Also I’d like to compare the artist’s rendition for restoration plans to what it looks like today especially the colorful scene above the stage area. And why was the name changed from Majestic to Uptown?
Was this theatre near the present Tampa Theatre? I can’t believe that the folks behind the Tampa Theatre couldn’t pull some weight and help save the Strand. I recall another theatre in Florida by the name of Strand….it’s in Key West FL and is now a Walgreens drugstore. /theaters/2576/
Not good news on CT today! So sorry to read your words concerning the Strand in Tampa. It is bad enough that the building was demolished, but the fact that the Spanish facade was not kept intact and used in the proposed condo tower. The Spanish decor is such an important part of Florida’s history, too and especially in the City of Tampa! The current town fathers sure missed the mark on this decision! I hope they at least put up a historical plaque and photo. The vintage photos are really nice and shows without a doubt the architectural reasons for saving it!
I just visited Concord and tried to find the location for the former Paramount Theatre which is listed on Cinema Tour, but did locate the former Carrabus/Carolina Theatre/First Charter Bank building. Could someone who has more information on the former Paramount perhaps add the theater to CT? Thanks.
unfogged eyes: Thanks so much as I find this theatre of CT interest! I’m sure CT member, Jim Rankin who resides in nearby Milwaukee probably knows about this theatre and much of its history.
unfogged eyes: Interesting to note that this theatre was built “with them” which included phones connected to the dressing room area though sad to read about the overall condition of the theatre and of these 8 apartments. The phrase…..“if walls could talk” comes to mind!
unfogged eyes: Thanks for the apartment explanation and old style phone information as it just sounded, to me, like it was a different set up than the theatre being built ‘around rental properties’. What a unique blue print to house the actors/actresses during the play season though sad to read the conditon of these apartments today. The phase….“if walls could talk” comes to mind!
I’m now studying theatres connected with architect S. Charles Lee as his name has come to my attention due to the upcoming Oscars and the set design for this year’s show. This theatre was so beautiful and to read that it has been demolished does NOT make my day! And I’ve never read the words “ground to dust” in a demo description, but that is unfortunately so true.
Rocker: Great idea and I’d even make a trip to NYC to see it! If you are in the NYC area, have you seen this theatre/gym? The experience to see a basketball game with such surroundings would have been unique to say the least!
I was so glad to see this post and photo on CT today as I saw the set on ET last night and was pleased to see and hear the comments made about the old movie palaces and thus the stage design concept for this year’s Oscars! See you at the Oscars on March 5th.
“The Brooklyn Paramount was the capstone in the career of the noted architects, Rapp & Rapp, and for sheer opulence it outshone anything they ever designed.” This sentence warrants repeating so thus this post in regards to the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre.
“For the true movie palace buff it is difficult, even today, to refer to the Brooklyn Paramount as the basketball court of Long Island University. There s still enough of the original grandeur visible to see why audiences in 1928 considered it the most beautiful motion picture theatre in the world. It opened on November 23,1928, with Nancy Carroll in Manhattan Cocktail as "Paramount-Publix’s Gift to Brooklyn” and closed its doors to movie-goers on August 21, 1962, with John Wayne in Hatari. The Brooklyn Paramount was the capstone in the career of the noted architects, Rapp & Rapp, and for sheer opulence it outshone anything they ever designed. The great latticed ceiling and arches along the side walls were originally festooned with artificial foliage; the arches concealed the lights of the Wilfred Color Organ, a lighting system that subtly changed the color of the whole theatre to suit the mood of the moment. Chorus girls pranced down the golden staircases from the organ grilles to the stage. The 4,500 seats (making it the second largest theatre in New York when it opened) were upholstered in random tones that ranged from plum to scarlet. Below the stupendous grand drapery of the proscenium arch hung a midnight-blue velvet curtain embroidered with pheasants in polychrome satin.“ This really says it all in regards to this former theatre that, imo, should have stayed a theatre!
I went to www.liu.edu site and tried to find photos of the gym/theatre, but couldn’t though I did find that the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University on the north shore was the former Post estate!
But to turn a Rapp and Rapp theatre into a gym is really going over the line, imo. C.W. and George L. would certainly be surprised if they were here to today to see what had become of their theatre!
Ed: Those photos with the 11/28/05 post were amazing to look at and thanks for bringing them to my attention. Can you tell me anything about the Wurlitzer and how it played into the games? And if the last game was recently played in that space what will happen to the former Paramount Theatre AND Wurlitzer? I can’t imagine going to a game and not looking around to see what once was, but I’m sure there were many who didn’t really give it much thought as they were there to see a basketball game and their team win!
unfogged: Thanks in regards to a mural photo(s).
Also I’d like to compare the artist’s rendition for restoration plans to what it looks like today especially the colorful scene above the stage area. And why was the name changed from Majestic to Uptown?
unfogged: Thanks for the flickr.com site and hopefully in the near future we can view more particularly the interior.
Yes, sadly “its gone now”.
