Pic Theatre
N. 6th Street and W. Pine Street,
Ponchatoula,
LA
70454
N. 6th Street and W. Pine Street,
Ponchatoula,
LA
70454
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On May 4, 1940, Boxoffice reported “Ernest Drake’s new house, the Pic Theatre, seating 600, is now ready.” It had opened on April 6 1940 with Tom Brown in “Ma! He’s Making Eyes at Me”
The 1950 Film Daily Year Book included the Pic Theatre, at 400 seats, along with the larger Ideal Theatre in Ponchatoula. It was closed on September 25, 1950 with Lon McCallister in “The Boy From Indiana”. It became live music venue, which also staged wrestling, special events and had religious use.
It reopened in May 1960 when the business from the Ideal Theatre which had been destroyed by fire was transferred to the Pic Theatre. It was closed on July 1, 1967 with “Rings Around the World” & “Nashville Rebel”. It was demolished in 1970 to build a Dollar General store on the site.
Contributed by
Michael Kilgore
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
A 1962 city directory for Hammond, including Ponchatoula, lists the Pic Theatre at 162 N. 6th street, but this address no longer appears to exist. The numbering system is a bit of a pig’s breakfast, with a bar called Stray Cats at 132 N. 6th, something called Landstar in a small building next door numbered 165, and next to that, at the end of the block, an old brick house occupied by an accountant’s office with the address 180. Across 6th Street is a very modern building housing the town’s police station, and it uses the number 195.
The only surviving building among those on the east side of the street that is big enough to have held a 400-seat theater is the bar at 132, and it looks as though its ceiling would be too low. Unless a photo or someone who actually saw the theater turns up I fear the closest we can get to knowing the Pic’s location is the block of 6th Street north of Pine Street, and we can’t even be sure it hasn’t been demolished. But at least the directory reveals that the Pic was still in operation in 1962.
Launched April 6, 1940 with “Ma, He’s Making Eyes at Me” supported by Chapter 1 of the “Kit Carson” serial" and a Fox short subject. After the War, the Pic was downgraded to four-day a week operation and closed for films on September 25, 1950 with “The Boy From Indiana.” It is then used for live music events, wrestling events, and house of worship events. On May 8, 1960 fire destroyed the Ideal Theatre in town and own Ernest Drake reopened the Pic to play out his films.
The Pic appears to have closed permanently on Jul 1, 1967 with “Rings Around the World” and “Nashville Rebel.” In 1970, the Pic was razed to construct a Dollar General Store.