In the 1942-43 edition of the Motion Picture Almanac, the Plymouth Theatre was listed as being operated by Interstate Theatres Corp. of Boston. Interstate also ran the Music Hall in Plymouth. Other New Hampshire theaters run by Interstate at that time were the Liberty in Ashland; the Bristol in Bristol; the Rialto in Lancaster; the Charkarohen in Lincoln; the Corliss in North Woodstock; and the Colonial and the Scenic in Rochester. Interstate also ran movie theaters in VT, MA and CT.
According to an item in the entertainment section of today’s Boston Herald, the theater recently purchased lighting and sound equipment and will begin booking music acts in concert. It has 443 seats.
In the 1942-43 edition of the Motion Picture Almanac, the Colonial in Augusta is listed as part of Maine & New Hampshire Theatres Company of Tremont Street, Boston.
The Quincy Patriot Ledger has a brief article today which states that the Little Theatre of Stoughton, homeless since the Stoughton Cinema closed, will present its productions in the auditorium of Stoughton High School. The latter opened in the 1960s and was designed with stage performances in mind.
There was a feature story last night on the Mendon Drive-In on one of the local Boston TV stations, although I can’t recall which one – Ch. 4 ?, 5?, 7?, Fox ?? The Mgr. was a woman who has been there for several years. The place appeared to be busy and it was very definitley touted as a “family entertainment” attraction. The patrons interviewed all seemed to be very pleased to be there. It was said that the admission is $20 per carload.
In the Boston Post theater page for Nov. 11, 1951, M&P Theatres is gone and replaced by New England Theatres Corp. (NETC). For Chelsea there is now only one theatre, the Olympia, which was presenting a double feature show. When M&P broke up after WW II, some of its theaters went to NETC, and some went to the new American Theatres Corp. (ATC). Possibly, the Broadway Theatre in Chelsea became an ATC house.
In Boston Post theater pages which I have from circa-1945, May 1947 and Sept 1947, there are ads for M&P Theatres (Mullin & Pinanski) which list the Olympia and the Broadway theaters in Chelsea. There are phone numbers but no street addresses. Neither theater had continuous showings- there was a matinee at 145PM or 2PM, and an evening show at 730PM. They usually presented double features. M&P took over the old Paramount-Publix theatres around the early-1930s. There were executives in M&P who were old associates of Nathan Gordon.
In the Boston Post of Feb. 25, 1931, Paramount-Publix Theatres has an ad which includes local neighborhood houses. For Chelsea they have listed the Broadway and the Olympia theatres. This was around the time that Paramount-Publix took over most of the Nathan Gordon movie theatre circuit. Unfortunately, there are no street addresses in the listings. We know that “Olympia” was a favorite theater name for Gordon. And the address above says “Broadway” in Chelsea. So this theater could have been the Olympia or the Broadway.
This theater and the Steinert Hall on Boylston St. are probably the most obscure of the surviving old downtown Boston theaters. Although the Archer Building has a cornerstone reading “1920”, it’s possible that the building did not actually open until 1921. Donald King, in his 2005 book “The Theatres of Boston” (McFarland), stresses that the movie operation at the Suffolk Theatre did not last very long. He notes that the Suffolk had an organ and that the proceeds from the cinema went to the Suffolk Law School.
“Gordan” was almost certainly Nathan Gordon who ran a circuit of movie theatres in the Boston area in the 1910s and 1920s. I know there were 2 or 3 movie theaters in Chelsea, but I don’t know much about them. But as of 1942, M&P Theatres, a Paramount affiliate which was a successor to Gordan, had 2 theatres in Chelsea, the Broadway and the Olympia. One of those two was probably this one.
The Suffolk Theatre’s ad in the Boston Globe for Christmas week of 1921 stated that the theater was located to the rear of the State House, that it had recently opened, and that movie shows were presented continuous from 130PM to 1030PM. There were 2 movies Mon-Wed, then a change of show with 2 more titles Thurs-Saturdays. There was a children’s show on Saturday mornings at 1030.
To exwhiteway- the organ at the Wang was still there and playable during the Sack Music Hall days in the 1960s. I believe it was removed sometime in the 1970s (It was definitely gone by 1983). And to LuisV – I agree with your comments 100 % !
It was a neighborhood movie theater in the 1920s. During the 1980s and 1990s it was used quite often by various theater groups of the “Off-Broadway” type. By that time it had been renamed from Suffolk Theatre to C. Walsh Theatre. Not having seen any listings for it in the last couple of years, I wondered if its building, the old Suffolk Law School, had been closed or demo’d. So I hiked up there a few days ago to check it out. It’s still there, and in the poster cases at the entrance were some posters for 2008 shows. The entrance has fancy heavy wood doors and I wonder if they are originals from 1920.
A couple of Theatre Historical Society members were in downtown Worcester on June 25 and report that the Art is still sitting closed up with no evidence of any remodeling going on.
