Rex Theatre
4617 York Road,
Baltimore,
MD
21212
4617 York Road,
Baltimore,
MD
21212
1 person
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Zeller Circuit
Architects: J.F. Dusman
Functions: Church
Nearby Theaters
The Rex Theatre on York Road opened October 20, 1933. One of many Baltimore theatres along York Road. The Rex Theatre seated 722 a single floor theatre. By 1950 it was operated by the Zeller Circuit. The Rex Theatre stopped regular movies in the late-1960’s and converted to X-rated fair until it closed in 1974. The Rex Theatre was a subject of case of censorship that reached the U.S. Supreme Court. The area around the Rex Theatre today has many boarded up buildings but the Rex Theatre still appears to be in good condition.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
is ther anymore information on the rex? please cotact me at
John Waters(film director) mentioned in various audio commentaries about seeing “nudist camp movies” here in the 1960’s.
It was quite common, years ago, for local Baltimore businesses to use the name of a landmark in their own names. Near the giant Hippodrome were the Hippodrome Cleaners and the Hippodrome Hatters. The Rex lives on in the form of its next-door neighbor, the New Rex Liquors. Not too many remember that the hulking building next door was once the Rex Theatre, which gave the booze shop its name.
From Boxoffice magazine, January 1960:
BALTIMORE-The Rex Theater, neighborhood subsequent-run house, has been closed. Its future remains indefinite at present, according to manager Fred Perry, who also operates the Perry Center Theater. At the latter house, he features a late show every night billed as the Owl Show and starting at midnight.
Baltimore Sun, 28 November 2009, page 14: Obituary of Rosalyn Schecter, widow of Lois (sic) E. Schecter, previous owner of Charles, then called The Times for showing newsreels, plus the Rex in Govans (York Road area), The Roxy in East Baltimore, and the Rosalyn on Howard Street, now torn down for Maryland General Hospital use. [She became member of Maryland Board of (Movie) Censors which often blocked movies from showing at theatres like the Rex.]
This monograph on Baltimore theaters has a photo of the Rex circA 1968:
http://tinyurl.com/yjavq2z