in “The Drop Kick” and three acts of vaudeville. It didn’t immediately transition to sound and was used for sporadic live events (sometimes as the Markell Theatre) until April of 1932 under being equipped with sound by new operators as the Weymouth Theatre.
A 1937 refresh brought a streamline moderne front. The venue was renamed as the Weymouth Landing Theatre in May of 1953 under its final operator. The Weymouth Landing Theatre closed on June 22, 1958 with “Witness for the Prosecution” and “Flight to Hong Kong.” The venue has since been demolished.
The New Adams Theatre opened at the site of the old Quincy Arena. That Arena had opened with wrestling on April 25, 1932 and closed with wrestling on June 24, 1941. A salvage sale began the next day - if not during that last match. Based on the small number of items in the salvage sale and the wording of the ad, the frame and other elements of the Arena were incorporated into the quickly retrofitted space for the cinema.
The Adams Theatre opened on September 25, 1941 with Alice Faye in “That Night in Rio” supported by “The Saint in Palm Springs.” Vaughn and Ruth Yerxa operated the venue in its leaner, television era days. The Adams closed on June 1, 1957 with “Cinderella” and “Nightfall.” The building was offered for sale or lease thereafter. It has survived as a retail and leased space above facility.
Entertainment Cinemas at Quincy Fair Mall launched on June 2, 1988. On April 23, 2003, National Amusements / Showcase Cinemas took on the venue from Entertainment Cinemas as Quincy Cinemas. National sprinted away exercising a 15-year opt out point in the leasing agreement.
Flagship Cinemas relaunched here on July 4, 2003. In January of 2006, Flagship downgraded the venue to a sub-run, discount house. They closed expectedly unexpectedly on December 3, 2006 with ads continuing after that closure date. No new operators were identified and the facility was demolished prior to the 2011 taxing liabilities kicking in.
The Wollaston Temple Theatre had begun showing films on Feb. 22, 1918 when a decision was made to build a new facility next door. The New Wollaston Theatre launched there on November 15, 1926 with Pauline Frederick in “Devil’s Island” and Keith vaudeville acts. NETOCO took on the venue in 1930 which was subsumed soon after by Publix as Public NETOCO and then Paramount.
The Wolly made it all the way to March 10, 2003 (!) when it closed for roof repairs by owner Arthur M. Chandler and his wife after showtimes of second-run feature, Lord of the Rings 2. Unfortunately, the operator passed and the road was not a good one for the aged venue. It was ultimately knocked over in the Summer of 2016.
February 6, 1947 grand opening ad for the Dixie Theatre in photos. It was located at 645 St. Charles Street at the corner of 7th Street and had been demolished late in the 20th Century.
The Fox closed at the end of its 30-year leasing agreement on August 29, 1964 with “The Shepherd on the Hills.” John A. Cenac refreshed the venue deciding to give it one more chance beginning on July 30, 1965 with Elvis Presley in “Tickle Me.” It appears to have closed September 22, 1966 with “How to Steal on a Million.” It was remodeled for retail purposes.
Markell Amusement Co. had built the Weymouth Theatre in 1927 and continued building here on East Adams. Just prior to launching, however, the city fought the opening of the $40,000 Milton Theatre in January of 1928. The theatre passed and opened in 1928 before closing as a silent house in 1930.
Varney & Gravy took over the Milton Theatre in 1931 creating Adams Theatre Corporation of East Milton that April. They first started advertising films at the Adams Theatre in May of 1931. It was renamed the State Theatre under new operators in 1933. The venue appears to have closed at the end of its 30 year-leasing period.
New operators refreshed it and rebranded it as the Milton Art Theatre. It opened on January 10, 1957 with “Vitelloni” and a string of art films direct from Boston after playdates there On September 23, 1964, it changed programming to more Hollywood hits as the Milton Cinema with “The Pink Panther.” It ran as a sub-run discount house until end of another 30-year leasing period on September 23, 1987.
The Milton got one more chance with a new set of operators but they didn’t make it too far. John McDonald Jr. and Frank Santoro took on the venue as a proposed playhouse but ran it as a movie house until getting the plan together. It opened with “Stakeout” on November 18, 1987 closing permanently on December 30, 1988. They returned the property to the City. It first became a coffee house with performance space before being turned into a restaurant.
