Westwood Theatre of the Arts
1602 W. Sylvania Avenue,
Toledo,
OH
43612
1602 W. Sylvania Avenue,
Toledo,
OH
43612
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Here is an item from the January 22, 1927 issue of The Moving Picture World Concerning the theater to be built at Sylvania and Belmar avenues in Toledo:
Note that the architect’s first name is in error. The correct name is Alfred A. Hahn.Doc here from The Journal of Adult Theaters website. I have added three new photos of the Westwood Theatre to the photos section, with more new photos to come.
The new website for the Westwood is now online: www.westwoodadult.com
Thanks,
Doc
Now called Westwood Theatre of the Arts.
http://www.westwoodtheatreofthearts.com
Actually, upon further inspection, it seems the place has reopened as an adult theatre/ arcade. And it looks pretty nice to boot – http://dremiliolizardo.blogspot.com/2012/11/house-call-good-doctor-westwood-theatre.html
Article on the theatre’s closing in 2011. http://tinyurl.com/3jsao6s
For many years until probably the mid 50’s the Westwood was operated by the East Side Amusement Company. The East Side Amusement Company was owned by Martin G. Smith and James Beidler, Sr. The Westwood gained notoriety in the early 50’s when Mr. Smith intentionally showed a benign film without first submitting it to the State of Ohio for approval. The law requiring submission was found to be in violation of constitutional guarntee of free speech (108 N.E. 2d 582, 63 Ohio Law Abs. 452,48 O.O. 310). Mr. Smith was the President of the Ohio Association of Independent Theater Owners for a long period of time.
Is the theater closed? Any interior photos available?
back in the 60’s it ran some great films according to the old ads i spotted.
Thanks Evan.
Truly the last historic theatre still operating in Toledo, the Westwood has very nice original decor from the 1920s, but in very rough condition—but certainly worth restoring.
The two large organ chambers await another theatre pipe organ to bring a soul to the restored theatre hopefully someday!
The Westwood presumably was owned by the same owners as the Westwood, Heights and Continental in Cleveland during the 60s and 70s—same logo and films as the Heights & Westwood (the Continental went toward blaxploitation fare in its later days). Whereas the Cleveland theaters quit showing X-rated films in the 70s, the Westwood continued to do so. The theater anchored what used to be the shopping district for what was known as “West Toledo”.
Here is a photo from the Toledo Public Library
http://tinyurl.com/29xgnz
Trouble in 1971:
http://tinyurl.com/3e5fdm