Strand Theatre
153 E. Main Street,
Lexington,
KY
40508
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Schine Circuit Inc.
Architects: Alfred Joseph, Oscar Joseph
Firms: Joseph & Joseph
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News About This Theater
- Mar 17, 2013 — “South Pacific” 55th Anniversary – The Roadshow Engagements
- Nov 18, 2009 — Happy 50th, "Ben-Hur"
- Oct 30, 2009 — Happy 50th, "Sleeping Beauty"
The Strand Theatre opened on October 12, 1915 with Edith Storey in “Island of Regeneration”. It was operated by the Phoenix Amusement Company. It was designed by the firm of Joseph & Joseph. By 1941, it was operated by the Schine Circuit Inc.
The 1,356-seat Strand Theatre was heavily remodeled on June 28, 1956 when it was equipped with Todd A-O projection. The Strand Theatre closed in 1974 and has been demolished to build an office building.
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
<<< The 1600-seat Strand was heavily remodeled in 1956 when it was equipped with Todd A-O projection. >>>
The remodel and installation of Todd-AO was in 1958.
The Strand Theatre is at center about half a block away in this 1939 photograph.
The Strand can also be seen in this earlier photo from about 1920, a composite panorama showing a long stretch of the block it was on. The Strand Theatre was located at 153 Main Street.
The photo has the location of the Strand Theatre in the wrong location. I spent many Saturdays going to movies at the Kentucky Theatre, The Ben Ali Theatre and The Strand Theatre. The Ben Ali and The Strand were in the same block. Both theatres were on East Main Street, not West Main Street. The only theatre on West Main was The Ada Meade, which was torn down in the 1940’s.
When the theatre was being demolished, beautiful murals were discovered and photographed. They were from the time the theatre first opened. Two of the stone lions that adorned the facade of the theatre are now in the lobby of the building built on the site as is a history of the theatre. The new building is called the Lion Building and is located at 153 East Main Street. Photographs of the exterior can be found at the University of Kentucky Special Collections.
Opened on October 12th, 1915 Strand theatre opening Sun, Oct 10, 1915 – 27 · Lexington Leader (Lexington, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com
Held an reopening on June 28th, 1956 Strand theatre reopening Wed, Jun 27, 1956 – 2 · The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com
and again on September 26th, 1958 Strand theatre reopening Fri, Sep 26, 1958 – 3 · The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Lexington: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1959-Present”.