Plaza Theater
293 Essex Street,
Salem,
MA
01970
293 Essex Street,
Salem,
MA
01970
1 person
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 31 of 31 comments
Hi, Dave1— the photo I have on the MGM Report, taken in May 1941, is a washed-out Xerox copy. I do think that I can see the word “New” up above the marquee, not actually on it. It appears to be on the wall directly over the marquee. In 1941, the ticket booth was in the center of the entrance, under the base of the marquee. In front of the booth was one of those old-fashioned brass railings intended to allow only one patron at a time to buy a ticket. The fact that the theatre was judged to be in “Fair” condition would have been strictly based on the opinion of the person filling out the report.Someone else might have called it “Poor” or “shabby”, like your dad.
Hi Ron,
That’s probably true that the Plaza was in fair condition in 1941. My dad said it was getting shabby back in the 30s. I had forgotten all about that clock in the marquee until you mentioned it here. That was definitely unique. Also, I am I’m quite sure that the name on the marquee read “The New Plaza”, as it was the namesake for an earlier Plaza. Thanks for the E. M. Loew’s information. I always wondered if that theater was originally part of a chain. It might also explain how E. M. Loew’s Salem Theater was built directly next door—the chain probably owned both adjacent lots.
A unique difference was the location of the ticket booth at the Plaza. It was built into the right side of the entrance wall at a slant to draw theater goers to the window. The Paramount and Salem Theaters both had standalone ticket booths under their marquees and in front of the entrance doors.
Hi, Jon
The Plaza was closed during the early 60s, and had a perpetual David Frye Realtor sign in the front lightbox facing the sidewalk. Yes, it was small and quite rundown. I don’t believe it ever saw any meaningful refurbishment during its entire existence. My dad once said was getting shabby even in his time. My friends and I always opted for the balcony. The main floor was much smaller, and even the last row down there was too close to the screen. Upstairs you could get considerably farther back. I had forgotten about the marquee claim of “Always 2 Big Hits”, haha! They were always second run, of course. In the 50’s war movies were frequently shown there.
The theaters in Salem had very different characters. The Plaza was shabby, the Paramount was the crown jewel, and E. M. Loew’s Salem was modern—but boring in design. Yet compared to today’s shoebox “theaters”, I guess it was a palace.
The Plaza in Salem was part of the E.M. Loew circuit.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Plaza has a facade photo taken in May 1941. There was a narrow entrance in a building which was at least 2 stories high. There was a triangle marquee with , surprisingly, a clock at its apex. (Can anyone name another theatre which had a working clock on its marquee ???) Above the large “Plaza” name appears to be a E.M. Loew logo — I’m not sure of that. The movie playing is W.C. Fields in “The Bank Dick”. To the right of the entrance is a store with the name “O.L. Bown—”; to the left appears to be a restaurant. The Report states that the Plaza has been offering MGM product for over 10 years; that it was built over 15 years ago; that it’s in Fair condition; with 500 seats on the main floor, and 300 in the balcony; total, 800.
The last time I attended a movie at the Plaza in Salem was in 1967. I was 16 at the time and lived in Salem, just a short walk away from the downtown area. On Saturdays, my cousin and I would go to the Y to go swimming and run the track and then pick a movie to see at one of the 3 theaters, The Salem, The Plaza or The Paramount. On Saturdays all 3 theaters played horror movies and the Plaza also played 3 Stooges reels. I remember the Plaza being the smallest and also the most run-down but if the movie was right, we went there. The marquee was never changed and as I recall it said “Always 2 Big Hits”. I worked in downtown Salem in my 20’s and I remember watching them tear it down on my lunch hour. I think that was around 1975.