Irving Theatre
23 South Main Street,
Carbondale,
PA
18407
23 South Main Street,
Carbondale,
PA
18407
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Comerford Theaters Inc.
Architects: Leon H. Lempert, Jr.
Styles: Greek Revival
Nearby Theaters
A massive structure, it dominated Main Street for 80 years until it was demolished in the spring of 2003. Built in 1922-23 by the Comerford Theatres chain, it was a lavish movie palace. Rich in theatrical lore, Lionel Barrymore performed as did Milton Berle-although Mr. Berle’s humor was considered a little too risque and was asked to leave by the managment.
The interior was rich and lush, it walls were a relaxing salmon color and a mural of Main Street-circa 1923- above the stage. The golden years of Hollywood in the 1930’s and 1940’s, were also the golden years for the Irving Theatre. The theatre, reduced to showing porn, closed in 1973. Local residents had abondoned the downtown in favor of the new malls and shopping centers of the region. Most of the balcony and private loge boxes had long since been abondoned. Years of neglect by its subsequent owners left a gaping hole in the roof where the air-conditioner was ripped out-effectivly sealing the buildings fate.
It sat vacated and rotting, like Carbondale itself, until work begin demolishing the building. The huge lot it left vacant on Main Street created a scar that the downtown until a new Best Weston Hotel was built on the site in 2015.
Contributed by
David Dottle
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
The Irving’s architect was Leon H. Lempert of Rochester, NY. He also designed the American Theatre in Pittston, PA which was an almost carbon copy of the Irving. I was lucky enough to tour the building in the late 80’s and it was evident what a nice theatre it had once been.
Anyone have any photos of the Irving? I’m a Forest City native and drove through C-dale at least twice a week… but I’ve since moved and can’t remember what she looked like before being torn down.
Hey Bluecat158- I have a negative of the outside of the Irving with the large marquee still there. Contact me at:
.com
I may be able to send you a copy of the picture
A few photos of this theater can be seen at this link.
http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/26897.html
O.K.
FYI, as of May 2013, a Best Western hotel occupies the site, with an exterior that echoes the appearance of the theater.
We had an Aunt and Uncle who lived in Carbondale.
My brother and I went to see a Steve Reeves film one afternoon with my 3 cousins. It was about Persians in ancient times. I don’t remember the films name?
I do remember that it was really a huge movie theater.
The screen seemed much bigger than any I’d ever seen before. I was 9 or so.
Like so many big, older movie Palaces, the owners, the caretakers of such opulence, let down future generations of potential movie fans.
Lost forever, like so many other great Movie Houses
SHAME!
When you look on a Google map, you’ll see a huge, vacant lot where the Theater and the Acme Market once stood. To the left of the lot is a advertisement showing a building that looks somewhat like the Movie Theater that once stood there? It appears to be an artists rendering.
I went to college with a family member who owned the Irving circa 1960. He spoked of operating the Irving and a drive-in theatre during the summer. LaSalle 1964
It’s not an empty lot anymore. In 2013 they opened up a 60 room Best Western, parking garage and restaurant. I’d much rather a classic cinema house.