Strand Theatre
529-535 Walnut Street,
Cincinnati,
OH
45202
529-535 Walnut Street,
Cincinnati,
OH
45202
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Associated Theatres, Telenews Theaters
Architects: Walter H. Lee, Rudolph Tietig
Firms: Tietig & Lee
Previous Names: Gayety Family Burlesque Theatre, Telenews Newsreel Theater
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Built and opened as the Gayety Family Burlesque Theatre in 1913 changed over silent movies on November 26, 1914 with Naomi Childers in “The Tangle” and changed its name to Strand Theatre. It maintained the Strand Theatre name, converting to sound films when that era arrived.
On July 17, 1942 1942, it became a newsreel theatre as the Telenews Newsreel Theater and remained as such until 1946, when it reverted to the Strand Theatre name once again. It was demolished in late-1950-early-1951 to make way for the current Fountain Square location.
Contributed by
hanksykes
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Recent comments (view all 23 comments)
Thanks, Hank. Owl is an odd name for a hotel, unless it catered mostly to people who slept in the daytime.
July 17th, 1942 grand opening ad as Telenews in photo section
hello joe vogel, I finally found a site MDHL which gets me to so many journal concerning the film industry. Wonder why I never asked you how to find them? Until soon,Hank
The Gayety closed as a burlesque theatre on November 15th, 1914, and was quickly transformed into the Strand for a grand re-opening with movies on Thanksgiving Day (11/26).
A Cincinnati city directory published in June, 1910, lists a house called the American Theatre at 531 Walnut Street. As this would be under the Strand’s footprint, I’m wondering if it was an earlier name for the same house or if the American was demolished to make way for the Gaiety. A Gaiety Theatre is also listed in 1910, but at the address 1211 Vine Street.
Hello again Joe, Yes you are correct the American(vaudeville th.) was removed to buildn the Gaiety St. at that address , the Gaity lasted one year and had its name changed to moviehouse Strand. Thanks for the inquirey. Until soon,Hank
Joe just to make matters more complex there were 3 gaiety theater in Cincinnati all at different address at different times and the newspapers did not always include their address when discussing them in print. A real mind meld is this cinema subject.
In its biography of architect Rudolph Tietig, the Biographical Dictionary of Cincinnati Architects, 1788-1940 attributes the design of the Strand Theatre to him and his firm of Tietig & Lee, with Walter H. Lee. (Lee’s own rather brief entry in the dictionary lists him as William H. Lee, and a 1909 city directory lists him as Walter L. Lee, but I’m inclined to go with Walter H. Lee, which appears in several reliable sources.)
1919 photo added courtesy of Rose Taylor.
Associated Theatres Circuit announced tha the Strand would be converted to a Telenews Theatre effective July 17, 1942. The former Strand marquee was donated to the war effort for scrap metal. After the War, the name reverted back to the Strand. It closed “temporarily” for the warm summer months after a double-feature of Jimmy Wakely in “The Lawless Hour” and and Adele Jergens in “Radar Secret Service” which turned out to be the final showings for the Strand on May 27, 1950.
The Strand Theatre was demolished starting late in 1950 through February 1951. Virtually everything was offered for sale by the Cleveland Wrecking Company.