On the drafting table, this was known as Buck’s Theatre and was taking the place of the legendary Brown’s Picture Tent - a photography studio and summertime movie venue. As the Buck’s Theatre project started, E.W. Brown didn’t give up, however, moving his Tent to new digs two blocks away at Washington Street between Broadway and Theobold. The project was still under the temporary Buck’s Theatre title even as the sound was being installed in March of 1937; but at the 11th hour, it opened as the Delta Theatre on April 5, 1937 with Anne Shirley as “M'Liss.”
Paramount dropped the theatre on April 14, 1950 with “Back Street” and “Give Out, Sisters.” Weeks later, 1Mr. and Mrs. S.J. Azar of the Harlem Theatre took over the venue independently almost undoubtedly on a subleasing agreement. They went all in with Lash LaRue not only on the screen for “Son of Billy, The Kid” but also with Lash on stage, in person on November 3, 1950 as the Azar Theater relaunched. It discontinued advertising in 1952 - likely at the opt out of its 15 year leasing agreement.
In March of 1953, McCullar Electric (later McCullar Appliance & Furniture) moved into the space followed by a children’s clothing store. It looks like it was demolished in 1977 which times out with a 25-year, post-theatrical leasing agreement.
Jackson Mall Cinema in North Jackson was a suburban luxury era venue that took advantage of its shopping mall’s huge, free parking lot to drive a new breed of moviegoer seeking luxury seating, high technology including ultra widescreen projection, and other amenities. Evans M. Terry was cinema’s architect.
The Jackson Mall construction kickoff happened on March 27, 1969 and would have 39 stores anchored by a Woolco, a JCPenney and a Gayfer’s store along with its own mall cinema. The Jackson Mall celebrated its grand opening on July 16, 1970… but many of the stores had opened months earlier. The Jackson Mall Cinema opened Jun 11, 1970 with “Paint Your Wagon.” But the Mall was a bust once the Metrocenter and Northpark siphoned away its customers.
The little mall that couldn’t lost all three anchors: Woolco to bankruptcy, Penney’s to exiting on November 2, 1985. and Gayfer’s in November of 1986. This gave all the interior folks the opportunity to break leases or take opt outs 15-years in. And boy did they. Ogden Perry had already left the greyscale mall - a term akin to a dead mall with more than half of the center vacant - on May 1, 1983 with Bruce Li in “Dynamo.”
The venue hosted sporadic events until landing “Star Attractions” which reopened there on September 6, 1985 with a double feature of “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Vicious Black Dragon Killer” for $2. The money wasn’t pouring in because “Star Attractions” then closed on September 22, 1985 with a double feature of “Evil Dead” and “Alone in the Dark.” On March 7, 1986 the shuttered cinema was reopened for a one day, force sheriff sale to recoup overdue property taxes from the Jackson Mall for that year… and 1985… and 1984… and 1983.
For reasons that aren’t particular clear, an operation called United Cinemas of America reopened the venue as the Discount Cinemas at Jackson Mall. It reopened as a discount, sub-run dollar house on February 7, 1987 with “Soul Man” and “Three Amigos.” In the Summer, youths - a number of whom were in gangs - were coming to the venue but not really for the films. Obviously, the Mall wasn’t in a position to provide full-time security as it was all but broke so the cinema did what any normal cinema would do. They hired a security firm who walked a trained doberman up and down the aisles to scare the patrons to silence. And that made the national news for all of the wrong reasons. How United made it in the dead mall for an unfathomable six months is fairly astonishing. Thankfully, it was all over - closing August 2, 1987 with “The Witches of Eastwick.”
Except, yes, someone else decided to give it a go. The venue was renamed the Repertory Theatre in July of 1989 with vintage films beginning with “West Side Story” and worked in live plays. They lasted until April 28, 1991 and some sporadic live events in 1993 and 1994 as the Jackson Mall Cinema. In 1995, the entire mall was converted into a medical facility.
The original Alamo Theatre dated back to 1912 in Jackson, Mississippi. It added sound to remain commercially viable and served as the primary movie house for African American residents. The Alamo had received an upgrade operating as the New Alamo Theatre under operator Arthur Lehman in the 1920s with Lehman adding sound to remain viable.
