Florida Theatre
710 Franklin Street,
Tampa,
FL
33602
710 Franklin Street,
Tampa,
FL
33602
3 people
favorited this theater
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The original Bonita Theatre on the site opened its doors on April 19, 1910 with two films, with one of the films titled “Bitter Sweet” (also known as “The Power Of The Child”), alongside musical performances by the Bonita Orchestra conducted by A.C. Gourlie. It was operated by A.N. Waters who also later opened the nearby Alcazar Theatre the following year.
The Bonita Theatre closed on August 4, 1923 with Bronco Billy in “Greater Duty” and an unknown Harold Lloyd comedy when the announcement of a new theater being built at the former Bonita site came, and the original Bonita building was demolished a few weeks later for the construction of the 56x110ft Franklin Theatre.
Thanks rivest266. This is interesting. In your newspaper post for the Alcazar dated 1911 the Bonita Theater is also listed. The address for the Bonita is 710 Franklin which is the same address of the Franklin/Florida. The building shown in the photo appears to be either recently constructed or renovated. I wonder if this building was formerly the Bonita or if a previous building housing the Bonita was demolished. I need to research this.
This opened as Franklin on February 17th, 1924 and renamed Florida on November 6th, 1938. Both grand opening ads in the photo section.
Found on Newspapers.com
1958 photo added courtesy of Jeff Davies.
thanks NICK.great stuff.
Will, The theatre originally opened as the Florida and was later changed to the Franklin Theatre. Years later the name was changed back to the Florida. The address is listed as 710 Franklin Street in all theatre ads as well as the city directory. The 712 Franklin Street address was more than likely O'Falks Department Store—the building next door to the theatre.
Note: there were two very small shops within the theatre building itself immediately to the left and right of the theatre entrance (you can see a small portion of each store in photo above.) As I recall in the 1960s one was a jewelry store but not certain about the other one. The address of the store on the right could have been 712 but the theatre was definitely 710 Franklin Street.
Wurlitzer organ opus 1332 (style D-X, a fairly small instrument) was listed as sold to the Franklin Theatre, Tampa, Florida, April 4, 1926. This website
http://historictheatresintampa.blogspot.com/2008/08/franklinflorida-theatre-downtown.html
lists the Florida Theatre as having opened as the Franklin, but the street address is 712 Franklin, not 710. Can you verify this one way or the other?
Thanks John! Enjoyed reading your post. Great hearing from an employee of the Florida. Seldom do former employees of area theatres post comments. I remember the Weeki-Wachee promotions the downtown theatres would always run either before or after the feature. That was certainly a nice gesture on the part of Florida State Theatres to allow the Weeki-Wachee girls in for half-price admission. I’m sure the girls appreciated that! Thanks again for commenting.
WOW—HOW YOU DO BRING BACK SOME MEMORIES—I WAS AN USHER AT THE FLORIDA THEATRE FROM JAN 1963 UNTIL LATE AUGUST 63—IT WAS A GRAND TIME ESPECIALLY SINCE I GOT TO WORK AT THE PALACE AND THE TAMPA—O THE WEK END MATINEE’S SELLING CANDY—==SAW INTEGRATION COME INTO PLACE-PICKET'ERS OUTSIDE THE FLORIDA AND THE BIG MIRROR ON THE RIGHT SIDE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN MY FINDING MY FIRST GREAT ROMANCE WITH A BEAUTIFUL BLONDE WHO WORKED NEXT DOOR AND WOULD COME IN AND EAT LUNCH-HOT DOGS AT THE COUNTER AND WATCH A FEW MINUTES OF A MOVIE WITH ME—THE LONGEST DAY AND WEST SIDE STORY WERE RESERVED SEATING AND I HAD A BALL.WE ALSO GAVE HALF PRICE ADMISSION TO THE GIRLS OF WEEKI-WACHEE..THANKS FOR THE GREAT PICTURES;;JOHN VITCH
Nick ALL THe AUGUSTA theatres Closed that day and part of the next.
