My late father, Sam (who commented above and had commented on several other Everett theaters) relayed to me that Everett at one time did indeed have 4 or 5 theaters, and yes, Ron, those are the familiar names. I hope someone may still be around who can tell us the locations of the Modern and the Broadway. The Strand is the former name of the Park–the name change occurred sometime in the late ‘20s/early '30s.
To answer Kevinm2017’s question: The Stoneham Cinema was located in the Redstone Shopping Center in Stoneham. “Redstone” has nothing to do with Sumner Redstone or National Amusements. Presumably, the name has to do with the fact that the shopping plaza is located very close to the municipal line separating Reading and Stoneham, on route 28.
I was a PSU student in the mid-70s and worked there as a projectioninst a couple of times. As I recall, I trained in the booth there as an apprentice in order to test for my projectionist license in Harrisburg. There were red drapes masking the screen that no longer opened and closed. The Century projectors gave a good-quality presentation. It never really looked like a movie theater from the outside.
It is definitely not the Park you are thinking of—there were never any porn houses in the city of Everett. You may be thinking of the Parkway Plaza Theater, which was located in the Parkway Plaza Shopping Center in Chelsea—opposite Bradlees and some other stores, between Webster Ave and Revere Beach Parkway. That theater showed porn in the late 1970s-1980s. That theater building was demolished years ago and that site is now the back of the parking lot of a relatively new Home Depot store.
Here is a quote from a brochure found in the historical archives at the Parlin Memorial Library in Everett: “The Park Theatre opened its doors in 1914. First known as the Crown Theater, it was one of three in the city. It probably featured vaudeville shows and "electric pictures,” as early movies were called. Over the years, its name was changed to the Olympia Theatre (circa 1919-21), the Strand (mid-1920s) and, by 1930, the Park Theatre."
Please note Barry Goodkin’s specific dates two comments back.
The Redstone shopping center marquee, as I recall, outlived the cinema operation itself. So although I don’t dispute Ian’s assertion about the message on the marquee in 1994, I do believe—I could be wrong—the theatre closed sometime between 1985 and 1990.
I am grateful to Father Nature for letting us know it was once a bowling alley. I always figured it was built for some other purpose, but I didn’t know the story.
I was an usher at the Granada in the early-mid 70’s. The ushers or the manager controlled the downstairs house lights (dimmer switch was on the wall just outside the auditorium). The beautifully lit curtains downstairs were gold and were the type that rise to open. The manager at the time was a Miss Buttrick. The Pleasant Street long lobby was absent all of those video games and pinball machines that were later added under new ownership in the 1980’s.
PopcorNRoses is correct that there was (and maybe still is?) a marquee-type sign with large vertical numbers on the outer wall of McKinnon’s. It certainly did look theatrical, but as Sam S says, there never was a cinema there.
To Ron: I appreciate that information very much. The theatre I am remembering is indeed the Winthrop Theatre. I wonder if the building is still standing on Putnam St.? When you walked in, it looked like the Park, except it was a mirror image (right was left and vice versa). The Park’s curtains were red and the Winthrop had either gold or blue curtains, if I recall correctly. Thanks.
There was a movie theatre in Winthrop that was an architectural duplicate of the Park in Everett. The interior looked pretty much the same. I was inside that Winthrop theatre once, but I don’t recall its name or its location, and I would like to know if the building is still standing. I think there was a theatre called “The Kincaid” in Winthrop, but there was at least one other theater as well. Anyone know which one I’m thinking of?
The screen at the Charles (upstairs) was a very good size, to be sure. I believe the biggest screen in the “Star Wars era” in Greater Boston may have been the Saxon on Tremont St. (now the Emerson Majestic). Although the picture quality at the Charles was excellent, the sound was not particularly good, maybe even sub-par.
Kids who grew up in the ‘50’s and '60’s will remember the children’s matinees every Saturday and Sunday. Always double features, preceded by cartoons, Three Stooges, and serials like Batman and Captain Video. Many a packed noisy house. On Saturdays, you collected an extra ticket at admission for the contests/prizes part of the show, which was after the trailers (just before the second feature). Leo had this giant board of hidden numbers which was placed on the stage in front of the curtains, and a kid was selected to point at cards on the board to reveal the winning numbers. This was followed by the balloon blowing contest, where kids got to stand on the stage in front of the screen and get cheered on.