The first Old South Theatre had an ad in the Boston Globe during Christmas week of 1921. It was headed “Gordon’s Old South” and it was presenting William Fox’s film “Over the Hill” in its second week at popular prices. Admission from 10AM to Noon was 25 cents; from Noon to 5PM was 40 cents; and from 5PM to closing was 40 cents, with a few seats at 50 cents. The theater was part of Nathan Gordon’s theater circuit.
I have heard no reports from anyone who has been inside it in recent years, but knowing of the badly leaking roof and the concerns that the building was about to collapse, I can only guess what an absolute mess the interior must be. I can’t imagine how Suffolk Univ. can accomplish their goals for this parcel and still keep the building intact.
It’s possible that the Opera House has an easement thru the northwest edge of the new Emerson College building leading to the loading dock and wide enough for a trailer truck to back in there. Some big roadshows travel with 8 or 10 or more trailers. Things could get a little congested back there !
I went into it many times in the 1950s and 60s, but the houselights were never on, however I recall that the color scheme in the auditorium was “cool” like blue and not “warm” like red. I think that the sidewall extensions of the balcony had no seats in them and were for access to fire exits, not sure of that. The seating capacity of the Boston Paramount was just under 1800. I was there yesterday and the construction in back continues- the steel work is now out to Mason St. Oddly, there doesn’t seem to be any construction going on in the rear section of the Paramount which was demolished a few months ago (the proscenium and stage).
Emerson College construction going on in the parcels on the south side of the Opera House has obliterated the Opera House’s scenery loading dock at stage-right. It is now impossible to use it. The scene door for the old Keith Memorial was on the rear stage wall on Mason St., but the Opera House’s new stage does not have a loading door in that location.
Suffolk Univ. has just received City permission to begin construction of their Modern Theatre project. When this project is finished, will there be anything left of the theatre, other than the facade ?
As the Lancaster Theatre, this house had an ad in the Boston Globe during Christmas week in 1921. Shows were continuous from 11 AM to 1050PM with double features which changed on Thursdays, i.e. 2 movies Mon-Wed, and 2 more on Thurs-Sat. Their motto was “The Best Picture House in Town”.
The theater’s ad in the Boston Globe of Dec. 24, 1921 is headed simply “Exeter Theatre” and not “Exeter Street” which was the name in the 1940s and later. Their ad states that shows are continuous from 215PM to 1030PM, and that there was a change of shows on Thursdays (double features Mon-Wed; and then another pair Thurs-Sat.) On Sundays from 730PM there was a program of “Select Photoplays and Music”.
In the 1942-43 edition of the Motion Picture Almanac, the Plymouth Theatre was listed as being operated by Interstate Theatres Corp. of Boston. Interstate also ran the Music Hall in Plymouth. Other New Hampshire theaters run by Interstate at that time were the Liberty in Ashland; the Bristol in Bristol; the Rialto in Lancaster; the Charkarohen in Lincoln; the Corliss in North Woodstock; and the Colonial and the Scenic in Rochester. Interstate also ran movie theaters in VT, MA and CT.
According to an item in the entertainment section of today’s Boston Herald, the theater recently purchased lighting and sound equipment and will begin booking music acts in concert. It has 443 seats.
In the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac, the Capitol in Augusta is listed as part of Maine & New Hampshire Theatres Co. of Boston.
In the 1942-43 edition of the Motion Picture Almanac, the Colonial in Augusta is listed as part of Maine & New Hampshire Theatres Company of Tremont Street, Boston.
The Quincy Patriot Ledger has a brief article today which states that the Little Theatre of Stoughton, homeless since the Stoughton Cinema closed, will present its productions in the auditorium of Stoughton High School. The latter opened in the 1960s and was designed with stage performances in mind.
There was a feature story last night on the Mendon Drive-In on one of the local Boston TV stations, although I can’t recall which one – Ch. 4 ?, 5?, 7?, Fox ?? The Mgr. was a woman who has been there for several years. The place appeared to be busy and it was very definitley touted as a “family entertainment” attraction. The patrons interviewed all seemed to be very pleased to be there. It was said that the admission is $20 per carload.
In the Boston Post theater page for Nov. 11, 1951, M&P Theatres is gone and replaced by New England Theatres Corp. (NETC). For Chelsea there is now only one theatre, the Olympia, which was presenting a double feature show. When M&P broke up after WW II, some of its theaters went to NETC, and some went to the new American Theatres Corp. (ATC). Possibly, the Broadway Theatre in Chelsea became an ATC house.
Someone Who Was There tells me that he was in Springfield last week and found the Jefferson still standing.
In Boston Post theater pages which I have from circa-1945, May 1947 and Sept 1947, there are ads for M&P Theatres (Mullin & Pinanski) which list the Olympia and the Broadway theaters in Chelsea. There are phone numbers but no street addresses. Neither theater had continuous showings- there was a matinee at 145PM or 2PM, and an evening show at 730PM. They usually presented double features. M&P took over the old Paramount-Publix theatres around the early-1930s. There were executives in M&P who were old associates of Nathan Gordon.
