This theater was located at 54th (Maceo) and 43rd streets, two blocks from Las Cuatro Esquinas, the center of town, southeast of the capital. The Owens-Illinois Glass Company plant was ½ Km. out of town on the Central Highway.
Msivy, I’m sorry I didn’t see your comment before. I hadn’t visited the site much in the last year. I found the following in the May-Aug. 2014 issue of Arquitectura y Urbanismo: The first theater built for cinematographic exhibits in Havana was the Actualidades, opened on April 18, 1906 by impresario Eusebio Azcue, on Monserrate Street between Neptuno and Ánimas, which may be the oldest existing movie theater in Latin America. It has not been possible to document whether the construction lasting to the present was the one built at that early date, but there are photographs from the 20’s in which it appears as we know it, which evidences an age of at least over 80 years. In fact, it is the only surviving theater erected during the first quarter of the 20th Century in Havana. The cinematographic shows were part of a group of recreational activities which complemented each other. The April 18, 1906 edition of El Mundo newspaper when announcing the showing of movies at the Actualidades theater, added, “.…one feature will follow another: the monumental theater with its very powerful projector and its extraordinarily worthy pictures will be followed by the most famous Spanish and French dancers, the most renown couplet performers, the eccentrics, the ventriloquists…. all the world-wide varietés, all the (sic)lowest(??) genre.” It announces the first showing at 7:45 pm including “Les Miserables”, the second showing includes “The Black Rock Fairy”, the third, “Fire Falls”. Admission: Box: Two pesetas, Orchestra: One peseta, Balcony: Ten cents.
The Albisu theater, later Campoamor, on Industria, belonged to Eusebio Azcue’s widow.
Dear Jed, Off the top of my head I’d say the Warner, at Calle L #363 y 23, in the CMQ building, it opened on December 23, 1947. It was renamed Radiocentro, I saw “los Chavales de España” (Luis Tamayo, José Lara) perform there in 1950, it showed Cinerama, was later renamed Yara. Regards, Guarina
bottam, I don’t know if you’ve gone to the sites: www.cubanasoyyo.over-blog.es/article-el-teatro-aguilera-de-los-hermanos-botta-ii-81308234.html and www.cubanasoyyo.over-blog.es/article-el-fenecer-del-aguilera-84982167.html
bottam, the Aguilera movie theater opened in 1915, was called “the theater of flowers”, it was owned by the Compañía Exhibidora y Comercial Botta, of the brothers Armando, Carlos, Mariano and Enrique Botta. They also owned the Rialto, Martí, Maceo, Victoria, Estrada Palma and Capitolio. Although the Aguilera had the largest seating capacity in Santiago de Cuba, after it burned down in the 70’s, the provincial government said it was going to build a theater 10 times more beautiful, but they later made a park and not mentioned it again, it was erased from history.
Cimarron, I left Cuba in July 1961 and don’t know what systems are in use now, but, judging by the decay of quality of life in the last half a century, I doubt they have any new digital systems. You just have to look at the state of the facades.
And I found where this originated. The January 16, 1909 issue of The Billboard amusement weekly Volume XXI No. 3 in the Fulton History repository lists it with obvious misspellings and so this imaginary theater was born. If there was ever a movie at that location, it was called Cinematograph, González is spelled with a z, and #210 would have placed it on the west side of Prado between Colón and Trocadero.
Tobias52, This is the closest I’ve been able to get: Film star with a cause By John Paul Rathbone A recently rediscovered film about Fidel Castro is a rare chronicle of a defining moment in world history as well as Errol Flynn’s near-redemption. The revolution of the late 1950s brought to an end the louche world that Flynn celebrated – and, eventually, criticised. Indeed, by 1958 the star had become infatuated with the romance of Fidel Castro and his bearded revolutionaries, and was sufficiently moved to make a 50-minute documentary of the moment. Recently rediscovered in the Rank laboratory where it lay unwatched for almost five decades, Cuban Story has just been re-released in the UK. Of the more than 50 films that Flynn made, Cuban Story is not among the best. Presented by the star, and produced by Victor Pahlen, a drinking companion who owned a local film business called Fenix Productions, this phoenix rising from the ashes of Flynn’s career is, nonetheless, a rare chronicle of a defining moment in world history, as well as a Hollywood star’s near-redemption.
