Florida Theatre

128 E. Forsyth Street,
Jacksonville, FL 32202

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Showing 26 - 33 of 33 comments

atlmike
atlmike on September 19, 2005 at 5:56 pm

The Florida remains a great movie house. My movie memories there include “You Only Live Twice”, “The Graduate” and “Hush, hush Sweet Charlotte.” My best friend and I often took the bus downtown to go to the Florida for first-run movies, or the Imperial and Empress down the street for double-feature horror movies. Later, when I was old enough to drive, The Florida was a great destination with a date. I agree with the comments above…it’s a shame The Florida is left alone downtown. But at least it’s still there…some cities don’t have any of their downtown theatres left…and this one is a gem.

RobertR
RobertR on April 28, 2005 at 1:49 pm

Here is a recent photo

http://www.agilitynut.com/05/1/florth.jpg

Patsy
Patsy on March 10, 2005 at 9:03 pm

ghamilton: Your comment is so very true. I feel that if these theatres could just have held on they would be around today to reap the benefits of the changing downtown landscape and times. With the recent Super Bowl crowd downtown the theatres would probably have done quite well. “…..but what has been lost can never be replaced”….a true yet very sad statement! This is true for my hometown theatre, the Grand/Westfield NY which is lost forever.

ghamilton
ghamilton on March 10, 2005 at 7:24 pm

As a wee child in the Jacksonville of the 50’s,my family often went to the Florida and the nearby,magnificent Palace.That there is only one of the many that were in downtown at that time is a perfect example of the results of folks deserting downtown.The sad plight of jax has been somewhat reversed,but what has been lost,can never be replaced.

Patsy
Patsy on March 3, 2005 at 7:36 pm

This being an atmospheric and Moorish I’d love to see some interior photos of the Florida Theatre. When I read that the theatre in 1955 seated 3,155 I thought I was seeing things as that is a huge theatre capacity.

teecee
teecee on February 14, 2005 at 7:36 am

Here is a photo of the staff from 1933:
http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/general/n033201.jpg

Logelizard
Logelizard on January 25, 2005 at 10:39 pm

I was an usher at the Florida Theatre in the early 50s. I am 67 years old and I still remember those days. I even have a pay stub as a momento. I would like to tour the old girl the next time I am in Jax and I need tour info.
thanks, Bill Fisher, Atlanta, GA.

William
William on November 25, 2003 at 3:55 pm

As of 1955, the Florida Theatre seated 3155 people.