Here is a photo of the interior of the New Bedford Theatre in 1945. And this is a brief history of the theatre as it appears in “New Bedford, A Pictorial History” by Judith A. Boss and Joseph D. Thomas:
“The New Bedford Theater was built in 1896 on the site of the old opera house and was one of the city’s foremost theaters. Many stock companies used to play here. The theater was also used for lectures, concerts, political rallies and high school graduations. In the early days of moving pictures, the sound would be provided by actors who would stand behind the screen and try to synchronize their voices, usually without much success, with the lip movement on the screen. Theater gradually became less popular after the advent of radio and, later, of television. The New Bedford Theater was torn down in 1968.”
The theatre was built in 1907, according to “New Bedford, a Pictorial History” by Judith A. Ross and Joseph D. Thomas. That year may refer to the cinema portion of the building. After a lengthy history of vaudeville, burlesque, and movies, the place was sold by the Sharpshooters Club to Antone DeMello in 1962.
From “New Bedford, A Pictorial History” by Judith A. Boss and Joseph D. Thomas: “One of the feature’s of Allen’s Theatre that made it a favorite with the neighborhood children was its weekly serial cowboy movies. The theater was destroyed by fire in 1940.”
Yes, Sam, but I was curious to know if there was a SPECIFIC connection. And I found out. She owned a home at Highmount and sang at the opening night of the theatre. See this link.
Here are some of the films shown in the Art Theatre’s heyday during the 1949-1951 period. Note the emphasis on many movies with a classical music or operatic connection: Shoe Shine, To Live in Peace, Mad About Opera, La Traviata, The Red Shoes, The Stone Flower, Volpone, Saraband, To Live in Peace, The Mikado, Passionelle & Torment, Hamlet, Specter of the Rose, The Walls of Malapaga, Rigoletto, Don Quixote, Symphonie Pastorale, Die Fledermaus, Lucia di Lamermoor, Tight Little Island, Animal Crackers & The Informer, Spring in Park Lane, Quartet, The Astonished Heart, Eternal Melodies-The Life of Mozart (advertised as “our contribution to the Salzburg Music Festival”) & a short with Ezio Pinza called “Rehearsal”, Rembrandt, The Ghost Goes West, Devil in the Flesh, Grand Illusion, This Happy Breed, Devil’s Cargo & Elephant Boy, Il Trovatore, Monsieur Vincent, The Fallen Idol, Henry V, Loves of a Clown (Pagliacci), Five Men and a Woman & Alien for a Night, Intermezzo & Since You Went Away, Mr. Perrin and Mr. Traill & Miranda, The Glass Mountain, The Hidden Room, Passport to Pimlico, The Affair Blum, Salt to the Devil (a.k.a. Christ in Concrete), Faust and the Devil, Kind Hearts and Coronets.
For me, one especially memorable event at Radio City Music Hall was on July 7, 1983. That night the restored/reconstructed “A Star is Born” (George Cukor, 1954) had its gala first presentation in New York. The place was packed to the rafters. Some celebrities in attendance were Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft, James Mason, and Lillian Gish. It was a thrilling class act.
Nova, I noticed the Anthology Film Archives is not listed yet on Cinema Treasures (except as the original user of the Public Theatre/Little Theatre.) Perhaps you should add it, what with your acquaintance with it.
In 1972 I saw the Peruvian film “The Green Wall” (“La Muralla Verde”) which played here and got some critical acclaim. The film was nice but I wasn’t impressed with the theatre at all.
Here is a photo of the Brattle as it appears now. The entrance to the cinema is down the staircase to the left. The former entrance was from that windowed area behind the right tree. There used to be a canopy leading to the street. The steps in the center of the building used to be an exit when they led directly to/from the auditorium. Afterward the auditorium size was reduced and the area carved up into more commercial establishments and leading to this present configuration. The “old Brattle” was much nicer, in my opinion.
This is a photo I took in the ticket office of the Stadium. It shows posters listing some films shown in 1927 and 1928. I wish I could go back in time and attend all of them. The theatre was no more than two years old then.
Here is a photo of the interior of the New Bedford Theatre in 1945. And this is a brief history of the theatre as it appears in “New Bedford, A Pictorial History” by Judith A. Boss and Joseph D. Thomas:
“The New Bedford Theater was built in 1896 on the site of the old opera house and was one of the city’s foremost theaters. Many stock companies used to play here. The theater was also used for lectures, concerts, political rallies and high school graduations. In the early days of moving pictures, the sound would be provided by actors who would stand behind the screen and try to synchronize their voices, usually without much success, with the lip movement on the screen. Theater gradually became less popular after the advent of radio and, later, of television. The New Bedford Theater was torn down in 1968.”
