Ball Square Theatre
707 Broadway,
Somerville,
MA
02144
707 Broadway,
Somerville,
MA
02144
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Paramount Pictures Inc.
Functions: Retail
Nearby Theaters
The Ball Square Theatre was built by the Locatelli family, who also built the Capitol Theatre in Arlington. By the early-1940’s it was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary Mullins & Pinanski. It was a large neighborhood theater that fell victim to two separate fires. In the end it was closed and demolished. Part of the former lobby and attached retail/office building survive today.
Ironically, the former lobby area was a pizzeria that suffered a fire in the late-1980’s. It is now home to Cambridge Lock & Security.
Contributed by
Ian Judge
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Recent comments (view all 12 comments)
Unforunately, Nick Riselli, who ran Cambridge Lock for years, died and the site will soon become the home of an enlarged Soundbites, the popular restaurant presently located directly across the street.
David, can you approach SoundBites with the idea of putting up Ball Square Theatre memorabilia in their new space?
Yes, I spoke to them and they’re very interested in including theater material in the decor of the new restaurant. Now to convince them to erect a new marquee. The original Ball Square sign was so beautiful!
The photo that Ron Salters describes above is the first one displayed here.
Lost Memory, I’m curious how you discovered this unusual piece of information about the Robert-Theater Organ. The long article in the Somerville Journal the week the theatre opened in April 1923 makes elaborate mention of a large organ being installed but doesn’t identify the brand. It says simply:
“A huge pipe organ of multiple instruments is an outstanding feature. This organ is one of the costliest and best of its kind in New England. Manager Locatelli has engaged G. F. Fenton, an organist of wide experience, who will skillfully manipulate its keys, accompanying the carefully selected photoplays that will serve as the programme for the two weekly changes”
The Ball Square opened on April 9, 1923 and closed in 1956, according to David Guss’s Lost Theatres of Somerville website.
Cambridge Lock appears to be in disarray and out of business. I don’t know what the future holds for this storefront. SoundBites expanded across the street rather than moving in here.
David Guss’s article “Lost Theatres of Somerville”, from the First Quarter 2006 issue of Marquee, the journal of the Theatre Historical Society of America, is now online at View link .
Besides an extensive history, the article also contains many old photos of and advertisements for the various theatres in Somerville.
(This is a 17-page scanned-image PDF, so unfortunately you cannot search or copy the text.)
The Ball Square Th. is listed in the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook as having 1000 seats and open 6 days/week.
After several years of vacancy, the Cambridge Lock storefront has been replaced by an insurance agency.