Here’s some trivia that took place on a horribly tragic day. In looking through the theatre ads for 1963 I noticed BLOOD FEAST opened at the Florida Theatre on Friday, November 22, 1963. President Kennedy was assasinated at 12:30 PM, and the first showing began at 1:00. Shortly after the news hit the air many theatres nationwide closed down for the remainder of the day and the following day as well. Not certain if the Florida or any other local theatres closed or remained open. More than likely they ran the first afternoon showing (since tickets had already been sold) and cancelled all other showings.
Although BLOOD FEAST is well known as an extremely low budget drive-in programmer, it actually opened in several first run theatres nationwide before hitting the drive-in circuit. I remember seeing the trailer at the Florida the week before it opened. Audiences that had come to see THE LEOPARD with Burt Lancaster were totally grossed out!
Nick.More power to you,the only musical I ever liked was “OLIVER”.I guess I not much of a music movie watching guy.BUt we both like 2001.
The Exclusive West Coast Engagement of “WEST SIDE STORY” reopens the remodeled Florida Theatre on April 4, 1962. Admission of $1.25 to $2.00 makes this the most expensive movie ticket in town for 1962:
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“WEST SIDE STORY” runs for 10 weeks and is followed by a 3-week run of “STATE FAIR” which I sat through twice the first weekend, twice the second weekend, and twice the third weekend. One of my guilty pleasures and yes, I loved every minute of it!
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Click on image and “view all sizes” to enlarge.
Now showing April 7 1963 was “THE LONGEST DAY” two shows only at 2:30 and 8:15 pm.You even order by Mail for these tickets.
Yes,Nick,You don’t think of the Tampa going the X-rated route.I wonder if Atlanta’s FOX played X-rated movies,I sure do not recall any.
Yes, I remember the Florida did play several X-rated attractions during that period. Many of these were foreign films. I remember seeing a black and white Swedish film called “Inga” which was not much more than soft-porn. Most of these films were not the typical triple-X porno films that would play at adult theatres but more of the mainstream variety. I never saw “Fuego” although I seem to recall the ad about the makers having to flee! I also remember seeing “DeSade” “Heronimus Merkin” and “Clockwork Orange” which were all major attractions rated X. But what shocked me more than these films was when the Tampa Theatre broke its long standing traditon of playing family films and ran the X-rated “Killing of Sister George” and “The Stewardesses.” I’ve always thought the Florida Theatre would have been better suited to play these two.
There is an entire genre of films missing from the list of films that played at the Florida. In the late ‘60’s, after the rating system came into existence (1968) the Florida Theater went through a period of showing 'X’ films. I was stationed at MacDill and saw my first (and pretty much only) X’s there. My favorite (because of how bad it was) was “Fuego”. The advertising claimed that the makers of the film had to flee their home country. Maybe they snuck out under cover of darkness because the film was so lousy.
Thanks,Nick.
Yes, it was the Tower. I haven’t scanned it yet since my scanner is out of commssion once again but should be up again soon.
Did you print those movie ads i sent down from the Drive-in in Tampa.Can’t remember the Drive-in was it the Tower Drive-in.
Photo of entrance with box office and very nice poster displays dated July 14, 1942 when the double-feature of the day was “THE WIFE TAKES A FLYER” and “REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR."
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Great pictures Nick.Told Bill his “JAWS” ad was on that special commentary on the movie.He was impressed and wished he could see it.
Thanks again for the photos,I noticed in the March 6th post, Butler Shoes sign we had one of these stores in Nashville also on Church street near all the theatres,I guess Butler Shoes used to be in most cities as I have seen there signs in many theatre photos on C.T.
The Florida is demolished. I took these with a small polaroid so my apologies for the quality.
Front and side views. Note balcony outline etched in side wall.
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Portion of balcony with part of booth still standing in upper center of photo. The proscenium was hidden for many years when new wide screen was installed.
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Thanks tlsloews. Sadly all buildings on the right side of photo are long gone along with the Florida.