Ritz Cinema
120 S. Cypress Street,
Hammond,
LA
70403
120 S. Cypress Street,
Hammond,
LA
70403
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Colonel George F. Baltzell’s Batzell Opera House opened on July 8, 1907 with two live performances of “Denver Express.” The Batzell appears to have closed with movies in 1936. The building got a makeover in 1945 becoming home to W.L. Mosely’s new Ritz Theatre on March 15, 1945. The opening film was “Two Girls and a Sailor.”
After another refresh, the theatre relaunched on October 15, 1954 with widescreen projection to play CinemaScope titles. First up was “Rose Marie.” After yet another makeover, the venue became the Ritz Cinema in 1968 operating for 20 more years. The City of Hammond took on the dormant theater in the 1980s. In 2007, with the theatre in unrestorable condition, architectural firm Holly & Smith saved the facade of the theatre in an award winning, adaptive reuse of the space for townhouses.
Also opened with an unknown cartoon and a newsreel.
Found a recent picture showing a cleaned facade and new marquee. I was really hopeful for it, until I learned the rest of the story: http://www.hammondhistoricdistrict.org/tour-ritz/
From 1986 a photo of the Ritz Theatre in Hammond Louisiana.