“……hailed as "the most beautiful theatre in the South”. The town fathers of Tampa need to be asked…….why?
Was this theatre near the present Tampa Theatre? I can’t believe that the folks behind the Tampa Theatre couldn’t pull some weight and help save the Strand. I recall another theatre in Florida by the name of Strand….it’s in Key West FL and is now a Walgreens drugstore. /theaters/2576/
Not good news on CT today! So sorry to read your words concerning the Strand in Tampa. It is bad enough that the building was demolished, but the fact that the Spanish facade was not kept intact and used in the proposed condo tower. The Spanish decor is such an important part of Florida’s history, too and especially in the City of Tampa! The current town fathers sure missed the mark on this decision! I hope they at least put up a historical plaque and photo. The vintage photos are really nice and shows without a doubt the architectural reasons for saving it!
I just visited Concord and tried to find the location for the former Paramount Theatre which is listed on Cinema Tour, but did locate the former Carrabus/Carolina Theatre/First Charter Bank building. Could someone who has more information on the former Paramount perhaps add the theater to CT? Thanks.
Interesting Eberson!
unfogged eyes: Thanks so much as I find this theatre of CT interest! I’m sure CT member, Jim Rankin who resides in nearby Milwaukee probably knows about this theatre and much of its history.
Does this theatre having a working official website as the one listed doesn’t seem to work? And the artist’s rendering is beautiful!
unfogged eyes: Interesting to note that this theatre was built “with them” which included phones connected to the dressing room area though sad to read about the overall condition of the theatre and of these 8 apartments. The phrase…..“if walls could talk” comes to mind!
unfogged eyes: Thanks for the apartment explanation and old style phone information as it just sounded, to me, like it was a different set up than the theatre being built ‘around rental properties’. What a unique blue print to house the actors/actresses during the play season though sad to read the conditon of these apartments today. The phase….“if walls could talk” comes to mind!
Why does this theatre have apartments?
I’ve looked at most of the Lee theatres and this one is my favorite.
I’m now studying theatres connected with architect S. Charles Lee as his name has come to my attention due to the upcoming Oscars and the set design for this year’s show. This theatre was so beautiful and to read that it has been demolished does NOT make my day! And I’ve never read the words “ground to dust” in a demo description, but that is unfortunately so true.
Rocker: Great idea and I’d even make a trip to NYC to see it! If you are in the NYC area, have you seen this theatre/gym? The experience to see a basketball game with such surroundings would have been unique to say the least!
Warren: That b/w photo was certainly breathtaking and to think it was made into a…………gym? Unbelievable!
I was so glad to see this post and photo on CT today as I saw the set on ET last night and was pleased to see and hear the comments made about the old movie palaces and thus the stage design concept for this year’s Oscars! See you at the Oscars on March 5th.
“The Brooklyn Paramount was the capstone in the career of the noted architects, Rapp & Rapp, and for sheer opulence it outshone anything they ever designed.” This sentence warrants repeating so thus this post in regards to the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre.
“For the true movie palace buff it is difficult, even today, to refer to the Brooklyn Paramount as the basketball court of Long Island University. There s still enough of the original grandeur visible to see why audiences in 1928 considered it the most beautiful motion picture theatre in the world. It opened on November 23,1928, with Nancy Carroll in Manhattan Cocktail as "Paramount-Publix’s Gift to Brooklyn” and closed its doors to movie-goers on August 21, 1962, with John Wayne in Hatari. The Brooklyn Paramount was the capstone in the career of the noted architects, Rapp & Rapp, and for sheer opulence it outshone anything they ever designed. The great latticed ceiling and arches along the side walls were originally festooned with artificial foliage; the arches concealed the lights of the Wilfred Color Organ, a lighting system that subtly changed the color of the whole theatre to suit the mood of the moment. Chorus girls pranced down the golden staircases from the organ grilles to the stage. The 4,500 seats (making it the second largest theatre in New York when it opened) were upholstered in random tones that ranged from plum to scarlet. Below the stupendous grand drapery of the proscenium arch hung a midnight-blue velvet curtain embroidered with pheasants in polychrome satin.“ This really says it all in regards to this former theatre that, imo, should have stayed a theatre!
I went to www.liu.edu site and tried to find photos of the gym/theatre, but couldn’t though I did find that the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University on the north shore was the former Post estate!
Ed: Can you direct me to any old photos of the Paramount interior…lobby, proscenium, balcony, etc. as it looked when it was a theatre and NOT a gym?
But to turn a Rapp and Rapp theatre into a gym is really going over the line, imo. C.W. and George L. would certainly be surprised if they were here to today to see what had become of their theatre!
Ed: Those photos with the 11/28/05 post were amazing to look at and thanks for bringing them to my attention. Can you tell me anything about the Wurlitzer and how it played into the games? And if the last game was recently played in that space what will happen to the former Paramount Theatre AND Wurlitzer? I can’t imagine going to a game and not looking around to see what once was, but I’m sure there were many who didn’t really give it much thought as they were there to see a basketball game and their team win!