Bomes Theatre
1017 Broad Street,
Providence,
RI
02907
1017 Broad Street,
Providence,
RI
02907
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Reopened as Art Cinema on January 8th, 1958. Grand opening ad posted.
Grand opening ad posted.
Gerald you mention the www.thebomestheatre.com website. I notice a photo there of the Liberty circa 5/41 . image has a watermark …Historical Society of America … I cannot make out what it says before or after this. Do you know who they are or where I can view their original photo?
During its early days in 1958, I remember the Art Cinema serving free espresso before (and after?) the show, provided by Ekroth Food Service of Warwick.
This theatre first opened one hundred years ago in March 1921 as the Liberty.
I walked by this theatre this morning on my way to the Rollins Gymnasium to vote in a special referenda election. I peeked through the doors into the lobby area. The place, I surmise, is anxious to resume post-pandemic business as a dinner club. Memories came back to me from when I was a young adult film buff and saw so many good films here as the Art Cinema.
Once the theatre re-opened as a theatre/cabaret club, the 2020 pandemic set it, and operations were halted. I posted a couple of photos of the new spiffy interior.
It looks like Wagner Sign built a new marquee for this theatre, and for some reason, was not used. They are now trying to sell the marquee at a greatly reduced price. facebook.com/WagnerElectricSign
This theatre has now re-opened as the Bomes Theatre. The name Bomes has always appeared on the front of the building and referred to the family name of the original owner. The theatre itself was from its beginnings called the Liberty before becoming the Art Cinema in 1958. Now the original owner’s family name has become the theatre name. It has been restored inside and configured for cabaret/night club type shows, with tables. This new name should be added in the listings. Web site: www.thebomestheatre.com
The Theatre Historical Society archive has the MGM Report for this theater when it was the Liberty. It’s Card # 546. There is an exterior photo taken May 1941. The address is 1017 Broad. Condition is Good. It was showing MGM films, and had 800 seats.
Matthew
I sent you a separate email on this.
Nick
Studios sue Milton and Edward Bomes for false reporting of boxoffice receipts at their Liberty Theatre in Providence and Hollywood Theatre in East Providence.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, October 25, 1952:
View link
Item in Boxoffice magazine, February 17, 1958, relating to the upcoming run of The Miracle of Marcelino at this theatre:
Anticipating the forthcoming screening of “The Miracle of Marcelino,” Mrs. Ann Cohen, publicity director of the Art Cinema, has invited all of the Religious throughout the Providence diocese, pastors, priests, nuns, and sisters, to a special private screening. Those required to remain on duty while others attend have been invited to see the picture free during the run. Furthermore, it is the policy of Rhode Island’s newest art house to pass in members of the clergy of all denominations at all times. To tie in with the presentation of “The Miracle of Marcelino,” Mrs. Cohen is arranging for a special display of art in the lobby, though the courtesy of Salve Regina College, Newport. A special party for children from Catholic institutions is also being arranged. The youngsters will have the theatre to themselves and candy, ice cream and cakes will be served. Other facets of Mrs. Cohen’s extensive publicity campaign include special advertising in the Visitor, weekly diocesan newspaper, news breaks and printed invitations to church and state dignitaries.
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."
The Bomes name lives on. In fron of the old Jamestown (R.I)theatre embedded in the brick above the entrance is the sign “Bomes Theatre”.
The cinema is long gone but the building houses a number of bussiness'namely a Chinese restaurant, a real estate office and a couple of other small shops. The manager of the theatre at one time was the late Joe Jarvis. I had known him for years and he left is mark owning the Jane Pickens Theatre which to this day still operates as an art house. When in Newport, I would visit hime and we would talk about the “old days”. A wonderful guy and I miss him very much.
Item in Boxoffice Magazine, March 17, 1956:
“The Hollywood, East Providence, and Liberty, Elmwood neighborhood house, both Bomes' operations, by running the same attractions at both houses, have "upped” their newspaper advertising to such a degree that it compares favorably on many occasions with some downtown first runs. Both houses are featuring Saturday afternoon kiddy parties with a variety of kid films, refreshments, souvenirs, prizes and stage entertainment."
OK, thanks for the explanation.
Ken,
No, it was never known as Bomes Theatre, It was a theatre in the Bomes mini-chain, which included the Hollywood in East Providence and the Palace in Jamestown. The fact that the Bomes name is carved at the top of the theatre facade only indicates that it was part of that ownership. The other two also had the name Bomes carved in front. It was never named Bomes Theatre, from its beginning to the present. The Hollywood in East Providence was the Hollywood from begining to end, though newspaper articles incorrectly referred to it as the “Bomes” Theatre. The Art Cinema had only two names: the Liberty and then the Art Cinema. Patrons went to the Liberty, then to the Art. All the newspaper ads (I have checked them from the 1920s to the 1960s) list it as the Liberty and then the Art, never Bomnes. If they refurbish it now and call it Bomes Theatre, well then that is a different story.
Here is a side view:
http://tinyurl.com/yfgxxya
Is Bomes Theatre an AKA? It seems to be carved into the theater at the top.
Abrunner,
You can post on the Westminster Playhouse page by clicking this following link which will take you there and then posting as you have done with the Art Cinema:
/theaters/6596/
This link will take you to the Capitol Theatre:
/theaters/6395/
Dear Mr DeLuca, Again, you are right and the book was Temples of Illusion> I recall that it was very well written and loaded with so much information especially the older theatres that were in Providence. Though I have a computer there are a lot of things that I don’t know how to run. You have asked me to repost my comments on the Westminster Playhouse and I don'tknow howtodo that. Another theatre that I had an interest in was the Capitol.I was onlyin it once and it had to have been in the fifties. I remember there was an extension of the stage halfway up the middle aisle in the orchestra. I believe thaqt this “walkway” was used by dancers in the era that the theatree had burlesque. The second balcony I believe did not have seats but slats and people that were homeless would pay the admission (around 35 cents) and sleepon the slats. I think but am not sure that the house for a time ran 24 hours and there was a sign out front that said “always open, never closed”.
Abrunner & Ritota,
Again, I request that you post or copy and re-post some of your comments on the Westminster Playhouse on its own page, listed under Modern Theatre:
/theaters/6596/
Abrunner,
Thanks for the compliment, but I never wrote a book on Providence film theatres. I refer a lot on these pages though to Roger Brett’s splendid work on that subject, Temples of Illusion.
Hello Abrunner
Pat was a bigger guy with curly light brown hair. Doug Amos was president of SBC for the entire run of the company. We were sold to Hoyts around 1985. They purchased Cinema Centers Corp (CCC) just prior to SBC.
Things were never the same after the purchase. Slowly, all of the SBC people left. We were a great little company with a lot of integrity; the new owners and the CCC people installed to run the show were quite simply not.
Anyway, it was a great run while it lasted. I got to book, advertise, run promotions, etc., while working all of New England and upstate NY. Wouldn’t change a thing!