I use to go the Penn in the 70’s, it was a nice theatre that showed good films. The sister theatre that you mention that burned down in the 70’s may have been called the Avenue Grand at some time but when it burned down it was called the Capitol Hill.
The Warner Theatre was a movie palace. I remember those huge red velvet curtains and that large balcony. One of last times I was there was back in the mid 80’s. I was fortunate to see Yul Bryner live in the play “The King And I”. After they stopped showing movies they had a few Rythm and Blues shows before it was renovated to where it is today. This was a grand theatre.
I use to go to the Howard Theatre in the 60’s as a teenager. Man that place would rock. They had these large posters on the outside of the theatre of the artists that were performing live on stage. Next door we could get hot dogs and candy at Tim’s Confectionary.
When James Brown would come the lines would wrap around the corner. They would show a movie in between shows and there were about 4 or 5 shows a day. When they dimmed the lights you could hear the musicians getting their instruments ready behind the curtains and a microphone would come up out of the floor. The band would kick-off and the curtains would slowly open. The sound and the excitement, man there was nothing like it. You could go in at noon and stay all day. They did not empty the theatre after every show as they do now.
The male singers would throw their cuff links or tie pins out into the audience and the ladies would go crazy. That was great era.
Nothing lke it today.
I remember going to the Circle and Inner Circle many times. They showed older movies but they were great. The Inner Circle had seats with high backs that would rock. They were so comfortable I remember falling asleep on more than one occasion. I really miss the grand old movie houses. They are mostly gone now, only the matchbox theatres at the malls are left. The young people today will never know what they missed.
I use to go the Penn in the 70’s, it was a nice theatre that showed good films. The sister theatre that you mention that burned down in the 70’s may have been called the Avenue Grand at some time but when it burned down it was called the Capitol Hill.
Eric Royal
The Warner Theatre was a movie palace. I remember those huge red velvet curtains and that large balcony. One of last times I was there was back in the mid 80’s. I was fortunate to see Yul Bryner live in the play “The King And I”. After they stopped showing movies they had a few Rythm and Blues shows before it was renovated to where it is today. This was a grand theatre.
I use to go to the Howard Theatre in the 60’s as a teenager. Man that place would rock. They had these large posters on the outside of the theatre of the artists that were performing live on stage. Next door we could get hot dogs and candy at Tim’s Confectionary.
When James Brown would come the lines would wrap around the corner. They would show a movie in between shows and there were about 4 or 5 shows a day. When they dimmed the lights you could hear the musicians getting their instruments ready behind the curtains and a microphone would come up out of the floor. The band would kick-off and the curtains would slowly open. The sound and the excitement, man there was nothing like it. You could go in at noon and stay all day. They did not empty the theatre after every show as they do now.
The male singers would throw their cuff links or tie pins out into the audience and the ladies would go crazy. That was great era.
Nothing lke it today.
I remember going to the Circle and Inner Circle many times. They showed older movies but they were great. The Inner Circle had seats with high backs that would rock. They were so comfortable I remember falling asleep on more than one occasion. I really miss the grand old movie houses. They are mostly gone now, only the matchbox theatres at the malls are left. The young people today will never know what they missed.
Eric Royal