Some more information from a duplicate listing I have just deleted: The Lyric Theatre opened April 16, 1913 and according to the Albuquerque Morning Journal was renamed the Ideal Theatre in 1918. Sanborn Maps show a very narrow auditorium sharing a ground floor common wall with a hotel and rooms extending over the theatre. The Ideal Theatre can be found in Film Daily Year Book 1929 with 300 seats.
Blanche Hatton became manager of the Ideal Theatre in 1924 under owner Paul Williamson. In 1929 the Ideal Theatre was taken over by Paramount’s Publix chain, which had a policy against women managers. After a high level policy meeting in New York it was decided Blanche could stay and she went on to manage the Chief Theatre, Hiland Theatre, Sunshine Theatre, and Lobo Theatre.
By 1932 editions of the Albuquerque Tribune list a Mission Theatre at this address (which in FDY had a seating capacity of 378). The 1943 edition of FDY gives a seating capacity of 450 and was operated by Paramount pictures Inc. through their subsidiary Hoblitzelle & O'Donnell. It had closed by 1950. In 1955, the theatre, which had been closed for many years, was demolished and the Albuquerque First National Bank was constructed on the site.
Okay, I will change the entry again because obviously the theater that closed in 1958 can’t have started as the Edith. We should create an entry for the last location using the city hall address.
I have edited the listing to remove the Panorama as an aka, since it seems that was replaced by this theater. Obviously the ornamental terra cotta was original, and bore the Adolphus name. If the Panorama showed films, it should be added.
Joe, I have deleted the round corner photo, which was very poor quality anyway. Leaving this comment as a reminder to myself to check the Sanborns and verify the address.
Even allowing for an extensive remodel, I’m having trouble placing the theater within the ugly derelict which is shown on the 2011 street view. The left side of that was gone by 2013.
Assuming the address is correct, this was way out of downtown. It appears that the streets in this area have been rearranged, and the address is an apartment building.
The address is wrong. There is no such thing as Main St. The photo appears to be in (or taken from?) a very cramped side street. The map is also wrong, it’s way off north in Kordin. The ‘main street’ in Zabbar seems to be Triq Is-Santwarju.
The ‘City Hall’ portion should be removed from the address. The address now belongs to a lottery office, although most of the building is in disrepair and vacant. There might be some apartments in the upper stories.
There is a Rex building at 48 St. Joseph High St (Right across from where Triq P. Xuereb comes out). It looks like it could have been the entry for a theater, but looking at it from above on the satellite view doesn’t show any room for an auditorium.
The comment above is wrong. The shops had the auditorium behind them, and were part of the theater complex. The lobby was on the corner, and was torn down in 1997. The theater was built in the ‘30s, and closed in the late '60s. The entire structure was demolished in 2021. The site is now apartments. I doubt any of the gorgeous tile work was salvaged.
As I said, it’s listed open in 1936, closed in 1937. Very odd that it reopened right next to a much nicer theater. It’s still listed in 1956, and the address was indeed 521. We just need to fix the dates. I wonder if the Idle Hour became the Mecca? I’ll make a listing for it under the Idle Hour name.
Oildale is unincorporated, so nothing has that as an address.
Thanks!
Some more information from a duplicate listing I have just deleted: The Lyric Theatre opened April 16, 1913 and according to the Albuquerque Morning Journal was renamed the Ideal Theatre in 1918. Sanborn Maps show a very narrow auditorium sharing a ground floor common wall with a hotel and rooms extending over the theatre. The Ideal Theatre can be found in Film Daily Year Book 1929 with 300 seats.
Blanche Hatton became manager of the Ideal Theatre in 1924 under owner Paul Williamson. In 1929 the Ideal Theatre was taken over by Paramount’s Publix chain, which had a policy against women managers. After a high level policy meeting in New York it was decided Blanche could stay and she went on to manage the Chief Theatre, Hiland Theatre, Sunshine Theatre, and Lobo Theatre.
By 1932 editions of the Albuquerque Tribune list a Mission Theatre at this address (which in FDY had a seating capacity of 378). The 1943 edition of FDY gives a seating capacity of 450 and was operated by Paramount pictures Inc. through their subsidiary Hoblitzelle & O'Donnell. It had closed by 1950. In 1955, the theatre, which had been closed for many years, was demolished and the Albuquerque First National Bank was constructed on the site.
Away from my sources. Could someone please confirm if the 1952 closing was final?
What year did it open? I assume 1999.
Presumably south of town, where most of this roadside blight is located. Can anyone provide an address and status?
Okay, I will change the entry again because obviously the theater that closed in 1958 can’t have started as the Edith. We should create an entry for the last location using the city hall address.
Thanks for the additional information. Can you supply an address or confirm demolition?
I have edited the listing to remove the Panorama as an aka, since it seems that was replaced by this theater. Obviously the ornamental terra cotta was original, and bore the Adolphus name. If the Panorama showed films, it should be added.
Joe, I have deleted the round corner photo, which was very poor quality anyway. Leaving this comment as a reminder to myself to check the Sanborns and verify the address.
Even allowing for an extensive remodel, I’m having trouble placing the theater within the ugly derelict which is shown on the 2011 street view. The left side of that was gone by 2013.
Assuming the address is correct, this was way out of downtown. It appears that the streets in this area have been rearranged, and the address is an apartment building.
Looking at more recent photos, it appears the upper facade collapsed before 2021. Probably not long before it gets all the way to demolished.
Thanks for the research. I may try to come back to this one when I have the time.
Just to make sure we get the photo right, please comment directly on any incorrect photos, and we’ll remove them.
Nobody ever uses the highway as an address until they are well out of town. Google is obsessed with giving fictitious addresses like that.
Thanks, that old capacity was obviously absurd. I have updated the entry.
The address is wrong. There is no such thing as Main St. The photo appears to be in (or taken from?) a very cramped side street. The map is also wrong, it’s way off north in Kordin. The ‘main street’ in Zabbar seems to be Triq Is-Santwarju.
The ‘City Hall’ portion should be removed from the address. The address now belongs to a lottery office, although most of the building is in disrepair and vacant. There might be some apartments in the upper stories.
There is a Rex building at 48 St. Joseph High St (Right across from where Triq P. Xuereb comes out). It looks like it could have been the entry for a theater, but looking at it from above on the satellite view doesn’t show any room for an auditorium.
They nuked him, but left my comment.
Thanks! It opened on my birthday!
Thanks for helping with the ID and all the other info!
The comment above is wrong. The shops had the auditorium behind them, and were part of the theater complex. The lobby was on the corner, and was torn down in 1997. The theater was built in the ‘30s, and closed in the late '60s. The entire structure was demolished in 2021. The site is now apartments. I doubt any of the gorgeous tile work was salvaged.
As I said, it’s listed open in 1936, closed in 1937. Very odd that it reopened right next to a much nicer theater. It’s still listed in 1956, and the address was indeed 521. We just need to fix the dates. I wonder if the Idle Hour became the Mecca? I’ll make a listing for it under the Idle Hour name.