During the Depression, Lehman built the new Booker-T Theatre in 1937 opening in 1938. During the War, Dentist and civic leader Dr. A.H. McCoy built the first African American owned theater in Jackson opening in 1944 as the Ritz.
After the War, Lehman felt it was time for a new, New Alamo Theatre and it got a new, streamline moderne venue as drawn in 1948 by Jones & Haas Architects with Jack Corgan listed as the Associate Architect (sketch in photos).
The older New Alamo was renamed on January 21, 1949 as the Amite Theatre. The newer New Alamo Theatre launched on January 26, 1949 (ad in photos) with an open house and The Sammy Green Show on Stage as its entertainment. During the TV era, the Ritz closed in 1954, the Booker-T closed in 1956 followed by the Amite Theatre leaving the Alamo as the lone African American movie house. It thrived in the Blaxploitation era but enthusiasm waned in the late 1970s.
The Ritz closed in 1983 and the pink and blue building was boarded up as a target of post-theatrical incidents. That boarding up proved invaluable because its condition was relatively good and it was targeted for restoration in 1992. State funds of $1.5 million later in the 1990s allowed it to fully refresh to its reopening in 1997 as an events center. It continues as a vibrant entertainment hub in the 2020s.
Ed L. Kuykendall opened the original Princess Theatre in downtown Columbus on October 24, 1911 with silent films and live music. In 1923, Kuykendall decided that a new $100,000 brick theatre was needed and Charles G. Davis of New Orleans was the architect. The Princess Theatre had a soft launch in December of 1923 with its formal opening on February 25, 1924. Mississippi Governor Henry Lewis Whitfield gave the opening speech.
Business was so brisk that in late 1924, the venue was renamed as the New Princess Theatre and the former venue was listed as the Princess Theatre (old) and reopened on November 21, 1924 carrying second run westerns on Friday and Saturday operation. The New Princess added sound to remain viable back to its Princess nameplate. The Princess also converted to widescreen projection. Today, it operates as a live venue with reparatory films in the 2020s retaining its 1920s' moniker of the New Princess Theatre.
The Alamo Theatre opened in 1912. It transitioned to sound to remain viable. It received a streamline moderne makeover becoming the New Alamo. A newer post-War New Alamo Theatre was built in 1948 opening in January of 1949. On January 21, 1949, the older New Alamo was renamed as the Amite Theatre. It last just short of ten years. It transitioned to a controversial bar called The Dump. It then transitioned to Bill’s Disco until being destroyed by fire December 16, 1983. The remnants were demolished in 1984.
The War Production Board authorized the plan of civic leader and dentist Dr. A.H. McCoy to build the Ritz Theatre in the existing Bob’s Pastry Bakery in 1943. The Ritz’s architect was E.G. Malvaney.
Upon opening on March 20, 1944 with “Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man.” It was reported that it was one of just six theatres operated and managed by an African American and, like the others, it was operated for African American patrons. The existing Booker T. and the New Alamo on Amite - replaced by the Alamo Theatre opening in 1949 - were the other Jackson theaters with the same policy.
At its ten-year anniversary in March of 1954, The Ritz was equipped with widescreen to present CinemaScope titles. And that didn’t last too long as the theatre was soon closed and offered for sale. It looks like it became a supermarket and was later demolished.
Paramount-Richards ran this venue for the Gulf Shipbuilding Company which supported the cost of building this movie house. Architects were Knight, Barrow, and Lentz
Architect Samuel G. Wiener created the post-War Broadmoor suburban shopping concept with its streamline moderne theaters and matching six streamline retail stores. It opened with Deanna Durbin in “I’ll Be Yours” on May 28th, 1947. The venue switched to widescreen to present CinemaScope titles in 1954.
Gulf States “temporarily” closed the venue following the November 30, 1975 of “Johnny Firecloud.” When asked in 1976 the date of reopening, the circuit said cryptically, “Nevermoor.” After a short period of time as a church and longer as vacant, the venue was demolished in 2001.
