Royal Music Hall
502 E. Capitol Street,
Jackson,
MS
39201
502 E. Capitol Street,
Jackson,
MS
39201
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Paramount-Gulf States, Paramount-Publix, Paramount-Richards Theatres Inc., Royal Theaters MS, Saenger Amusement Company
Previous Names: Century Theatre, New Century Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Century Theatre opened as a playhouse on October 10, 1901 with the play “The Little Minister”. Seating was provided in orchestra level and two balconies, the first balcony was for smokers and the second balcony was for African Americans. Films were screened from 1904 via travelling movie operators and in 1915 it became a full time movie theatre as the New Century Theatre. Saenger Amusement Company took over and following a refresh and the installation of a Robert Morton pipe organ (played by organist Tom Bautovitch), it reopened on November 12, 1927 with John Barrymore in “When a Man Loves”. The theatre was later operated by Publix, Paramount-Richards and Paramount Gulf until it closed on July 1, 1950 with Charles Starrett in “Renegades of the Sage” & Roddy McDowell in “Killer Shark”.
The theatre was renovated and reopened on December 23, 1950 as the Royal Music Hall screening June Haver in “I’ll Get By”. By 1957 it was operated by A. Lloyd Royal of the Royal Theaters chain. It was closed on June 23, 1959 with Brigitte Bardot in “The Light Across the Street”. The shuttered building suffered a fire in July 1960. It was converted to Law Offices and was demolished in 1961.
Contributed by
Chuck
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
According to Movie Theatres in Twentieth-Century Jackson, Mississippi, by Jerry Dallas, (Google Documents link) the Century Theatre opened in 1901 as a playhouse. In 1913, it began showing movies intermittently, when no live performances were scheduled, and thereafter movies gradually displaced most of the live events.
The Century Theatre closed in mid-1950, but was extensively renovated and reopened by the end of that year as the Royal Music Hall which, despite its name, was a movie house. Its early success was not long sustained, however, and the Royal closed its doors on June 4, 1959, finally ending the building’s history as a theater.
As this photo shows, there was a fire at the closed theater on 07-13-60. It really should be listed as the Royal Music Hall with the Century as an AKA, inasmuch as Royal Music Hall was its name at the theater’s closing.
This theater has been entirely demolished, as long ago as 1961 according to Movie Theaters in Twentieth-Century Jackson, Mississippi, by Jerry Dallas (PDF here.)
The Century Theatre can be seen in this vintage postcard. It was in the third building from the corner of President Street. The corner building is still standing, but the next two buildings have been replaced by a parking lot.
Status should be updated to Demolished. A two story building now stands in it’s place.
Adress is incorrect. Correct address is 502-516 E. Capitol St.
he Century opened a little late on October 10, 1901 with the play, “The Little Minister.” The theatre was a multi-purpose building that replaced the Robinson Opera House on Pearl Street while providing needed office space above. The double balcony venue provided a first balcony for smokers and a second for African American patrons.
Its first traveling movie show appears to have taken place in 1904 and would be a harbinger of things to come. In 1915, the venue switched to full time films under the New Century nameplate before reverting to Century.
Saenger Amusement took on the programming with elevated vaudeville. But Kensington-Saenger went bold a a major refresh shown at its reopening on November 12 and 14, 1927. Films would return to the venue under the New Century Theatre name. Its new Robert Morton pipe organ was played by Tom Bautovich on November 14, 1927 with John Barrymore and Dolores Costello in “When a Man Loves.” The organ replaced the upper balcony. The one thing they didn’t consider in the refresh was sound films.
That was rectified when the first talkie was played on February 18, 1929 with “The Shopworn Angel.” It again was called the New Century Theatre. It closed but the opening of a competing theatre, the Capitol Theatre prompted a competitive move. A major refresh led to another grand opening on August 14, 1933 and again as the New Century Theatre.
The Century ended a bit over halfway through on July 1, 1950 with “Renegade of the Sage,” “Killer Shark!” and an episode of the serial, “Wild Bill Hickock.” A. Lloyd Royal of Royal Theatres and Productions took on the house. The venue was given a major makeover becoming the confusingly-named Royal Music Hall relaunching December 23, 1950 with “I’ll Get By.” New Century would have been more acceptable to all - even though it had been played a few times already.
The venue’s final refresh was in January 1954 with an upgrade to widescreen projection to present CinemaScope films. Toward the end of its run, you could see an exploitation film, a live burlesque show, a Halloween spook show, or even an art film as it scuffled to closure. It outlasted other 1950s casualties, the New Joy, State, Royal, Pix, and Majestic. Its closure on June 23, 1959 with Brigitte Bardot in “The Light Across the Street” was played with no announcement of its departure.
Its final ad was just ahead offering all fixtures for sale in a demolition of the Century Theatre (take that Royal Music Hall fans). The building was gone by 1961.