This one was still operational in 1974-75 as “Scenic Cinema” with many African-American hits of the day. By 1976 it was gone for good, I believe. The partial title letters of “Blood on Satan’s Claw” adorned its marquee for a few years thereafter.
To answer the final portion of the previous comment, the Hart Theatre in Baton Rouge did indeed form an L around the Hotel King. It was opened in 1941 and unfortunately it’s long gone, but the King has just been refurbished and reopened as the Hotel Indigo.
I was able to enter through the back a little way in this past April and waynebeau23 is correct: the floor had apparently fallen through to the basement area and the roof is long gone. Though some have stated that the theatre operated into the 70s or even 80s, the last trace of it in papers or phone books are 1968, closing shortly before the Baker Grand in downtown Natchez and leaving the Clarke the only downtowner til its 1980 closing.
What a surprise to find this great old theatre featured in the opening scene of “Last of the Mobile Hot Shots,” the Tennessee Williams adaptation with James Coburn from 1970. Though set in the New Orleans and plantation areas, the production designer, Gene Callhan, was a Baton Rouge native and obviously had the idea to use the marquee and facade to suggest a television station (WART) with the H covered by a W to match the other letters.
The Ann operated as one of the city’s prime showcases for African-American cinema in the 1970s, showing most releases for successful runs. Operation was ceased in the early 80s. The building partially houses a coin-operated laundry currently.
Sadly, the Tinseltown sits unoccupied and missed in a lonely field adjacent to the large shopping complex it was built to adjoin. Cinemark unwisely shuttered this to open another smaller operation in an upscale mixed-use development. The Tinseltown brought true bigscreen enjoyment back to Baton Rouge after years of shoebox sized houses and always seemed to draw a crowd (their two biggest screens seated nearly 600 each.) Sad that the chain or another does not see fit to open this back up as a first run outfit or even a bargain house.
The Gordon operated as part of the Ogden-Perry theater chain as a successful first run house until mid-1976. “Logan’s Run” and “Family Plot” were the last big pictures to play during that time. It was a large house with a balcony. For the remainder of that year and part of the next, it was a $1.00 house, showing second runs and recent classics. In late 1977, the operation was transferred to a local circuit specializing in black-themed films and renamed the Capitol Cinema. It ran into the early 80’s (for a few years after the nearby Paramount and Hart had become parking lots) and was closed by 1984. The building was converted into law and other offices and still remains in that capacity today.
This was among Baton Rouge’s six drive-in screens (for one brief moment in 1970, all existed in operation, with a twin just built and one on its way out for a new expressway addition.) The Rebel was one of two that were in the middle of town. Its operation ended in early 1973 and the site is now occupied by a (closed) shopping center, several fast food outlets and a Mexican restaurant and bar.
This great Baton Rouge memory started life as a single screen (identical to its recently demolished twin in New Orleans) in 1966 courtesy of the Joy’s chain. Doctor Zhivago was a premiere engagement. The theater played many roadshows throughout the remainder of the decade and at the end of 1969, the large auditorium was twinned by splitting it down the middle.
At the end of 1972, a large third screen was added to the right side and a fourth was added in early 1974 to the right of it. Throughout the 1970s, the theater offered a great mix of first and second run product (the latter often outpacing the original runs at the boxoffice.) Southern filmmaker Charles B. Pierce had his projects given hefty runs and promotions (many still remember the Boggy Creek monster and The Town That Dreaded Sundown displays under their staircase at the left of the lobby.) Bootleggers enjoyed a year-long run in 1974 along with The Sting.
In 1983, the theater adapted a $1.00 policy that endured for 4 years until its closing in 1987 after reportedly increasing rowdy activity, though by all accounts the theater was still drawing sizable crowds. Sadly, all that remains is the slab, and its New Orleans twin has now joined it.
The Clerk of Court’s office in Lafayette has a wealth of old city photographs, among them are two pictures of this old house at the end of its run in 1976. Apparently, the final feature was “Goodbye Bruce Lee” and afterwards, the marquee retained the “Goodbye” before demolition.
This one was a neighborhood theater that ran a lot of double and triple features throughout the 1960’s and early 1970’s. In 1973, it came under management of a local circuit that focused on black-oriented films, martial arts, horror and sci-fi. Local showman Fred Williams premiered a film that he produced there that year entitled “Brother On The Run.” It operated until the end of the 70s (possibly early 80s). It was vacant by 1984.
This theatre was opened as a Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema in 1970, which it remained until early ‘73 upon the addition of two more smaller cinemas. Upon this revamp, it was renamed the University Cinema. The theatre was one of the prime players in 1970s Baton Rouge cinema, often showing the biggest of the blockbusters, while catering to the arthouse crowd as well on occasion. United Artists took it over in 1980 and ran it with some success, converting to a bargain policy in the late 80s, which held until its closing in 1995. I currently work with the gentleman who ran it during its prime mid to late 70s years.
The Pasqua was open well into the mid-1980s and has most recently been in use as a community playhouse for the city of Gonzales.