The New Braintree Theatre opened on April 23, 1926 with a talent show and Clara Bow in “The Keeper of the Bees” supported by Alice Day in “Love and Kisses.” It celebrated the 1961 New Year by closing permanently following showtimes of “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs” and “The Subterraneans.” An article months later said the space had been recaptured for an arcade and offices.
Sorry: Regent Theatre on Hancock Street
The Regent Theatre was at 440 Hancock Street in North Quincy’s Norfolk Downs neighborhood and opened by New England Theatre Corp. (aka NETOCO). Its Colonial style architecture wowed on December 14, 1925 launching with Tom Meighan in “Irish Luck” and Norma Shearer in “Slave of Fashion” supported by a newsreel and comedy short on the big screen.
Per the comment above, the men’s lounge was on that flight of stairs as well as the projection booth. The all reserved seating gave way over time. Late in 1929, NETOCO installed Vitaphone sound on disc to keep the venue viable. In April of 1930, NETOCO was subsumed as Public NETOCO and then Paramount.
In 1948, the Paramount decree was entered into with Paramount unspooling a lot of of its subsidiaries and O&O theater. In 1949, the venue was taken on by American Theatres Corporation (ATC). On January 4, 1950, the venue announced a weekends only policy. It closed permanently on December 10, 1950 at the end of a 25-year leasing term with Ann Blyth in “Our Very Own” and Joan Caulfield in “Petty Girl.”
In 1953, the Seymour Stadfeld law group acquired the venue with plans to reshape it. The venue reopened as a bank and a local public library branch.
Auburn had a silent-era theater and, after a long stretch with no theater, used the High School or theatrical operations in 1937/8. The Starlight Theatre was instituted and operated by The Union Oil and Royalty Company likely on a 20-year lease in January of 1940 in a contemporary plaza. They sublet it to private local interest, Ervin W. Rau in July of 1940. It was renamed July 20, 1940 as the Marian beginning with “My Little Chickadee.”
The lease was acquired by Andy Anderson Theatres on October 31, 1947 and who changed it to the Auburn Theatre. The owner of the properpty, Orson Minor Crewdson, died and the property was auctioned off on June 11, 1948. Anderson Theatres bought it at the sale for $4,100.
It was reportedly sold effective July 1, 1950 to Hansford D. Scott and Sam Regal who reverted it to the Marian moniker after a refresh. It went out of business following the October 20, 1959 showing of “Mr. Rock and Roll.” It was auctioned off the next day and - it is assumed - that it was retrofitted for other purposes.
Looks like it may have opened on June 30, 1950 with “Lady in a Jam” and “Lady From Cheyenne.” It closed at the end of its 30-year leasing period in 1980.
The Houma Drive-In appears to have closed on May 28, 1978 with “Naughty Stewardesses.” It appears to have been demolished in the 1980s.
The Satuit Playhouse was open in 1923 and retained that name - we think - for the Satuit Brook that flows into Scituate Harbor. (There is no evidence that it was called the “Scituate Playhouse” prior to the 1980s). However, in June of 1960, it was called, simply, Playhouse (Theatre by the Sea).
In October of 1970, the venue closed for a major retrofit. the Playhouse was twinned to the plans of Julian Borowko and Associates of Weymouth in an architectural style called Contemporary Nautical. The 1,000 seat theatre was split into two with a weathered look and the two auditoriums flanked by ships' lanterns and rough weathered pine wood. IT reopened as Playhouse 1 & 2 with Scrooge an The Owl & the Pussycat on December 25, 1970.
Entertainment Cinemas took it on and it became very briefly the Scituate Playhouse 1•2•3 from June 20, 1985 until the fourth cinema was ready on July 4, 1985 now as the Scituate Playhouse 1•2•3•4. In 1997, the Entertainment Cinemas was purchased by Hoyts which listed it as Hoyt’s Scituate 4. They moved on March 5, 2000 and it carried on independently as Scituate Playhouse Cinemas 1-4. It closed on August 31, 2001 at the end of its lease. Stephen and Ronald Warner razed the building.
