I have had that picture for a while now. That picture was and maybe still is posted on the internet and it’s even clearer than that so you can make out what movie is playing on the marquee!! Aren’t you nice to take the time to post it. I appreicate that! I spent a lot of time in that theater when I was very young, through my teens and later on a few dates!! Now…..if anyone has the good fortune to have any interior pictures of that theater that would be awesome. I can picture in my mind the red lacquered elaborate benches and the
fancy ladies room and the ornate carpet etc. Those wonderful
memories will stay with me forever!!!!
Anyone who grew up on Callender St. close to Blue Hill Ave. in the
mid 1950’s and ‘60’s….I hope you discover this site and write
about your memories of the Oriental Theater and the good old days
living in Dorchester. It’s so great to look back on those days.
We didn’t realize just how lucky we were then!!!!
I have the same memories. Grew up in Dorchester, moved to Mattapan Sq. when I was almost 18. A friend I grew up with moved to Mattapan
a year before my family. She lived right up the street from the Ori,so we spent a lot of time in that theater. Had many grilled hot dogs from Simcos. Since she lived near St.Angelas we had many occasions to talk to some of the nuns during the summer. Great memories and a great time in my life. We were so lucky to have what we had, such simple times jam packed with many fun things to do!!!
Whenever I get really fed up with the fast paced life of today I just put myself back in Mattapan walking down to the Oriental Theater envisioning the buddahs, and clouds and twinkling stars. By
doing that some of my stress melts away. I still talk to my high school friends and we always talk about the Oriental Theater and
what a wonderful time in our life those years were…….Marcy
Thank you to ken mc for posting the picture of the Oriental
Theater. That really brings me back to a very happy time in
my life. I see a Debbie Reynolds picture was playing so I don't
think I was old enough to go see a movie at that time. I am
wondering what year that picture was taken by looking at the cars I would say 1959?. Too bad there doesn’t seem to be any interior pictures available of that one of a kind beautiful theater. Hopefully, someone someday will post some.
Thanks again!
M.S.
I would like to see photographs of the Orie as well. Inside the theater and outside. That would be so awesome. I can still picture the inside with the red lacquered benches and oriental carpet!!!
Hope someone will post some photos.
Thanks for answering. You see I loved my neighborhood so much. I lived on Callender Street from the day I was born to age 18. You
cannot imagine how torn up I was about leaving our 2 family house
in Dorchester. My two bachelor uncles lived upstairs. My sister and
I didn’t sleep all night knowing we were moving to Mattapan Square
area the next day. The only things that kept me going was the fact
that my aunt bought the house and we could walk to the Oriental
now in about 10 mins. I still talk to my Dorchester friends and
we are young enough to remember everything about the Ori. I used
to go there with a babysitter and then was allowed to go with my
friends when I was 11 or 12. You are so lucky to have the clock.
I think the last movie I saw there was The Out of Towners w/Sandy
Dennis and Jack Lemmon. Oh yeah, I hate when they use the word
progress. NO!!! I don’t buy it, they should have kept the legacy
going on. Who cares about the mall theaters, the Oriental Theater
was in a class by itself. What they should have done was sell it
and restore it and keep it going. The area changed, different
class of people so that could be another reason they decided to
give it up. I called my mom to tell her about the place being
demolished. A flood of memories came back to her right away she
said she used to go there with my dad all the time before I was
born. Anyone from that time and place brightens right up and starts
talking about the Ori. Well, if I had the money I’d buy the theater
that just closed near where I live and turn it into another Oriental
Theater. My daughter never got to see the moving clouds and
twinkling stars in the ceiling in any theater but you can be sure
I told her all about it. BTW I just might remember that robot
costume. I think the kid won a bike. It was fun being a part of
something like that. I went home and thanked my parents for
buying a house in Dorchester because I loved the neighborhood so
much, the people, the stores and above all it was safe. I wrote
a whole piece about the good old days and it was published. We
will never have that again. Just think human beings caused the
safety and fun times to disappear!!!Enjoy your clock. I’m sure
everytime you look at it your wonderful memories of the Ori
come back to you.
