Standard Theatre

Grand opening day was June 12, 1914 with the film, “Home Sweet Home.” Architect was Myron B. Vorce. Wurlitzer orchestra organ at the open. Manager Joseph Grossman hosted 50 veterans of the Spanish American War of which was one.

It was still going with first-run films in 1989 – which I believe was its last year. The first-run features were often the low budget action films, comedies, and horror films that usually got a week there before heading to home video (e.g. Lyle Alzado in “Destroyer” or Rod Steiger/Yvonne DeCarlo in “American Gothic). It always looked out of business throughout the late 80s finally closing to an indifferent marketplace and was demolished in 1995. We always figured the operator simply wanted to reach the 75th Anniversary and stop as audiences pretty much gave up going.

My first exposure to porn in 1965. Slipped by the box office spiv, walked down a LONG lobby, and checked out a soft-core flick staring Preston Sturges Jr.(his father must have been repulsed). Pretty exciting stuff for a Cleveland teenager.

It must have been the Standard, as yet unnamed, that was the subject of an item in The Motion Picture World of January 3, 1914. It said: “The largest motion picture house in downtown Cleveland is planned by Joseph Grossman… who has arranged to lease a building to be erected for him… at the rear of the O'Brien Building, 813 Prospect Avenue. Architect M.B. Vorce is preparing plans for a structure that will accommodate between 700 and 800 persons.”

LOL. By the 80’s unless you looked closely you wouldnt know a theater was there.

I was one of the last people to walk into the Standard theatre back in the early part of the 1990’s on a Friday afternoon. I was with a closed friend who is in the general contracting business and he had to walk through the building to give an estimate to the present land owner. I remember a photographer being inside the building at the time shooting a large format 4x5 camera of the stage area where the screen was previously located. I asked him why he was taking pictures and he said that they had commissioned him to take the pictures for historic documentation and records. I recall the amazing architecture and well worn red seating. There was an old Altec-Lansing voice of the theatre speaker sitting a few feet back from where the screen was located. If the Photographer had not been there with his quartz flood lighting, I would not have seen such detail. The theatre seemed very small but I realized that it opened in the time of silent movies. Even more amazing and upsetting, they started demolition the very next day on Saturday. If I had known that they were going to demolish the theatre, I probably would have stayed much longer. My friend was in a rush that day and I did not get the opportunity to view the projection room. I had visions of seeing old Western Electric 91A equipment with etched based 300A tube treasures! So much for dreams! To this day, the new building that replaced the old theatre has never been occupied.

The Standard was rather small. I would guess about 800 seats. There was NO balcony. This was a very basic theatre. The operator could walk out of the booth and overlook the lobby. There was a large opening in the wall just outside the booth. During the latter X-rated days, there was only the barest of concessions. I believe popcorn was free! There was a double-bill with the bottom half usually being almost unwatchable. But, as far as I know, the Standard never resorted to “loops.” They were always real movies. Everything was 35mm.

When I was in the Standard booth in the 60s, they had 2 Motiograph AA projectors and Motiograph Sound.