Loews Cineplex Fortway Theatre

Opened on October 21, 1927 with Pat O'Mally in “The Rose of Kildare” plus an added attraction “Building the Fortway” a film showing various stages of construction of the theatre plus four acts of vaudeville on the stage: Rialto Four, Gates & Jordan, Norman & Webb and Edward Bernard.

The Fortway Theatre had a beautiful Atmospheric style interior, where electric stars used to twinkle on the dark blue ceiling. The Fortway Theatre originally had a Kilgen 3 manual 9 ranks theatre organ. By 1930 it was operating as the Fox Fortway Theatre. There was a small stage in front of the proscenium. The theatre was triplexed in the 1970’s, and divided into a 5-screen multiplex in 1982. Screen 1: 448 seats, Screen 2: 390-seats, Screen 3: 388-seats, Screen 4: 210-seats and Screen 5: 219-seats.

The Fortway Theatre was closed by Loews Cineplex in June of 2005. The final movies were Cayden Boyd in “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl-3D”, Cedric The Entertainer in “The Honeymooners”, Adam Sandler in “The Longest Yard” and Amber Tamblyn in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”. The building stood unused until June 2007 when it was converted into a supermarket.

Recent comments (view all 112 comments)

DJM78 on January 18, 2017 at 5:52 pm

20 years ago….I was working there. The A/C constantly broke down. Even those “bad” memories are actually good memories. I really miss that place.

theatrefan on January 24, 2017 at 8:38 am

It really is a shame it’s gone, it was a very nice theatre to catch a film. I wonder if there is anything left after it became the supermarket?

Mike (saps) on January 24, 2017 at 9:12 am

That auditorium looks so wide; how was it divided for the triplex, and then where were the other two added screens?

theatrefan on January 24, 2017 at 10:10 am

As a Five-plex I remember the main auditorium level had two smaller screens carved out on the extreme left & right side, what is the center section in the photo was the big main auditorium which sort of had the shape of a Y, there were also two theatres in the original balcony section as well. Flanking the original proscenium were these two female figures that I had taken pictures of, I will have to post it here, I nicknamed them the “Nymphs of Celluloid” I wonder whatever happened to them? There is also a photo of them in Ben Hall’s Book: The Best Remaining Seats.

Comfortably Cool on August 15, 2019 at 6:13 am

Listed as Fox Fortway in 1930 neighborhood directory displayed here

rivest266 on August 24, 2019 at 11:54 am

Grand opening ad:

Fortway theatre opening Wed, Oct 19, 1927 – 10 · () · Newspapers.com

ridethectrain on July 4, 2023 at 11:23 am

Pleas update, total seats 1792 Theatre 1. 526 Theatre 2. 423 (Balcony) Theatre 3. 421 (Balcony) Theatre 4. 212 Theatre 5. 210

50sSNIPES on January 4, 2026 at 11:54 am

Once operated by Cineplex Odeon.

ridethectrain on July 22, 2026 at 9:29 am

The official name of this theatre when it closed was the Loews Cineplex Fortway Theatre, please rename.

Willburg145 on September 8, 2026 at 7:55 am

Any of the original interiir survives?