In the Boston Post of Feb. 25, 1931, Paramount-Publix Theatres has an ad which includes local neighborhood houses. For Chelsea they have listed the Broadway and the Olympia theatres. This was around the time that Paramount-Publix took over most of the Nathan Gordon movie theatre circuit. Unfortunately, there are no street addresses in the listings. We know that “Olympia” was a favorite theater name for Gordon. And the address above says “Broadway” in Chelsea. So this theater could have been the Olympia or the Broadway.
The Suffolk Theatre is not listed in the Boston section of the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook.
This theater and the Steinert Hall on Boylston St. are probably the most obscure of the surviving old downtown Boston theaters. Although the Archer Building has a cornerstone reading “1920”, it’s possible that the building did not actually open until 1921. Donald King, in his 2005 book “The Theatres of Boston” (McFarland), stresses that the movie operation at the Suffolk Theatre did not last very long. He notes that the Suffolk had an organ and that the proceeds from the cinema went to the Suffolk Law School.
“Gordan” was almost certainly Nathan Gordon who ran a circuit of movie theatres in the Boston area in the 1910s and 1920s. I know there were 2 or 3 movie theaters in Chelsea, but I don’t know much about them. But as of 1942, M&P Theatres, a Paramount affiliate which was a successor to Gordan, had 2 theatres in Chelsea, the Broadway and the Olympia. One of those two was probably this one.
The Suffolk Theatre’s ad in the Boston Globe for Christmas week of 1921 stated that the theater was located to the rear of the State House, that it had recently opened, and that movie shows were presented continuous from 130PM to 1030PM. There were 2 movies Mon-Wed, then a change of show with 2 more titles Thurs-Saturdays. There was a children’s show on Saturday mornings at 1030.
To exwhiteway- the organ at the Wang was still there and playable during the Sack Music Hall days in the 1960s. I believe it was removed sometime in the 1970s (It was definitely gone by 1983). And to LuisV – I agree with your comments 100 % !
It was a neighborhood movie theater in the 1920s. During the 1980s and 1990s it was used quite often by various theater groups of the “Off-Broadway” type. By that time it had been renamed from Suffolk Theatre to C. Walsh Theatre. Not having seen any listings for it in the last couple of years, I wondered if its building, the old Suffolk Law School, had been closed or demo’d. So I hiked up there a few days ago to check it out. It’s still there, and in the poster cases at the entrance were some posters for 2008 shows. The entrance has fancy heavy wood doors and I wonder if they are originals from 1920.
A couple of Theatre Historical Society members were in downtown Worcester on June 25 and report that the Art is still sitting closed up with no evidence of any remodeling going on.
The first Old South Theatre had an ad in the Boston Globe during Christmas week of 1921. It was headed “Gordon’s Old South” and it was presenting William Fox’s film “Over the Hill” in its second week at popular prices. Admission from 10AM to Noon was 25 cents; from Noon to 5PM was 40 cents; and from 5PM to closing was 40 cents, with a few seats at 50 cents. The theater was part of Nathan Gordon’s theater circuit.
I have heard no reports from anyone who has been inside it in recent years, but knowing of the badly leaking roof and the concerns that the building was about to collapse, I can only guess what an absolute mess the interior must be. I can’t imagine how Suffolk Univ. can accomplish their goals for this parcel and still keep the building intact.
It’s possible that the Opera House has an easement thru the northwest edge of the new Emerson College building leading to the loading dock and wide enough for a trailer truck to back in there. Some big roadshows travel with 8 or 10 or more trailers. Things could get a little congested back there !
I went into it many times in the 1950s and 60s, but the houselights were never on, however I recall that the color scheme in the auditorium was “cool” like blue and not “warm” like red. I think that the sidewall extensions of the balcony had no seats in them and were for access to fire exits, not sure of that. The seating capacity of the Boston Paramount was just under 1800. I was there yesterday and the construction in back continues- the steel work is now out to Mason St. Oddly, there doesn’t seem to be any construction going on in the rear section of the Paramount which was demolished a few months ago (the proscenium and stage).
Emerson College construction going on in the parcels on the south side of the Opera House has obliterated the Opera House’s scenery loading dock at stage-right. It is now impossible to use it. The scene door for the old Keith Memorial was on the rear stage wall on Mason St., but the Opera House’s new stage does not have a loading door in that location.
Suffolk Univ. has just received City permission to begin construction of their Modern Theatre project. When this project is finished, will there be anything left of the theatre, other than the facade ?
As the Lancaster Theatre, this house had an ad in the Boston Globe during Christmas week in 1921. Shows were continuous from 11 AM to 1050PM with double features which changed on Thursdays, i.e. 2 movies Mon-Wed, and 2 more on Thurs-Sat. Their motto was “The Best Picture House in Town”.
The theater’s ad in the Boston Globe of Dec. 24, 1921 is headed simply “Exeter Theatre” and not “Exeter Street” which was the name in the 1940s and later. Their ad states that shows are continuous from 215PM to 1030PM, and that there was a change of shows on Thursdays (double features Mon-Wed; and then another pair Thurs-Sat.) On Sundays from 730PM there was a program of “Select Photoplays and Music”.