The venue was replaced by Patriot Cinemas 260-seat twin, The Mill Wharf launching on June 18, 2004 with “Shrek 2” and “Harry Potter: The Prisoner of Azkabah.”
In 2011, South Shore Cinemas took on the Mill Wharf and the Cameo in South Weymouth. It ran it until the COVID-19 pandemic of March 2020. It reopened under new operators on June 16, 2023 with “Elemental" as the Reel Harbor Theater.
The Weymouth Drive-In Theatre survived one 30-year lease and a final 10-year lease but it wasn’t without challenges. Drive-In Theatre launched May 28, 1936 playing outdoor films with a single loudspeaker. Just weeks later, they were sued by Camden, New Jersey’s Park-In which claimed it had built the first drive-in theatre in the world (it was absolutely not true; but they had the patents to protect their methodology of presentation). The Weymouth settled moving on. Meanwhile, the complaints about sound leakage from locals grew.
Weymouth Heights citizens finally got the venue closed in 1947 due to the sound. The operators finally installed individual speakers and were able to reopen Drive-In Theatre on May 1, 1948. In February of 1950, American Theatres Corporation (ATC) took over the venue renaming it as Weymouth Drive-In Theatre at its season opening on April 8, 1950. ATC also took on the Saugus and West Springfield ozoners.
On August 31, 1954, Hurricane Carol destroyed the Weymouth Drive-In Theatre closing it for the year. ATC built a brand new drive-in complex with Cinemascope projection reopening on May 25, 1955 with “Drum Beat” and “Combat Squad.” It closed for the season on September 22, 1963 and was demolished. That demolition went awry leading to lawsuits stemming from damaged cars in the area struck by the falling tower. ATC moved on from the project and the original operators, led by Thomas G. DiMaura, returned under the operational name of Drive-In Theatres Corporation of Weymouth.
Hoping to move to year-round operation, a new plan with a twin screen and a hardtop indoor cinema were announced in 1963. The plans approved in 1964 called for a 734-car screen tower and a 702-car screen tower for 1,436 car capacity. Towers were markedly larger with 120' by 75' screens The facility had a playground and concession stand/projection booth combo with 70mm capability and the first with Todd-AO capability, but no indoor theatre. It opened as the Weymouth Twin Drive-In Theatre on July 16, 1965 with one screen ready to go with “Tickle Me” and “The Millionairess.”
In 1975, the Twin knew you got to know when to fold ‘em as the Weymouth Twin Drive-In Theatre exited with “The Gambler” and “Mandingo” on Screen 2 and a triple feature of “Walking Tall: Part 2,” “This is a Hijack,” and “Chastity” on November 15, 1975. The Harborlight Mall project was announced and they would knock the twin over in March of 1976. The ozoner didn’t go easily or quietly as when the screen came down, it took the crane that was removing her down as well breaking the operator’s leg. But that was her last kick and the Harborlight opened as a more permanent replacement for the 40-year old ozoner.
That is until the Harborlight Mall went into greyfield descent and was demolished in 2001 prior to its 25th Anniversary.
The Odd Fellows Opera House was built in 1889 opening in early 1890 as a 600-seat live events hall. The venue experimented with motion pictures and - by 1927 - they were the biggest draw. The venue’s name was changed to the Jackson Theatre in a largely full-time conversion to movies (though with local talent shows and plays mixed in).
The Jackson Theatre converted to sound and reduced to 400 seats likely in that conversion. In the Fall of 1933, the venue changed names to the Roosevelt Theatre. Under new operators, it received a streamline-ish makeover - streamline elements but largely unchanged - reopening on April 2, 1938 as the New Jasan Theatre (not Jason or Jason’s) in East Weymouth. Two months later, it lost “New” resuming as the Jasan Theatre. In 1941, it got a whole new technology plant in a projection and sound upgrade.
In 1950, a new-build Jasan Theatre was approved for construction by Affiliated Theatres as a suburban venue and its own dedicated parking area. That plan stalled and the parking-challenged Jasan closed in 1952. New operator Nat Hochberg took it and the Stoneham Theatre over in 1952. He then sold the Jasan to his projectionist, Mario Cicchese, who refreshed the venue for a rebranding.
