Joy Theater
1200 Canal Street,
New Orleans,
LA
70112
1200 Canal Street,
New Orleans,
LA
70112
12 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 88 comments
From April 2010:
http://www.agilitynut.com/10/4/joyt.jpg
Thanks! Now that is how I remember the Joy the first time I saw it. Wow, what a difference only about 15 years make, as look at my photo I posted last week! Such a shame.
Here is a photo circa 1994:
http://tinyurl.com/ye6gxww
Thanks Michael.
I believe the Panorama for part of its life was known as the Strand.
Did the Panorama close under another name? Otherwise there is no listing for it here at Cinema Treasures and you would think if it had Roadshow engagements, it would be in here.
<<< The longest running pictures I recall (though I don’t have the actual records) at the Joy were “South Pacific” … “Around the World in 80 Days” … and “Oklahoma!” >>>
None of those films played their lengthy first-run New Orleans “roadshow” engagements at the Joy; they all opened at the Panorama.
The place is deteriorating more and more as we speak. I thought it looked bad a few years ago when I past it, but now, it’s in complete shambles. Here’s a photo I took of it last week when I was in New Orleans:
Click here for photo
Correction- Oklahoma played initially at the Panorama Theater in New Orleans and not the Joy. I worked as an usher at the Panorama.
There’s an April 23, 1949, Boxoffice article about the Joy Circuit which mentions an official of the company named B.W. Stevens who was in charged of exploitation (which I believe was Boxoffice’s term for advertising and publicity.) I wonder if this B.W. Stevens was somehow conflated by the authors of No More Joy with the New Orleans architect B.W. Stevens who designed Fiske Theatre in Oak Grove? As Francine Stock noted in a comment of Jan. 14, 2009, above, the architects of record for the Joy Theatre were Favrot & Reed.
Incidentally, Cinema Treasures has mistakenly called the firm Favrot, Reed & Fred. If you check the Teche Theatre web site, you’ll see that it says that the Teche was designed by Favrot & Reed, with architect Fred Nehrbass associated.
The Sting did play at the Joy. I saw it there,
Oh wow, it’s so nice to see the Joy’s marquee all lit up in happier days.
I don’t know. Should we care? I think this place was in bad shape before Katrina hit.
If they can get the State, Orpheum and Saenger running again it wouldn’t bother me to see this theatre redeveloped, maybe while retaining the Joy sign on the outside of the building.
Threatened. City is considering demolition.
View link
Also: please note that the architects of record were Favrot and Reed. Plans are at City Archives, New Orleans Public Library.
Here are some pictures from 2/4/2008 which I had forgotten to post.
Very interesting webpage Lost. Thanks.
any interior photos of the Joy. Would be interested in seeing some
Any one know if its for sale, whom to contact, have a few bucks that am willing ti invest on a great old theater
I grew up in Texarkana and Joy Cinema City was one of my first experiences with my life-long love of movies. I remember going to the drive-in and watching movies as a young child. I went on my first “real” date to the indoor theater with Jerry Page. We saw “Something Wicked This Way Comes”. It was very interesting to learn that “our” Joy was such a big play in the movie theater industry. I thought we were the only theater that he owned. LOL. Thanks for all of the great memories and God bless your families.
my pics of the joy
View link
This is a photo of Joy N. Houck Sr. in the lobby of his new Joy’s Panorama Theatre in the 1960’s:
View link
The Joy looked pretty sad about 4 years ago when I last saw it, but as I expected, it has fallen even further into decline. At least 4 years ago, it was still usable, as although it was closed, they used it for a Superbowl party back then when I was there, where the Superbowl was projected onto the screen. However, after the flood, it’s not so great condition before, only got exponential worse.
Here’s a photo I took of the Joy Theater about two weeks ago when I was in New Orleans for Mardis Gras. New Orleans looked good…at least the touristy areas like the French Quarter, Downtown, and the Garden District looked as beautiful as usual…. They need our tourist dollars desperately, so please visit New Orleans, they are ready and waiting, and there’s nothing wrong with the areas anyone would visit as a tourist.
But since they did get some water along Canal St during the flood, the theaters along Canal suffered greatly. Even though it wasn’t terribly flooded like other areas, remember a foot of water on Canal St is brutal for the theaters, which remember, you enter at ground level into, but SLOPE down to the stage…so a foot of water may not seem like much outside….but as it rushes into a theater towards the stage, it inundates an orchestra level…. All four of the theaters along Canal, the Saenger, the State, and the Joy are now closed (the Joy was closed prior to the flood, but usable). The Orpehum alos had serious damage, but I forgot to check the place out to see if it reopened.
Anyway, here’s a photo of the sad Joy Theater, which certainly saw better days. It’s status can also be changed to closed until further notice too….it even had a for sale sign on it….
Excuse the quality as I took it with from the Canal St Streetcar:
Click here for some current photos of the Joy Theater:
Click for Photo 1
Click for Photo 2
Click for Photo 3
I am going to be in New Orleans next week….I’ll see if I can get some current photos of some of the theaters…..
My copy of “No More Joy” arrived today. Watched it and really enjoyed the movie…It’s a must watch…
I did know Ms. Hazel had passed. My mother and grandmother called to let me know last month. Joy & my grandfather Jack Pope Sr. were partners and I knew Joy as a child and teenager. My grandmother(Dorothy H. Pope) & Ms. Hazel knew each other for many years. I only met her a couple of times and it was many many years ago. My mother Dianna Pope-Lolley remembers Joy & Hazel very well growing up and that big house in Shreveport. She said the house had 7 ½ bathrooms!