Colony Theatre
2120 W. Central Avenue,
Toledo,
OH
43606
2120 W. Central Avenue,
Toledo,
OH
43606
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To Ttdrone
That was not the colony theater Dawn Backus was mustered
It was the state theater on delaware
This article from the Toledo Blade of July 6, 1981, tells of the closing of the Colony Theatre. The June 27, 1985, Blade article about its demolition can be found here.
used to give milk bottle caps for admission
October 16th, 1941 grand opening ad uploaded in photo section for this theatre.
Correcting ttdrone. Sadly, Dawn Backes (not Backus, though that’s how it’s pronounced) was found at the State Theater on Collingwood. I knew her, and it’s still unbelievably sad to think of. Thank you for remembering her.
This was a great neighborhood theater! Across the street was Link’s Cafeteria. And, just up the street was the original Gino’s Pizza (with the original owners and operation)! The projectionist was a ham radio operator, and I took my test to be a ham radio operator in the projection booth of the Colony. I saw many great movies there, and it was sad to see it closed down (then, TORN down). There was also a training tower for fire fighters next to the theater. It might still be there. What a wonderful piece of Toledo history. Now, gone in the name of “progress” (can you say “parking lot”?). Why do those in control of this city allow so many nostalgic places to be torn down? Something is very wrong with this picture. -Mark Howell, LA filmmaker (BUILDING THE MIGHTY MAC, EDISON) and former Toledo DJ.
A girl, Dawn Backus, was found murdered in the basement after the theater had closed. The killers were two brothers. They have been caught and tried and are in prison.
Never Heard of “THE HITTER” and I thought I had played every black film made [1974-79} at the IMPERIAL in Augusta.Wonder if the film had a title changed?
Here is a nice nocturnal view, ca.1973, of the original Colony Shopping Center with the theater at the far end. The entire strip has been demolished.
The address should be “West Central Avenue”.
This was a National Amusements theatre towards the end, running overflow product from their other two theatres in Toledo.
William Speck’s book Toledo: A History in Architecture confirms that the Colony Theatre opened in 1941, but says that it closed in 1981. It also says that the theater suffered a fire in 1984, and was demolished the following year.
Great pictures Chuck1231.
This theater was part of an early suburban shopping district known as the “The Colony” centered around Monroe Street and Central Avenue which served and upscale clientele.
Boxoffice of May 3, 1965, said that the Colony Theatre had reopened after a major remodeling. The house was now equipped to show 70mm, Cinerama, and all other film types then available. A November 22, 1977, Boxoffice item said that the Colony had originally opened in 1941.
A photo of the Colony’s auditorium was featured in an ad for the American Seating Company in Boxoffice of October 7, 1950. The text said the installation of American’s Bodiform chairs at the Colony was completed in 1942.
There was a Colony Theatre in another Ohio town, Cleveland. There is a CT link where the Colony is mentioned under Shaker Square Cinemas.
The Colony was a beautiful art deco neighborhood theatre later sold and converted to first run. There was a bowling alley located under the theatre which caught fire and was later destroyed. The theatre continued operating however as it was part of a trendy area of Toledo in the late 60’s. In it’s later years it was booked with blaxploitation fare and horror films resulting in it’s closing. It was demolished to make way for a beautiful parking lot. “The Graduate” had an enormous run there and the local paper featured photos of lines of people stretched around the block waiting to get in. Another loss for Toledo. The tower sign with green neon lettering could be seen from a distance as one approached the “colony” area.