The printed version has a photo that unfortunately is not online. It is captioned “The community moveihouse opened in 1940”, and shows two marquees both reading
BOSTON’S FINEST SUBURBAN THEATRE
GRAND OPENING
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12
A circular logo for the M&P chain is next to the word CIRCLE, where each letter is on its own separate circular sign.
The Southern Theatre is older than either the Grandview or the Palace, though it no longer shows movies. The Lincoln may also be older than the Grandview.
Now that the Circle Cinemas have closed, this is one of only two remaining movie theatres within Boston city limits. (The other one is AMC Loews Boston Common.)
Now that the Circle Cinemas have closed, this is one of only two remaining movie theatres within the city limits of Boston. (The other is Regal Fenway 13.)
The Circle’s closing leaves only two cinemas still open within Boston city limits: AMC Loews Boston Common 19, opened in 2001, and Regal Fenway 13 (originally General Cinema, then AMC), opened in 2000.
I’m e-mailing the Globe to inform them that “Circle Cinemas opened in November 1965” is incorrect. I’ll point them at this page for the correct information.
pmont: also worth noting are three multiplex cinemas that opened after 1977, but closed before 2008, and are therefore not on either of your maps: Copley Place, Nickelodeon, and Assembly Square. (I think that’s the entire list.)
Why is it closing?
Here’s a photo of the marquee on the now-closed theatre.
The 1-4 side says
CIRCLE CINEMAS
1965 to 2008
while the 5-7 side says
THANK YOU FOR
OVER 40 YEARS
OF PATRONAGE AND
MOVIE MEMORIES
This is a classy thing to do. So many local cinemas have closed unceremoniously with no ‘goodbye’ of any kind to their long-time customers.
(But, once again, the theatre opened in 1940, not 1965.)
What do the small signs say?
The letters-in-circles signs on top of the current building look the same as the ones on the marquees in the 1941 photo.
Sol Israel’s Globe article is now online.
The printed version has a photo that unfortunately is not online. It is captioned “The community moveihouse opened in 1940”, and shows two marquees both reading
BOSTON’S FINEST SUBURBAN THEATRE
GRAND OPENING
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12
A circular logo for the M&P chain is next to the word CIRCLE, where each letter is on its own separate circular sign.
Does that mean it was used for some other purpose for three years before becoming a theatre?
The Southern Theatre is older than either the Grandview or the Palace, though it no longer shows movies. The Lincoln may also be older than the Grandview.
What’s an “all-electric” movie theatre? Did earlier theatres in this city have hand-cranked or gas-lit projectors?
Now that the Circle Cinemas have closed, this is one of only two remaining movie theatres within Boston city limits. (The other one is AMC Loews Boston Common.)
Now that the Circle Cinemas have closed, this is one of only two remaining movie theatres within the city limits of Boston. (The other is Regal Fenway 13.)
The Circle’s closing leaves only two cinemas still open within Boston city limits: AMC Loews Boston Common 19, opened in 2001, and Regal Fenway 13 (originally General Cinema, then AMC), opened in 2000.
Unfortunately, that trains service does not run on weekends.
The Charles Cinema in Boston was known for its large screen, but I don’t know how large it was.
Where is the online version?
Does the article say why the spire was removed?
And more comments here:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/circle-cinemas-brookline
Lots of blog comments from people who remember the theatre here:
View link
Here’s the Columbus Dispatch article.
If yesterday was the theatre’s 82nd anniversay, as the Dispatch article states, then the descrption above is incorrect (‘Originally opened in 1938’)
Could it work as a live theatre? Does it have a real stage?
I’m sorry to hear this. Drexel seems to be shrinking as a chain, having shed the Arena Grand and Gateway as well.
Who will take over the Grandview?
Why are you asking this question instead of looking them up on this site?
At the Circle? Not that I’ve ever heard of. Why do you ask this?
I’m e-mailing the Globe to inform them that “Circle Cinemas opened in November 1965” is incorrect. I’ll point them at this page for the correct information.
The old painted FRANKLIN PARK THEATRE signs, though faded, are still quite visible and readable on this building.
That was reported way back in 2005 (see above) but did not happen then. Where did you hear this latest news?
pmont: also worth noting are three multiplex cinemas that opened after 1977, but closed before 2008, and are therefore not on either of your maps: Copley Place, Nickelodeon, and Assembly Square. (I think that’s the entire list.)