Castle Cinema

1039 Chalkstone Avenue,
Providence, RI 02908

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Showing 1 - 25 of 42 comments

rivest266
rivest266 on June 8, 2024 at 1:47 pm

became a twin cinema on a discount police on December 26th, 1975. Grand opening ad posted.

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on September 6, 2022 at 8:12 am

The pizza place is now closed according to their Facebook page.

Jake Bottero
Jake Bottero on September 6, 2022 at 6:07 am

Pizza joint. No cinema.

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on May 30, 2018 at 9:21 am

The place is now Federal Hill Brick Oven Pizza.

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on March 24, 2018 at 3:26 am

This theatre was used on February 22, 1987 by the Italian Film Society of RI for a showing of the Italian film comedy “Pizza Triangle: A Drama of Jealousy.”

Jangell
Jangell on June 23, 2015 at 8:18 am

Is this property currently for sale or in the process of being renovated?

SwinburneStreet
SwinburneStreet on June 30, 2014 at 6:21 am

I am owner of Cabaret, SpeakEasy, Big Band, Vaudville and Circus types entertainment love to see The Castle alive with entertainment of this type. If interested love to discuss joint ventures you may contact me 401 641 2234. Thank you for your attention to this matter

Tony Z
Tony Z on February 13, 2014 at 9:15 am

I recently purchased the Castle Cinema at 1039 Chalkstone Avenue, Providence and would welcome the opportunity to speak with anyone who owned or worked for the Castle Cinema when it was in operation. I can be reached at 401-413-7489.

rkq
rkq on December 19, 2013 at 2:22 pm

From time to time I check in to see new comments. The Castle is still standing,although in ruff shape. Seeing the marquee gone is sad.I assume it was removed for safety reasons.I remember the summer I spent up on a ladder, gently removing the neon letters, scraping off the chipped paint and gently replacing each letter. It was important or me to have the “Castle” letters light the night. When we sold the theater in 2000, the marquee was in decent shape. Over the years the front had been hit by city snow plows,but it was always repaired.

Bawidget
Bawidget on June 26, 2012 at 7:04 am

RKQ I really hope you’re still active on this site. I’m a graduate of entrepreneurship and intend to go to grad school for Historic Preservation. My focus has always been on historic theaters. I would love to speak to you about your time owning and operating Castle Cinema. Does anyone know what happened to the original Marquee.

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on June 21, 2010 at 4:39 am

From Boxoffice magazine, February 4, 1956:

“In the most extensive cooperation promotion ever seen in this area, 14 Providence and nearby houses used record-breaking newspaper advertising space in heralding the joint premiere of "The Day the World Ended” and “Phantom from 10,000 Leagues.” Virtually taking over the amusement pages of the local press for several days, the following houses united in the ad: Elmwood, Hope, Uptown, Liberty, Castle, all in this city; Community, Centredale; Strand, Pawtucket; Union, Attleboro; Hollywood, East Providence; Palace, Cranston; Community, Wakefield; Park, Auburn; Palace, Arctic and Stadium, Woonsocket. A brief checkup of local houses indicated that opening days were solid."

nritota
nritota on August 13, 2009 at 7:22 pm

17 years is a good and respectable run Ralph.

rkq
rkq on July 31, 2009 at 6:58 pm

I had the pleasure of owning and operating this theater. We bought it in 1983 from the SBC corp. for $150000(wow) which also ran the Cinerama Theater now a CVS. We owned it from 1983 until 2000. It was a single screen until SBC twined it in the early 70s. In 1989 we made use of the balcony as a third screen. The building opened Thanksgiving weekend 1926. I actually have a flier from that date, a customer gave to me. Unfortunately due to a decline in the neighborhood, the time we had to wait to get product and the mall with its new 16 screens……it was time to sell. Sad to see the marquee was removed, but the two terracotta lion heads are still guarding the building……….

nritota
nritota on December 31, 2008 at 2:38 pm

I worked here in the 60’s and 70’s when it was an SBC single screen. It was nothing special, and parking was definately an issue. They used to lease an empty lot diagonal to the theatre and towards the city. I drove by on Thanksgiving when I was back in town and couldn’t spot that lot.

I can’t imagine this ever getting off the ground again.

mp775
mp775 on September 25, 2008 at 10:56 am

The Castle is featured in the Providence Preservation Society’s Most Engangered Properties photo exhibit at Butterfield, 232 Westminster Street. According to the exhibit, the building was purchased by the RISPCA, who in turn plans on leasing it to Rhode Island College to use for drug treatment programs. The marquee was removed per orders of the buildings department. There was talk of donating the building to AS220 about nine months ago, which apparently fell through.

mp775
mp775 on September 16, 2008 at 5:38 am

Tiles now cover the area where the marquee was, which was bare brick last month. Something is definitely going on.

mp775
mp775 on August 27, 2008 at 3:44 am

The marquee is gone! The front of the building is still plastered with No Trespassing signs, as well as McKenna for Senate signs. There is a building permit posted in the window of the restaurant on the corner, but it’s too high up to read. The lobby of the theater looks just like it did when open.

BeatriceMcGeoch
BeatriceMcGeoch on March 22, 2008 at 12:35 pm

I am in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood and interested in getting this place open again – to the point where I am doing some research on ways this could happen. My background is in education, so I am thinking of ways it can be opened as a cultural/community center. Any news on what it’s status is at the moment?

mp775
mp775 on January 9, 2008 at 11:56 am

Still sitting dormant, with No Trespassing signs posted on the front doors. Some of the “CASTLE” letters on the right side of the marquee have fallen backwards.

Roger Katz
Roger Katz on December 31, 2007 at 11:05 am

Any word on anything happening with this theatre? I think it would be great if the people who owned the Revival House in Westerly could do something with this building.

mp775
mp775 on October 15, 2006 at 2:33 pm

The Castle briefly reopened in August to host part of the 2006 Rhode Island International Film Festival.

mp775
mp775 on April 21, 2006 at 10:04 am

Updated: Castle Cinema auction canceled
Providence Journal 7 to 7 News Blog, April 21, 2006
PROVIDENCE — An auction planned this morning for Chalkstone Avenue’s Castle Cinema has been canceled.

The restaurant and neighborhood cinema was scheduled for a foreclosure auction at 10 a.m., after its owners, New Concept Entertainment, failed to get the theater up and running since assuming ownership in January.

The auction company, Irving Schechtman & Co., confirmed this morning that the auction has been “completely canceled, not postponed.”

The proceedings were canceled because New Concept Entertainment filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection yesterday. By federal law, the filing automatically halts foreclosure auctions, pending a review of the company’s assets and liabilities by a judge.

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