Calvin Theatre
19 King Street,
Northampton,
MA
01060
19 King Street,
Northampton,
MA
01060
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Architects: William Luther Mowll, Roger Glade Rand
Firms: Mowll & Rand
Functions: Live Performances
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
413.586.2632
Nearby Theaters
Once the largest movie theatre in Northampton, Massachusetts, the Calvin Theatre was the home of first run films for almost 70 years. It opened in May 1924.
With the arrival of megaplexes in nearby Hadley, the Calvin Theatre struggled to survive second rate film bookings and large overhead. Although Wednesday dollar nights drew crowds, little else did.
Finally, in 1994, the Calvin Theatre quietly put up a sign stating it was closed, at least temporarily. For months, a sun-bleached poster of the Jack Nicholson - Michelle Pfeiffer film “Wolf” drooped sadly in the lightbox of the theatre’s exterior. The Calvin Theatre had gone dark.
A shining knight saw the Calvin Theatre’s potential and bought and renovated the classic theatre. Now housing mostly live performances, the Calvin Theatre does occasionally show first and second run films. The Calvin Theatre, with its new, polished marquee and facade, is back from the brink. Sadly, the Calvin Theatre was closed on March 16, 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It has since reopened and was still operating in 2023.
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Recent comments (view all 23 comments)
The photo is from 1976 since that is the date the movie on the marquee was released.
There are 2 movie theaters listed under Northampton in the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook. One is the Academy and the other is the “Coolidge” with 1000 seats and open daily. I guess that the Coolidge is actually the Calvin.
I was never here for a movie but it is a great concert venue. They filled in the orchestra pit and add additional seating for some concerts. For the more rock and roll concerts they use the front space as a dance floor.
The theatre is really lovely, with wood paneling throughout much of the house. It does seem to have a roof problem now. There is some water damage to the plaster in a few places. It seems to be very heavily booked and I hope they can fix it before the damage becomes extensive.
The May 10, 1924, issue of The Moving Picture World had a great deal to say about the new Calvin Theatre in Northampton:
I was the manager of the Calvin in the early ‘80’s. It was great! Dollar house, double features:(“Deliverance” & “Porky’s”: “Squeal like a pig” read the marquee.) We did the best we could with renovations, but there was no money… Great memories…
I wanted to ask Nicholas Thaw while working at Calvin theater if he had any supernatural experiences? I ask because I was there this past Saturday night to see Johnny Lang and was sitting by myself in the sixth row and something tap me on the shoulder three times and I turned around and nobody was there. It quite strange indeed. Btw, Jonny Lang and gang were absolutely fantastic. Thanks for bringing them to North Hampton!
My family attended the Calvin many times in the 40’s and 50’s. It was a big event because we lived in Chesterfield and rarely went anywhere in those days.. Our Dentist office was above where Jakes is now.
Are there any photos of the multi bulb flashing marquee? It was an eyecatcher to me.
The Calvin Theatre has been closed since the COVID shutdown - website still up, and still owned by Iron Horse Entertainment (also owns the Iron Horse music hall and Pearl Street Nightclub nearby). Hopefully they can get financing back in order to re-open at some point.
There were shows here as recently as 2023.
Belatedly replying to tawsin (above). Those were rats tapping you on the shoulder. When I was there in the early ‘80’s I brought my cats in for rat control. My cats would routinely run down the rows and knock over popcorn buckets, and our wonderfully forgiving customers would just buy more…