Lumberton’s Apex Theatre #2 was a new-build, $40,000 facility to replace the original location. The post-War structure was austere and designed by Hearon and McCleskey Architects. It opened January 23, 1951 by L.J. Brun. 350 seats were on the main floor with a 120-seat balcony for African American patrons. A cry room was furnished. It was in the M.A. Pigford Building - a familiar name as one of the town’s first commercial buildings was the W.W. Pigford Building.
The theatre had two major refreshes: the first brought a new screen in December of 1963 which is assumed to be a widescreen transition for presenting CinemaScope titles. It closed briefly twice - the second time for a major refresh that it re-emerged with on October 16, 1982 with its new look that it carried to closure.
The Madison Theatre launched for Irvin Stein on September 19, 1941 with Mayor M.L. Hoffman delivering the dedication. Sid Fuhrmann took over the theatre not long thereafter.
274 names had poured in in 1913 and Charles Sidney August Fuhrmann and his three person committee were ready to have an opening night to announce the winning name when the theatre chairs were delayed. However, the Illinois Central Railroad came through with those seats allowing for a slightly delayed May 3, 1913 and Mrs. Edmund B. Stern got a free ticket for submitting the winning name of “Parkview.” Fuhrman’s opening speech was published in the newspaper and states, “We also wish to assure the public that smoking in the audiences and spitting on the floors will positively be prohibited - that is, to the best of our ability.”
The Parkview was closed May 5, 1925 with the employees offered new positions at the Majestic Theatre that opened the next day. The building was sold for $2,750 one month later. In 1928, that same building was the subject of a forced sheriff’s sale
Landry & Jacobs launched here April 8, 1917. It likely complete three 20-year leasing terms closing permanently on September 4, 1967 with “Divorce American Style.” It wasted as an art gallery into 1968 and then boarded up.
The Oxford Theatre opened on September 28, 1912 by James and Noble at 2036 Onatario Street. It was short-lived as a twin screen, single auditorium concept running on a continuous show, grind policy. You could get an hour and a half of original programming just by moving a section to your right (or left). America’s first - if not only double-grindhouse theater. James and Noble failed quickly.
The space was offered for lease in January of 1913. The Public Clothes retail store moved into the former theater spot completing a 10-year leasing agreement. However, their final ads said that they were being forced out by the Union Terminal project. The building was indeed demolished in 1925 taking the double-grindhouse’s former location with it.
The Ace Theatre dated back to the silent era of film exhibition as the Othello turned Charleston. The 323 South Rampart location housed a post-Civil War era Livery and Blacksmith in the Central Business District. Shortly after the War, those services weren’t a big need and Frank Rousca - an auctioneer of horses and mules - was trying to figure out how to deal with the livery at Rampart. Liveries were commonly transitioned to theatres and that appears to have happened at 323 Rampart.
In 1920 and 1921, Rousca rebuilt the structure as a theatre likely using the frame of the livery and opened the Othello Theatre on October 23, 1921. This didn’t work out as the first lien was reported within a month. The next item was Mrs. Frank Rousca suing Mr. Rousca followed by an auction of his theatre and his, then current, livery elsewhere in NOLA. So new operators took on the venue (reportedly $6,500 for everything). Under its new operators, it would be one of the original theaters of E.L. Cummings new circuit for African American vaudeville formed in 1922, the fledgling Managers and Owners Co-Operative or M&P Circuit. (In 1921, Cummings’ Southern Consolidated Theater Circuit had fused together with the Theatre Owner Booking Association - TOBA - but Cummings decided competition was a good thing.)
The M&P Othello became the TOBA-booked venue when the two companies came together. The Othello got new operators and was changed to the Charleston Theatre on Valentine’s Day 1926. It reopened with Buffalo Bill Jr. in “On the Go” supported by the Jack White comedy short, “Wide Awake.” The building was sold five months later and would be renamed as the Savoy Theatre & Ballroom. The South Rampart Street African American business and entertainment district in downtown New Orleans was vibrant and adjacent to the city’s historic Tremé neighborhood.
