Loew's Poli Broadway Theatre
113 Broadway,
Norwich,
CT
06360
113 Broadway,
Norwich,
CT
06360
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Poli New England Theaters Inc.
Previous Names: Davis Theatre, Broadway Theatre
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Located on Broadway at the corner of Willow Street. The Davis Theatre was opened September 1906 as a playhouse. On August 17, 1922 it was re-named Broadway Theatre presenting B.F. vaudeville and Eugene O'Brien in “John Smith” on the screen. It was modernised in 1941 and operated by Poli New England Theaters Inc. (a subsidiary on Loew’s Inc.), reopening as Loew’s Poli Broadway Theatre on February 19, 1942 with Katherine Hepburn in “Woman of the Year” & Gracie Allen in “Mr and Mrs North”. It was closed in 1949 and Loew’s built and opened their new Loew’s Poli Theatre.
The Loew’s Poli Broadway Theatre was sold to an auto dealer Charles R. Simon.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
It was opened sometime prior to September 20, 1906, 9:30 PM as I have a postcard of the theatre with that postmark.
The Davis Theatre was built for live plays. It scored with movies and became the Broadway Theatre on August 17, 1922 with B.F. Keith vaudeville performers and the film “John Smith” with Eugene O'Brien. It received sound equipment to remain commercially viable.
As it approached its 20-year leasing expiry, Loew’s spent $75,000 to upgrade it to the more moderne Loew’s Poli Broadway Theatre relaunching on February 19, 1942 with Katharine Hepburn as “Woman of the Year” supported by “Mr. And Mrs. North” on a continuous, grind policy. As their opening ad said, the only original elements were the four walls with the venue. After the War, the venue mixed in Polish films for the strong Polish community of Norwich that had begun at the outset of World War I.
Loews decided in post-War times to replace the building with its streamline moderne Loews Poli Theatre opening in 1949. And that’s just what they did. They then sold the building outright to auto dealer Charles R. Simon.