And here’s a 1999 photo and description of the still-standing 545-547 Washington Street building. Compare it with the earlier photos that I’ve linked to.
The BF Keith Theatre entrance was in the left storefront, now occupied by the the “High Voltage” store.
The Bijou entrance was in either the center arch or the right storefront. That store is now vacant, but for many years, it contained the amusement arcade shown in the 1999 photo.
The upper stories also remain boarded up and empty. It’s a sadly underutilized building which now drags down the entire neighborhood surrounding it.
This 1930 photo, described here, shows the BF Keith’s vertical sign on Tremont Street (advertising “Outside The Law”) above or next to a Lyric Theatre marquee.
In 1897, a second entrance to this theatre was built at 163 Tremont Street. It included a stairway and tunnel under Mason Street. For over three decades after this theatre was demolished, 163 Tremont continued to serve as an entrance to the adjoining RKO Keith Memorial theatre. Unfortunately, this entrance’s elaborate detail had long been either removed or covered over by the 1960s. Few people mourned when it was demolished in the mid-1980s to make way for condominiums.
Some picture postcards of the Tremont Street entrance, when it was still grand:
1905 picture postcard, described here. Keith’s entrance is the green, arched building near the left side.
The former 163 Tremont Street entrance predated this theatre. It was built in 1897 as an entrance to the first BF Keith’s Theatre, and included a stairway and tunnel under Mason Street. Unfortunately, its elaborate detail had been either removed or covered over by the time Sack Theatres took over. Few people mourned it when it was demolished in the mid-1980s.
Some picture postcards of that entrance, when it was still grand:
1905 picture postcard, described here. Keith’s entrance is the green, arched building near the left side.
From today’s issue of Sampan, the Chinatown newspaper:
Fireworks Ignite Over Gaiety Theatre
Real-life Theatre Erupts with Zoning Board of Appeals
By Ann Chang
What was scheduled as a routine hearing last Tuesday before the Zoning Board of Appeal on the determination of the Gaiety Theatre�s status, turned into a heated confrontation between the ZBA and proponents to save the theater from demolition, including four city councilors.
The hearing was scheduled for 12:30 pm. At 1:45 pm, ZBA chairman Robert Shortsleeve announced to the crowd of over 60 people that the board would not hear the appeal. The stunned audience erupted into cries of �servants for the BRA� and �rump board.� City councilor Chuck Turner demanded to know why. �This is an advertised hearing,� he said. �How can you not have the hearing?�
Shortsleeve stated: �Corporation Counsel has said we have no standing on this matter.� Ignoring taunts from the crowd, he tried to continue with other scheduled hearings. It was not to be. City counilor Maura Hennigan asked: �Where is Counsel�s letter stating that you have no standing on this matter?�
�There was no letter,� Shortsleeve declared, further inflaming the Gaiety supporters, who had come to oppose the theater�s demolition by Kensington Investment Co., the owner. Kensington wants to demolish the Gaiety to build a 30-story apartment building, called Kensington Place, along Washington Street.
Hennigan then led the Gaiety supporters, including city councilors Chuck Turner and Felix Arroyo, to City Hall law offices, only to find the doors there locked with two security guards inside and four others out in the hall. Hennigan demanded the right to see the counsel responsible for the hearing�s closure.
The head of security said only councilors would be allowed inside. Former Corporation Counsel Marita Hopkins appeared, stating she didn�t know why the hearing was closed. She promised to find a solution, but that first the proponents had to return to the hearing area.
Hopkins arranged for the ZBA to hold the hearing but warned that it wouldn�t make a decision; instead, it would take the case �under advisement� with a decision made at a latter, non-specified date.
As the hearing reconvened, Shortsleeve tried to limit testimony to two speakers but relented when told that five city councilors were there. Four — Charles Yancey, Hennigan, Arroyo, and Turner —were in favor of the Gaiety, and one — James Kelly —opposed it. Shortsleeve did limit the non-elected speakers to two persons from the Chinatown community. Ching-In Chen, of the Asian American Resource Workshop, testified that the Gaiety is an integral part of the Chinatown Master Plan and was slated to become a cultural community center. If de-molished, she said, it would have to be replaced according to cultural preservation rules in force.
