Allyn Theater
207 Asylum Street,
Hartford,
CT
06103
207 Asylum Street,
Hartford,
CT
06103
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I remember my job as an usher in the mid-late 60’s. While I seem to remember the name McNamara, I fondly recall my supervisor as Lucille Watrous. Co-workers Sophie, Rita, Mr. Dee. Most enjoyable job I’ve ever had. Fourteen week run of The Graduate. I still remember the lines!
The Allyn Theater was operated by New England Theaters, Inc. of Boston when I worked there from 1953 thru 1960. The Manager was Ray McNamara, a great boss, while I worked there. The theater featured Paramount Pictures as the feature film and many Republic Pictures, or Allied Artists Pictures as co-features. In 1956, when Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments” was released a record was set when the movie was held over for nearly 26 weeks. A picture referred to by a member that showed a date of 1986 was actually taken in 1969 shortly before the theater was demolished. I know this for a fact because I was there when it was taken.
Former Usher Robert Cashman ()
Mentioned here http://www.hogriver.org/issues/v01n03/palaces.htm
From Boxoffice magazine, February 1955:
The U.S. Naval Air Reserve Station in Hartford, Conn., aided manager Ray McNamara during the premiere of “The Bridges at Toko-Ri” at the Allyn Theater by providing a helicopter to fly a banner spelling “Bridges” from the theater to a downtown destination point. Newspaper photographers were on hand to record the unique publicity stunt.
I was a student at Trinity College 1966-1970 and regularly attended the Allyn and E.M.Loew’s as well as the music store across Asylum Street from them. Also the Strand on Main Street across from G. Fox. Alas, missed the Poli and Loews Palace. Remember a packed house for a triple-bill of the Dave Friedman/Herschel Gordon Lewis “blood trilogy”: “Color Me Blood Red”, “Blood Feast”, and “2000 Maniacs”.Allyn much better designed and operated than Loew’s. (The latter’s projectionist attempted to run “Point Blank” with the scope lens stretching the image vertically rather than horizontally!).
In the “Images of America” book Hartford, Volume II, on page 52 appears a 1960 photo of the theatre. On the marquee is the Walt Disney program, The Jungle Cat and The Hound that Thought He Was a Raccoon. We can also see the marquee of the E.M. Loew’s up the street. Hard to read what was there. On the same page there is a sad October 1970 photo of the Allyn being demolished to make way for the construction of the Hartford Civic Center. The E.M. Loew’s would also be razed for that civic project.
The Allyn closed in October 1969. The organ is now installed at Shelton high School in Shelton, Conn. This organ’s history can be viewed at http://theatreorgans.com/cvtos/#organs
Any photos anyone?
The Allyn used to feature closed cicuit fights. Clay/Liston, for one. They would also feature closed circuit concerts. I remember seeing The Beatles Washington DC concert and the T.A.M.I show with Beach Boys, James Brown,The Rolling Stones etc. Ron Landry, a local disk jockey once prommoted a “live” concert with The Ronnettes, The Tokens and Canible and The Headhunters Plus a movie for a whopping $3.50!
The Allyn Theatre was located at 207 Asylum Street.