Comments about Aster Theatre in Minneapolis, MN

DavidZornig on May 21, 2020 at 10:36 pm

January 1952 photo added credit Minnesota Historical Society. Astor marquee left foreground.
Courtesy Old Minneapolis Facebook page.

Joe Vogel on September 5, 2012 at 6:47 pm

The Boxoffice article Tinseltoes linked to credits the firm of Liebenberg & Kaplan with the design for the 1960 remodeling of the Aster Theatre.

The Astor Theatre, aka Riviera, mentioned in the introduction for the Aster, is listed in the finding aid for the Liebenberg & Kaplan papers at the University of Minnesota. The firm worked on that house in 1930-31 and again in 1935. The Astor/Riviera does not appear to be listed at Cinema Treasures. Oddly, the finding aid does not mention the Aster.

TLSLOEWS on December 1, 2009 at 1:15 pm

Nice old pictures,they do not make them like that anymore.

rvarani on April 20, 2008 at 8:27 pm

Try looking up the Mann as the Pantages (Original and current name). It is listed.

mntwister on April 20, 2008 at 4:43 pm

Thanks Dick. Boy how the city has changed. I wish I could find a photo of the Mann downtown, with pictures of the sneak preview held there (before the roadshow release) for The Sound of Music, but this web site doesn’t even have a page for the downtown Mann, or do they under an older name? I only see the Mann Southtown.

rvarani on April 20, 2008 at 2:45 pm

The Aster was on Hennepin Ave. It was on the same side as the State Theatre, but between 6th and 7th street, closer to 6th.

mntwister on April 19, 2008 at 11:24 pm

Does anyone know where this theater was? Address?

ERD on March 13, 2008 at 9:54 am

Thanks Ken MC for the photos of the theatre. The Aster looked like it was once a nice comfortable theatre.

nelsonexpert on April 6, 2007 at 9:43 pm

The porno policy was instituted in June 1965. It continued that way until closing in August 1979, and demolition was in November.

kencmcintyre on August 26, 2006 at 8:05 pm

Here is a 1929 exterior photo of the Aster:
http://tinyurl.com/mf3dm

kencmcintyre on August 26, 2006 at 8:03 pm

Here is the neighborhood theater that Dick referred to a few posts ago:
http://tinyurl.com/pt5zu

kencmcintyre on March 4, 2006 at 8:12 pm

Here are some photos of the interior, circa 1929:
http://tinyurl.com/zcwyh
http://tinyurl.com/hro84
http://tinyurl.com/rzmuf
http://tinyurl.com/nc382

Hibi on October 5, 2005 at 10:24 am

Thanks for clearing that up. I was checking for Minneapolis and saw nothing in the list!

rvarani on October 5, 2005 at 9:38 am

The Riviera Theatre was in downtown St. Paul. Whereas the Aster referred to in this section was in downtown Minneapolis. The St. Paul Riviera opened originally as the Astor. Name changed to Riviera in 1928. There also was a St. Paul neighborhood theatre called the Astor.

Hibi on October 5, 2005 at 8:55 am

Why isnt there a listing for the Riviera here?

rvarani on April 14, 2005 at 2:28 pm

I worked as a projectionist in Minneapolis from 1957 through 1975. First hit the Aster in 1958. Theatre was running double features from 10:00 am to midnight seven days per week. Booth was equipt with a pair of Motiograph with Brenkert Enarc’s. These were later replaced with a pair of Super Simplex’s and Peeles Magnarc’s. R. Varani

DAVIDKERR2 on December 19, 2003 at 1:31 pm

The Aster Theatre was still showing family movies in the 1960s I saw the movie Julie with Doris Day there. It did not switch to adult movies until the late 1960s. David Kerr

Aster Theatre

605 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403

605 Hennepin Avenue,
Minneapolis, MN 55403