Birmingham Theatre

1700 3rd Avenue N,
Birmingham, AL 35203

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rivest266
rivest266 on August 18, 2019 at 8:32 am

Reopened as the Birmingham theatre on Christmas Day, 1946. Ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on August 15, 2019 at 3:26 pm

This closed as Pantages in 1930 and reopened as Pantage on December 30th, 1934. Grand opening ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on August 14, 2019 at 3:53 pm

Grand opening ad as Pantages from October 30th, 1927

Pantages theatre openingPantages theatre opening Sun, Oct 30, 1927 – 69 · The Birmingham News (Birmingham, Alabama) · Newspapers.com

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on October 12, 2018 at 9:13 am

The March 24, 1917 issue of The Moving Picture World had this item about plans for the extensive remodeling of the Bijou for Loew’s:

“To Remodel Bijou for Loew Chain.

“Birmingham, Ala.– — E. A. Schiller, of the Schiller amusement company, and Marcus Loew, of the Loew vaudeville circuit, will in the near future let contracts to remodel the Bijou theater, which will include the changing of the theater front, a new addition, remodeled lobby, additional fire escapes, rest rooms on each floor for ladies, lounging and reading rooms, etc. The house will be redecorated throughout, a new ventilating system and additional seats installed, and additional stage equipment provided, with a screen of modern design for moving pictures. ”

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on January 29, 2015 at 2:16 am

A master list of buildings designed by Birmingham architect D. O. Whilldin, compiled by Thomas M. Shelby, lists the Pantages Theatre as one of his projects from 1927. However, as B. Marcus Priteca pretty much had a lock on theater designs for Pantages, it’s most likely that he designed the 1927 remodeling and that Whilldin acted as supervising architect.

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on September 29, 2012 at 10:06 am

This webpage includes pictures of the Birmingham Theater under its various names (as well as some of other Birmingham, Alabama theaters). A picture of the theater, with the “s' in the Pantages vertical blacked out can be seen here, and here is a picture of the theater as the Birmingham. Note how the theater went from having an infamous “colored balcony” to a theater “exclusively” for African Americans.