Strand Theatre
Scollay Square,
Boston,
MA
02108
Scollay Square,
Boston,
MA
02108
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The Strand Theatre was located under the Crawford House in Boston’s Scollay Square.
According to Donald C. King’s new book “The Theatres of Boston: A Stage and Screen History”, the Strand Theatre opened in 1930 as Boston’s first 24-hour movie theatre. However, that does not explain its presence on a 1928 map near the corner of Brattle Street and Scollay Square.
By the late-1930’s, the Strand Theatre had become the Theatrical Bar at the Crawford House, featuring burlesque dancer Sally Keith, ‘Queen of the Tassels’. The Crawford House was demolished in the early-1960’s, along with almost every other building in Scollay Square, to make way for Government Center.
Contributed by
Ron Newman
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
The Strand appears on this 1928 map, on Scollay Square near the corner of Brattle Street.
Here’s a page about Sally Keith. For much more about Scollay Square, visit David Kruh’s site, JoeAndNemo.com .
From the Boston Public Library’s photo collection:
Crawford House: Hotel and Theater, 1930
Burlesque star Sally Keith, 1940s
Don King’s book was based mostly on research he did at the Library of Congress (he lived close by it) thru Boston newspaper files. So, if the first mention of the Strand occured in the papers in 1930, then he would have used that date. Many small houses did not advertise in the newpapers, appealing instead to walk-ins. I don’t know why this cinema was opened — there were already inexpensive 2nd-run and last-run houses in the Scollay Sq. area. The cinema was converted to a nightclub at which Sally Keith starred, and it appears that the club utilized the Strand’s marquee. The operation was down at basement level.