Elm Theatre
924 Quaker Lane South,
West Hartford,
CT
06110
924 Quaker Lane South,
West Hartford,
CT
06110
8 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Architects: Edwin C.A. Bullock
Functions: Drugstore
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Nearby Theaters
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Apple Cinemas Xtreme Hartford
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News About This Theater
- Dec 9, 2012 — Happy 50th, “Lawrence of Arabia”
- Mar 2, 2010 — Happy 45th, "The Sound Of Music"
- Aug 25, 2004 — Urgent! Elm Theater's Days Are Numbered
- Aug 6, 2004 — Battle Continues to Save The Elm Theater
The Elm Theatre was opened November 10, 1948 with Rita Hayworth in “Loves of Carmen”. It had seating in orchestra and balcony levels. It was twinned on April 7, 1978. After years of success, operated by the Perakos chain, the Elm Theatre was felled by competition from new megaplexes built in the 1990’s and finally closed in 2002.
Despite protests from local citizens, the theater was gutted and converted into a Walgreens in November and December of 2004.
Contributed by
Roger Katz
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Recent comments (view all 62 comments)
I am looking for information on who might have owned the Elm Theatre around 1955-1960. When I was a kid during that period I had a friend (Maureen) whose family (an uncle perhaps) was connected with the theatre. She and I would go to the saturday mats. free. It was a huge treat for me since that was the only chance I got to go to the movies. I’m trying to reconnect with Maureen. Does anyone know who might have owned the Elm during this period.?
An ad for Anemostat air diffusers in Boxoffice of May 7, 1949, featured a picture of the Elm’s auditorium. The caption says the theater was designed by New York City architect E.C. Bullock.
I remember going to see Close Encounters of the Third Kind when it first came out in the 1970’s there. That was my first time there, unfortunately. While the movie was great, what I mainly think of is the theater. I’ve seen alot of films in theaters in the past 30 or so years, but this one sticks with me. I managed to see a few more films there in the subsequent years, but I didn’t live in the area so it was hard.
I worked here as a teen in the early 1960s. Only one screen when I was there. We played Lawrence of Arabia in 70mm twice a day, every day for months.
The Perokas theater chain had 13 theaters and the chain was headquartered at the Palace theater in New Britain.
I took my girlfriend there to see Sound of Music. We had reserved seats, as I recall. Liked the movie, the theater, and the girl.
Saw Sound of Music at this theatre. I also use to live on Grove St. in 1980’s and could walk to the theatre. I think it was only 99 cents to see a movie after it was twinned.
This opened on November 10th, 1948. Its grand opening ad can be found in the photo section.
Grand opening ad for April 7th, 1978 as a twin cinema.
Still a Walgreens.
This Walgreens is closing November 13, 2023. I wonder if there’s any chance this building could become a theatre again or if it was gutted too much.