I almost cried when I read the comment from Lefty. It’s so ironic
that you were involved in the demolition of that wonderful theater
when years before you spent many Saturdays having fun at the Oriental!! That must have been very troubling destroying a place of happiness. I wish I owned something from that theater. I spent
many Saturdays there with my friends watching cartoons and the
double scarey movies. At Halloween they told us to arrive in costume and they had contests for the best costume. The winner won a bike!
We all took those days forgranted, thought they’d last forever. All of a sudden all we have are memories. I still have my Dorchester friends and we still talk about the Ori!! How fortunate we were
to have a theater like that along with the glorious simple days,and
the nice safe neighborhoods.
That last time I went to the Ori was back in 1969.
Anyone who used to live in the Dorchester or Mattapan area around
the late 1950’s up til 1966, especially people from Callender Street,Floyd St. and surrounding streets in Dorchester hope you
read this and write in about your wonderful memories of those
easy breezy simple days. Comments about the Oriental are fun to
read especially from my friends and I had lots of them back then.
We will have another Oriental Theater. When I go to a movie now
the theater is drab in comparison. It’s fun to talk about and
remember the good ole days in Dorchester and Mattapan Square that
was home to the Oriental Theater.
I was born in Boston and raised in Dorchester on Callender St. the Blue Hill Ave. end in back of the Prime market, Norman’s toy store,Willies & Eddies fruit store, Sunlite Bakery, Nollers, remember those stores how could you forget. The Ori or Oriental was a magical place to me, my parents took my sister and I there for the first time when I was 7. I looked at the clouds and twinkling stars more than the movies. Years later til age 18 I went to that theater. I spent so much time there I really should have worked there when I was 16. What a glamorous theater, of course it was fashioned after Grauman’s Chinese in CA. I can just picture those Buddah’s high up on the wall with the red gleaming eyes. Growing up in Dorchester was the best time in my life. In 1967 we moved to Mattapan, a 10 minute walk to the Oriental Theater. I remember going there with my sister and friends to see a movie called ‘A Patch of Blue'in 1965. So I spent a lot of years in that theater. How sad that the best and I mean the best of times and places are only temporary and become just a lasting and loving memory. The Oriental theater will always have a special meaning and place in my heart forever.
I have had that picture for a while now. That picture was and maybe still is posted on the internet and it’s even clearer than that so you can make out what movie is playing on the marquee!! Aren’t you nice to take the time to post it. I appreicate that! I spent a lot of time in that theater when I was very young, through my teens and later on a few dates!! Now…..if anyone has the good fortune to have any interior pictures of that theater that would be awesome. I can picture in my mind the red lacquered elaborate benches and the
fancy ladies room and the ornate carpet etc. Those wonderful
memories will stay with me forever!!!!
What picture are you referring to????
Anyone who grew up on Callender St. close to Blue Hill Ave. in the
mid 1950’s and ‘60’s….I hope you discover this site and write
about your memories of the Oriental Theater and the good old days
living in Dorchester. It’s so great to look back on those days.
We didn’t realize just how lucky we were then!!!!
I have the same memories. Grew up in Dorchester, moved to Mattapan Sq. when I was almost 18. A friend I grew up with moved to Mattapan
a year before my family. She lived right up the street from the Ori,so we spent a lot of time in that theater. Had many grilled hot dogs from Simcos. Since she lived near St.Angelas we had many occasions to talk to some of the nuns during the summer. Great memories and a great time in my life. We were so lucky to have what we had, such simple times jam packed with many fun things to do!!!
Whenever I get really fed up with the fast paced life of today I just put myself back in Mattapan walking down to the Oriental Theater envisioning the buddahs, and clouds and twinkling stars. By
doing that some of my stress melts away. I still talk to my high school friends and we always talk about the Oriental Theater and
what a wonderful time in our life those years were…….Marcy
Thank you to ken mc for posting the picture of the Oriental
Theater. That really brings me back to a very happy time in
my life. I see a Debbie Reynolds picture was playing so I don't
think I was old enough to go see a movie at that time. I am
wondering what year that picture was taken by looking at the cars I would say 1959?. Too bad there doesn’t seem to be any interior pictures available of that one of a kind beautiful theater. Hopefully, someone someday will post some.
Thanks again!
M.S.
I would like to see photographs of the Orie as well. Inside the theater and outside. That would be so awesome. I can still picture the inside with the red lacquered benches and oriental carpet!!!