The theatre was built in 1907, according to “New Bedford, a Pictorial History” by Judith A. Ross and Joseph D. Thomas. That year may refer to the cinema portion of the building. After a lengthy history of vaudeville, burlesque, and movies, the place was sold by the Sharpshooters Club to Antone DeMello in 1962.
From “New Bedford, A Pictorial History” by Judith A. Boss and Joseph D. Thomas: “One of the feature’s of Allen’s Theatre that made it a favorite with the neighborhood children was its weekly serial cowboy movies. The theater was destroyed by fire in 1940.”
Yes, Sam, but I was curious to know if there was a SPECIFIC connection. And I found out. She owned a home at Highmount and sang at the opening night of the theatre. See this link.
Here is a photograph of the Allen’s Theatre in 1919.
Was this theatre named after the Milanese soprano Amelita Galli-Curci (1882-1963) who sang at the Metropolitan Opera from 1921-1930?
Here are some of the films shown in the Art Theatre’s heyday during the 1949-1951 period. Note the emphasis on many movies with a classical music or operatic connection: Shoe Shine, To Live in Peace, Mad About Opera, La Traviata, The Red Shoes, The Stone Flower, Volpone, Saraband, To Live in Peace, The Mikado, Passionelle & Torment, Hamlet, Specter of the Rose, The Walls of Malapaga, Rigoletto, Don Quixote, Symphonie Pastorale, Die Fledermaus, Lucia di Lamermoor, Tight Little Island, Animal Crackers & The Informer, Spring in Park Lane, Quartet, The Astonished Heart, Eternal Melodies-The Life of Mozart (advertised as “our contribution to the Salzburg Music Festival”) & a short with Ezio Pinza called “Rehearsal”, Rembrandt, The Ghost Goes West, Devil in the Flesh, Grand Illusion, This Happy Breed, Devil’s Cargo & Elephant Boy, Il Trovatore, Monsieur Vincent, The Fallen Idol, Henry V, Loves of a Clown (Pagliacci), Five Men and a Woman & Alien for a Night, Intermezzo & Since You Went Away, Mr. Perrin and Mr. Traill & Miranda, The Glass Mountain, The Hidden Room, Passport to Pimlico, The Affair Blum, Salt to the Devil (a.k.a. Christ in Concrete), Faust and the Devil, Kind Hearts and Coronets.
For me, one especially memorable event at Radio City Music Hall was on July 7, 1983. That night the restored/reconstructed “A Star is Born” (George Cukor, 1954) had its gala first presentation in New York. The place was packed to the rafters. Some celebrities in attendance were Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft, James Mason, and Lillian Gish. It was a thrilling class act.
Nova, I noticed the Anthology Film Archives is not listed yet on Cinema Treasures (except as the original user of the Public Theatre/Little Theatre.) Perhaps you should add it, what with your acquaintance with it.
Looks like some truly great programming here judging by the link to their current schedule.
A link to photos of Ilene Kristen, owner/founder of the Jean Renoir Cinema in 1977. She is seen at her movie theatre here.
Here is an old postcard of Broadway in the 1930s showing Loew’s State on the left and the Palace on the right.
Here is an old postcard of Broadway in the 1930s showing Loew’s State on the left and the Palace on the right.
In 1972 I saw the Peruvian film “The Green Wall” (“La Muralla Verde”) which played here and got some critical acclaim. The film was nice but I wasn’t impressed with the theatre at all.
Here is a photo I took of the Middlesex, or what remains of it, a while back.
Here are two photos of the Loring Hall Cinema that I took in November 2002. EXTERIOR and INTERIOR
This old postcard shows the Crown Theatre on the right. The card was mailed in 1917.
This is a photo of the Webster Square Cinemas I took a few years ago.
This photo of the Entertainment Cinemas building front was taken by me in 2003.
Correction: my photo above was in January, 2004, not 2001, if that makes any difference.
Of course! Just attach them to an e-mail and forward them.
Here is a photo of the Brattle as it appears now. The entrance to the cinema is down the staircase to the left. The former entrance was from that windowed area behind the right tree. There used to be a canopy leading to the street. The steps in the center of the building used to be an exit when they led directly to/from the auditorium. Afterward the auditorium size was reduced and the area carved up into more commercial establishments and leading to this present configuration. The “old Brattle” was much nicer, in my opinion.
Here is a photo of the Ardmore I took in January, 2001.
This is a photo I took in the ticket office of the Stadium. It shows posters listing some films shown in 1927 and 1928. I wish I could go back in time and attend all of them. The theatre was no more than two years old then.
Here is a photo of the F.M. Kirby Center which I took in 2002.