I think Sack did not close off the 2nd balcony—right away, anyway. I remember seeing Mary Poppins when it opened (in 1964?) and every seat was sold, including both balconies. I remember standing in a very long line for tickets—the line wrapping around the block from Stuart onto Tremont St.
I’d be curious to know if the 2-screen Stoneham Cinema was originally opened as a single screen. I think it may have beeen. The two houses were configured side by side and the center aisle in each auditorium was quite off-center, as my memory recalls.
As of today, the only thing remaining of that Bradlees Plaza is the Bradlees sign at the former entrance to the Plaza on Webster Ave. Everything else has been razed. Major construction is now in progress (for a Home Depot?)
I remember the theatre in its 1960’s heyday. It was located in its own end of the shopping plaza, a couple of hundred yards away from Bradlees and Stop and Shop. The building contruction was white brick, I believe—not much to look at. It was also accessible from the Revere Beach Parkway (route 16). Inside, it was pleasant, but not ornate. Colored flood lights illuminated the screens—no curtains or masking. I saw Mary Poppins and It’s a Mad Mad Mad World. It would draw patrons from Chelsea, Everett and Revere with its newness—although the Park Theatre in Everett still drew most of the Everett crowd.
I worked at the Charles in 1980-81. I worked during The Rose and All That Jazz and recall Jack Lemmon coming in to see a special showing of, I think, Paper Tiger. I was working concessions upstairs during Empire Strikes Back. They let the velvet ropes go and everyone came charging at us. What a madhouse it was, with continuous sell-outs! One night during that run I was working downstairs and we were robbed at gunpoint—the cash draw was so close to the door—I quit soon after that!
I worked there as a projectionist in 1981-82. By then, Sonny and Eddie had split, and it was now an “Eddie’s Theatre” I’m pretty sure. Thinking back, I think maybe all of the Sonny and Eddies theatres became Eddies around this time. Back in the early 80’s, the Allston was more of a second-run theatre than an art house. It was often very busy on weekends and a fun place to work. Although the screens were small, they appeared larger due to the fact the auditoriums were narrow shoe boxes.
I was in the theatre in the early 80’s and I remember 2 escalators (no longer operational) as you entered the lobby. These were the old wood-tread escalators that went clackity-clack.
My late father, Sam (who commented above and had commented on several other Everett theaters) relayed to me that Everett at one time did indeed have 4 or 5 theaters, and yes, Ron, those are the familiar names. I hope someone may still be around who can tell us the locations of the Modern and the Broadway. The Strand is the former name of the Park–the name change occurred sometime in the late ‘20s/early '30s.
To answer Kevinm2017’s question: The Stoneham Cinema was located in the Redstone Shopping Center in Stoneham. “Redstone” has nothing to do with Sumner Redstone or National Amusements. Presumably, the name has to do with the fact that the shopping plaza is located very close to the municipal line separating Reading and Stoneham, on route 28.
I was a PSU student in the mid-70s and worked there as a projectioninst a couple of times. As I recall, I trained in the booth there as an apprentice in order to test for my projectionist license in Harrisburg. There were red drapes masking the screen that no longer opened and closed. The Century projectors gave a good-quality presentation. It never really looked like a movie theater from the outside.
It is definitely not the Park you are thinking of—there were never any porn houses in the city of Everett. You may be thinking of the Parkway Plaza Theater, which was located in the Parkway Plaza Shopping Center in Chelsea—opposite Bradlees and some other stores, between Webster Ave and Revere Beach Parkway. That theater showed porn in the late 1970s-1980s. That theater building was demolished years ago and that site is now the back of the parking lot of a relatively new Home Depot store.
Here is a quote from a brochure found in the historical archives at the Parlin Memorial Library in Everett: “The Park Theatre opened its doors in 1914. First known as the Crown Theater, it was one of three in the city. It probably featured vaudeville shows and "electric pictures,” as early movies were called. Over the years, its name was changed to the Olympia Theatre (circa 1919-21), the Strand (mid-1920s) and, by 1930, the Park Theatre."
Please note Barry Goodkin’s specific dates two comments back.
The footprint of the Stomeham Cinema in now a Shaws supermarket at the back of the shopping plaza.
The Redstone shopping center marquee, as I recall, outlived the cinema operation itself. So although I don’t dispute Ian’s assertion about the message on the marquee in 1994, I do believe—I could be wrong—the theatre closed sometime between 1985 and 1990.
I am grateful to Father Nature for letting us know it was once a bowling alley. I always figured it was built for some other purpose, but I didn’t know the story.