New sublessees Iberville Amusement Circuit created a more traditional sound era for At a modest price point, it became a streamline moderne movie house complete with new neon signage now called the Ace Theatre - “where the ocean breeze blows (likely air conditioned).” The Bijou Entertainment Circuit took on the venue operated though showtimes of April 5, 1939 when fire gutted the building.
The repair bill was $8,000 and included a new interior by architects Weiss, Dreyfus and Seiferth at its relaunch on July 4, 1939 with Bing Crosby in “Sing, you Sinners.” Othello Corporation acquired the building and created on last 15-year subleasing agreement for the theater’s operation. The Ace was discarded on September 1, 1956 with Kent Taylor in ”Secret Venture” and Bill Hickok as the “Two Gun Teacher.” The lease expired in 1957 and Othello Theatre Corporation sold off the property to Parking Services for $40,0000 cash. They demolished the livery turned theatre for a parking lot.
The $125,000 Strand Theatre wapparance as announced in March of 1925 by John E. Panora and was built in the rear of the deposed Winsted Opera House. It reportedly opened August 11,1926. It received sound to remain viable and widescreen to present CinemaScope titles. Danny Kaye made a live appearance in support of “The Man from the Diners Club” in 1963.
It initially cosed under independent ownership as the Strand Cinema on April 30, 1967. It reopened again onJanuary 3, 1968 as the Strand Cinema closing late in 1973.
It reopened under new operators and closed in 1972. It opened a year later on Christmas Day 1973 by Cannavo Enterprises as the Strand Theatre. It operated as the Gilson Cafe & Cinema from 1986 to 2026. It closed on May 24, 2026. As the Winsted Opera House had opened on the lot next door on April 2, 1873, the general Main Street address provided more than 150 years of entertainment. Not bad!
Demolished Match 2018.
On the drafting table, this was known as Buck’s Theatre and was taking the place of the legendary Brown’s Picture Tent - a photography studio and summertime movie venue. As the Buck’s Theatre project started, E.W. Brown didn’t give up, however, moving his Tent to new digs two blocks away at Washington Street between Broadway and Theobold. The project was still under the temporary Buck’s Theatre title even as the sound was being installed in March of 1937; but at the 11th hour, it opened as the Delta Theatre on April 5, 1937 with Anne Shirley as “M'Liss.”
Paramount dropped the theatre on April 14, 1950 with “Back Street” and “Give Out, Sisters.” Weeks later, 1Mr. and Mrs. S.J. Azar of the Harlem Theatre took over the venue independently almost undoubtedly on a subleasing agreement. They went all in with Lash LaRue not only on the screen for “Son of Billy, The Kid” but also with Lash on stage, in person on November 3, 1950 as the Azar Theater relaunched. It discontinued advertising in 1952 - likely at the opt out of its 15 year leasing agreement.
In March of 1953, McCullar Electric (later McCullar Appliance & Furniture) moved into the space followed by a children’s clothing store. It looks like it was demolished in 1977 which times out with a 25-year, post-theatrical leasing agreement.
Jackson Mall Cinema in North Jackson was a suburban luxury era venue that took advantage of its shopping mall’s huge, free parking lot to drive a new breed of moviegoer seeking luxury seating, high technology including ultra widescreen projection, and other amenities. Evans M. Terry was cinema’s architect.
The Jackson Mall construction kickoff happened on March 27, 1969 and would have 39 stores anchored by a Woolco, a JCPenney and a Gayfer’s store along with its own mall cinema. The Jackson Mall celebrated its grand opening on July 16, 1970… but many of the stores had opened months earlier. The Jackson Mall Cinema opened Jun 11, 1970 with “Paint Your Wagon.” But the Mall was a bust once the Metrocenter and Northpark siphoned away its customers.
The little mall that couldn’t lost all three anchors: Woolco to bankruptcy, Penney’s to exiting on November 2, 1985. and Gayfer’s in November of 1986. This gave all the interior folks the opportunity to break leases or take opt outs 15-years in. And boy did they. Ogden Perry had already left the greyscale mall - a term akin to a dead mall with more than half of the center vacant - on May 1, 1983 with Bruce Li in “Dynamo.”
