Strand Theatre
459 Main Street,
Woburn,
MA
01801
459 Main Street,
Woburn,
MA
01801
No one has favorited this theater yet
Showing 11 comments
Issues of The American Contractor from early 1915 carried several notices about a theater project in Woburn. Here is the notice in the issue of March 6:
Richard, I am involved with the Woburn Historical Society ad we came across a former Woburnite who starred in local silent films and he starred in one that played at the Strand. We have3 been unable to find a copy of the film. It was probably done by an itinerant fil maker of the day. Might you have any ideas for us?
Building has been demolished.
There was a three-alarm fire in the front of the building on March 8. http://patch.com/massachusetts/woburn/woburn-three-alarm-fire-reported-main-street-0
Richard- I’m not from Woburn, so I don’t know much about the theatre. However, it almost certainly featured silient films in the 1920s. I doubt if there is a book about the theatre because you will note above that Don Borchelt of the Woburn Redevelopment Authority expressed his inability to find info about the Strand last January. If the local library has a file of old newspapers then you could at least find some period ads.
Ron:
I read the above comments and realized that this is where my grandfather John T. Watt was manager back in the early days.I asked my uncle who was from Woburn and he verified the Movie theatre and the “Blue Orchid Dinnerware” promos that went on back then.He also told me that there were other types of giveaways and prizes.
Do you know if this was a silent theatre before talkies? My grandfather was involved in this field for many years. He also brought Mr BoJangles to Woburn for shows.
Is there a book on the history of this theatre? I would appreciate any info you might have or can steer me towards.
I will be visiting Woburn in October with my uncle to visit some of my mother’s family places of interest.
Richard Coleman
While doing research on Warner Bros. theatre circuit, CT member Barry Goodkin came across mention of the Strand in Woburn. In the 1928 Film Daily Yearbook, the Strand (the renamed Woburn Theatre) was part of the Boas Circuit, of 40 Court St. in Boston.
Hi, Don! You may remember me from your days in the planning office in Somerville…
Don- The photo is not very good and probably won’t scan well, but I can send you a copy via mail – are you with the Redev. Authority at the city hall in Woburn? You can also buy a good quality copy of the report from the Theatre Historical Soc. in Elmhurst IL but it’s expensive (about $ 52.) www.historictheatres.org – I wouldn’t advise buying a copy without seeing what it looks like first. I was not aware that the building housing the Strand was still in existence!
I am with the Woburn Redevelopment Authority in Woburn, Massachusetts. We are working right now with the building current owner to try to obtain a federal/state grant to restore the facade of the building. (The theatre building is now an indoor soccer arena.) The exterior of the building above the first floor has been covered by a 70s era false mansard style shingle roof/curtain wall. We are trying to locate photos which will show us what the original brick and masonry facade looks like underneath. We understand from the previous owner that the original facade was left pretty much intact.
If you could scan and forward me the picture you reference above, that would be a great help.
The theatre is listed as the Woburn Theatre in the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook. As the Strand, it was included in the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project. There is an exterior photo dated May 1941. The theatre entrance was in a 2-story building with a triangular marquee which had a “S” at the apex and “Strand” along the tops. Attractions are “Tall Dark and Handsome” and “Golden Hoofs”. From the bottom edge of the marquee there is a fancy cloth banner flying, advertising “Blue Orchid Dinnerware” on “Dish Night”. There are 3 sets of double doors below the marquee. The Report states that the Strand is at 459 Main St. in Woburn, that it has been a MGM customer for over 10 years; that it’s over 15 years old; is in Fair condition, and has 813 seats. In the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac, the Strand in Woburn is listed as part of Warner Brothers theatres.