Jefferson Theatre
2936 Annandale Road,
Falls Church,
VA
22042
2936 Annandale Road,
Falls Church,
VA
22042
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Thanks for the picture. My childhood movie theater from ca 1958 – 1964. Remember seeing first runs of “Phantom of the Opera”, “PT 109”, “Viva Las Vegas”, “The Comancheros”, “Journey to the Center of the Earth.” If I remember right, summer matinee tickets were 25c. Would love to see any other pictures of this theater from that time frame.
I was a primary Projectionist here from 1970 until the Fall of 1972. Although I operated in a few theaters in this neighborhood including the State, I was usually at the Jefferson. Simplex XL projectors with Peerless arc lamphouses. The Simplexes were fitted with multi-channel magnetic sound heads, but the corresponding amplifiers were not present. However, the auditorium had the speakers for it.
I was part of a team of 3 one morning in 1971 when we took down the old screen and installed a new one. Somewhat tense because a matinee was scheduled to run around noon. I picked a mouse’s body out of an Altec horn before the new screen went up. Most likely the picture above showing the screen was what I helped install.
I remember that massive yellow bags of pre-popped popcorn were stored in the projection booth’s storage/generator area and were brought down as popcorn was sold.
The pictures shown are exactly as the theater was at the time I was present.
It has been a Goodwill store for about six months. I believe Chili’s had a fire, and never reopened.
Not a bad looking theatre,too bad 2001 wasn’t on the marquee.
The theatre was closed and then immediately renovated into a Chili’s Restaurant. The restaurant burned down some years later and I do not know the current status. I worked as a projectionist here in the early 1980s.