Colonial Theatre
912 Peach Street,
Erie,
PA
16501
912 Peach Street,
Erie,
PA
16501
3 people
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Showing 13 comments
Current status?
Opened as Colonial on May 10th, 1909. Grand opening ad and article posted.
List of Owners:
1940-1955 Warner Brothers Circuit
1955 Jamestown Amusement Co.
A Twentieth Century History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, by John Miller, didn’t cover much of the twentieth century, as it was published in 1909, but it was able to note the origin of the Colonial Theatre, which opened that year:
Although it was mentioned in The Moving Picture World at least as early as July 31, 1915, the Colonial sometimes offered two-a-day vaudeville shows for many years. Variety of September 20, 1918, reported:There were listings in Variety for vaudeville shows at the Colonial at least as late as 1923.When I first went to this theater in the late 1940’s it was the only downtown theater without a snack bar. This was corrected in the early 1950’s. This theater showed double features tons of Martin & Lewis, Abbott & Costello, news and cartunes. A real family place and I miss it so.
Ken MC or Anyone…
My father gave me a beautiful, if somewhat worn, tapestry he said used to hang in the lobby of the Colonial. It is almost as large as a standard room door. If you have any pictures depicting tapestries of women I would be interested in seeing them. Any pictures that may contain all or part of the tapestries would be great in helping me date the item.
Thank you
This is from Boxoffice in June 1958:
ERIE, PA.-The Colonial Theatre, one of four major theatres here, built early in the century for a vaudeville house, closed its doors for the last time Sunday night, June 1. A leading motion picture theatre for many years, the Colonial had been operated by Shea’s circuit since September 1953. Closing of the theater was attributed to a loss of its lease and the decline of business “which doesn’t justify continued operation in the summer.”
Before Shea’s, the theatre was managed for many years by Vic Weschler, owner of the property. The Shea organization continues operation of its A-house here, Shea’s Theatre. Weschler is working out conversion plans for the building.
Right. I didn’t ask for it to be changed. I pointed out that the theater building was originally a church and was converted to a theater.
Current function is unknown.
It’s not a church now. It was converted to a theater from a church building in 1909.
This item states that the Colonial was converted from a church in 1909:
http://tinyurl.com/djfypj
Dear dwhinnie,
My father gave me a beautiful, if somewhat worn, tapestry he said used to hang in the lobby of the Colonial. It is almost as large as a standard room door. If you have any pictures depicting tapestries of women I would be interested in seeing them. Any pictures that may contain all or part of the tapestries would be great in helping me date the item.
thank you.
brossman
MY Dad was a manager at the Colonial and went to WSEE TV when the theater closed. My mom was an usherette and that is how they met. I have a fer pictures of the Colonial if you are interested.
dwhinnie