Valentino Theater
2101 Frenchmen Street,
New Orleans,
LA
70119
2101 Frenchmen Street,
New Orleans,
LA
70119
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Frank Misuraca and Luis Cianelli had plans drawn up for their new theater in 1926 and as it was getting ready to start, Rudolph Valentino died on August 23, 1926. J.J. Legarde’s architectural plans were changed to The Valentino / The Valentino Theatre and its building occurred in within days of his death. The $31,000 house opened in early January 1927.
The operators were able to convert to sound but closed on May 23, 1930. Talks of a refresh and a possible sale later in the year were overshadowed by an explosion - described as three separate blasts - indicating the use of dynamite - that ended things in a New Year’s Eve spectacular. The Valentino was the third of three theaters that went down for the count in succession beginning with the Ivy, then the Roseland and, finally, the Valentino on December 31, 1930. Misuraca and Cianelli were charged with arson two weeks later. Misuraca’s life ended within two months.
The Valentino Theater was constructed in 1927 by Frank Misuraca and Louis Chianelli at 2101 Frenchmen Street, corner of No. Galvez. It appeared to offer a mix of live performances and silent pictures. It was closed in November 1930 to convert it to “talkies,” the work had been done and it was scheduled to re-open January 1st 1932. At 3:12 a.m. on December 31, 1930, three violent explosions eminating from the rear, middle and front of the Valentino, rocked the surrounding area. Persons were thrown from their beds, and every home and store within a block of the theater had windows broken and various other damages. Investigators soon discovered the carpeting, cardboard padding beneath, and the brick debris had been soaked with a large amount of gasoline, and the explosions were set off by dynamite. Misuraca, Chianelli and an accomplace were arrested and charged with arson (but appearantly never convicted.) In March 1932, Misuraca and Chianelli lost a suit against several insurance companies who refused to pay out for the loss of the theater. The insurance companies contended that the policies were invalidated by the storage of large quantites of gasoline and other flammable materials in the building, and that the explosions and fire were caused by the plaintiffs or their agents. By May of 1932, the theater property, as well as other personal properties of the owners, were foreclosed on. A house was constructed on the site, and the entire 2100 block of Frenchmen was raised during the construction of Interstate 10 in the 1960’s. The theater site lies under the Elysian Fields exit ramp from I-10 east. Interestingly, the Valentino was the third theater in N.O. to burn in December 1930, following the Ivy and the Roseland.
Sure, RIP Valentino.
I can’t link to the actual page, but I can give you the text of the news item:
BLAST WRECKS MOVIE HOUSE
Score Injured When Theater Demolished By Violent Explosion.
NEW ORLEANS. La., Dec 31.â€"Three explosions in a suburban motion-picture theater totally destroyed the structure, damaged adjacent buildings and caused minor injuries to
more than a score of persons. Those injured were mostly residents of a tenement which adjoined the theater.
The explosions aroused residents in a radius of several blocks. Police said the explosions were either due to bombs placed in the theater, to escaping gas or ignition of film. The movie house, the Valentino Theater, was a small structure. The vreckage caught fire, after the blast, destroying what was left of the building.
Most of those injured were cut by flying glass as windows throughout the neighborhood were shattered. Many of the tenement dwellers were thrown from their beds. Damage was estimated at $30,000.