Hope someone will post some photos.
Thanks for answering. You see I loved my neighborhood so much. I lived on Callender Street from the day I was born to age 18. You
cannot imagine how torn up I was about leaving our 2 family house
in Dorchester. My two bachelor uncles lived upstairs. My sister and
I didn’t sleep all night knowing we were moving to Mattapan Square
area the next day. The only things that kept me going was the fact
that my aunt bought the house and we could walk to the Oriental
now in about 10 mins. I still talk to my Dorchester friends and
we are young enough to remember everything about the Ori. I used
to go there with a babysitter and then was allowed to go with my
friends when I was 11 or 12. You are so lucky to have the clock.
I think the last movie I saw there was The Out of Towners w/Sandy
Dennis and Jack Lemmon. Oh yeah, I hate when they use the word
progress. NO!!! I don’t buy it, they should have kept the legacy
going on. Who cares about the mall theaters, the Oriental Theater
was in a class by itself. What they should have done was sell it
and restore it and keep it going. The area changed, different
class of people so that could be another reason they decided to
give it up. I called my mom to tell her about the place being
demolished. A flood of memories came back to her right away she
said she used to go there with my dad all the time before I was
born. Anyone from that time and place brightens right up and starts
talking about the Ori. Well, if I had the money I’d buy the theater
that just closed near where I live and turn it into another Oriental
Theater. My daughter never got to see the moving clouds and
twinkling stars in the ceiling in any theater but you can be sure
I told her all about it. BTW I just might remember that robot
costume. I think the kid won a bike. It was fun being a part of
something like that. I went home and thanked my parents for
buying a house in Dorchester because I loved the neighborhood so
much, the people, the stores and above all it was safe. I wrote
a whole piece about the good old days and it was published. We
will never have that again. Just think human beings caused the
safety and fun times to disappear!!!Enjoy your clock. I’m sure
everytime you look at it your wonderful memories of the Ori
come back to you.
I almost cried when I read the comment from Lefty. It’s so ironic
that you were involved in the demolition of that wonderful theater
when years before you spent many Saturdays having fun at the Oriental!! That must have been very troubling destroying a place of happiness. I wish I owned something from that theater. I spent
many Saturdays there with my friends watching cartoons and the
double scarey movies. At Halloween they told us to arrive in costume and they had contests for the best costume. The winner won a bike!
We all took those days forgranted, thought they’d last forever. All of a sudden all we have are memories. I still have my Dorchester friends and we still talk about the Ori!! How fortunate we were
to have a theater like that along with the glorious simple days,and
the nice safe neighborhoods.
That last time I went to the Ori was back in 1969.
Sorry, I meant to say WE WILL NEVER HAVE ANOTHER ORIENTAL THEATER!!
Anyone who used to live in the Dorchester or Mattapan area around
the late 1950’s up til 1966, especially people from Callender Street,Floyd St. and surrounding streets in Dorchester hope you
read this and write in about your wonderful memories of those
easy breezy simple days. Comments about the Oriental are fun to
read especially from my friends and I had lots of them back then.
We will have another Oriental Theater. When I go to a movie now
the theater is drab in comparison. It’s fun to talk about and
remember the good ole days in Dorchester and Mattapan Square that
was home to the Oriental Theater.
I was born in Boston and raised in Dorchester on Callender St. the Blue Hill Ave. end in back of the Prime market, Norman’s toy store,Willies & Eddies fruit store, Sunlite Bakery, Nollers, remember those stores how could you forget. The Ori or Oriental was a magical place to me, my parents took my sister and I there for the first time when I was 7. I looked at the clouds and twinkling stars more than the movies. Years later til age 18 I went to that theater. I spent so much time there I really should have worked there when I was 16. What a glamorous theater, of course it was fashioned after Grauman’s Chinese in CA. I can just picture those Buddah’s high up on the wall with the red gleaming eyes. Growing up in Dorchester was the best time in my life. In 1967 we moved to Mattapan, a 10 minute walk to the Oriental Theater. I remember going there with my sister and friends to see a movie called ‘A Patch of Blue'in 1965. So I spent a lot of years in that theater. How sad that the best and I mean the best of times and places are only temporary and become just a lasting and loving memory. The Oriental theater will always have a special meaning and place in my heart forever.