If anyone clicks on the Mapquest location for the Grand it was not north of I-90, but south of the NYS Thurway at the corner of N. Portage and Main Street.
Must be something to see an ‘atmospheric’ church in Milwaukee WS! This one interests me because of the former Grand name as my hometown theatre was called the Grand, also.
KenRoe: There are many wonderful theatres in the USA, but then again perhaps you only post the ones you have actually visited? Many of mine are those I have never seen, in person, and the rest I have visited (most recently the Fabulous Fox/Atlanta) or hope to in the coming years.
sam_e: Funny post! When I read about the Avalon I, too, hear those lyrics and that song in my head! I recall it being “26 miles” also, but then again it seems that lyricists sometimes take special license to rhyme words or in this case….numbers to make them flow better in a song.
KenRoe: Interesting to read that this theatre is on Catalina Island! Found this theatre while reviewing your favorites and this one is the only one you list in the USA.
The car cruises that are held here would be worth attending if you live close to the area and have a neat classic or street rod to drive to this drive-in!
Another great theatre that I was recently told about at an organ society dinner party. These ‘atmospheric’ theatres that have been saved and renovated are a jewel to their communities and are such cinema treasures!
Found this theatre though a newly introduced friend and couldn’t believe how utterly beautiful this Eberson ‘atmospheric’ theatre is. I lived in FL for over 30 years and never visited this theatre in Miami as I didn’t know of its existence and didn’t have the theatre ‘bug’ then. Sure wish the Paramount Theatre in Palm Beach FL still existed though. My husband knows the man who bought the Paramount sign many years ago and now wonder if he still has it today??
I would also suggest that you contact someone in your area for help…perhaps an architect who is familiar with building models, to scale. Good luck, Angelgirl.
Angelgirl: I will be attending a theatre group party this evening and will ask around for you although I’m not in the CT area. Always nice to read a post from a young person who has the ‘theatre bug’!
Ross: I would like to see the complete Carolina Theatre information included at the top of this page rather than the word ‘unknown’ as most or all of the background information is included in several posts particularly the ones from KenRoe and Charlie C.
I plan to get a personal tour of the Warner this coming summer as I will be in the Erie PA area and have recently emailed the general manager and a member of the Erie Philharmonic who is involved with the Warner.
“You can still tell where the box office used to sit and the receptionist desk is the concession stand but modified. The brilliant Art Deco curvatures in the ceiling exist as does the domed lobby and brass railings. To the right of the desk is a comissioned letter by, I believe Paramount Studios, that contains well over 50 autographs of then famous stars and directors. That is really all you can see from the lobby because you need security clearance to get to the back.” The interior sounds really unique and special, but if security clearance is needed to get to the back I may never see it! How did you get inside before it became a pass key bank?
You can still tell where the box office used to sit and the current receptionist desk is the concession stand but modified. The brilliant Art Deco curvatures in the ceiling exist as does the domed lobby and brass railings. To the right of the desk is a comissioned letter by, I believe Paramount Studios, that contains well over 50 autographs of then famous stars and directors.
That is really all you can see from the lobby because you need security clearance to get to the back.
Thanks guys! Thomas: How does one go about seeing the framed signatures if the bank is a pass key only building? I take it the seats, screen are gone, but what in the world do they use that huge auditorium area for? When we drove around to the back we could see the immense size of the building! Now that you have explained further we’ll return to check out the former theatre scene in Concord. We have a dear friend who lives on S. Union and so I plan to ask him if he and his late wife ever went to a movie in these theatres.
Thomas: I just spent some time in Concord and stopped to check out the now First Charter Bank/former Carrabus Theatre on Union. I see it sits between a Baptist Church and the Hotel Concord. We drove around to the back/side of the building and could see that it was a theatre due to its size and general structural design. It wasn’t quite 5:00 so I tried the front doors, but they were locked. I couldn’t see the framed piece (commissioned Paramount letter) with signatures so that must be within the second set of doors. Also wanted to find the other former Concord theatre, but didn’t print those comments for reference! Since we didn’t know where the police department was located we didn’t find the other theatre location. Does this location have regular business hours for anyone to enter the lobby and look around. I’d love to know if the theatre (seats, etc.) are still in the auditorium area or is it being used as some sort of storage as sometimes happens?
DITTOS DAWN! I, too, am so glad that our theatre paths have crossed and that I have the opportunity to speak to your Dad and hopefully meet your Dad this summer as we are into Erie often throughout the season. I think my memory connection to the Blatt name and theatres may be with drive-ins, though I thought the Grand/Blatt connection was there also. I think about the loss of the Grand often and it really makes me sad. My summer meeting with the last manager and another man who was a member of the demolition committee should prove to be quite interesting to say the least as will my conversations with Joe.
Thanks Hal! Valuable GPB and Fox website information that we all can benefit from if interested in the Fox documentaries that were done and personal stories contributions. The Fox/St. Louis is doing or did the same thing for their 75th….collecting personal stories!
A friend of mine has research the Grand through the town’s library, Patterson Library and he found that a man by the name of Theodore Blakely also owned the theatre so there must have been more than a few owners over the years and several different managers. When your father owned the Grand, was his manager, Tom Tetrault? He still lives in the town.
Charles: Tried to send email, but is undeliverable!?!
THANK YOU CHARLES! MUCH APPRECIATED!
If anyone clicks on the Mapquest location for the Grand it was not north of I-90, but south of the NYS Thurway at the corner of N. Portage and Main Street.