This one was still operational in 1974-75 as “Scenic Cinema” with many African-American hits of the day. By 1976 it was gone for good, I believe. The partial title letters of “Blood on Satan’s Claw” adorned its marquee for a few years thereafter.
To answer the final portion of the previous comment, the Hart Theatre in Baton Rouge did indeed form an L around the Hotel King. It was opened in 1941 and unfortunately it’s long gone, but the King has just been refurbished and reopened as the Hotel Indigo.
I was able to enter through the back a little way in this past April and waynebeau23 is correct: the floor had apparently fallen through to the basement area and the roof is long gone. Though some have stated that the theatre operated into the 70s or even 80s, the last trace of it in papers or phone books are 1968, closing shortly before the Baker Grand in downtown Natchez and leaving the Clarke the only downtowner til its 1980 closing.
What a surprise to find this great old theatre featured in the opening scene of “Last of the Mobile Hot Shots,” the Tennessee Williams adaptation with James Coburn from 1970. Though set in the New Orleans and plantation areas, the production designer, Gene Callhan, was a Baton Rouge native and obviously had the idea to use the marquee and facade to suggest a television station (WART) with the H covered by a W to match the other letters.
The Ann operated as one of the city’s prime showcases for African-American cinema in the 1970s, showing most releases for successful runs. Operation was ceased in the early 80s. The building partially houses a coin-operated laundry currently.
Demolished on May 24, 2010 after land purchase by Baton Rouge Safety Council for expansion of their facilities.
Looks like the cinema is closed now: View link
Sadly, the Tinseltown sits unoccupied and missed in a lonely field adjacent to the large shopping complex it was built to adjoin. Cinemark unwisely shuttered this to open another smaller operation in an upscale mixed-use development. The Tinseltown brought true bigscreen enjoyment back to Baton Rouge after years of shoebox sized houses and always seemed to draw a crowd (their two biggest screens seated nearly 600 each.) Sad that the chain or another does not see fit to open this back up as a first run outfit or even a bargain house.
The Gordon operated as part of the Ogden-Perry theater chain as a successful first run house until mid-1976. “Logan’s Run” and “Family Plot” were the last big pictures to play during that time. It was a large house with a balcony. For the remainder of that year and part of the next, it was a $1.00 house, showing second runs and recent classics. In late 1977, the operation was transferred to a local circuit specializing in black-themed films and renamed the Capitol Cinema. It ran into the early 80’s (for a few years after the nearby Paramount and Hart had become parking lots) and was closed by 1984. The building was converted into law and other offices and still remains in that capacity today.
This was among Baton Rouge’s six drive-in screens (for one brief moment in 1970, all existed in operation, with a twin just built and one on its way out for a new expressway addition.) The Rebel was one of two that were in the middle of town. Its operation ended in early 1973 and the site is now occupied by a (closed) shopping center, several fast food outlets and a Mexican restaurant and bar.
This great Baton Rouge memory started life as a single screen (identical to its recently demolished twin in New Orleans) in 1966 courtesy of the Joy’s chain. Doctor Zhivago was a premiere engagement. The theater played many roadshows throughout the remainder of the decade and at the end of 1969, the large auditorium was twinned by splitting it down the middle.
At the end of 1972, a large third screen was added to the right side and a fourth was added in early 1974 to the right of it. Throughout the 1970s, the theater offered a great mix of first and second run product (the latter often outpacing the original runs at the boxoffice.) Southern filmmaker Charles B. Pierce had his projects given hefty runs and promotions (many still remember the Boggy Creek monster and The Town That Dreaded Sundown displays under their staircase at the left of the lobby.) Bootleggers enjoyed a year-long run in 1974 along with The Sting.
In 1983, the theater adapted a $1.00 policy that endured for 4 years until its closing in 1987 after reportedly increasing rowdy activity, though by all accounts the theater was still drawing sizable crowds. Sadly, all that remains is the slab, and its New Orleans twin has now joined it.
The Clerk of Court’s office in Lafayette has a wealth of old city photographs, among them are two pictures of this old house at the end of its run in 1976. Apparently, the final feature was “Goodbye Bruce Lee” and afterwards, the marquee retained the “Goodbye” before demolition.
This one was a neighborhood theater that ran a lot of double and triple features throughout the 1960’s and early 1970’s. In 1973, it came under management of a local circuit that focused on black-oriented films, martial arts, horror and sci-fi. Local showman Fred Williams premiered a film that he produced there that year entitled “Brother On The Run.” It operated until the end of the 70s (possibly early 80s). It was vacant by 1984.
This theatre was opened as a Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema in 1970, which it remained until early ‘73 upon the addition of two more smaller cinemas. Upon this revamp, it was renamed the University Cinema. The theatre was one of the prime players in 1970s Baton Rouge cinema, often showing the biggest of the blockbusters, while catering to the arthouse crowd as well on occasion. United Artists took it over in 1980 and ran it with some success, converting to a bargain policy in the late 80s, which held until its closing in 1995. I currently work with the gentleman who ran it during its prime mid to late 70s years.