Art Theatre
1878 Purchase Street,
New Bedford,
MA
02740
1878 Purchase Street,
New Bedford,
MA
02740
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Nickel Theatre, Casino Theatre
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Opened by October 1908 as the Nickel Theatre. In 1910, this 600-seat neighborhood theatre was known as the Casino Theatre when there was a policy change instituted in the late-1940’s that lasted until about 1951, judging from advertisements in the New Bedford Standard-Times.
By 1950 it had been renamed Art Theatre and become an art house that presented very carefully selected films, usually British, Italian, French. The management must have been very fond of classical music and opera because many operatic and other serious music films were presented. They would occasionally be augmented by a live vocalist or other (local) artist. The programs ran for one week only. There was one evening show and a matinee on Thursdays and Sundays. Advertisements described the place as being “your intimate cinema”. The whole affair looks to have been a true labor of love.
I don’t believe that apart from this cinema there was ever any long-term art house in New Bedford.
Contributed by
Gerald A. DeLuca
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Recent comments (view all 12 comments)
An article in the New Bedford paper described the October 7, 2007 opening of the Orpheum theatre for a “rope light tour.” In it some of the history of the ownership of the Casino is referred to.
READ HERE
What is now at this location?
Looks like a garage next to a residence. You can use Google Maps, type in the address, take it to street level, swivel, and see images of all that is around. Can’t pinpoint where the theatre was.
I’ve never been able to tell from Google Maps whether I’m pointing at the even or odd side of a street, though.
About all I do in that case Ron, is find a business or two in the immediate area, Google them to get their exact address, and go from there. Occasionally addresses change. An old theater may be 431 Main St, but the new business in the same old building may use 433 Main St, as an example.
Sometimes the google maps will tell you what is at that address now,but of course it does not in this case.And a SiliconSam states sometimes the address change anyway.
As the Casino, this theater is listed in the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook, with 600 seats open daily.
“The Art Theatre, New Bedford, operated by Irving Conn the last few years, has been taken back by owner Henry Tobin, who will continue its art policy.” —notice in Boxoffice Magazine, December 30, 1950.
The theater at this address is listed as “The Nickle” in the 1908 and 1909 city directories, and listed as the Casino from 1910 onward, so it most likely opened in 1908.
The Nickel Theater is mentioned in the October 10, 1908 issue of Moving Picture World. The management had just secured a lease on the World Theatre down the street, which had been closed for several months, and planned to reopen it with motion pictures that week.