The venue hosted sporadic events until landing “Star Attractions” which reopened there on September 6, 1985 with a double feature of “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Vicious Black Dragon Killer” for $2. The money wasn’t pouring in because “Star Attractions” then closed on September 22, 1985 with a double feature of “Evil Dead” and “Alone in the Dark.” On March 7, 1986 the shuttered cinema was reopened for a one day, force sheriff sale to recoup overdue property taxes from the Jackson Mall for that year… and 1985… and 1984… and 1983.
For reasons that aren’t particular clear, an operation called United Cinemas of America reopened the venue as the Discount Cinemas at Jackson Mall. It reopened as a discount, sub-run dollar house on February 7, 1987 with “Soul Man” and “Three Amigos.” In the Summer, youths - a number of whom were in gangs - were coming to the venue but not really for the films. Obviously, the Mall wasn’t in a position to provide full-time security as it was all but broke so the cinema did what any normal cinema would do. They hired a security firm who walked a trained doberman up and down the aisles to scare the patrons to silence. And that made the national news for all of the wrong reasons. How United made it in the dead mall for an unfathomable six months is fairly astonishing. Thankfully, it was all over - closing August 2, 1987 with “The Witches of Eastwick.”
Except, yes, someone else decided to give it a go. The venue was renamed the Repertory Theatre in July of 1989 with vintage films beginning with “West Side Story” and worked in live plays. They lasted until April 28, 1991 and some sporadic live events in 1993 and 1994 as the Jackson Mall Cinema. In 1995, the entire mall was converted into a medical facility.
Architect of the theatre containing the 75' Vistarama panoramic screen was Charles L. Barlow.
The original Alamo Theatre dated back to 1912 in Jackson, Mississippi. It added sound to remain commercially viable and served as the primary movie house for African American residents. The Alamo had received an upgrade operating as the New Alamo Theatre under operator Arthur Lehman in the 1920s with Lehman adding sound to remain viable.
During the Depression, Lehman built the new Booker-T Theatre in 1937 opening in 1938. During the War, Dentist and civic leader Dr. A.H. McCoy built the first African American owned theater in Jackson opening in 1944 as the Ritz.
After the War, Lehman felt it was time for a new, New Alamo Theatre and it got a new, streamline moderne venue as drawn in 1948 by Jones & Haas Architects with Jack Corgan listed as the Associate Architect (sketch in photos).
The older New Alamo was renamed on January 21, 1949 as the Amite Theatre. The newer New Alamo Theatre launched on January 26, 1949 (ad in photos) with an open house and The Sammy Green Show on Stage as its entertainment. During the TV era, the Ritz closed in 1954, the Booker-T closed in 1956 followed by the Amite Theatre leaving the Alamo as the lone African American movie house. It thrived in the Blaxploitation era but enthusiasm waned in the late 1970s.
The Ritz closed in 1983 and the pink and blue building was boarded up as a target of post-theatrical incidents. That boarding up proved invaluable because its condition was relatively good and it was targeted for restoration in 1992. State funds of $1.5 million later in the 1990s allowed it to fully refresh to its reopening in 1997 as an events center. It continues as a vibrant entertainment hub in the 2020s.
Ed L. Kuykendall opened the original Princess Theatre in downtown Columbus on October 24, 1911 with silent films and live music. In 1923, Kuykendall decided that a new $100,000 brick theatre was needed and Charles G. Davis of New Orleans was the architect. The Princess Theatre had a soft launch in December of 1923 with its formal opening on February 25, 1924. Mississippi Governor Henry Lewis Whitfield gave the opening speech.
Business was so brisk that in late 1924, the venue was renamed as the New Princess Theatre and the former venue was listed as the Princess Theatre (old) and reopened on November 21, 1924 carrying second run westerns on Friday and Saturday operation. The New Princess added sound to remain viable back to its Princess nameplate. The Princess also converted to widescreen projection. Today, it operates as a live venue with reparatory films in the 2020s retaining its 1920s' moniker of the New Princess Theatre.
