Linda Theatre
1745 Goodyear Boulevard,
Akron,
OH
44305
1745 Goodyear Boulevard,
Akron,
OH
44305
2 people
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Boxoffice of November 27, 1948 said that the Linda Theatre in Akron had opened on November 18.
Unless the Alessios were expecting full houses with all 800 seats filled by people who had driven to the theater alone, 25% of them towing an extra car behind them just in case the first one broke down, 1000 parking spaces seems like a bit of overkill. More likely the newspaper’s typesetter accidentally added an extra zero to the number.
The lot could have been where the strip mall is across the street, or maybe the nearby park. It doesn’t look very overdeveloped around there. The Facebook page indicates “new larger comfy seats”. So maybe they reduced the number when they installed those.
Looking at this theater in aerial view there is no way it ever had parking for 1,000 cars. 800 seats on opening is certainly plausible though. The auditorium is about 50x120 feet.
Linda Theatre history newspaper clipping added courtesy Vince Nicklin. Designed and construction supervised by 21 year old Lino Alessio. Named after his 2 ½ year old sister Linda. Manager was his 19 year old brother Reno. 800 seats (not sure why it says 400 at top) Parking for 1000 cars.
1954 photo added courtesy of Brian Wagner.
A few years ago Ron Newman asked who this theater was named for. According to this web pageit was named for Linda Alessio, daughter of the owner/builder of the house, Ernest Alessio.
Additional information about the Linda Theatre appears in the February 29, 1949, issue of Boxoffice.
Movie listings on Facebook page.
More photos & info about the opning. http://interestingakron.wordpress.com/2012/06/13/the-real-linda-of-the-linda-theatre/#
Bivouac, wasn’t it great being a kid in those days.catch a sci-fi movie then get a FAMOUS MONSTERS magazine for 50 cents.Can’t do that any more.Great Post.
Nice photos,really like the ones of the mens room.Another C.T. First.
Who was this theatre named for?
Here is a 1982 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/czxwpe
Patsy,
Good luck checking out the Linda! Enjoy it while it’s still around.
Chuck: LOL! I would agree! I’ll be in Akron OH this Spring so will check out this theatre though not the urinals depicted in the photo!
I went to the Linda frequently as a teen and 20-something. A buddy, my brother and myself once went to an all-day PLANET OF THE APES marathon! We watched all five of the apes films during the course of the day. I also went to a re-release of George pal’s The Time Machine. The only time I ever got to see that film in a theater. Fond memories! I also remember the do-it-yourself Popcorn machine that was actually inside the theater, beyond the concession area. The machine had a large clear dome filled with popcorn, and you’d drop in your money(I think it was like 25 cents, a bargain even in the 70s) and placed a small paper bag over the dispensing chute. You hit a button, and the machine would blow a pre-measured amount of popcorn into the bag! It filled right to the top of the bag in just a few seconds! The first time we used it, we thought it would overflow, but it stopped when the bag was just full! That was FUN!
There was also a pretty cool little newsstand next door, that I enjoyed. They carried more obscure comics and magazines, like the big magazine-sized MONSTER and HUMOR comics and cool kid stuff like that. I never missed visiting the newsstand whenever I went to the Linda.
MJB
Interesting to read about this theatre and the Highland Theatre, but more interesting to see 23 theatres listed in Akron over the years!
I grew up in Goodyear Hts, the Linda was built and opened in 1948. The first feature was “Tap Root”. Admission was 50 cents, popcorn was 10 cents. I think it has always been second run.
Phil Harper
My mother went to this theater when she was a young girl back in the 1940s.