Roxy Theatre
1527 Washington Avenue,
Miami Beach,
FL
33139
1527 Washington Avenue,
Miami Beach,
FL
33139
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Higher quality grand opening ad posted.
The Roxy during the ‘72 DNC era. A blue movie parody of the “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” entitled “Miss Bodie” can be seen on the marquee. The Roxy would flip back to regular fare by the late 70s.
https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/130709
From the late 70’s into the late 80s, it was a classic grindhouse theatre. I saw tons of slasher / horror movies there, including Scanners, The Howling, Fear No Evil, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Prom Night, Halloween 1-3, April Fools day and many others. My most memorable time at the Roxy was seeing The Warriors with a pretty rowdy audience in late 81. When the film ended and i was leaving, a number of Guardian Angels were standing in the back of the theatre looking like they could’ve been in the film itself.
The last film I saw at this theatre was “A Man For All Seasons,” that being the 1966 film. I was dragged there by history-loving parents for a family afternoon, and steamed the whole time. It was not exactly the kind of film an 8 YO wanted to see. There was no vestibule for the two aisles, so every time someone used the door, it wiped out half the screen. The doors faced West and caught all the sunlight from the very small lobby.
If anyone has any stories about going to/ working at this threatre in its adult days, I would love to hear them. I am chronicling the histories of adult theatres in the US. Please contact me at Thanks!
This is a recent photo of the former Roxy, now Club Madonna which is a strip club.
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When I was going to Ida M. Fisher Junior High in the mid-1960’s, the building that houses the Roxy was a fire insurance company office. If memory serves me correctly – and I can’t prove this… I believe the insurance company relocated because THEY had a fire!
The Roxy in 1972:
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1985 photos of the Roxy here and here.
The Gayety was at 2004 Collins and was mostly a Burlesque strip club that rarely showed movies.
Does anyone have any info on the Gayety Theatre on Collins Ave? It was one of Leroy Griffith’s Theatres.
The owner’s name is Leroy Griffith and lots of people (mainly City officials) have had re-ins with him. He’s quite an interesting guy (and quite a character). Here’s the latest dust-up he’s having with the city of Miami Beach.
Leroy is responsible for bringing porno to Miami Beach (his claim). At one time he owned or controlled the Paris, Roxy, Cameo, and Carib in Miami Beach, plus the Paramount and Boulevard (Pussycat) in Miami as Al mentions over on the Boulevard’s page.
There’s no telling how much money he’s spent fighting various local governments, but he’s just one of those guys that won’t let city officials push him around.
I spent some time with a friend in Miami Beach when I took the photos in April. He is a real estate developer, pretty well known in that area. He objected when I told him about taking pictures of the strip club as he has had numerous run ins with the owner, whose name I can’t recall. He didn’t see any architectural significance regarding this building. To each his own, I guess.
Fred,
There is small photo of the Downtown Miami Roxy on this flyer. See if it brings back any memories and perhaps you can add the page.
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I have a copy of a theatre ad booklet put out by Paramaount Theatres in 1937. One ad is for the Roxy at 34 S.E. First St. showing “Saratoga”. I lived in Miami in the mid forties and went downtown frequently, but do not reacall this theatre. It is listed in the 1946 Film Daily Year Book as 725 seats and closed.
Function should be changed to Live Performances. Here are some photos from April 2007:
http://tinyurl.com/37vv9b
http://tinyurl.com/2md6qn
http://tinyurl.com/2rn92t
Good point, Ken. I have found no other mention of the second Roxie(or Roxy?) and I wonder if it was a city center “colored” house.
I recently went by Coconut Grove and was pleasantly surprised to find the ACE is still there. The Ace is on 37th & Grand Avenue and, although briefly re-opened in the 70s as a blaxploitation house, it may have a history going back to the thirties with the Grove’s Afro-Caribbean audience. It ran live acts in the 70s as well so it probably has a stage. Like the Miami Roxie, it is never mentioned in South Florida history books.
There was a Roxie Theater in Miami that was damaged by a fire in 1945. The Roxy listed here was built in the sixties, according to the caption, so there may be some confusion between the two theaters. Note that Al Alvarez mentions a 1934 listing in the Motion Picture Year Book.
That is definitely the Roxy.
is this the former roxy?, just up from the cameo, now called the madonna strip club, very dull by day, somewhat more fun by night (great neon)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/131553904/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/131553902/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/130985238/
The Roxy is listed in the 1934 Year Book of Motion Pictures as having 725 seats.
The Roxy is now a strip club. It’s located right up the street from the Cameo.