Ambassador Theatre
411 N. 7th Street,
St. Louis,
MO
63101
411 N. 7th Street,
St. Louis,
MO
63101
18 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 85 comments
Click on the link to see ads, articles, and pictures of the Ambassador Theatre. Please do not copy to this web site.
Most major cities have made terrible theatre decisions.
Was lucky enough to visit the theater in the mid 80’s during a THS convention. Would love to have seen it when it was still operating. At least you guys have a few palaces .Here in NYC all have been torn down in the name of progress. The whole city is going down the drain so this should have been expected . Shame this beautiful structure was sacrificed in the name of progress.
This theater stopped advertising movies in either of St. Louis' largest newspapers on Wednesday, January 16, 1974, with Fred Williamson in THAT MAN BOLT.
In response to bigrose’s inquiry of what was showing at the Ambassador the extraordinary night of Tuesday, August 14, 1945, the theater itself was having quite a stacked marquee that day. In addition to its regular double-feature of teen star Peggy Ann Garner in JUNIOR MISS and Gloria Jean & WIZARD OF OZ canine Toto in EASY TO LOOK AT, there was a 8:30pm sneak preview of Cornel Wilde in A THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS along with the recent Columbia musical-comedy TEN CENTS A DANCE (not to be confused with a 1931 version starring Barbara Stanwyck).
Since it appears that many downtown St. Louis theaters, including the Ambassador, had gone towards blaxploitation-genre films during the 1970s, and a CT contributor going by the name ‘Noir’ on several theater pages here had opinions as to why this had occurred, I would also refer to a article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Black Trend in City Theaters,” from the Sunday, January 2, 1972 edition, pp. 4I. Although ultimately the article presents nothing new, it does quote local theater company staff and discusses the wider range of African-American film types and personnel that were then being introduced into the commercial film market.
For folks who are interested in seeing more images from the Ambassador’s exterior-Larry Giles, who salvaged much of the architectural facade has an updated website with photographs from every stage of the salvage operation: http://web.nationalbuildingarts.org/recovery-projects/ambassador-building/
New Showcase Presentations in St. Louis article includes mention of the Cinerama and 70mm engagements here at the Ambassador (and other St. Louis area cinemas).
doogerp on September 24, 2015 at 11:20 am
I’d like to use your 35mm photos in a book project. Please email me at
While the layout of the Ambassador and Oriental Theatres were somewhat similar, the decoration of the two certainly weren’t. The Ambassador had a “Spanish Carnival” design, the Oriental, as Ben Hall described it, a “hasheesh-dream décor.”
If anyone wants to get an idea of how it was to visit this theater and see its silver leaf auditorium (which was unique) they could check out the Ford Center (originally Oriental Theater) in Chicago. There are elements in the Ford Center Auditorium (it uses the traditional gold leaf)which are suggestive of how this theater appeared while it was still in operation.
The piano that was contained in the Ambassador organ was “worked ” on by some college students in the 1950’s leaving it in the organ maintenance room with it unstrung and with the plate out. So when the organ was bought by Pillsbury it was left and went down with the theatre. I used to tune the pianos there for concerts and got access to the whole theatre.
This theatre is unique and truly one of the more beautiful in American history. A tragedy it was destroyed.
The Ambassador is one of two St. Louis Theatres that had their Wurlitzer Pipe Organ blowers never retrieved from their basements and lie under the ground still. The other is the Missouri Theatre. The Ambassador Wurlitzer is undergoing rebuilding and will find its new home in Indiana. Ken Crome’s shop owned the organ
August 26th, 1926 grand opening ad in photo section.
I was granted access to the Ambassador in the early 80’s as I worked half a block away and met the building managers son one day while exploring the office building part. We went to the office and talked to his dad and arranged a weekend exploration of a whole Saturday of the theater. I went all thru this place back stage, understage dressing rooms, projection booth, balconys for the most part the seats were gone at that time. I shot over 4 rolls of color 35mm film and even fired up the lighting panel on the stage right and lit up the place inside it was still beautiful. The pictures are put away if I can locate them I will scan and make them available. I do know the chandeliers that were on either side of the stage are located in the Des Peres theatre lobby.
I used to work at the concession stand at the Ambassador when I was in high school in the late 60’s and all I can say is the theater was gorgeous! The staff had to spend the night there one evening when we were all snowed in from a major snowstorm so we had the run of the place. I love old places and still do so I was quite excited to see the nooks and crannies. That large entrance hall always made my jaw drop along with the exquisite staircase. The auditorium was massive with a capital “M” – six stories high! The ornamental plaster work was a dream to behold as well. There’s just nothing like it today. The cineplexes in the malls just don’t have the class and never will. Young theatergoers need to experience a TRUE moviehouse just once in their lives. If they do, they’ll never go back to their very pale imitations.
I wish I had ventured inside the Granada. Drove by it a number of times but never stopped to see a movie. The facade was indeed impressive.
South Side Man, EH? My Best friend and father were from the South Side. We visited the Granada mostly because their father was best friends with Tony DeCarlo who managed the Granada for many years.
Chris, I loved going to the Granada. Even with the water-stained ceiling and the broken and worn seats, it was my favorite among the theaters I frequented in the ‘70’s, including the Avalon and the Crest.
Scott, I agree that the financial viability played a part in the restoration of the property. It wasn’t just a theater, it was also an office building that was being eclipsed by newer and bigger office buildings in the area. At the time of the decision to take the building down decisions were being made or were made on restoring the Fox in midtown. Personally, I believe the correct decision was made, especially given the sketchy history of the American (Loew’s Orpheum) property in recent years and the explosion of the Grand Center area in midtown.
Norman, I believe I attended a show at the Ambassador in the mid 1970s. My memory of it is vague, as I attended many shows back then in various theatres. However, judging by the pictures I’ve seen, I would say that the lobby and foyer areas of the theatre were standard Rapp & Rapp; nice, but not much in the way of originality. The auditorium was another matter, however. That was obviously a beautiful work of art, and the silver leaf must have been something to see. Such a shame the theatre was destroyed, but then, it’s hard to imagine that a theatre in that location would be well attended today. I guess it’s possible that it could have been a catalyst for an entertainment district down there, but I don’t think it would have worked.
Norman, the Granada Theatre was often referred to as the Mini-Fox of South St. Louis. Not many neighborhood houses were built like that.
Hope you can all make it to the BIG SHOW at the FOX on Sunday, August 23rd. See my post on CT/Fox for details. A show this big in that theatre should be breathtaking!
I agree Scott doesn’t compare to the FOX. But as Norman said it is not a Cinema Treasure
Scott, I do agree. The Fox certainly lives up to its name “The Fabulous Fox. ”. I never had the opportunity to go inside the Ambassador so I can’t compare them. But they are all impressive in their own way. Heck, even in its dilapidated condition I was really impressed with the Granada before it came down.
Norman, I live in the St Louis area and agree with your point. However, I would say that the Fox Theatre is much more ornate than the Peabody. The Peabody is nice, but is more restrained in its ornamentation.