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Florida Theatre
128 E. Forsyth Street,
Jacksonville,
FL
32202
7 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
Florida Theatre - Jacksonville (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: E.J. Sparks Theatres, Paramount Pictures Inc.
Architects: Roy A. Benjamin, Robert E. Hall
Firms: Robert E. Hall & Company
Functions: Movies (Classic), Performing Arts
Styles: Atmospheric, Moorish
Phone Numbers:
Manager:
904.355.5661
Nearby Theaters
The Florida Theatre, located on Forsyth Street in downtown Jacksonville, is beautiful. It opened April 8, 1927 with Douglas MacLaine in “Let it Rain” on the screen and a stage presentation “A Pageant of Florida”. It was equipped with a $100,000 Wurlitzer organ which was opened by organist Robert E. Mitchell. The Florida Theatre was designed in a Mediterranean Atmospheric style to look like a Moorish courtyard at night inside, complete with dark blue sky with glowing stars, lit balconies and fountains. The theatre was designed with central heating and air conditioning. It had a nursery located on the third floor which was for babies and children up to six years old. By 1941 it was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary E.J. Sparks. Elvis Presley made one of his first concert appearances on an indoor stage there on August 10-11, 1956. The Florida Theatre was closed as a movie theatre on May 8, 1980.
In 1883 it was placed of the Register of Historic Place and renovation work began. It reopened as a performing arts theatre on October 2, 1983.
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Recent comments (view all 33 comments)
Here are two pictures of the theater in July 2010.
This webpage has pictures of the Florida as well as a focus on Elvis Presley’s appearance there in 1956 (which was somewhat controversial): http://www.scottymoore.net/FlTheater.html
This theatre is haunted. A spector of a man has been seen in the upper balcony in rowE. Strange sounds come from the projection booth. There may be the spirit of little girl as well. All of this information came from the program Real or Faked on the SyFy channel.
Funny you should mention spooks.I just saw the “GHOST LAB” guys doing the Florida.The place IS seriously haunted,as are so many old places.Good shots of the beauty of the place.
The Florida Theatre’s grand opening was April 8th 1927. It is celebrating it’s 90th anniversary this Saturday with a free Buster Keaton film. Article below also has the timeline of it’s conversion in 1983 to a performing arts center and beyond.
http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/2017-04-02/jacksonville-s-florida-theatre-celebrating-its-90th-anniversary-free-movie
I’m a fan of this fine Moorish-themed theater, after visiting Jacksonville in June. I did a blog post on the Florida in August on www.startswednesday.com, my site dedicated to movie palaces. Hoping the theater has survived the flooding of Hurricane Irma—waiting anxiously to find out.
If you care about this theater ,you should consider “joining”. The $150.00 level gives you marvelous perks. Go to the website.
5 year, 10 million dollar renovation announced.
https://thecoastal.com/culture/florida-theatre-announces-five-year-10-million-renovation-project/
would love for anyone that has color pix of the theatre BEFORE the 1980.s restoration to post them or hit me up. Also….if you worked there or have recollections of the interior, BEFORE the restoration Id love to hear about it.
Grand opening ads and the Elvis concert ad and poster posted.