10tv story on the Palace.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Palace Theatre in downtown Columbus has been home to prime entertainment for decades.
The theatre, located in the LeVeque Towner on Broad Street, opened 86 years ago as a Vaudeville house, 10TV’s Jerry Revish reported.
“I saw Lucille Ball play here, Jack Benny was here. Bill Bojangles Robinson played here,” said Todd Bemis of the Columbus Association For the Performing Arts, which manages the theater. “All the greats at that time found their way to Columbus through the front doors of the Palace.”
The theater had a huge boom when Mae West came to town in 1938.
“There’s a photo of folks literally wrapped around the outside of the building waiting to buy tickets to get into see Mae West,” Bemis said.
The Palace Theatre became home to big bands in the 1940s.
“They used to have what they called a rolling stage on the theater,” Bemis said. “They would still show a movie maybe before the jazz concert, but then the movie screen would go out, and the jazz band or the big band would start to play, and they would literally roll them down to the front of the state, to the great applause of the audience.”
Business slowed in the 1960s, though, Revish reported.
“Many of the furnishings of the theater disappeared during that period, all the crystal was stripped out of the theater during the period because they didn’t want to maintain it, keep it clean,” Bemis said. “The wonderful brass doors that we have in our inner lobby, they just painted them rather than polish them, so there were seven coats of paint on those doors applied during that time.”
The problems continued until Frederic LeVeque came along and purchased the theater in 1973.
“The theater actually would have been demolished at that time, and his hotel was to expand from the theater up to Broad and High,” Bemis said.
LeVeque died in a plane crash and was not able to complete his plans.
Years later, his widow decided to reopen the theater after spending $3 million of her own money to renovate the building. She added new seats, plumbing, wiring and a new roof.
“There was nothing really usable in the theater,” Bemis said.
The Osmand family debuted the newly renovated theater.
“I’ll always remember that, they took over two full floors of the Neil House at that time,” Bemis said. “They had such a large entourage.”
Bemis said that the Palace Theatre has brought value to Columbus.
“It’s what I like to call the workhorse of our theaters in downtown, because it does such a wide range,” Bemis said.
Made a visit yesterday to see the new updates. Looked the same on the outside and lobby. I talked to a guy behind the counter who said they fixed the seats, got the lights working and have digital projection in a couple rooms.
movieshateyoutoo, studio 35 will be showing nite owl theatre and i read that the next episodes will not screen until May because the theater is closing for renovations. Sounds like your dream (and mine) may come true.
From facebook “Some of us remember Cinema City from days gone by.
NO MORE dollar movies. FIRST RUN movies will be shown in the beautifully renovated theater, complete with all the latest digital, 3-D equipment and lots more surprises.
An UPSCALE movie theater with HUGE-LY DISCOUNTED ticket prices. I said, "Huge-ly discounted prices.”
With the renovation still in progress, Keep checking back for updates — we expect a grand opening very soon."
The marquee now says newport music hall in the middle. It used to be all black. I always thought they should have something saying the name of the place on the marquee. That little newport neon sign above the doors was not cuttin' it.
Seats are going from 280 to 250 after the remodel.
now the marquee says “Henkels & McCoy”.
cool pics. thanks for the upload.
10tv story on the Palace. COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Palace Theatre in downtown Columbus has been home to prime entertainment for decades.
The theatre, located in the LeVeque Towner on Broad Street, opened 86 years ago as a Vaudeville house, 10TV’s Jerry Revish reported.
“I saw Lucille Ball play here, Jack Benny was here. Bill Bojangles Robinson played here,” said Todd Bemis of the Columbus Association For the Performing Arts, which manages the theater. “All the greats at that time found their way to Columbus through the front doors of the Palace.”
The theater had a huge boom when Mae West came to town in 1938.
“There’s a photo of folks literally wrapped around the outside of the building waiting to buy tickets to get into see Mae West,” Bemis said.
The Palace Theatre became home to big bands in the 1940s.
“They used to have what they called a rolling stage on the theater,” Bemis said. “They would still show a movie maybe before the jazz concert, but then the movie screen would go out, and the jazz band or the big band would start to play, and they would literally roll them down to the front of the state, to the great applause of the audience.”
Business slowed in the 1960s, though, Revish reported.
“Many of the furnishings of the theater disappeared during that period, all the crystal was stripped out of the theater during the period because they didn’t want to maintain it, keep it clean,” Bemis said. “The wonderful brass doors that we have in our inner lobby, they just painted them rather than polish them, so there were seven coats of paint on those doors applied during that time.”
The problems continued until Frederic LeVeque came along and purchased the theater in 1973.
“The theater actually would have been demolished at that time, and his hotel was to expand from the theater up to Broad and High,” Bemis said.
LeVeque died in a plane crash and was not able to complete his plans.
Years later, his widow decided to reopen the theater after spending $3 million of her own money to renovate the building. She added new seats, plumbing, wiring and a new roof.
“There was nothing really usable in the theater,” Bemis said.
The Osmand family debuted the newly renovated theater.
“I’ll always remember that, they took over two full floors of the Neil House at that time,” Bemis said. “They had such a large entourage.”
Bemis said that the Palace Theatre has brought value to Columbus.
“It’s what I like to call the workhorse of our theaters in downtown, because it does such a wide range,” Bemis said.
The black at the bottom of the screen comes apart for 1:85 movies.
These photos were taken in 1936. They show the Strand Theatre before and after the take over of ownership by Schine Theatres.
I drove past a few days ago. They had the front door open and you could see the back wall! Looks like everything is gone.
Made a visit yesterday to see the new updates. Looked the same on the outside and lobby. I talked to a guy behind the counter who said they fixed the seats, got the lights working and have digital projection in a couple rooms.
The projector is on display in what used to be the entrance to the theater. Now a board room for rent.
great marquee!
3 theaters in Columbus are also showing the oscars. Drexel will have a red carpet.
This vertical sign is the same as the Garden Theatre in Columbus.
10TV video about the history of the Ohio with lots of photos. View link
amazing how it’s still there.
movieshateyoutoo, studio 35 will be showing nite owl theatre and i read that the next episodes will not screen until May because the theater is closing for renovations. Sounds like your dream (and mine) may come true.
New screen coming next week!
Dead center near the front. I go to see movies on the big screen. If i sat in the back i might as well stay home.
From facebook “Some of us remember Cinema City from days gone by. NO MORE dollar movies. FIRST RUN movies will be shown in the beautifully renovated theater, complete with all the latest digital, 3-D equipment and lots more surprises. An UPSCALE movie theater with HUGE-LY DISCOUNTED ticket prices. I said, "Huge-ly discounted prices.” With the renovation still in progress, Keep checking back for updates — we expect a grand opening very soon."
Guessing it means digital and they got rid of the bad 35mm projectors. New website CinemaCityMovies.com
now showing first run movies. website says in hd.
Opened Christmas day 1936 with the Joe E. Brown film Earth Worm Tractors.
This theater still has its proscenium arch and projection room holes.
cool pic.
The marquee now says newport music hall in the middle. It used to be all black. I always thought they should have something saying the name of the place on the marquee. That little newport neon sign above the doors was not cuttin' it.
I haven’t heard of any capa movies at the lincoln. no film just digital for dvd projection.