The old Fausto theater was the property of entrepreneur Luis Estrada. It had a presidential box with “boudoir” and separate entrance. It was redesigned by architect and engineer Saturnino M. Parajón y Amaro.
Joe, Thank you for the clarification. I was under the impression that on avenues the odd numbers were on the west side, even numbers on the east, judging from the RKO Coliseum, the Uptown, the Loew’s 175th Street, Theresa Pharmacy, Washington Heights Federal Savings.
Ed, it took me a long time, but I’ve just realized now (I had surgery yesterday and now looked at it with fresh eyes) that the Heights Theater I remember was on the west side of the street, so the address would NOT have been 150. The building to the north of it is #145, so I guess it must have been 151. But there’s no trace of a second story left.
This photograph must be from 1958. Notice the “Hatuey” beer and Coca-Cola signs. The movie theaters Riviera, Radiocentro, La Rampa, Rodi, Atlantic, Trianón, Olimpic, 23 y 12, Acapulco and Ambar were all located within 20 miles.
This theater was NOT inaugurated on December 23, 1965. Located before Gral. Lacret Park, across the church of Our Lady of Dolores, it had 533 seats and was operating before December 31, 1958. http://www.panoramio.com/photo/4264106
Guane is the westernmost traditional municipality in the Island, its seat the only considerable populated town.
This theater was located at 54th (Maceo) and 43rd streets, two blocks from Las Cuatro Esquinas, the center of town, southeast of the capital. The Owens-Illinois Glass Company plant was ½ Km. out of town on the Central Highway.
Calle Real is also named Panchito Gómez.
Msivy, I’m sorry I didn’t see your comment before. I hadn’t visited the site much in the last year. I found the following in the May-Aug. 2014 issue of Arquitectura y Urbanismo: The first theater built for cinematographic exhibits in Havana was the Actualidades, opened on April 18, 1906 by impresario Eusebio Azcue, on Monserrate Street between Neptuno and Ánimas, which may be the oldest existing movie theater in Latin America. It has not been possible to document whether the construction lasting to the present was the one built at that early date, but there are photographs from the 20’s in which it appears as we know it, which evidences an age of at least over 80 years. In fact, it is the only surviving theater erected during the first quarter of the 20th Century in Havana. The cinematographic shows were part of a group of recreational activities which complemented each other. The April 18, 1906 edition of El Mundo newspaper when announcing the showing of movies at the Actualidades theater, added, “.…one feature will follow another: the monumental theater with its very powerful projector and its extraordinarily worthy pictures will be followed by the most famous Spanish and French dancers, the most renown couplet performers, the eccentrics, the ventriloquists…. all the world-wide varietés, all the (sic)lowest(??) genre.” It announces the first showing at 7:45 pm including “Les Miserables”, the second showing includes “The Black Rock Fairy”, the third, “Fire Falls”. Admission: Box: Two pesetas, Orchestra: One peseta, Balcony: Ten cents. The Albisu theater, later Campoamor, on Industria, belonged to Eusebio Azcue’s widow.
