Strand Theatre
345 Main Street,
Rockland,
ME
04841
345 Main Street,
Rockland,
ME
04841
3 people
favorited this theater
Showing 10 comments
Images added.
Additional condensed and edited history credit Rockland Historical Society.
“The Strand Theatre was built after the Berry Brothers Stable fire of 1920. Joseph Dondis opened the theater in 1923 with stores on either side of the entrance, a confectionery on the left and a florist on the right. It opened showing the silent film "My Wild Irish Rose”. In 1929 the first “talkies” were shown at the theatre."
The Theatre Historical Society archive has the MGM Theatre Report for the Strand; it’s Card # 439. Address is 343 Main St. There is an exterior photo dated May 1941. Condition is Fair. The report says that it’s over 15 years old and was showing MGM films. There were 497 orchestra seats and 291 balcony, total 788 seats. 1940 population was 8,800.
The Strand opened in February 1923 with 626 seats and was designed by Joseph Dondis, according to info from the Theatre Historical Society of America.
This theatre has reopened.
My understanding is the projectionist is a multi-talented young lady who dresses in 1940’s clothing and adds greatly to the character of the theatwr. She is an excellent writer specializing in early entertainment history particularly radio. She has written the best book available on Amos n' Andy.
This theatre is now open and looks grand. My wife and I were there on the opening night to see a screening of The General, accompanied by a pianist. A former Rockland newspaper editor once told me that he believed that the Robert Morton theatre organ had been removed and stored for a time at the Rockland Recreation Center but no one else ever verified this. I have never spoken with anyone around here who knew anything about it for certain.
Whimsical paintings of the Strand:
http://www.derekgundy.com/strand.html
A Robert Morton organ was installed in this theater in 1923.
old photo:
View link
Renovation is still going on with the theater, I saw some of it before it was completly borded up, the whole inside was gutted out. I guess it’s being completly re-done, hopefully to it’s old glory. I don’t know what it was like before, but I’m glad it is being restored instead of torn down.