The “Ritz” was not a theatre, but a hotel/restaurant. The Empire Theatre building still exists at 1555 Myers St., but it has not been a theatre for years. It was on the same side of Myers as the State theatre, and about ½ block south. The building at the north end of Myers is the Municipal Auditorium, and the Gardella Theatre was next to it on the west side of Myers. (The Muni Auditorium is the building on the levee, & the Gardella Theatre was next to the levee, correctly stated above). I have an excellent photo of the Gardella as well as the Empire if anyone is interested. I also have aerial photographs from 1946 showing the Gardella, the Empire, and the State theatres. BTW, Myers St. is mispelled as “Meyers” in a previous post.
The “Ritz” was not a theatre, but a hotel/restaurant. The Empire Theatre building still exists at 1555 Myers St., but it has not been a theatre for years. It was on the same side of Myers as the State theatre, and about ½ block south. The building at the north end of Myers is the Municipal Auditorium, and the Gardella Theatre was next to it on the west side of Myers. (The Muni Auditorium is the building on the levee, & the Gardella Theatre was next to the levee, correctly stated above). I have an excellent photo of the Gardella as well as the Empire if anyone is interested. I also have aerial photographs from 1946 showing the Gardella, the Empire, and the State theatres. BTW, Myers St. is mispelled as “Meyers” in a previous post.