Georgetown Theatre

1351 Wisconsin Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20007

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Giles
Giles on February 15, 2021 at 4:38 pm

It was great to see the sign all lit up and featured in ‘Wonder Woman 1984’!

To answer a question I had originally asked: ‘Caligula’s theatrical run here was fifteen months, from March 28, 1980 and ended on June 30, 1981. The Washington Post advert has been included in the photos section.

Giles
Giles on August 31, 2015 at 10:33 am

added picture of the restored outdoor theater sign.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on December 4, 2014 at 11:21 pm

1959 photo added courtesy of the AmeriCar The Beautiful Facebook page.

Giles
Giles on October 7, 2011 at 2:59 pm

@ aabner – the Embassy is now the AED Globe Theater, I isn’t going to happen but I wish CVS would leave the McArther location and convert it back to a theater – what a loss for that neighborhood. I hadn’t realized that the building was up ‘For Sale’ til I drove by it this afternoon – there are a lot of stores that closed in that neck of Wisconsin Ave. it’s really sad. Know anyone would be interested in converting it back to a theater ?? I’d help.

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on January 23, 2011 at 2:37 am

Here is a picture of it as the Dumbarton: View link

jbwomack
jbwomack on April 13, 2010 at 8:17 am

my father played the piano here on Sat.mornings
for the silent movies when he was 16yrs.(1926).
I grew up hearing him play the music when the indians
were comming over the hill for the cowboys.
My mother’s parents ownened the store to the left.
It was a candy/soda store and it was here that my
parents met. They were married for 56 years.
I have been looking for a picture showing the theater
and the store for a long time. This picture made my day!

Giles
Giles on February 1, 2010 at 1:58 pm

Question: how long DID ‘Caligula’ play at the Georgetown?? – it seemed at least a couple of years

aabner
aabner on November 20, 2009 at 6:04 pm

this building is now for sale. $2 million asking. I live down the street and would love to see this transformed back into a theater/screening room. i envision it like the non-profit aero in santa monica where I used to live. went to e street last weekend for a 8p showing of roshomon. it was packed. there is a definite need for classic movie screenings and maybe supplmt with weekly tv show screenings for college crowd, screening room rental, events, etc.
anyone know whats happening with embassy and mcarth?

digitscd
digitscd on January 15, 2008 at 7:11 pm

My friend’s family owned the theater (and building). We took some of the seats after it was leased to the Jewel Center. I have lots of memories of this place. Lots of posters and flats too. It had an old arc lamp projector until the end. My friend tells me it was a nickelodeon when it first opened. This is where Henry Rollins of Black Flag worked and the theater was used in the movie St. Elmo’s Fire..

JackCoursey
JackCoursey on January 7, 2008 at 8:29 pm

Here and here are a couple of shots from January 2008 of what remains of the old Georgetown Theatre. The interior was completely gutted when the building was converted into a retail space.

djandy622
djandy622 on November 3, 2005 at 6:26 am

Mr Heon used to own this theater, he also own the Wheaton Plaza theather, I use to work there.

teecee
teecee on October 2, 2005 at 9:34 am

Here is my photo. Not bad for having a map in one hand, a camera in the other and a knee on the steering wheel:

View link

teecee
teecee on September 26, 2005 at 4:35 am

This theater is now a jewelry store. The blue vertical marquee is still there. I’ll post a photo shortly.

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on July 13, 2005 at 2:03 am

No…correct the first time…15 instruments…confusingly labeled recording. Decent music.

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on July 13, 2005 at 1:38 am

Sorry, that was Stravinsky’s Concerto in E Flat for string orchestra that was subtitled “Dumbarton Oaks.”

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on July 13, 2005 at 1:36 am

I’m puzzled. Shouldn’t it in fact be spelled Dumbarton, with an “m,” after Dumbarton Oaks? It was the estate of a Washington music lover where the conference took place that would give birth to the United Nations. Igor Stravinsky composed a piece of music to honor the event , the Concerto in E Flat for 15 Instruments, subtitled “Dumbarton Oaks.” I have a recording.

rlvjr
rlvjr on July 12, 2005 at 2:08 pm

LITTLE was on 9th Street between F and G Streets.

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on June 18, 2005 at 3:25 am

Does anyone remember a D.C. movie theatre that in the 1940s and later was called the “Little Cinema” or “Little Theatre”? I’ve seen references to it but could not find it on Cinema Treasures. It was an art house. I’d like to know the address and/or other names for this place.

rlvjr
rlvjr on June 17, 2005 at 7:45 am

PS: The GEORGETOWN, long and narrow, had about 400 seats.

rlvjr
rlvjr on June 17, 2005 at 7:44 am

The GEORGETOWN was brilliantly successful during the bleak low-box office era when people were at home with their 9" Motorola TV’s. By booking high quality classic movies, rather than mainstream, they countered the tide and wrote the book on repratory cinema. Normally near-full 7 nights a week. When Penthouse Magazine long-term rented the theatre for their X-movie CALIGULA (at triple the regular price) the theatre’s image changed, and I think people blamed the GEORGETOWN, not PENTHOUSE, for the CALIGULA rip-off. Imgaine if at today’s $9 price you go to a theatre and without advance warning the admission is $27.00. >>> The GEORGETOWN lives on in one sense. When Hollywood shoots a movie in the colorful “O” Street section of town, the GEORGETOWN THEATRE facade is restored and the jewelry store is covered over. [A definite loss to Washington.]

mhking
mhking on January 24, 2005 at 1:35 pm

By time I transferred to Howard Univ. in DC in January of ‘83, the Georgetown played the X-rated 1979 version of “Caligula” all day every day.