Dixie Theatre
1311 S. Rampart Street,
New Orleans,
LA
70113
1311 S. Rampart Street,
New Orleans,
LA
70113
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Jolly Theatre
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The Jolly Theatre was located in the African American Elks Lodge. It opened as an African American theatre on June 27, 1938 with Robert Wilcox in “The Man in Blue”. Seating was listed at 300. The theatre was located on Rampart Street at Erato Street. It was renamed Dixie Theatre in 1940, operated by Paul H. Bruner.
After closing around 1955, the theatre became a church called the Full Gospel Church of the Lord. It was demolished between 2007 & 2012.
Contributed by
Chuck
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
The Dixie has been demolished; this occurred sometime after 2007. A picture of the theater and the site after its demolition can be seen on this blogpage (scroll down about half way).
The Jolly Theatre opened here in the African American Elks Lodge building on June 27, 1938 with “Man in Blue.” In the Summer of 1940, it was offered for $3,000 - plus existing liabilities. It found a taker in the Dixie Theatre. The second Dixie Theatre, also an African American movie house, had opened November 10, 1920 at Draydes and Cadiz (while the first had opened in the 1910s at 1000 Canal Street).
The Dixie had equipped for sound to remain viable. It took over the Jolly/Elks location and the liabilities were overcome as the Dixie celebrated 47 years of operation before closing on June 24, 1967 with “Battle of the Bulge” and “Battle of the Drag Racers.” The two story theater was offered complete as a “good buy.” It became an independent theater some two years later called the Esquire Theatre apparently opening May 14, 1969 with Jim Brown in “Dark of the Sun.” The venue had a brief run as the Esquire Adult Cinema run by Larry C. Jones. That company dissolved in January 1972 ending the venue’s impressive run.