WSL: The remark below recently caught my eye and I would like to chat with you about the Grand Theatre and your tour of the building thanks to Tom Tetrault giving you the key to show your daughter(and perhaps see your Grand exterior photos particularly any interior photos you might have as they are hard to find, if any even exist) either here or in a personal email. You can contact me at Thank you as I hope to hear from you or anyone else who has posted on this link with their Grand memories.
“I took pictures that I would be glad to share with you."
posted by WSL on Feb 28, 2005 at 7:15am
WSL: After reading your Feb. 28, 2005 post and this final remark I would really appreciate hearing from you either on CT or in a personal email. My email address is
“I took pictures that I would be glad to share with you."
posted by WSL on Feb 28, 2005 at 7:15am
Somewhere in my Grand research I do recall seeing a photo of the theatre showing the movie, American Graffiti. If anyone knows of this photo, please advise!
David Stear: 621 seats is what CT member, WDG, posted on Aug. 21 2005 as opposed to the 738 seats listed at the top of this link. And if you could email me I would appreciate talking to you about you adding the Grand Theatre to CT.
“On that night we sold out all 621 seats and had a few customers standing in the back!”
Lost and Irv: These are wonderful paintings and thanks for bringing them to everyone’s attention! I still hope to see this theatre,in person, someday as plans were changed to see the Garden this past March.
In regards to the other auditorium in Youngstown Ohio I have recently received the following remarks from a Youngstown resident:
They are having it restored and will be moving it to the orchestra pit stage center. It got water damaged and was playing at only 25% of its full capacity,
The organ has over 3000 pipes.
The beauty of it is that it hasn’t undergone remodeling over the years but has kept true to the day it opened.
Over the years it hosted some of the great orchestras, actors and actresses, and singers and still books top name shows.
Before the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra took possession of the old Warner Theater, they held their concerts at the Stambaugh Auditorium.
When the organ is played at 100% capacity the audience will actually feel the music.
It will cost almost $200,000.00 to restore and replace at it’s new location.
On your website slideshow there is a photo of vintage projectors. Do you still have them? If so, it would a great idea to restore at least one of them for display purposes. And have you researched the theatre to know who the architect was in 1914?
Ron Carter: “there is a time capsule buried in the foundation, which will be recovered once renovations begin.” Has the time capsule been recovered since renovation efforts were started? And what was it in? Or are you waiting for the grand opening to open the capsule?
Correction: I see that it is demolished..had forgotten since not reading about this theatre in awhile. There was a theatre in NF that was being restored by a gentleman so perhaps LOUB can clear this up.
The Melba is not listed on CT, but it is listed on Cinema Tour with no information other than it is supposedly “closed” so hopefully it hasn’t been demolished.
Can anyone tell me whether the Melba Theatre in Birmingham still exists today as I have read that it is “closed” on Cinema Tour and elsewhere that it was demolished? It premiered the movie, To Kill A Mockingbird with Scout (Mary Badlam) and Jem (Philip Alford) as they were both Birmingham residents at the time the movie was filmed in Los Angeles CA.
LM: Great photos! Does make me recall when I went to this theate during my life in the Sunshine State. And I do wonder if the Lyric Theatre Robert-Morton organ was white?
WSL: The remark below recently caught my eye and I would like to chat with you about the Grand Theatre and your tour of the building thanks to Tom Tetrault giving you the key to show your daughter(and perhaps see your Grand exterior photos particularly any interior photos you might have as they are hard to find, if any even exist) either here or in a personal email. You can contact me at Thank you as I hope to hear from you or anyone else who has posted on this link with their Grand memories.
“I took pictures that I would be glad to share with you."
posted by WSL on Feb 28, 2005 at 7:15am
WSL: After reading your Feb. 28, 2005 post and this final remark I would really appreciate hearing from you either on CT or in a personal email. My email address is
“I took pictures that I would be glad to share with you."
posted by WSL on Feb 28, 2005 at 7:15am
Somewhere in my Grand research I do recall seeing a photo of the theatre showing the movie, American Graffiti. If anyone knows of this photo, please advise!
David Stear: 621 seats is what CT member, WDG, posted on Aug. 21 2005 as opposed to the 738 seats listed at the top of this link. And if you could email me I would appreciate talking to you about you adding the Grand Theatre to CT.
“On that night we sold out all 621 seats and had a few customers standing in the back!”
Lost: How did I know that you’d probably be the one who replied to my post! LOL! Have a beautfiul “garden” of a day!
Interesting to learn of another Garden Theatre in FL other than the one in Winter Garden FL.
Lost and Irv: These are wonderful paintings and thanks for bringing them to everyone’s attention! I still hope to see this theatre,in person, someday as plans were changed to see the Garden this past March.
In regards to the other auditorium in Youngstown Ohio I have recently received the following remarks from a Youngstown resident:
They are having it restored and will be moving it to the orchestra pit stage center. It got water damaged and was playing at only 25% of its full capacity,
The organ has over 3000 pipes.
The beauty of it is that it hasn’t undergone remodeling over the years but has kept true to the day it opened.
Over the years it hosted some of the great orchestras, actors and actresses, and singers and still books top name shows.
Before the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra took possession of the old Warner Theater, they held their concerts at the Stambaugh Auditorium.
When the organ is played at 100% capacity the audience will actually feel the music.
It will cost almost $200,000.00 to restore and replace at it’s new location.
On your website slideshow there is a photo of vintage projectors. Do you still have them? If so, it would a great idea to restore at least one of them for display purposes. And have you researched the theatre to know who the architect was in 1914?
I recently found this theatre of the 60’s era…nice to see it still standing in the Charlotte area.
“I’d think most of us would have voted to tolerate an occasional phantom email rather than lose track of many theaters we were following.” I agree!!
Ron Carter: “there is a time capsule buried in the foundation, which will be recovered once renovations begin.” Has the time capsule been recovered since renovation efforts were started? And what was it in? Or are you waiting for the grand opening to open the capsule?
Lost: Thanks.
SiliconSam: Thanks.
And the March 17, 2005 photos can’t be viewed anymore either.
The March 2, 2007 demo photos are beyond words of disappointment!
LOUB: Thank you and yes the man’s name was John McNab.
Correction: I see that it is demolished..had forgotten since not reading about this theatre in awhile. There was a theatre in NF that was being restored by a gentleman so perhaps LOUB can clear this up.
What is the status of this theatre that was being restored by a man who died about a year or so ago?
Lost: Yes, it does and thank you for posting about this theatre which has an important connection to the classic movie, To Kill A Mockingbird.
The Melba is not listed on CT, but it is listed on Cinema Tour with no information other than it is supposedly “closed” so hopefully it hasn’t been demolished.
Can anyone tell me whether the Melba Theatre in Birmingham still exists today as I have read that it is “closed” on Cinema Tour and elsewhere that it was demolished? It premiered the movie, To Kill A Mockingbird with Scout (Mary Badlam) and Jem (Philip Alford) as they were both Birmingham residents at the time the movie was filmed in Los Angeles CA.
Great photo and will forward it to a friend of mine whose daughter will be attending Hope College in Holland MI next Fall.
A friend of mine called me today and told me that she and her husband plus another couple recently took a tour of this small town theatre.
LM: Great photos! Does make me recall when I went to this theate during my life in the Sunshine State. And I do wonder if the Lyric Theatre Robert-Morton organ was white?