Cicchese reopened as the Victor Thatre on August 7, 1953 with an island-fest double-feature of “Road to Bali” and John Payne in “Caribbean.” Cicchese refreshed one last time on May 5, 1954 that included a switch to widescreen projection to show CinemaScope film titles. He left in 1957 and new operators resumed as the Victor closing on February 17, 1960 with “The Best of Everything.”
The Loring Hall Theatre as a film exhibitor dates back to at least 1926 according to the trade press.
Henry L. Kincade & Co. built this low-cost theatre in 1912 for just $20,000. One worker was killed during its building. The venue opened with movies and live programming on December 16, 1912. On February 3, 1920 under new operators it became the Quincy Theatre with Vila Dana in “The Willow Tree.” The Q was wired with sound to remain viable.
Under new operators, it became the Capitol Theatre on September 7, 1944 with Esther Williams in “Bathing Beauty.” It closed in May of 1951. Its theatre seats were torn our in 1952 and it had a slow motion finish. It was partially demolished in 1959. At the end of its 50-year leasing term, it was demolished for an addition to the neighboring Sears store in 1962. This gave way for the 8-screen Entertainment Cinemas at Quincy Fair Mall in 1988.
The Sea Street Theatre opened on June 15, 1907. Opening films were Gaumont’s “Looking for Lodgings” and Pathé Frères “Cinderella.” Professor E.A. Gibson opened the venue and it featured live singing between the one reel films - undoubtedly operating with a single projector in its opening years. It added “Dream” to its moniker at some point.
The Sea Street Dream Theatre was still in operation in 1914 and -from a transportation point of view - was well positioned. It operated in an existing space just 2 minutes from the Boston & Houghs Neck Steamboat Company’s landing and a step or two from the ouster of the QC-Houghs Neck electric car line. Foot traffic was likely why it charged a full dime instead of a nickel for its programming.
It’s assumed the building was demolished in 1944 based on the legal filings of that day. It’s listed at 1287 Sea Street in the maps of that day (and 2513 Sea Street in the legal filing) which both map to pretty much its former location.
Henry L. Kincaide of the Kincaide Theatre decided the time was right to build another venue. It was built to the plans of Ernest W. Campbell as the Alhambra and replaced an 1816-built building and an 1849-constructed building. The Alhambra Theater opened on February 19, 1917 with Marguerite Clark as “Snow White.” The venue added sound to remain viable.
It became the Art Theatre on January 25, 1945. B&Q Theatres took on the venue along with a dozen others in Massachusetts. The Art Theatre closed November 6, 1961 with Len Barker in “Tarzan’s Savage Fury” and Glenn Langan as “The Amazing Colossal Man.” The Alhambra Building was demolished in the Summer of 1963. The remaining lots (and properties) from 1367-1397 were then utilized to construct a modern office building offset from Hancock Street.
The Casino Theatre opened in Quincy Point on June 7, 1920 in a former automotive garage / tool factory space with “Daughter of Two Worlds” with Norma Talmadge. It became the Lincoln Theatre on October 22, 1926 after a refresh by new operators. It failed quickly and transitioned to boxing and wrestling matches in 1928 and into 1929 before closing.
It reopened with sound on April 30, 1930 as a discount movie house showing “They Had to See Paris” and “Chasing Rainbows” and supported by Laurel & Hardy in “The Hoose-Gow” for 15 cents. The neighboring Lincoln Lanes opened in 1951 serving as a great pair.
The Lincoln Theatre transitioned to widescreen to present CinemaScope titles. It proved to be a survivor with a 25-year leasing period and a 20-year leasing period closing on March 30, 1975 with “Mr. Majestic” and “The Man with the Golden Gun” for just 99 cents. At least it remained true to its programmatic mission. The Lincoln Lanes remained open until 1976.
A September 25, 1979 City Council meeting sealed the fate of the Lincoln Theatre and its neighbor - both said to be drawing gang activity. They approved $140k to demolish both places. That happened in March of 1980.
The first Strand Theatre in Quincy had opened on October 13, 1919 in the former Quincy Auditorium location on Hancock Street. The New Strand was a $300,000, 1,650 impressive structure that launched here on August 30, 1926 with plans by architect William John Freethy of Boston. The opening films were “Padlocked” with Lois Moran and Corinne Griffith in “Into Her Kingdom.”
