I saw two memorable movies at the Embassy, when I was young. “Old Yellar” in 1957 and “The Time Machine” in 1960, a George Pal Production, staring Rod Taylor. My older cousin would take me, since I was six in 1957 and 9 in 1960. We always waited for the balcony to open up so we could sit upstairs. The Time Machine movie scared me because World War III in the movie happened in 1966 and I thought we only had 6 more years to live! It became one of my favorite movies. The Embassy was the second biggest theater in New Britain. The Strand was the biggest. The Embassy also had a two sided marquee on West Main St. between City Hall and the Gates Building, over an alleyway leading to the auditorium. I believe that was the old entrance when the theater was first built as the Lyceum. They used it to provide extra space to advertise movies, however by the time I was born you had to enter under the new 3 sided marque on Main next to Raphael’s Department store. My late parents had told me that when it was the Lyceum the theater had two balconies, and when it was renovated into the embassy the second balcony was removed. Don’t know if anyone can verify that? Alan
The local news paper then known as the “New Britain Herald”, today known as “The Herald” published numerous pictures (interior and exterior)of this magnificent theater during its final days of closing and the subsequent demolition. They also ran a souvenir full page layout of pictures of the theater in 1972. I still have my copy of the newspaper’s pictures. It would be nice if they would allow these pictures to be printed here. The demolition in my opinion was a BIG mistake on the part of the City government in their ill-fated “urban renewal movement” The first one story mall that replaced the theater and its surroundings remained practically empty until it too was demolished a decade or so afterward. As a former resident with family ties going back to the founding of the City, New Britain went from the “Hardware City of the World” to the “Parking Lot City of the World” according to my late father who saw his beloved City demolished during the 1960’s and 1970’s. Sort of what like happened to Penn Station in New York City.. A monumental act of vandalism! Alan
My understanding was that the Strand Theater, when completed, cost one million dollars. It was then known as the “Million Dollar Strand” when it opened in 1926. As a youngster in the 1950’s and early 1960’s I saw many great Disney movies there on the giant screen. Alan
I saw two memorable movies at the Embassy, when I was young. “Old Yellar” in 1957 and “The Time Machine” in 1960, a George Pal Production, staring Rod Taylor. My older cousin would take me, since I was six in 1957 and 9 in 1960. We always waited for the balcony to open up so we could sit upstairs. The Time Machine movie scared me because World War III in the movie happened in 1966 and I thought we only had 6 more years to live! It became one of my favorite movies. The Embassy was the second biggest theater in New Britain. The Strand was the biggest. The Embassy also had a two sided marquee on West Main St. between City Hall and the Gates Building, over an alleyway leading to the auditorium. I believe that was the old entrance when the theater was first built as the Lyceum. They used it to provide extra space to advertise movies, however by the time I was born you had to enter under the new 3 sided marque on Main next to Raphael’s Department store. My late parents had told me that when it was the Lyceum the theater had two balconies, and when it was renovated into the embassy the second balcony was removed. Don’t know if anyone can verify that? Alan
The local news paper then known as the “New Britain Herald”, today known as “The Herald” published numerous pictures (interior and exterior)of this magnificent theater during its final days of closing and the subsequent demolition. They also ran a souvenir full page layout of pictures of the theater in 1972. I still have my copy of the newspaper’s pictures. It would be nice if they would allow these pictures to be printed here. The demolition in my opinion was a BIG mistake on the part of the City government in their ill-fated “urban renewal movement” The first one story mall that replaced the theater and its surroundings remained practically empty until it too was demolished a decade or so afterward. As a former resident with family ties going back to the founding of the City, New Britain went from the “Hardware City of the World” to the “Parking Lot City of the World” according to my late father who saw his beloved City demolished during the 1960’s and 1970’s. Sort of what like happened to Penn Station in New York City.. A monumental act of vandalism! Alan
My understanding was that the Strand Theater, when completed, cost one million dollars. It was then known as the “Million Dollar Strand” when it opened in 1926. As a youngster in the 1950’s and early 1960’s I saw many great Disney movies there on the giant screen. Alan