Miami Theatre

“Lady Ice” is also available for streaming on Amazon. Free with Prime subscription.

The movie “Lady Ice” on DVD in Widescreen shows the Miami Theatre during a jewelry store hiest. The marquee name is draped over with a black fabric but there is no mistaking it for the Miami Theatre. The features are “MELINDA” with Calvin Lockhart & “Come Back, Charleston Blue” as the co-feature. In a long shot of the marquee across the street, a garbage trash bin says “KEEP CHICAGO CLEAN”! What a hoot… The movie stars Donald Sutherland and Jennifer O'Neill. (Filmed in 1972-1973). You can’t fool me, I know my theatres. The first time DVD release is available at your Brooklyn Public Library. See it, it’s fun.

The Main Library in downtown Miami has a videocassette (VHS) copy of a collection of short documentary films made locally in the mid-1980’s called “A Few Things I Know About Miami”.

The first, about 6 minutes long, is called “On Flagler Street” featuring a man named Jimmy Barnett, a former manager of the Olympia across the street from the Miami, describing the heyday of the movie going experience along Flagler Street which he feels lasted from the 1930’s to about 1955. Behind him you can almost make out the then drab grey façade of the Miami Theatre in its yet-to-be restored state.

The film includes archival Movietone newsreel footage of the grand opening of the Miami Theatre (with the film “Carnival in Costa Rica” and mentioning that the manager was Sonny Shepard), the premier at the Miami of “Slattery’s Hurricane” which was partially filmed in the area, and actor Jimmy Stewart arriving at the premier of “The Glenn Miller Story” at what might be the Miracle Theater in Coral Gables (it simultaneously premiered at the Miami and the Carib). There are also historic still photo shots of various theaters in downtown Miami when they were open.

A b&w image of the Miami Theatre marquee is on the cover of the box that the videocassette comes in.

A few years ago during a historic walking tour of downtown an older person told me what is now a perfume counter/store on the left side of the entrance extending into the lobby used to be the concession stand. … In a photo posted here on the photos page it looks like the concession was a little farther in, or maybe that’s what the person meant.

Ugh, another cinema (along with The Carib) where I feel like I missed something by not getting to see it in its day.

I like walking by the façade… Then seconds later I’m walking by the Olympia.

I would have liked to have experienced the several theaters on one street atmosphere, especially at night, like on Flagler Street or Lincoln Road, like cities used to have back then.

Does anyone know of a city street anywhere in the world that still has several open theaters operating in almost a row with their lit up marquees?

I bet that was a beautiful house. Great looking marquee.

April 18th, 1947 grand opening ad had been posted in the photo section.

I passed by the old Miami Theater while walking on Flagler Street yesterday and they are restoring the facade.
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The building that housed the first Miami (silent house/postcard) must have been torn down and replaced by the larger building that extended east,and eliminated the extra street seen in Miami Guy’s map. This would have been the 2nd Miami theater built in 1937, which was later renamed the Town in 1946. So there were three Miami theatres, the original silent house, the rebuilt one that later became the Town, and finally the one we are posting on here, which wasn’t built until 1947.

What is funny about the years when the theaters were rebuilt is that they all coincide with years where major hurricanes hit Miami, circa 1926 and 1936. At one point after the 26 hurricanes is when they filled in what is now Bayfront Park / Bayside. So that whole area grew to the east when that portion of the bay was filled in, which explains the loss and additions of streets some of which are on Miami Guy’s map.

Al your brother is absolutely correct. The Town and the latter Miami Theaters were in two totally different locations. The picture above that Woody took is recent, and it is a picture of the latter of the old theaters name “Miami”. The Town was east of the Paramount on Flagler Street, very close to Biscayne Blvd.

According to the pictures and the map that Miami Guy placed links to, there was a Miami Theatre on or about the location of where the Town was. That theater was the original Miami Theater, which must have been closed, torn down and rebuilt. It appeared to be part of a much larger building, probably some type of hotel. There is no question there were two Miami Theaters, Miami Guy’s map and the picture of the original Miami Theater I think pretty much proves that point. It would be nice to find out what year the Town was built, that should give us an idea of the time when this took place. Wouldn’t be surprised if a hurricane had something to do with the demise of the original Miami.

mystery solved using google street view, here is what remain of this beautiful theatre, the correct address is 145 Flagler Street
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/3991501178/
i wonder if anything remains of the interior?

Here is something interesting. This link to one of Al’s wonderful research work:

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shows a Miami Theatre on E. Flagler and 3rd, year? 1941. I guess this is the Miami Theatre that shows up on the map that Miami Guy posted:

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This Miami Theatre later became the Town.

If you guys will note that on that same 1941 ad there is a Center Theatre, and the old Parkway, which hasn’t been listed yet. Never heard of the Center, but the Parkway was around for quite sometime.

It looks like the theater is advertising Spanish films. There is also a sign by the door that says “Teatro”. Interesting that they were doing that so close to the opening.