Turner stressed that the demolition represented ec-onomic expediency over law. �The Inspectional Ser-vices Division issued a permit for demolition without the required ZBA hearing,� he said. Arroyo added that the ZBA had a duty to review the master plan and see that Kensing-ton Place was not in the community�s best interests. Hennigan tried to get the ZBA to put a stay on the demolition until its decision was made.
Kelly stated that the development, especially affordable housing, was good for the neighborhood�s economy.
Matt Kiefer, counsel for the developer, stated that the demolition approval was in hand in 2001 after it was found that the Gaiety was no longer a designated theater. �Four city and three state agencies have approved the [Kensington Place] development,� he said. �There have been court [land] trials, appellate and supreme court findings all in favor of [it].� He agreed with Shortsleeve that the ZBA didn�t have standing in the matter. �I am confident in the…determination from the Corporation Counsel�
Shortsleeve moved to send the matter to Counsel for a �speedy determination.� All voted in favor.
Somewhere I recall reading that it was also briefly called the ‘Mirthmovie’ near the end of its life. I don’t know why it went through so many name changes.
A 1906 photo of Keith’s Theatre, described here. Keith’s Theatre is the green building. To its left is the Adams House hotel. To its right is an establishemnt called “O'Callaghan’s”, of which I know nothing. It is where the Bijou Theatre should be located. Perhaps the Bijou is closed at this time, or has had its entrance consolidated with Keith’s.
Sounds like Columbus did a much better job than Cincy of keeping its old downtown theatres. The CAPA organization there saved and restored the Ohio (formerly Loew’s Ohio), the Palace (formerly RKO Palace) and the Southern. All three are now live stages, but the Ohio has a classic film series.
If you stand across Church Street from the Breast Cancer mural and Soho Jewelry, and look up at the top of the blank brick wall, you’ll see a faded painted advertisement. It reads:
From the Library of Congress online collection, an early photo of the Majestic):displayType=1:m856sd=det:m856sf=4a11363), taken some time between 1903 and 1906.
Another early photo of Chickering Hall):displayType=1:m856sd=det:m856sf=4a11359), from the Library of Congress collection, taken sometime between 1901 and 1906.
This photo of Horticultural Hall):displayType=1:m856sd=det:m856sf=4a11360), taken around the same time, shows a bit of Chickering Hall to the right.
The Library of Congress Historic American Buildings Survey has an extensive online record)) of this theatre. It contains 31 black-and-white photos, 9 pages of blueprints, three pages of photo captions, and a 63-page report on the theatre’s history and architecture.
Way above, someone asked about the Trans-Lux. That was a couple blocks further south, had several different names during its history, and is listed here as the State, which was the name it had when it closed.
It was demolished in 1991. The Millennium Place/Ritz-Carlton Towers complex (which includes the 19-screen Loews Boston Common multiplex) now stands on its site.
The first sentence of the description needs to be corrected. Brookline is not a ‘Boston neighborhood’; it is a separate town. I’d change ‘neighborhood’ to ‘suburb’.
And here’s a 1999 photo and description of the still-standing 545-547 Washington Street building. Compare it with the earlier photos that I’ve linked to.
The BF Keith Theatre entrance was in the left storefront, now occupied by the the “High Voltage” store.
The Bijou entrance was in either the center arch or the right storefront. That store is now vacant, but for many years, it contained the amusement arcade shown in the 1999 photo.
The upper stories also remain boarded up and empty. It’s a sadly underutilized building which now drags down the entire neighborhood surrounding it.
To my knowledge, Ian Judge is exactly who he says he is and has never had another name.
(What movie about his uncle?)
This 1930 photo, described here, shows the BF Keith’s vertical sign on Tremont Street (advertising “Outside The Law”) above or next to a Lyric Theatre marquee.
