According to the Mass District Police Chief’s annual reports the theater was originally licensed by one Isador Wintman from 1916/17 until at least 1919/20(most current available online edition)…sometime later it must have been bought.
Wintman appears to simply be a banker and real estate owner in Chelsea, Wintman owned the building that the theatre itself occupies.
link shows another location but type in the location of the theatre and click on the 1955 aerial map and it shows it already demolished and in use as a parking lot…
Historic Boston Inc. found inside the historic Hayden Building several of the last film reels from when the Pilgrim, but the gem posted in their blog they posted is this scan of the original edifice of the theatre: View link
Sharp look compared with the later theatres that were built farther up the street that were intended to stand out more…
Spinelli’s catering hall now occupies either former the site or the actual building itself…aerial shot from Google maps shows the exact same dimensions as the building in this map: View link
“hidden in plain sight” is best I can describe this theatre… no known photos found yet. It’s on the 2nd floor of a mixed use office/retail/residential building on the corner of Fourth Street and Broadway.
Found online a revenue state report that the Empire Theatre Company was incorporated in 1912 so I assume this is the year of it’s opening as a vaudville/movie theatre.
It was still open in 1957 per parade shots on page 118 of this book: View link
Online yearly reports from the Chief of the Massachusetts District Police who inspected theatres and movie cinemas in the state shows that in 1914, the first year individual theatres and their inspections were reported, Empire Theatre Company held the license to operate the theatre. 1917 that license is held by the Chelsea Olympia Company who operated Gordon’s Theatre.
In 1920 it is stated that the license is held by the Star Photo Company and the theatre is named the Strand Theatre.
No entries because Boston issued their own venue licenses and did their own inspections…those listed are those who didn’t have their own inspectors or venue licensing.
Boston is frequently mentioned in there, only it’s to mention their own processes and procedures alongside the state’s.
About the name…Page 59 of the Image of America Series book “Revere Beach” states that the theater was called “Boulevard Theatre” while the entire complex that included the theatre and ballroom was called “Crescent Gardens”.
Edit- biography didn’t solve anything, was typing something else and didn’t notice it still in there. Biography just giving some information simply that someone worked there 1914-1924 as a projectionist, so it’s clear that they were showing movies into the 20s after the Strand opened.
According to the Mass District Police Chief’s annual reports the theater was originally licensed by one Isador Wintman from 1916/17 until at least 1919/20(most current available online edition)…sometime later it must have been bought.
Wintman appears to simply be a banker and real estate owner in Chelsea, Wintman owned the building that the theatre itself occupies.
link shows another location but type in the location of the theatre and click on the 1955 aerial map and it shows it already demolished and in use as a parking lot…
sorry about link, type in the address and then click on the 1955 photo and it shows it still standing
View link
Aerial view of Chelsea shows it is still standing in 1955
1955 aerial view shows the theatre demolished… View link
Link to the Historic Boston, Inc. blog post: View link
Historic Boston Inc. found inside the historic Hayden Building several of the last film reels from when the Pilgrim, but the gem posted in their blog they posted is this scan of the original edifice of the theatre: View link
Sharp look compared with the later theatres that were built farther up the street that were intended to stand out more…
Spinelli’s catering hall now occupies either former the site or the actual building itself…aerial shot from Google maps shows the exact same dimensions as the building in this map: View link
If the Kwong Kow School was above the theater then the address was 20 Oxford Street, which still standing.
The theatre partly sat on the property of this building destroyed during the Great Chelsea Fire of 1908: http://www.olgp.net/chs/d4/graniteblock.htm
1909/1910 is only timeframe for it’s construction and opening due to that area of the city being destroyed by the fire of 1908
A painting of the theatre in the 1930s or 1940s era… View link
Photos from shortly after closure, 1940, and 1938 shown here: http://www.olgp.net/chs/square/broadway.htm
“hidden in plain sight” is best I can describe this theatre… no known photos found yet. It’s on the 2nd floor of a mixed use office/retail/residential building on the corner of Fourth Street and Broadway.
A 1953 map showing it’s location: View link
Photo on the cover of the book has it in it on the left, if zoomed in closer you can make it out on the left several building down: View link
Found online a revenue state report that the Empire Theatre Company was incorporated in 1912 so I assume this is the year of it’s opening as a vaudville/movie theatre.
It was still open in 1957 per parade shots on page 118 of this book: View link
Online yearly reports from the Chief of the Massachusetts District Police who inspected theatres and movie cinemas in the state shows that in 1914, the first year individual theatres and their inspections were reported, Empire Theatre Company held the license to operate the theatre. 1917 that license is held by the Chelsea Olympia Company who operated Gordon’s Theatre.
In 1920 it is stated that the license is held by the Star Photo Company and the theatre is named the Strand Theatre.
No entries because Boston issued their own venue licenses and did their own inspections…those listed are those who didn’t have their own inspectors or venue licensing.
Boston is frequently mentioned in there, only it’s to mention their own processes and procedures alongside the state’s.
Old sign visible just months before closure of the theatre and adjacent firehouse: View link
About the name…Page 59 of the Image of America Series book “Revere Beach” states that the theater was called “Boulevard Theatre” while the entire complex that included the theatre and ballroom was called “Crescent Gardens”.
Link to images I mentioned years ago, page 125 has a picture of the Gordon in the distance, Olympia marquee and: View link
Theater is mentioned on page 55 of the Report of the Chief of the Massachusetts District Police:
View link
Pages 30-50 might be of interest to theater history buffs…
Other theaters mentioned not already known may not have been full theaters.
Edit- biography didn’t solve anything, was typing something else and didn’t notice it still in there. Biography just giving some information simply that someone worked there 1914-1924 as a projectionist, so it’s clear that they were showing movies into the 20s after the Strand opened.
Here’s the 1918 business directory, Winthrop Hall Theatre is one of three businesses listed at that address: View link
Another 1918 business directory, this one a gold mine for pre-1920s theatres: View link
And I think we finally have the closing date after all debate!
Mentioned here as showing movies as early as 1914 per the biography of a projectionist: View link
page 22 in the link has the shot
page 22 in the link has the shot
Shot of entrance and side of theatre: View link