Hollywood Theatre
164 Taunton Avenue,
East Providence,
RI
02914
164 Taunton Avenue,
East Providence,
RI
02914
2 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 36 comments
An opening day ad for the Hollywood Theatre posted to the photo page by Gerald DeLuca names the architect of the house as Oresto DiSaia.
The Hollywood opened on April 6, 1951. There is a piece with photos, exterior and interior, in The Providence Journal April 5, 1931.
To those who keep posting, even in my name, as in the overview, that this place was once called the “Bomes Theatre,” you are wrong. It was only called the Hollywood from day one. Bomes was the family that owned the place, along with the Liberty in Providence and the Palace/Jamestown in Jamestown. They were all Bomes theatres, owned by the Bomes family. But nobody ever said “Let’s see what’s playing at the Bomes Theatre. There was never a newspaper ad telling us what was playing at the "Bomes Theatre.”
Barbara 27: Thank you, Barbara. Do you have any photos of the Hollywood Theatre? Inside or out would be very appreciated.
Thank you Mr. DeLuca for your interesting comments about my grandfather and dad’s movie theaters…..it was a wonderful time to be i. The movie business and they loved every minute of it.
20th Anniversary!
Item in Boxoffice Magazine, April 14, 1951:
“The Hollywood in East Providence recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. It opened in 1931 with "Cimarron.”"
[So the theatre existed as a functioning venue for less than 30 years, having ceased regular operation around the end of 1960. Nor was it around during the silent era, as I had thought.]
Studios sue Milton and Edward Bomes for false reporting of boxoffice receipts at their Liberty Theatre in Providence and Hollywood Theatre in East Providence.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, October 25, 1952:
View link
Item in Boxoffice magazine, June 10, 1950:
As a tribute to veterans of all wars, the management of the Hollywood Theatre in East Providence invited all veterans to be their guests at a special showing of “When Willie Comes Marching Home” and “Captain Carey, U.S.A.”
From Boxoffice magazine, February 4, 1956:
“In the most extensive cooperation promotion ever seen in this area, 14 Providence and nearby houses used record-breaking newspaper advertising space in heralding the joint premiere of "The Day the World Ended” and “Phantom from 10,000 Leagues.” Virtually taking over the amusement pages of the local press for several days, the following houses united in the ad: Elmwood, Hope, Uptown, Liberty, Castle, all in this city; Community, Centredale; Strand, Pawtucket; Union, Attleboro; Hollywood, East Providence; Palace, Cranston; Community, Wakefield; Park, Auburn; Palace, Arctic and Stadium, Woonsocket. A brief checkup of local houses indicated that opening days were solid."
Item in Boxoffice Magazine, March 17, 1956:
“The Hollywood, East Providence, and Liberty, Elmwood neighborhood house, both Bomes' operations, by running the same attractions at both houses, have "upped” their newspaper advertising to such a degree that it compares favorably on many occasions with some downtown first runs. Both houses are featuring Saturday afternoon kiddy parties with a variety of kid films, refreshments, souvenirs, prizes and stage entertainment."
Summer Stock at the Hollywood Theatre…Boxoffice Magazine, September 3, 1949:
“Loretta Price and Doug Martin are at the Hollywood Theatre, East Providence, in "Claudia.”…So successful has summer stock been at the Hollywood…that the management plans to continue this twice-weekly feature this fall."
“Both the Liberty here [Providence] and the Hollywood, East Providence, were shuttered recently. The latter situation is being used as the site of several oldtime auction sales. Both are Bomes' houses."
-Boxoffice Magazine, June 15, 1957
from Boxoffice Magazine, March 30, 1957:
The Hollywood, neighborhood house, presented a rock and roll stage show, topped by Bennie Woods, Jo-Jo Jones and Toni Lee. All seats were sold for $1. Attendance was almost capacity.
Yes, of course. Thanks. Sometimes it pays to check what you write for factual errors.
1933 newspaper ad for the Hollywood Theatre. Torch Singer with Joan Crawford and a Zane Grey western To the Last Man. Note that later that week “3 BIG TIME VAUDEVILLE ACTS” would alternate with the film program. The Hollywood Theatre, built by Samuel Bomes in the 1920s, was a popular neigborhood theatre until not much after 1960. True to its name, it generally presented popular recent Hollywood films for the whole family as a second-run area theatre, though much of what it showed was first-run for East Providence. It was razed in August 2008.
I was wondering why you hadn’t shared those photos yet…
My blog on the Hollywood Theatre after its demise.
August 1 story from ABC 6 when pieces fell off the building (with a comment from Milton Bomes' son Stanley)
August 5 story & video of the demolition from ABC 6.
WPRI 12 video with closeup view of structural problems at the corner of the building.
East Bay Newspapers article
It’s really a shame.
Mike (mopar6871)
Watching the HOllYWOOD THEATRE brought down brick by brick brought back so many wonderful memories of the theatre when i was a teenager..I along with friends looked forward to going to the Hollywood..Sitting there i took many visual journeys via the film we viewed and remember so well..my Mom being excited on Tuesday evenings when she would return home with a dish..;–)..I watched “The Wild One” so many times that i still remember some vital scenes and dialouge..Remember the newsreel prior to the showing of the main feature?…Its too bad that the bldg. couldn’t have been restored with a small theatre so we all could once again enjoy at the Hollywood..Like the iconic Pink Elephant..The Hollywood will never be forgotten…as both hold memories that the younger generations will never have the pleasure of experiencing..Like an old friend the Hollywood for many of us will hold memories ..differnt for all of us and never forgotten…For some reason I do not recall ever being in the Balcony..;–)))
Louise Rendine McNamara
My husband and I grew up in East Prov and attended many Sat. afternoon matinees at the Hollywood theatre. They showed 2 films with cartoons and a serial. Each child received a comic book with the frount page cut in half . They had dish night when free dishes were given away.We had ushers and candy was sold in the isles. They changed movies twice a week before t v was popular. Mr.Joey Jarvis was general manager and was always there. A very nice man. We have wonderful memories of the Hollywood…the balcony was a popular spot. Joyce and Ray Kenney
My guess is that it would cost upwards of $15 million to restore and open that theatre. Too bad the city of East Providence couldn’t purchase it, set up a foundation, and somehow get funds to slowly re-vitalize it. I’d love to see this happen. Look at the Stadium in Woonsocket…it happened there! The Park in Cranston is being re-constructed. Perhaps the United in Westerly. East Providence needs to have something like that as well with the Hollywood Theatre. It should not be destroyed. It is not a nuisance as some seem to think but a unique opportunity.
i think it would be sweet if we could get to gether and open this theatre again donate money to fix it up and open for a musem or as a theatre again east providence would be know for that theater and would draw in more torist i would be willin to donate my time and effort to help get this place back on it’s feet!
A Christmas Day newspaper ad in 1960 listed the films High Time and Young Jesse James with the reminder: “Attention, kids, there will be a matinee Monday.”
This article appeared in the Providence Journal after a meeting at the East Providence city hall where possible plans for the future of the theatre and surrounding area were discussed. The idea of actually restoring the Hollywood as a theatre did not seem to be the priority, sad to say.