Dixie Theatre
1311 S. Rampart Street,
New Orleans,
LA
70113
1311 S. Rampart Street,
New Orleans,
LA
70113
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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.
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).