Ormont Theatre
508 Main Street,
East Orange,
NJ
07018
508 Main Street,
East Orange,
NJ
07018
1 person
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Brandt Theaters
Previous Names: Lyceum Theatre
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Built in 1910, it was constructed of brick and was five stories tall. It was a Masonic Temple, with the Lyceum Theatre on the first floor and the temple upstairs on the second floor. Following a remodel, it was renamed Ormont Theatre reopening on December 29, 1933 with Katharine Hepburn in “Morning Glory”. The Ormont was known for showing “racier” films from European directors.
I worked on a project there in the 1960’s to insulate between the barrel roof over the theater and the upstairs floors to try to eliminate the sounds from the lodge meetings interfering with the film. The Ormont Theatre was still open in 1970, but closed soon after and was demolished.
Contributed by
Don Dorflinger
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
Originally known as the Lyceum. Built in 1910. Arcadia Press “East Orange Postcards”, p. 76 has a nice old postcard of the theater.
Old postcard:
View link
Listed in the 1970 FDY as part of Brandt Theatres.
When did they tear this beauty down? So sad.
The McGovern for President headquarters opened in 1971 next door, at the corner of 512 Main Street, East Orange, and stayed open through November, 1972. Hundreds of us went through those offices, beside the mighty Ormont.
wow never thought i would see this theater again.glad i found it here again.Here is my story it was around 1970 i was a projectionist for the union in Newark i just graduated high school i worked at the paramount and also the Hollywood theater in orange and the treat theater in Newark i always liked to work at the Ormont as it was always so old school and i loved that i was friends with the manager his name was this was a time when automation was coming into it’s own the manager at the time was MR.Pavlick a nice guy and smart manager.I am in the process of writing a book on my 50years of being a projectionist and i will be including the Ormont to the list i have some very funny and interesting things to tell about the Ormont keep in the loop with cinema treasures remember Projectionists never die,they just change over.peace joe matteo
I had been looking for pictures of the beautiful Ormont for years! Great photos jojo!! My mom worked at Paris In The Sky on Harrison St. in East Orange in the 1950s. She talked of going to the Ormont. When she went back to the city in the 80s, it wasn’t the place she remembered, obviously. You wonder how a beautiful structure like that could be torn down. It still looked great but didn’t serve a purpose in modern times. Very sad because a hellhole like East Orange doesn’t have much going for it. Loved the blue glass window panes. Progress?
Here is my blog post about the early days of The Ormont building: http://stocktonschool.blogspot.com/2012/12/east-orange-buildings-early-20th-century.html
It would have been an honor to have attended a film showing at this incredibly beautiful theater.The new theaters popping up have no class and certainly no comparable architecture to boast of for the most part.There is a reason why it was called the “Golden Age Of Cinema” from the films on down to the actors,actresses and movie palaces.Thanks to all for the memories,photos and hats off to this wonderful Cinema Treasures site!!
Reopened as Ormont on December 29th, 1933. Ad posted.