In 1897, a second entrance to this theatre was built at 163 Tremont Street. It included a stairway and tunnel under Mason Street. For over three decades after this theatre was demolished, 163 Tremont continued to serve as an entrance to the adjoining RKO Keith Memorial theatre. Unfortunately, this entrance’s elaborate detail had long been either removed or covered over by the 1960s. Few people mourned when it was demolished in the mid-1980s to make way for condominiums.
Some picture postcards of the Tremont Street entrance, when it was still grand:
1905 picture postcard, described here. Keith’s entrance is the green, arched building near the left side.
Another picture postcard, from 1908, described here.
Keith’s by Night, described here.
Keith’s Theatre at Night postcard, described here.
The former 163 Tremont Street entrance predated this theatre. It was built in 1897 as an entrance to the first BF Keith’s Theatre, and included a stairway and tunnel under Mason Street. Unfortunately, its elaborate detail had been either removed or covered over by the time Sack Theatres took over. Few people mourned it when it was demolished in the mid-1980s.
Some picture postcards of that entrance, when it was still grand:
1905 picture postcard, described here. Keith’s entrance is the green, arched building near the left side.
Another picture postcard, from 1908, described here.
Keith’s by Night, described here.
Keith’s Theatre at Night postcard, described here.
From today’s issue of Sampan, the Chinatown newspaper:
Fireworks Ignite Over Gaiety Theatre
Real-life Theatre Erupts with Zoning Board of Appeals
By Ann Chang
What was scheduled as a routine hearing last Tuesday before the Zoning Board of Appeal on the determination of the Gaiety Theatre�s status, turned into a heated confrontation between the ZBA and proponents to save the theater from demolition, including four city councilors.
The hearing was scheduled for 12:30 pm. At 1:45 pm, ZBA chairman Robert Shortsleeve announced to the crowd of over 60 people that the board would not hear the appeal. The stunned audience erupted into cries of �servants for the BRA� and �rump board.� City councilor Chuck Turner demanded to know why. �This is an advertised hearing,� he said. �How can you not have the hearing?�
Shortsleeve stated: �Corporation Counsel has said we have no standing on this matter.� Ignoring taunts from the crowd, he tried to continue with other scheduled hearings. It was not to be. City counilor Maura Hennigan asked: �Where is Counsel�s letter stating that you have no standing on this matter?�
�There was no letter,� Shortsleeve declared, further inflaming the Gaiety supporters, who had come to oppose the theater�s demolition by Kensington Investment Co., the owner. Kensington wants to demolish the Gaiety to build a 30-story apartment building, called Kensington Place, along Washington Street.
Hennigan then led the Gaiety supporters, including city councilors Chuck Turner and Felix Arroyo, to City Hall law offices, only to find the doors there locked with two security guards inside and four others out in the hall. Hennigan demanded the right to see the counsel responsible for the hearing�s closure.
The head of security said only councilors would be allowed inside. Former Corporation Counsel Marita Hopkins appeared, stating she didn�t know why the hearing was closed. She promised to find a solution, but that first the proponents had to return to the hearing area.
Hopkins arranged for the ZBA to hold the hearing but warned that it wouldn�t make a decision; instead, it would take the case �under advisement� with a decision made at a latter, non-specified date.
As the hearing reconvened, Shortsleeve tried to limit testimony to two speakers but relented when told that five city councilors were there. Four — Charles Yancey, Hennigan, Arroyo, and Turner —were in favor of the Gaiety, and one — James Kelly —opposed it. Shortsleeve did limit the non-elected speakers to two persons from the Chinatown community. Ching-In Chen, of the Asian American Resource Workshop, testified that the Gaiety is an integral part of the Chinatown Master Plan and was slated to become a cultural community center. If de-molished, she said, it would have to be replaced according to cultural preservation rules in force.
Turner stressed that the demolition represented ec-onomic expediency over law. �The Inspectional Ser-vices Division issued a permit for demolition without the required ZBA hearing,� he said. Arroyo added that the ZBA had a duty to review the master plan and see that Kensing-ton Place was not in the community�s best interests. Hennigan tried to get the ZBA to put a stay on the demolition until its decision was made.
Kelly stated that the development, especially affordable housing, was good for the neighborhood�s economy.