Must be something to see an ‘atmospheric’ church in Milwaukee WS! This one interests me because of the former Grand name as my hometown theatre was called the Grand, also.
Have a safe trip and when you return please let us know what you saw on your CA theater research trip!
KenRoe: There are many wonderful theatres in the USA, but then again perhaps you only post the ones you have actually visited? Many of mine are those I have never seen, in person, and the rest I have visited (most recently the Fabulous Fox/Atlanta) or hope to in the coming years.
sam_e: Funny post! When I read about the Avalon I, too, hear those lyrics and that song in my head! I recall it being “26 miles” also, but then again it seems that lyricists sometimes take special license to rhyme words or in this case….numbers to make them flow better in a song.
I just added this one to my favorites as it’s another grand art deco lady!
My husband and I lived in Wichita Falls TX during his USAF years and so we recall going to see movies at the Wichita Theater.
KenRoe: Interesting to read that this theatre is on Catalina Island! Found this theatre while reviewing your favorites and this one is the only one you list in the USA.
The car cruises that are held here would be worth attending if you live close to the area and have a neat classic or street rod to drive to this drive-in!
Another great theatre that I was recently told about at an organ society dinner party. These ‘atmospheric’ theatres that have been saved and renovated are a jewel to their communities and are such cinema treasures!
Found this theatre though a newly introduced friend and couldn’t believe how utterly beautiful this Eberson ‘atmospheric’ theatre is. I lived in FL for over 30 years and never visited this theatre in Miami as I didn’t know of its existence and didn’t have the theatre ‘bug’ then. Sure wish the Paramount Theatre in Palm Beach FL still existed though. My husband knows the man who bought the Paramount sign many years ago and now wonder if he still has it today??
I would also suggest that you contact someone in your area for help…perhaps an architect who is familiar with building models, to scale. Good luck, Angelgirl.
A cinema member named KenRoe who is in England has much information on many theatres so he may be of help to you, also.
Angelgirl: I will be attending a theatre group party this evening and will ask around for you although I’m not in the CT area. Always nice to read a post from a young person who has the ‘theatre bug’!
Ross: I would like to see the complete Carolina Theatre information included at the top of this page rather than the word ‘unknown’ as most or all of the background information is included in several posts particularly the ones from KenRoe and Charlie C.
I plan to get a personal tour of the Warner this coming summer as I will be in the Erie PA area and have recently emailed the general manager and a member of the Erie Philharmonic who is involved with the Warner.
Might be in CT next Octoberfor a wedding near Hartford so will check it out then! Where is Torrington?
“You can still tell where the box office used to sit and the receptionist desk is the concession stand but modified. The brilliant Art Deco curvatures in the ceiling exist as does the domed lobby and brass railings. To the right of the desk is a comissioned letter by, I believe Paramount Studios, that contains well over 50 autographs of then famous stars and directors. That is really all you can see from the lobby because you need security clearance to get to the back.” The interior sounds really unique and special, but if security clearance is needed to get to the back I may never see it! How did you get inside before it became a pass key bank?
You can still tell where the box office used to sit and the current receptionist desk is the concession stand but modified. The brilliant Art Deco curvatures in the ceiling exist as does the domed lobby and brass railings. To the right of the desk is a comissioned letter by, I believe Paramount Studios, that contains well over 50 autographs of then famous stars and directors.
That is really all you can see from the lobby because you need security clearance to get to the back.
Thanks guys! Thomas: How does one go about seeing the framed signatures if the bank is a pass key only building? I take it the seats, screen are gone, but what in the world do they use that huge auditorium area for? When we drove around to the back we could see the immense size of the building! Now that you have explained further we’ll return to check out the former theatre scene in Concord. We have a dear friend who lives on S. Union and so I plan to ask him if he and his late wife ever went to a movie in these theatres.
Thomas: I just spent some time in Concord and stopped to check out the now First Charter Bank/former Carrabus Theatre on Union. I see it sits between a Baptist Church and the Hotel Concord. We drove around to the back/side of the building and could see that it was a theatre due to its size and general structural design. It wasn’t quite 5:00 so I tried the front doors, but they were locked. I couldn’t see the framed piece (commissioned Paramount letter) with signatures so that must be within the second set of doors. Also wanted to find the other former Concord theatre, but didn’t print those comments for reference! Since we didn’t know where the police department was located we didn’t find the other theatre location. Does this location have regular business hours for anyone to enter the lobby and look around. I’d love to know if the theatre (seats, etc.) are still in the auditorium area or is it being used as some sort of storage as sometimes happens?
DITTOS DAWN! I, too, am so glad that our theatre paths have crossed and that I have the opportunity to speak to your Dad and hopefully meet your Dad this summer as we are into Erie often throughout the season. I think my memory connection to the Blatt name and theatres may be with drive-ins, though I thought the Grand/Blatt connection was there also. I think about the loss of the Grand often and it really makes me sad. My summer meeting with the last manager and another man who was a member of the demolition committee should prove to be quite interesting to say the least as will my conversations with Joe.
Thanks Hal! Valuable GPB and Fox website information that we all can benefit from if interested in the Fox documentaries that were done and personal stories contributions. The Fox/St. Louis is doing or did the same thing for their 75th….collecting personal stories!
A friend of mine has research the Grand through the town’s library, Patterson Library and he found that a man by the name of Theodore Blakely also owned the theatre so there must have been more than a few owners over the years and several different managers. When your father owned the Grand, was his manager, Tom Tetrault? He still lives in the town.