Shea's Elmwood Theatre

539 Elmwood Avenue,
Buffalo, NY 14222

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Marks Brothers, Paramount Pictures Inc., Shea Theatres

Architects: Martin C. Miller

Previous Names: Elmwood Theatre

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Shea's Elmwood Theatre

This theatre was opened on April 27, 1914. The seating capacity was given as 1,600 in the 1940’s when it was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary Vincent McFaul. It was closed for a while and reopened on May 15, 1963 with Glen Ford in “Love is a Ball”. It was demolished in 1965. It should not be confused with Elmwood Center megaplexes.

A WurliTzer 3 manual 15 ranks theatre pipe organ, Opus 568, was shipped to this theatre on August 21, 1922. I think eventually the entire organ went to a private owner in Detroit, Michigan. In January 1971 parts of the organ went to a private owner in Salt Lake City, Utah and the console to another private owner in Long Beach, California.

Contributed by Ret. AKC(NAC) Bob Jensen

Recent comments (view all 6 comments)

alknobloch
alknobloch on September 7, 2009 at 9:38 am

I was only in this theater once, but as I recall it was a very large but not particularly long building with an extremely high balcony that was rather nausea-inducing when looking sharply down at the screen. There’s gotta be someone else who remembers being here and hopefully can back me up —

RobbDelman
RobbDelman on April 19, 2013 at 7:11 pm

Just found this site or I would have responded earlier. You are correct, as I (deathly afraid of heights) instantly regretted my friends' suggestion that we “go upstairs”.

Franksbail
Franksbail on October 21, 2014 at 11:31 am

I’m new here but you are right. It was not a large theater but the balcony was closed to kids when I started to go there about 1963. Then after the bank fire and the decision to tear it down was made, I was not happy. Great Saturday matanee’s for a dollar.

rivest266
rivest266 on September 20, 2022 at 1:57 pm

Closed in 1965 per newspaper listings

rivest266
rivest266 on October 6, 2022 at 6:14 pm

Held a reopening on May 15th. 1963. Ad posted.

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