thanks, Ron – when I searched CT for Dorchester, nothing showed up…..but there it is now! Now a church, it reads, and there is one on that block. I guess there’s a different entrance though. Maybe I’ll join the congregation
Does anyone have any info about another theatre on Blue Hill Ave, further north in Dorchester. There is a facade of a boarded up theatre visible on a block near the intersection of Columbia Rd, across from the northern edge of Franklin Park. I’m curious as to what theatre this was – possibly a remnant from that neighborhoods years as a vibrant Jewish community. Anyone recall this?
Thanks for the info, Ron. Star Cinema rings a bell with me, as does Essex Cinema. It must have gone under both those names before it closed, as I remember them both. I lived in a loft next to the Paramount Theatre in the mid-80’s, I recall the entrance on Essex St – pretty sure that was the Star Cinema then. I never knew they had live music during the 40’s/50’s, but it was certainly a big enough stage. Maybe someday someone will attempt to reopen this space and do something with it. Especially if The Gaiety/Publix gets demolished, which, sadly, is looking more likely every day.
re : the concrete/balconey issue — they cut the theatre up to make smaller theatres, to show the mostly kung-fu/grindhouse fare. I think they chopped it into 3 theatres, 1 in the balconey, 2 downstairs. Both The State and The Center got carved into smaller theatres as well, with the balconeys becoming the 2nd cinema. Or maybe I should say Sinema — I saw Deep Throat and The Devil In Miss Jones on a double bill in the balconey of The State – must have been around 1975. The Center and whatever the Cinerama was called then had the chop sockey fare, The Pilgrim had porn, The Stuart and Publix had 2nd/3rd run and Grade-Z fare. The Stuart went porn when it became the Pussycat.
The Fenway Theatre was used for rock shows briefly in the early 70’s. I saw both Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart there (in seperate shows) in ‘70, '71. It was closed when I went to Berklee in '73.
I remember I, A Woman (the original) having a very long run there in the mid-60’s. Russ Meyer’s Vixen also played there for ages. I was too young to see these films but was aware of this ‘forbidden fruit’. I saw some porn filx there in the late 70’s when it was the Pussycat.
The Symphony switched to blaxploitation fare in the 70’s. I remember trying to get into see “Midnight Cowboy” (on second run) there around 1970 or 71, but they wouldn’t let me in as I was under 18.
I remember when it became a kung fu theatre (like the nearby Center and also what I think was the China Cinema over in the Leather District)…….you entered on Essex St, across from Playland. The old entrance on Washington St was closed by then. I saw probably all the Cinerama flix there as a kid, but was always interested in the sexploitation flims across the street at The State. The last Cinerama films, “Grand Prix” and “Ice Station Zebra” played there, it may have closed after that (around ‘72?. I also saw “2001” there in '69.
I think that was the Statler Building. It was across from the bus terminal. I remember seeing revivals there in the 70’s. The Park Plaza building had the WEZE radio station that Richard is refering to. The Playboy Club and the Tedy Bear Lounge were across the street.
The facade was all glass, looking into the lobby, which did indeed have benches. You had to walk through the entire lobby to get to the doors into the auditorium. Originally part of the Embassy Theatre chain (Joseph E Levine), along with the Kenmore, Park Sq, West End and (I believe) The Abbey. Showed Euro art films in its early days as I recall. “The Graduate” had a very long run there in the late 60’s. Had the Eiffel Tower on it’s signage.
I saw Sound Of Music, as well as Mary Poppins, at The Gary as a kid in the mid-60’s. We sat in the cheaper balconey seats; I believe all seats were reserved. I recall The Gary being one of the big Sack road show houses. Still have a vague recollection of the vertical sign outside. I believe it closed before falling into horror/blaxploitation fare like the nearby Saxon and Astor theatres, and was vacant for awhile before being torn down to make way for the Transporation building. The Hillbilly Ranch and Herbie’s RamRod Room were on the same block (actually Herbies was in the alley to its left)
thanks, Ron – when I searched CT for Dorchester, nothing showed up…..but there it is now! Now a church, it reads, and there is one on that block. I guess there’s a different entrance though. Maybe I’ll join the congregation
Does anyone have any info about another theatre on Blue Hill Ave, further north in Dorchester. There is a facade of a boarded up theatre visible on a block near the intersection of Columbia Rd, across from the northern edge of Franklin Park. I’m curious as to what theatre this was – possibly a remnant from that neighborhoods years as a vibrant Jewish community. Anyone recall this?