Dear Jed, Off the top of my head I’d say the Warner, at Calle L #363 y 23, in the CMQ building, it opened on December 23, 1947. It was renamed Radiocentro, I saw “los Chavales de España” (Luis Tamayo, José Lara) perform there in 1950, it showed Cinerama, was later renamed Yara. Regards, Guarina
bottam, I don’t know if you’ve gone to the sites: www.cubanasoyyo.over-blog.es/article-el-teatro-aguilera-de-los-hermanos-botta-ii-81308234.html and www.cubanasoyyo.over-blog.es/article-el-fenecer-del-aguilera-84982167.html
bottam, the Aguilera movie theater opened in 1915, was called “the theater of flowers”, it was owned by the Compañía Exhibidora y Comercial Botta, of the brothers Armando, Carlos, Mariano and Enrique Botta. They also owned the Rialto, Martí, Maceo, Victoria, Estrada Palma and Capitolio. Although the Aguilera had the largest seating capacity in Santiago de Cuba, after it burned down in the 70’s, the provincial government said it was going to build a theater 10 times more beautiful, but they later made a park and not mentioned it again, it was erased from history.
Cimarron, I left Cuba in July 1961 and don’t know what systems are in use now, but, judging by the decay of quality of life in the last half a century, I doubt they have any new digital systems. You just have to look at the state of the facades.
Quaint
And I found where this originated. The January 16, 1909 issue of The Billboard amusement weekly Volume XXI No. 3 in the Fulton History repository lists it with obvious misspellings and so this imaginary theater was born. If there was ever a movie at that location, it was called Cinematograph, González is spelled with a z, and #210 would have placed it on the west side of Prado between Colón and Trocadero.
Tobias52, This is the closest I’ve been able to get: Film star with a cause By John Paul Rathbone A recently rediscovered film about Fidel Castro is a rare chronicle of a defining moment in world history as well as Errol Flynn’s near-redemption. The revolution of the late 1950s brought to an end the louche world that Flynn celebrated – and, eventually, criticised. Indeed, by 1958 the star had become infatuated with the romance of Fidel Castro and his bearded revolutionaries, and was sufficiently moved to make a 50-minute documentary of the moment. Recently rediscovered in the Rank laboratory where it lay unwatched for almost five decades, Cuban Story has just been re-released in the UK. Of the more than 50 films that Flynn made, Cuban Story is not among the best. Presented by the star, and produced by Victor Pahlen, a drinking companion who owned a local film business called Fenix Productions, this phoenix rising from the ashes of Flynn’s career is, nonetheless, a rare chronicle of a defining moment in world history, as well as a Hollywood star’s near-redemption.
sulane, Do let us please have more info about the Lane and the Gem.
sulane, What was at 560 where the Lane had been, later on?, the Howard’s store?
The old Fausto theater was the property of entrepreneur Luis Estrada. It had a presidential box with “boudoir” and separate entrance. It was redesigned by architect and engineer Saturnino M. Parajón y Amaro.
Joe, Thank you for the clarification. I was under the impression that on avenues the odd numbers were on the west side, even numbers on the east, judging from the RKO Coliseum, the Uptown, the Loew’s 175th Street, Theresa Pharmacy, Washington Heights Federal Savings.
Ed, it took me a long time, but I’ve just realized now (I had surgery yesterday and now looked at it with fresh eyes) that the Heights Theater I remember was on the west side of the street, so the address would NOT have been 150. The building to the north of it is #145, so I guess it must have been 151. But there’s no trace of a second story left.
All the theaters were operating on December 31, 1958.
This photograph must be from 1958. Notice the “Hatuey” beer and Coca-Cola signs. The movie theaters Riviera, Radiocentro, La Rampa, Rodi, Atlantic, Trianón, Olimpic, 23 y 12, Acapulco and Ambar were all located within 20 miles.
This movie theater had been named after Major General Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo.
This theater was named after the longest river in the country.
It looks as if the building were not torn down, more like rebuilt. It seems to me you can still see the original 3 windows.
Thanks, BobFurmanek. It’s been a long time. Good memory (or reference).
This theater was for many years called “Fausto”.
This theater was NOT inaugurated on December 23, 1965. Located before Gral. Lacret Park, across the church of Our Lady of Dolores, it had 533 seats and was operating before December 31, 1958. http://www.panoramio.com/photo/4264106
The theater was inaugurated in neoclassical style between Tatán Méndez and Lugareño.