The Shea’s is a wonderful theater and is a amazing that the City of Buffalo didn’t demolish it! I took a tour last summer and it was well worth it. Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular is there now through the end of November. Great grandfather-grandmother story, DuckLips! And you MUST return to Buffalo if it’s been 20 years as the Shea’s not only has a restored marquee, but again has the tall sign reading SHEA’S BUFFALO, vertically along the front of the building. It also has the its top facade ornamentation replaced by a local Buffalo firm. I have seen these photos on the internet!
Congratulations! Someone returned home, bought an old theater, changed the name and it’s up and running once again! Onward and upward! It’s funny that you changed the name to the Grand Theatre as it is art deco in style and so was my hometown theater which was called the Grand Theatre. It was located in western NYS not far from Wellsville NY so I wonder if there was a connection as I’m trying to find out more information on the Grand Theatres.
A mini park and parking lot for a bank?!? So so sad! But there is still hope for the Carolina Theater…..I hope. Read about the Carolina Theater on the following website: (www.theatreorgans.com/nc/metrolina/carolina/Article.TheCarolinaTheaterAwaitsHerFate.1998.html
What a unique feature that the owner/manager had an apt. on the 2nd floor with a ‘window’ that opened out onto the auditorium and that he would invite friends over to sit in th l.r. to watch the show! And now there is an apt. building in place of the theater?!? All in the name of progress! How divine! :–(
I must check out the site of the former Dilworth Theater and have a moment of silence where the current interior design business is now and yes it’s a shame that fire took it down due to arsonists as it would have fit well in the new neighborhood.
I grew up in this part of western NYS and have driven by the Van Buren many times, but never went there as a young girl. ;–) Interestingly, it was built by the Cohen family.
And the curved exterior marquee sign is really something to behold as I’ve never seen one like it! And the name Steuben is very closely tied to the Steuben Glass I would think.
The art deco interior especially the ceiling of this theater that is now gone is absolutely remarkable and the fact that Irving Cohen owned it is even more remarkable. Sadly gone, but never forgotten!
We are in NC so will try to check out this theater when in Asheville the next time. My favorite style is the art deco theater and this one is just that!
My husband and I were at this theater last fall during Franklin’s annual fall festival,Apple Fest. We asked one of the ladies at the theater to give us a tour and they showed us the auditorium along with their Titanic display that day. There is a theater in nearby Clarion PA (Orpheum), but don’t believe it is listed on this website…..yet.
I just recently found this cinema website and can’t seem to get enough of it as so much great information about theaters is on it! Thanks to whomever started it though I do wish there were photos for each theater listed, but realize this is impossible. I would love to see the Ringling Theater someday!
This is one of the theaters that Radio City Music Hall is bringing their Christmas Spectacular for the first time ever! Other cities are St. Louis (Fox Theater), Denver (Buell), Boston (Wang), Buffalo (Shea’s) and Detroit (Fox Theater). Go to www.thegarden.com/xs_cities.html
And I’m glad to see that someone has made the correction in the name Gowanda as it isn’t spelled Gowonda! It lists The Hollywood as having 1,000 seats. I recall the theater being very large so perhaps there were that many seats! The story of the wealthy ‘glue tycoon’ and his wife missing the theater in NYC was most interesting. I had heard the theater was built by a local man, but didn’t know the story….until now! BTW, is Farner and Parker still there as I’ll go check it out next summer?
Richard Serviss: Yes, The Hollywood was a special theater for its size and grandeur in a small town the size of Gowanda NY. I was there several years ago and saw that the marquee needed to be restored, yet the lobby was finished THEN I walked into the theater and saw what had happened to it due to no heat in the building for many years and a leaking roof! One had to look past what one saw and use his or her imagination so hopefully this theater will someday be restored for all to enjoy again. There is a big Harley Davidson meet there each year to help raise money for the theater and that brings alot of people into the town for that event!
John Lauter: I just read that you “have been associated with the Detroit Fox since 1975, in one way or another” and “have been on the staff since the 1988 re-opening” so I’m quite sure you will be seeing the Radio City Music Halls' grand Christmas Spectacular many times over this holiday season! Lucky you! I wanted to see the show at the Shea’s in Buffalo, but plans changed and I wasn’t able to stay in the Buffalo area during those dates in November! :–(
This Fox theater sounds to be as nice as the Fox in Atlanta and if you are in either Buffalo or Detroit this holiday season the Shea’s in Buffalo and the Fox in Detroit have the Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular on their performance schedule! It is also in Columbus OH, Denver CO, St. Louis MO and Boston MA. Check the site www.thegarden.com/xs_cities.html for further details.
Am not familiar with this theater in Erie, but certainly the Erie Playhouse which had another name years ago and the restored Warner Theater on State Street.
Henry: THIS is an interesting question as I’ve quickly learned in my research of old movie theaters that many of the old movie houses do not have their pipe organs anymore. There is an organ website which you might enjoy as it also shows photos and history of the Carolina Theater in Charlotte NC where the organization is based. Go to http://theatreorgans.com/nc/metrolina/ My husband’s hometown theater was also called the Columbia, but it doesn’t seem to be included on the Cinema Treasures website. The hometown was Brookville PA.
The Shea’s is a wonderful theater and is a amazing that the City of Buffalo didn’t demolish it! I took a tour last summer and it was well worth it. Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular is there now through the end of November. Great grandfather-grandmother story, DuckLips! And you MUST return to Buffalo if it’s been 20 years as the Shea’s not only has a restored marquee, but again has the tall sign reading SHEA’S BUFFALO, vertically along the front of the building. It also has the its top facade ornamentation replaced by a local Buffalo firm. I have seen these photos on the internet!