The Strand was equipped with sound to remain commercially viable. It was then equipped with widescreen capability to present CinemaScope titles. In 1976, the license was transferred from Capanas Amusement to Quincy Cinema Inc. It closed on June 27, 1982 with “Victor/Victoria.” Tony Delpidio took the 1,650 blue and green theatre seats with him. South Shore Bank had acquired the property and tore it down in November of 1982 for a bank parking lot for employees short-term.
Chester H. Rogers ran the Gem Theatre, a silent movie house advertising from 1925 to 1927. He leased the venue in September of 1927 to a new operator who put in a pipe organ and improved the facility. It was Markell’s Weymouth Theatre that launched there on November 10, 1927 with Richard Barthelmess in “The Drop Kick” and three acts of vaudeville. It didn’t immediately transition to sound and was used for sporadic live events (sometimes as the Markell Theatre) until April of 1932 under being equipped with sound by new operators as the Weymouth Theatre.
A 1937 refresh brought a streamline moderne front. The venue was renamed as the Weymouth Landing Theatre in May of 1953 under its final operator. The Weymouth Landing Theatre closed on June 22, 1958 with “Witness for the Prosecution” and “Flight to Hong Kong.” The venue has since been demolished.
The Adams Theatre opened on September 25, 1941 with Alice Faye in “That Night in Rio” supported by “The Saint in Palm Springs.”
The New Adams Theatre opened at the site of the old Quincy Arena. That Arena had opened with wrestling on April 25, 1932 and closed with wrestling on June 24, 1941. A salvage sale began the next day - if not during that last match. Based on the small number of items in the salvage sale and the wording of the ad, the frame and other elements of the Arena were incorporated into the quickly retrofitted space for the cinema.
The Adams Theatre opened on September 25, 1941 with Alice Faye in “That Night in Rio” supported by “The Saint in Palm Springs.” Vaughn and Ruth Yerxa operated the venue in its leaner, television era days. The Adams closed on June 1, 1957 with “Cinderella” and “Nightfall.” The building was offered for sale or lease thereafter. It has survived as a retail and leased space above facility.
Entertainment Cinemas at Quincy Fair Mall launched on June 2, 1988. On April 23, 2003, National Amusements / Showcase Cinemas took on the venue from Entertainment Cinemas as Quincy Cinemas. National sprinted away exercising a 15-year opt out point in the leasing agreement.
Flagship Cinemas relaunched here on July 4, 2003. In January of 2006, Flagship downgraded the venue to a sub-run, discount house. They closed expectedly unexpectedly on December 3, 2006 with ads continuing after that closure date. No new operators were identified and the facility was demolished prior to the 2011 taxing liabilities kicking in.
The Wollaston Temple Theatre had begun showing films on Feb. 22, 1918 when a decision was made to build a new facility next door. The New Wollaston Theatre launched there on November 15, 1926 with Pauline Frederick in “Devil’s Island” and Keith vaudeville acts. NETOCO took on the venue in 1930 which was subsumed soon after by Publix as Public NETOCO and then Paramount.
The Wolly made it all the way to March 10, 2003 (!) when it closed for roof repairs by owner Arthur M. Chandler and his wife after showtimes of second-run feature, Lord of the Rings 2. Unfortunately, the operator passed and the road was not a good one for the aged venue. It was ultimately knocked over in the Summer of 2016.
Operated by Schine Theatres and making the conversion to widescreen in April of 1954 to present CinemaScope titles beginning with “The Robe.”
February 6, 1947 grand opening ad for the Dixie Theatre in photos. It was located at 645 St. Charles Street at the corner of 7th Street and had been demolished late in the 20th Century.
The Fox closed at the end of its 30-year leasing agreement on August 29, 1964 with “The Shepherd on the Hills.” John A. Cenac refreshed the venue deciding to give it one more chance beginning on July 30, 1965 with Elvis Presley in “Tickle Me.” It appears to have closed September 22, 1966 with “How to Steal on a Million.” It was remodeled for retail purposes.
Thanks for the note - I forgot to mention that he staged early rock and roll shows to good effect.