Little Theatre
240 East Avenue,
Rochester,
NY
14604
240 East Avenue,
Rochester,
NY
14604
6 people
favorited this theater
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Little Theatre was denied a scheduled screening of “Fight Club” by Fox/Disney, and apparently many others for them and other theatres going forward.
http://www.startribune.com/with-fox-movies-in-hand-disney-clamps-down-on-theater-screenings-of-oldies/540434592/?fbclid=IwAR1bYIQ-nwLjje1wThQScc5WjAm0FV7aILChN7LvrxA9yUnzL_NCsQEk278
October 17th, 1929 grand opening ad in photo section.
Linkrot repair: The August 5, 1950, Boxoffice article about Rochester’s Little Theatre that Gerald DeLuca linked to some years ago has been moved to this link. The article is at the top of the left column.
2003 photo added credit & copyright Scott Hamilton.
I just noticed that Google Street View now allows you to look inside the Little Theatre. The camera only visited the lobby and the main auditorium, and I don’t see any interior signage directing patrons to the additional auditoriums. It leaves me wondering where they are hiding the other four screens.
when my family lived in the city I can remember going to this theater with my older brother. We took the bus, from where we lived. walked over to the theater and saw my first James Bond movie which was “Diamonds Are Forever”. I must of been about 8 years old , My brother about 16….
The Little Theatre originally seated 300 when it opened in 1929 but, according to the official web site, the four additional auditoriums that have since been added to the house bring the current seating capacity to 940.
Nice photos of the Little Theatre.
Article in Boxoffice magazine, August 5, 1950, on the Little Theatre as one of the nation’s first art houses:
View link
Visited this theatre on the weekend. It has two balconies, one dubbed “small” and “big” for obvious reasons. One’s on the left, the other on the right; nothing in the center. Main screen is quite large, with maybe 250-300 seats. The Little 2-5 is to the left outside and in a building that is an L shape, not really connected to the main theater. There is parking in front of the L. There’s neon lights on its facade saying “Little 2, 3, 4, 5).
Glad we have access to indie movies via the Little. This place used to be so snooty they didn’t sell soft drinks, only fruit juice and flavored water.
It’s now a non-profit since it couldn’t make it as a business.
2008 views of the Little Theater in Rochester here, here and here.
I like the theater. You can have the snow, though:
http://tinyurl.com/kab8a
I had the privilege of visiting the Little also, during a business trip to Rochester in October, 2002. It’s a cool place to catch a flick – reminding me of a cross between and capturing the best elements of the Angelika Film Center and Village East Cinemas in NYC – and also the last surviving downtown cinema.
I was in Rochester in 1999, and enjoyed a movie at this great theatre. The cafe had a very arthouse-y hip look and atmosphere, yet comfortable, and the original theatre’s integrity has been completely respected, though it is clear that at one time the auditorium had been redecorated very plainly, as hinted at in the above description.. The facade is a wonder to behold at night, with the neon of the vertical sign reflecting in the shiny black terra cotta of the facade.