Tiger Theatre
2939 Franklin Avenue,
New Orleans,
LA
70122
2939 Franklin Avenue,
New Orleans,
LA
70122
1 person
favorited this theater
The Tiger Theatre was owned and operated by Pittman Theatres in New Orleans, and was a sister to the Pitt and Delta Theatres.
The Tiger had a storefront to the left of the theatre entrance, where a great pizza place, Artista Pizza was located.
The Tiger Theatre opened on November 3, 1950, and closed June 24, 1973 as a family operation.
The Tiger Theatre had a large vertical neon sign with the theatre’s name, but it was blown down during hurricane Betsy in 1965. On June 18, 1974, the theatre was leased to become an adult theatre named the Riget Theatre.(Notice, the T and R were just reversed in the name).
A couple of years later, it was renamed the Grit Adult Theatre, which closed in 1980, when the theatre’s air conditioner went out, and the landlord refused to replace it.
It sat vacant for many many years, and became a church in the late-1990’s. This theatre was severely damaged in the floods of hurricane Katrina in August 2005. The building is still sitting unused in 2022.
Contributed by
Michael Hurley
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
1980 picture of the Tiger, known at this time as the “Grit”. This was the final year of operation for this theatre.
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Here’s an ad for the Grit from 1977:
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Here is a pic of the Tiger taken 08-07-09
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Announcing a book about New Orleans Movie Theaters
THEREâ€\S ONE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
The History of the Neighborhood Theaters in New Orleans
is being written by 89-year-old Rene Brunet, the dean of the motion picture industry in Louisiana, and New Orleans historian and preservationist Jack Stewart. The 160-page,coffee table book will be released in November and is being published by Arthur Hardy Enterprises, Inc. Attention will be focused on 50 major neighborhood and downtown theaters, culled from a list of nearly 250 that have dotted the cityâ€\s landscape since the first “nickelodeon†opened in 1896 at 626 Canal Street. The book will be divided by neighborhoods and will open with a map and a narrative about each area. Each major theater will feature “then and now†photographs, historic information, and a short series of quotes from famous New Orleanians and from regular citizens who will share their recollections.
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED
We are trying to acquire memorabilia and additional photos of this theater for this publication. (deadline July 1.) You will be credited in the book and receive a free autographed copy if we publish the picture that you supply. Please contact Arthur Hardy at or call 504-913-1563 if you can help.
The November 3rd, 1950 grand opening ad has been uploaded in this theatre’s web page.
Checked the google street view on 4-21-2016. This couldn’t possibly have 1,450 seats, looks more like 400. From the street view it still looks just like the photo in the gallery; still closed, same sign on front.
Reopened on June 18th, 1974, as the Riget art theatre showing adult movies.
Google Streetview of January 2022 shows the theatre in severe disrepair and some kind of demolition being done on the attached structure.
Reopened (or placed its first ad) on April 8th, 1976. Another ad posted.
Reopened (or placed its first ad) on April 8th, 1976 as Grit. Another ad posted. The newspaper started to block adult movie ads in 1977.