Princess Theatre
109 S. Abel Street,
Winnfield,
LA
71483
109 S. Abel Street,
Winnfield,
LA
71483
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Southern Amusements
Previous Names: Victoria Theatre, Buck's Theatre, New Winn Theatre
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A conversion of a commercial building, the Victoria Theatre was opened in 1919. On October 16, 1928 it was renamed Buck’s Theatre, screening Olive Borden in “Virgin Lips”. It was closed in 1930 and became a church. It was taken ober by Harry O'Neal and was wired for sound, reopening on June 15, 1933 with Wheeler & Woolsey in “So This is Africa” and renamed New Winn Theatre. It was operated by Southern Amusements from 1941 until April 30, 1953. From 1954 it was an African-American theatre that could accommodate 350 patrons. The Winn Theatre was renamed Princess Theatre in November 2, 1955 it was renamed Princess Theatre, but was still listed as the Winn Theatre in the 1957 edition of Film Daily Yearbook. The Princess Theatre was closed on July 19, 1963 with Cameron Mitchell in “The Last of the Vikings”. This building now houses a café and retail.
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Stephen
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
The Winn got a name change in 1955, as noted in the November 16 issue of Motion Picture Exhibitor:
The Winn Theatre opened its doors on June 16, 1933 with Wheeler & Wooley in “So This Is Africa” (unknown if extras added) featuring installations of RCA Photophone sound.
This and its neighboring building were commercial structures built in 1909 . Braswell & Keaton created the Victoria Theatre here operating as a silent house in 1919. They sold out in 1925 by F.C. “Buck” Buchanan until October of 1928. A New Victoria was under construction which was changed to the Joy Theatre at its launch. This, the former Victoria location, became Buck’s Theatre beginning on October 16, 1928 with “Virgin Lips” with Olive Borden.
Buck’s stopped running films in 1930 when he closed the venue and Fox Film Corp. sued Buchanan for $2,500 for breach of contract. (Fox lost that lawsuit.) The former theatre became a church. But Harry O'Neal took on the venue on a 20-year leasing agreement. He wired the theater with RCA Photophone sound becoming the New Winn Theatre on June 15, 1933 with “So This is Africa.” In 1936, “New” was dropped with the venue simply the Winn Theater. Southern Theatres Circuit took over his lease in 1941. The Winn closed at the end of that lease with Lon McAllen in “Big Cat” supported by the Universal musical short, “Don Carnell Sings (three songs)” on April 30, 1953.
Purportedly, the venue reopened in early 1954 possibly - if not likely - as an African American theater (that would be its only possible run as an African American house) and was shut down by the fire Marshall leading to a lawsuit with building owner Hasson Morris. On November 2, 1955, the venue was brought up to code and relaunched by W. Otho Long as the Princess Theatre. On the widescreen that day, you could see “The Last Command.” The Princess closed with “The Last of the Vikings” deciding to begin and end programming with films with “last” in their titles. That occurred on July 19, 1963. The building stayed in its theater form until the 1970s when it was converted for other retail purposes.