Matt Kiefer, counsel for the developer, stated that the demolition approval was in hand in 2001 after it was found that the Gaiety was no longer a designated theater. �Four city and three state agencies have approved the [Kensington Place] development,� he said. �There have been court [land] trials, appellate and supreme court findings all in favor of [it].� He agreed with Shortsleeve that the ZBA didn�t have standing in the matter. �I am confident in the…determination from the Corporation Counsel�
Shortsleeve moved to send the matter to Counsel for a �speedy determination.� All voted in favor.
Somewhere I recall reading that it was also briefly called the ‘Mirthmovie’ near the end of its life. I don’t know why it went through so many name changes.
In this 1934 winter nighttime photo (described here), you can just barely see the Normandie sign at the left, followed by the Bijou, the newer RKO Keith Memorial, and finally the Modern.
For comparison, look at this picture taken between 1907 and 1915, which shows the Keith’s and Bijou Dream entrances side-by-side. Photo is described here.
A 1906 photo of Keith’s Theatre, described here. Keith’s Theatre is the green building. To its left is the Adams House hotel. To its right is an establishemnt called “O'Callaghan’s”, of which I know nothing. It is where the Bijou Theatre should be located. Perhaps the Bijou is closed at this time, or has had its entrance consolidated with Keith’s.
But now it’s cut off again!
Interesting that Cincinnati had both a Keith’s and an Albee, separate theatres. Did any other city?
Sounds like Columbus did a much better job than Cincy of keeping its old downtown theatres. The CAPA organization there saved and restored the Ohio (formerly Loew’s Ohio), the Palace (formerly RKO Palace) and the Southern. All three are now live stages, but the Ohio has a classic film series.
The e-mail address got cut off at the end. Did the message exceed a length limit?
If you stand across Church Street from the Breast Cancer mural and Soho Jewelry, and look up at the top of the blank brick wall, you’ll see a faded painted advertisement. It reads:
UNIVERSITY
THEATRE
CONTINUOUS 1:30-11 PM
The Chevalier looks like a cool place, but did it ever show movies? Only movie theatres (or ex-movie theatres) can be listed here at CinemaTreasures.
This is the first I’ve heard of it, but I bet that it should be spelled ‘Fellsway’. Can you tell us where this is on Salem Street?
This 1933 postcard shows it as the Park, with Rex Bell in “Rainbow Ranch”.
This 1936 postcard, a nearly identical view, shows it as the Hub, with Ronald Colman in “Under Two Flags” and Dick Powell in “Thanks a Million”.
I did not realize that my link above was temporary. Here’s a permanent link):displayType=1:m856sd=det:m856sf=4a27896) to the same photo.
From the Library of Congress online collection, an early photo of the Majestic):displayType=1:m856sd=det:m856sf=4a11363), taken some time between 1903 and 1906.
Another early photo of Chickering Hall):displayType=1:m856sd=det:m856sf=4a11359), from the Library of Congress collection, taken sometime between 1901 and 1906.
This photo of Horticultural Hall):displayType=1:m856sd=det:m856sf=4a11360), taken around the same time, shows a bit of Chickering Hall to the right.
The Library of Congress Historic American Buildings Survey has an extensive online record)) of this theatre. It contains 31 black-and-white photos, 9 pages of blueprints, three pages of photo captions, and a 63-page report on the theatre’s history and architecture.
A photo of the ‘New Palace Theatre’ from the Library of Congress collection, taken some time between 1915 and 1925.
The caption reads:
The Birthplace of the Telephone
109 Court St., Boston, Mass.
On the top floor of this building in 1875,
Professor Bell carried on his experiments
and first succeeded in transmitting speech
by electricity.
Way above, someone asked about the Trans-Lux. That was a couple blocks further south, had several different names during its history, and is listed here as the State, which was the name it had when it closed.
It was demolished in 1991. The Millennium Place/Ritz-Carlton Towers complex (which includes the 19-screen Loews Boston Common multiplex) now stands on its site.
The first sentence of the description needs to be corrected. Brookline is not a ‘Boston neighborhood’; it is a separate town. I’d change ‘neighborhood’ to ‘suburb’.