The Alamo Theatre opened in 1912. It transitioned to sound to remain viable. It received a streamline moderne makeover becoming the New Alamo. A newer post-War New Alamo Theatre was built in 1948 opening in January of 1949. On January 21, 1949, the older New Alamo was renamed as the Amite Theatre. It last just short of ten years. It transitioned to a controversial bar called The Dump. It then transitioned to Bill’s Disco until being destroyed by fire December 16, 1983. The remnants were demolished in 1984.
The War Production Board authorized the plan of civic leader and dentist Dr. A.H. McCoy to build the Ritz Theatre in the existing Bob’s Pastry Bakery in 1943. The Ritz’s architect was E.G. Malvaney.
Upon opening on March 20, 1944 with “Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man.” It was reported that it was one of just six theatres operated and managed by an African American and, like the others, it was operated for African American patrons. The existing Booker T. and the New Alamo on Amite - replaced by the Alamo Theatre opening in 1949 - were the other Jackson theaters with the same policy.
At its ten-year anniversary in March of 1954, The Ritz was equipped with widescreen to present CinemaScope titles. And that didn’t last too long as the theatre was soon closed and offered for sale. It looks like it became a supermarket and was later demolished.
Paramount-Richards ran this venue for the Gulf Shipbuilding Company which supported the cost of building this movie house. Architects were Knight, Barrow, and Lentz
Architects (1938 remodel as Pix) Knight, Barrow & Lentz.
Architect Samuel G. Wiener created the post-War Broadmoor suburban shopping concept with its streamline moderne theaters and matching six streamline retail stores. It opened with Deanna Durbin in “I’ll Be Yours” on May 28th, 1947. The venue switched to widescreen to present CinemaScope titles in 1954.
Gulf States “temporarily” closed the venue following the November 30, 1975 of “Johnny Firecloud.” When asked in 1976 the date of reopening, the circuit said cryptically, “Nevermoor.” After a short period of time as a church and longer as vacant, the venue was demolished in 2001.
Architectural firm: Diboll-Kessels & Associates
Architect: Max J. Heinberg
Lumberton’s Apex Theatre #2 was a new-build, $40,000 facility to replace the original location. The post-War structure was austere and designed by Hearon and McCleskey Architects. It opened January 23, 1951 by L.J. Brun. 350 seats were on the main floor with a 120-seat balcony for African American patrons. A cry room was furnished. It was in the M.A. Pigford Building - a familiar name as one of the town’s first commercial buildings was the W.W. Pigford Building.
The theatre had two major refreshes: the first brought a new screen in December of 1963 which is assumed to be a widescreen transition for presenting CinemaScope titles. It closed briefly twice - the second time for a major refresh that it re-emerged with on October 16, 1982 with its new look that it carried to closure.
Designed by Bodman, Murrell and Webb Architects of Baton Rouge
George J. Riehl exterior architectural sketch
Architect: George J. Riehl.
Eugene J. Gilbert architectural sketch in photos.
The Madison Theatre launched for Irvin Stein on September 19, 1941 with Mayor M.L. Hoffman delivering the dedication. Sid Fuhrmann took over the theatre not long thereafter.
274 names had poured in in 1913 and Charles Sidney August Fuhrmann and his three person committee were ready to have an opening night to announce the winning name when the theatre chairs were delayed. However, the Illinois Central Railroad came through with those seats allowing for a slightly delayed May 3, 1913 and Mrs. Edmund B. Stern got a free ticket for submitting the winning name of “Parkview.” Fuhrman’s opening speech was published in the newspaper and states, “We also wish to assure the public that smoking in the audiences and spitting on the floors will positively be prohibited - that is, to the best of our ability.”
The Parkview was closed May 5, 1925 with the employees offered new positions at the Majestic Theatre that opened the next day. The building was sold for $2,750 one month later. In 1928, that same building was the subject of a forced sheriff’s sale
Able Demolition demolished the venue in 1959.
Landry & Jacobs launched here April 8, 1917. It likely complete three 20-year leasing terms closing permanently on September 4, 1967 with “Divorce American Style.” It wasted as an art gallery into 1968 and then boarded up.