Thanks for the info, Ron. Star Cinema rings a bell with me, as does Essex Cinema. It must have gone under both those names before it closed, as I remember them both. I lived in a loft next to the Paramount Theatre in the mid-80’s, I recall the entrance on Essex St – pretty sure that was the Star Cinema then. I never knew they had live music during the 40’s/50’s, but it was certainly a big enough stage. Maybe someday someone will attempt to reopen this space and do something with it. Especially if The Gaiety/Publix gets demolished, which, sadly, is looking more likely every day.
re : the concrete/balconey issue — they cut the theatre up to make smaller theatres, to show the mostly kung-fu/grindhouse fare. I think they chopped it into 3 theatres, 1 in the balconey, 2 downstairs. Both The State and The Center got carved into smaller theatres as well, with the balconeys becoming the 2nd cinema. Or maybe I should say Sinema — I saw Deep Throat and The Devil In Miss Jones on a double bill in the balconey of The State – must have been around 1975. The Center and whatever the Cinerama was called then had the chop sockey fare, The Pilgrim had porn, The Stuart and Publix had 2nd/3rd run and Grade-Z fare. The Stuart went porn when it became the Pussycat.
The Fenway Theatre was used for rock shows briefly in the early 70’s. I saw both Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart there (in seperate shows) in ‘70, '71. It was closed when I went to Berklee in '73.
I remember I, A Woman (the original) having a very long run there in the mid-60’s. Russ Meyer’s Vixen also played there for ages. I was too young to see these films but was aware of this ‘forbidden fruit’. I saw some porn filx there in the late 70’s when it was the Pussycat.
The Symphony switched to blaxploitation fare in the 70’s. I remember trying to get into see “Midnight Cowboy” (on second run) there around 1970 or 71, but they wouldn’t let me in as I was under 18.
I remember when it became a kung fu theatre (like the nearby Center and also what I think was the China Cinema over in the Leather District)…….you entered on Essex St, across from Playland. The old entrance on Washington St was closed by then. I saw probably all the Cinerama flix there as a kid, but was always interested in the sexploitation flims across the street at The State. The last Cinerama films, “Grand Prix” and “Ice Station Zebra” played there, it may have closed after that (around ‘72?. I also saw “2001” there in '69.
I think that was the Statler Building. It was across from the bus terminal. I remember seeing revivals there in the 70’s. The Park Plaza building had the WEZE radio station that Richard is refering to. The Playboy Club and the Tedy Bear Lounge were across the street.
The facade was all glass, looking into the lobby, which did indeed have benches. You had to walk through the entire lobby to get to the doors into the auditorium. Originally part of the Embassy Theatre chain (Joseph E Levine), along with the Kenmore, Park Sq, West End and (I believe) The Abbey. Showed Euro art films in its early days as I recall. “The Graduate” had a very long run there in the late 60’s. Had the Eiffel Tower on it’s signage.
I saw Sound Of Music, as well as Mary Poppins, at The Gary as a kid in the mid-60’s. We sat in the cheaper balconey seats; I believe all seats were reserved. I recall The Gary being one of the big Sack road show houses. Still have a vague recollection of the vertical sign outside. I believe it closed before falling into horror/blaxploitation fare like the nearby Saxon and Astor theatres, and was vacant for awhile before being torn down to make way for the Transporation building. The Hillbilly Ranch and Herbie’s RamRod Room were on the same block (actually Herbies was in the alley to its left)