After checking out www.alringling.com this theatre will be on my MUST-SEE list! What a treasure!
If I ever get to Knoxville during one of the Corvette Expo events, I will definitely check this theater out!
Congratulations! Someone returned home, bought an old theater, changed the name and it’s up and running once again! Onward and upward! It’s funny that you changed the name to the Grand Theatre as it is art deco in style and so was my hometown theater which was called the Grand Theatre. It was located in western NYS not far from Wellsville NY so I wonder if there was a connection as I’m trying to find out more information on the Grand Theatres.
A mini park and parking lot for a bank?!? So so sad! But there is still hope for the Carolina Theater…..I hope. Read about the Carolina Theater on the following website: (www.theatreorgans.com/nc/metrolina/carolina/Article.TheCarolinaTheaterAwaitsHerFate.1998.html
What a unique feature that the owner/manager had an apt. on the 2nd floor with a ‘window’ that opened out onto the auditorium and that he would invite friends over to sit in th l.r. to watch the show! And now there is an apt. building in place of the theater?!? All in the name of progress! How divine! :–(
I must check out the site of the former Dilworth Theater and have a moment of silence where the current interior design business is now and yes it’s a shame that fire took it down due to arsonists as it would have fit well in the new neighborhood.
I grew up in this part of western NYS and have driven by the Van Buren many times, but never went there as a young girl. ;–) Interestingly, it was built by the Cohen family.
We are in NC so will check out this ‘charmingly dated’ art moderne theater!
A gym? Maybe someday it will become a theater again! One can only hope!
There is a movie theater in Angola that has been restored also.
And the curved exterior marquee sign is really something to behold as I’ve never seen one like it! And the name Steuben is very closely tied to the Steuben Glass I would think.
The art deco interior especially the ceiling of this theater that is now gone is absolutely remarkable and the fact that Irving Cohen owned it is even more remarkable. Sadly gone, but never forgotten!
We are in NC so will try to check out this theater when in Asheville the next time. My favorite style is the art deco theater and this one is just that!
My husband and I were at this theater last fall during Franklin’s annual fall festival,Apple Fest. We asked one of the ladies at the theater to give us a tour and they showed us the auditorium along with their Titanic display that day. There is a theater in nearby Clarion PA (Orpheum), but don’t believe it is listed on this website…..yet.
I just recently found this cinema website and can’t seem to get enough of it as so much great information about theaters is on it! Thanks to whomever started it though I do wish there were photos for each theater listed, but realize this is impossible. I would love to see the Ringling Theater someday!
This is one of the theaters that Radio City Music Hall is bringing their Christmas Spectacular for the first time ever! Other cities are St. Louis (Fox Theater), Denver (Buell), Boston (Wang), Buffalo (Shea’s) and Detroit (Fox Theater). Go to www.thegarden.com/xs_cities.html
And I’m glad to see that someone has made the correction in the name Gowanda as it isn’t spelled Gowonda! It lists The Hollywood as having 1,000 seats. I recall the theater being very large so perhaps there were that many seats! The story of the wealthy ‘glue tycoon’ and his wife missing the theater in NYC was most interesting. I had heard the theater was built by a local man, but didn’t know the story….until now! BTW, is Farner and Parker still there as I’ll go check it out next summer?
It’s a shame that many of the listed theaters on this site do NOT have photos as it would be great to see them!
Richard Serviss: Yes, The Hollywood was a special theater for its size and grandeur in a small town the size of Gowanda NY. I was there several years ago and saw that the marquee needed to be restored, yet the lobby was finished THEN I walked into the theater and saw what had happened to it due to no heat in the building for many years and a leaking roof! One had to look past what one saw and use his or her imagination so hopefully this theater will someday be restored for all to enjoy again. There is a big Harley Davidson meet there each year to help raise money for the theater and that brings alot of people into the town for that event!
John Lauter: I just read that you “have been associated with the Detroit Fox since 1975, in one way or another” and “have been on the staff since the 1988 re-opening” so I’m quite sure you will be seeing the Radio City Music Halls' grand Christmas Spectacular many times over this holiday season! Lucky you! I wanted to see the show at the Shea’s in Buffalo, but plans changed and I wasn’t able to stay in the Buffalo area during those dates in November! :–(
This Fox theater sounds to be as nice as the Fox in Atlanta and if you are in either Buffalo or Detroit this holiday season the Shea’s in Buffalo and the Fox in Detroit have the Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular on their performance schedule! It is also in Columbus OH, Denver CO, St. Louis MO and Boston MA. Check the site www.thegarden.com/xs_cities.html for further details.
Am not familiar with this theater in Erie, but certainly the Erie Playhouse which had another name years ago and the restored Warner Theater on State Street.
David Stear: How do you research any given theater…what is your main source? Thanks.
Henry: THIS is an interesting question as I’ve quickly learned in my research of old movie theaters that many of the old movie houses do not have their pipe organs anymore. There is an organ website which you might enjoy as it also shows photos and history of the Carolina Theater in Charlotte NC where the organization is based. Go to http://theatreorgans.com/nc/metrolina/ My husband’s hometown theater was also called the Columbia, but it doesn’t seem to be included on the Cinema Treasures website. The hometown was Brookville PA.