The Oxford Theatre opened on September 28, 1912 by James and Noble at 2036 Onatario Street. It was short-lived as a twin screen, single auditorium concept running on a continuous show, grind policy. You could get an hour and a half of original programming just by moving a section to your right (or left). America’s first - if not only double-grindhouse theater. James and Noble failed quickly.
The space was offered for lease in January of 1913. The Public Clothes retail store moved into the former theater spot completing a 10-year leasing agreement. However, their final ads said that they were being forced out by the Union Terminal project. The building was indeed demolished in 1925 taking the double-grindhouse’s former location with it.
The Ace Theatre dated back to the silent era of film exhibition as the Othello turned Charleston. The 323 South Rampart location housed a post-Civil War era Livery and Blacksmith in the Central Business District. Shortly after the War, those services weren’t a big need and Frank Rousca - an auctioneer of horses and mules - was trying to figure out how to deal with the livery at Rampart. Liveries were commonly transitioned to theatres and that appears to have happened at 323 Rampart.
In 1920 and 1921, Rousca rebuilt the structure as a theatre likely using the frame of the livery and opened the Othello Theatre on October 23, 1921. This didn’t work out as the first lien was reported within a month. The next item was Mrs. Frank Rousca suing Mr. Rousca followed by an auction of his theatre and his, then current, livery elsewhere in NOLA. So new operators took on the venue (reportedly $6,500 for everything). Under its new operators, it would be one of the original theaters of E.L. Cummings new circuit for African American vaudeville formed in 1922, the fledgling Managers and Owners Co-Operative or M&P Circuit. (In 1921, Cummings’ Southern Consolidated Theater Circuit had fused together with the Theatre Owner Booking Association - TOBA - but Cummings decided competition was a good thing.)
The M&P Othello became the TOBA-booked venue when the two companies came together. The Othello got new operators and was changed to the Charleston Theatre on Valentine’s Day 1926. It reopened with Buffalo Bill Jr. in “On the Go” supported by the Jack White comedy short, “Wide Awake.” The building was sold five months later and would be renamed as the Savoy Theatre & Ballroom. The South Rampart Street African American business and entertainment district in downtown New Orleans was vibrant and adjacent to the city’s historic Tremé neighborhood.
New sublessees Iberville Amusement Circuit created a more traditional sound era for At a modest price point, it became a streamline moderne movie house complete with new neon signage now called the Ace Theatre - “where the ocean breeze blows (likely air conditioned).” The Bijou Entertainment Circuit took on the venue operated though showtimes of April 5, 1939 when fire gutted the building.
The repair bill was $8,000 and included a new interior by architects Weiss, Dreyfus and Seiferth at its relaunch on July 4, 1939 with Bing Crosby in “Sing, you Sinners.” Othello Corporation acquired the building and created on last 15-year subleasing agreement for the theater’s operation. The Ace was discarded on September 1, 1956 with Kent Taylor in ”Secret Venture” and Bill Hickok as the “Two Gun Teacher.” The lease expired in 1957 and Othello Theatre Corporation sold off the property to Parking Services for $40,0000 cash. They demolished the livery turned theatre for a parking lot.
The $125,000 Strand Theatre wapparance as announced in March of 1925 by John E. Panora and was built in the rear of the deposed Winsted Opera House. It reportedly opened August 11,1926. It received sound to remain viable and widescreen to present CinemaScope titles. Danny Kaye made a live appearance in support of “The Man from the Diners Club” in 1963.
It initially cosed under independent ownership as the Strand Cinema on April 30, 1967. It reopened again onJanuary 3, 1968 as the Strand Cinema closing late in 1973.
It reopened under new operators and closed in 1972. It opened a year later on Christmas Day 1973 by Cannavo Enterprises as the Strand Theatre. It operated as the Gilson Cafe & Cinema from 1986 to 2026. It closed on May 24, 2026. As the Winsted Opera House had opened on the lot next door on April 2, 1873, the general Main Street address provided more than 150 years of entertainment. Not bad!