Rich's Theatre
Second Street,
Fall River,
MA
02721
Second Street,
Fall River,
MA
02721
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Riche's Dewey Theatre
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Rich’s Theatre was on Second Street, south of Borden. It was opened in 1882 and survived until 1918, when the Empire Theatre was built. Rich’s entrance was on the block directly behind where the entrance to the Empire on South Main Street would be.
For much of its life, it was a burlesque house before showing movies. Sporting events, such as boxing and wrestling, also were given here. It was torn down and the Empire Theatre was built in its spot.
Contributed by
Gerald A. DeLuca
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
About Rich’s Theatre as a burlesque house, A. S. DeMarteau wrote this nostalgic reflection in a 1954 Fall River Herald article:
“It was a trial for men folks to gain access to the theater without being seen. In those days morals were of the highest character. It wasn’t the thing to be seen entering a burlesque theater to witness a show of this character.
“Any youth caught patronizing this theater was placed in the same category as the ‘wayward’ youth who smoked ‘coffin nails’ or hoisted a short beer now and then. All three were just cause for any young woman to shed herself of a boy friend if he had fallen that low.”
Lost Memory, that sounds very likely. I discovered Rich’s Theatre was originally built in 1882 and operated by A.A. Spitz of Providence, who in 1917 turned the property over to the Nathan Yamins interests. So Daniel Nugent was about 16 when Rich’s Theatre was built. The theatre was then demolished or incorporated into the new Empire Theatre which opened in 1918 on that same site but with a front on South Main Street. I found this info in a September 29, 1962 article in the Fall River Herald relating to the demolition of the Empire. It spoke of the connection between the Empire and Rich’s.
Also called Rich’s Dewey Theatre in ads.
Frank Rich’s Theatre was located at 187-189 Second Street (listed initially at a different address but renumbered here). It launched with live vaudeville fare on October 22, 1894. Rich’s was renamed as the Puritan Theatre on November 27, 1907 exclusively with movies. The venue ended up at auction in 1909.
Julius Cahn and Lowe Theatre Company bought the Puritan in 1909 to rid the city of competition. But Cahn reopened here as the 400-seat Puritan Theatre on December 25, 1912. It closed again on February 17, 1913. The building was auctioned in December of 1914 and the new buyer eventually decided to tear down the property. The building was demolished 1917.
Augustus E. Rich’s Theatre was located at 187-189 Second Street (listed initially at a different address but renumbered here). It launched with live vaudeville fare on October 22, 1894. Under new operators, Rich’s was renamed as the Puritan Theatre on November 27, 1907 exclusively with movies. The venue ended up at auction in 1909.
Julius Cahn and Lowe Theatre Company bought the Puritan in 1909 to rid the city of competition. But Cahn decided to reopen here as the downsized, 400-seat Puritan Theatre on December 25, 1912. It closed again on February 17, 1913. The building was auctioned in December of 1914 and the new buyer eventually decided to tear down the property. The building was demolished 1917.