I was an usher at the Granada in the early-mid 70’s. The ushers or the manager controlled the downstairs house lights (dimmer switch was on the wall just outside the auditorium). The beautifully lit curtains downstairs were gold and were the type that rise to open. The manager at the time was a Miss Buttrick. The Pleasant Street long lobby was absent all of those video games and pinball machines that were later added under new ownership in the 1980’s.
PopcorNRoses is correct that there was (and maybe still is?) a marquee-type sign with large vertical numbers on the outer wall of McKinnon’s. It certainly did look theatrical, but as Sam S says, there never was a cinema there.
To Ron: I appreciate that information very much. The theatre I am remembering is indeed the Winthrop Theatre. I wonder if the building is still standing on Putnam St.? When you walked in, it looked like the Park, except it was a mirror image (right was left and vice versa). The Park’s curtains were red and the Winthrop had either gold or blue curtains, if I recall correctly. Thanks.
There was a movie theatre in Winthrop that was an architectural duplicate of the Park in Everett. The interior looked pretty much the same. I was inside that Winthrop theatre once, but I don’t recall its name or its location, and I would like to know if the building is still standing. I think there was a theatre called “The Kincaid” in Winthrop, but there was at least one other theater as well. Anyone know which one I’m thinking of?
The screen at the Charles (upstairs) was a very good size, to be sure. I believe the biggest screen in the “Star Wars era” in Greater Boston may have been the Saxon on Tremont St. (now the Emerson Majestic). Although the picture quality at the Charles was excellent, the sound was not particularly good, maybe even sub-par.
The name of the condo complex where the theatre used to be is the Park Plaza. This is just steps from Everett Square.
Kids who grew up in the ‘50’s and '60’s will remember the children’s matinees every Saturday and Sunday. Always double features, preceded by cartoons, Three Stooges, and serials like Batman and Captain Video. Many a packed noisy house. On Saturdays, you collected an extra ticket at admission for the contests/prizes part of the show, which was after the trailers (just before the second feature). Leo had this giant board of hidden numbers which was placed on the stage in front of the curtains, and a kid was selected to point at cards on the board to reveal the winning numbers. This was followed by the balloon blowing contest, where kids got to stand on the stage in front of the screen and get cheered on.
I think Sack did not close off the 2nd balcony—right away, anyway. I remember seeing Mary Poppins when it opened (in 1964?) and every seat was sold, including both balconies. I remember standing in a very long line for tickets—the line wrapping around the block from Stuart onto Tremont St.
I’d be curious to know if the 2-screen Stoneham Cinema was originally opened as a single screen. I think it may have beeen. The two houses were configured side by side and the center aisle in each auditorium was quite off-center, as my memory recalls.
As of today, the only thing remaining of that Bradlees Plaza is the Bradlees sign at the former entrance to the Plaza on Webster Ave. Everything else has been razed. Major construction is now in progress (for a Home Depot?)
I remember the theatre in its 1960’s heyday. It was located in its own end of the shopping plaza, a couple of hundred yards away from Bradlees and Stop and Shop. The building contruction was white brick, I believe—not much to look at. It was also accessible from the Revere Beach Parkway (route 16). Inside, it was pleasant, but not ornate. Colored flood lights illuminated the screens—no curtains or masking. I saw Mary Poppins and It’s a Mad Mad Mad World. It would draw patrons from Chelsea, Everett and Revere with its newness—although the Park Theatre in Everett still drew most of the Everett crowd.
I worked at the Charles in 1980-81. I worked during The Rose and All That Jazz and recall Jack Lemmon coming in to see a special showing of, I think, Paper Tiger. I was working concessions upstairs during Empire Strikes Back. They let the velvet ropes go and everyone came charging at us. What a madhouse it was, with continuous sell-outs! One night during that run I was working downstairs and we were robbed at gunpoint—the cash draw was so close to the door—I quit soon after that!
I worked there as a projectionist in 1981-82. By then, Sonny and Eddie had split, and it was now an “Eddie’s Theatre” I’m pretty sure. Thinking back, I think maybe all of the Sonny and Eddies theatres became Eddies around this time. Back in the early 80’s, the Allston was more of a second-run theatre than an art house. It was often very busy on weekends and a fun place to work. Although the screens were small, they appeared larger due to the fact the auditoriums were narrow shoe boxes.
I was in the theatre in the early 80’s and I remember 2 escalators (no longer operational) as you entered the lobby. These were the old wood-tread escalators that went clackity-clack.