Imperial Theater
61 Broad Street,
Pawtucket,
RI
02860
61 Broad Street,
Pawtucket,
RI
02860
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Gerald, I know you’ve expressed a desire to be able to travel back and visit some of the theaters of yesteryear. Me too!!
Barring any real progress in quantum physics, the best we can do is view some very old film footage.
Here’s a link that I think you might enjoy.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/
Type in ‘Early Films’ in the search box. The resulting pages will show some very, very pre-1900 films of Edison and American Mutant film companies. I believe if you go through enough links that you’ll also see Vitograph.
There are also some local interest films from Newport Naval and Hope Webbing.
Be careful with that website. If you’re like me and get distracted easily, it could be an hour or two before you return!! Enjoy the trip.
The Imperial Theatre opened on February 21, 1916, according to the Providence Journal. “New Theatre Pawtucket,” said the paper the day before the opening. The theatre was located on the site of the old passenger train station on Broad Street and was under the direction of Walter G. Hartford. He had been for some time identified with the Casino Theatre in Providence. The house opened with D. W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation , which had been a hit at the Providence Opera House the previous August and September.
Here is an interesting progression of photos take from Time Square in Pawtucket, opposite the Times building.
In the city directory books, the address of the Imperial is listed as (old railroad depot). Here is what the depot looked like in 1872. Note the building behind the depot which is closest in photo.
View link
Now, look at this photo of the Imperial probably taken before the Leroy was built. Look across the street near the electric trolley. No castle for the Leroy!!!
View link
Now take a look at this later photo of the Imperial Theater, the building that showed up in the 1872 photo shows up here. Also note that the Imperial and the building slightly behind it. Same as in the photo of 1872. And as a treat, look across the street. You can make out the castle ornamentation and the sign for the Leroy Theater.
View link
I hope that I can talk with the two gentlemen of this past weekend so I gain more information. I do recall that admission was ten cents. The younger brother Stanley, age 90, told me the location of the New Casino Theater as listed in a late teen’s city directory.
He said it was on the second floor of a building located to the right of present day Landry Hardware, Broad St. Central Falls. As a teen in the mid 60’s, we use to see local rock concerts in the DeNevers building just right to Landry’s Hardware. I do recall that there was a stage and a balcony in that particular room. More to investigate!!
This is creditable archeology! My fondest wish as a classic film and movie theatre buff is to be able to travel back in time to these places! Perhaps that link to the photo of the Imperial and the Leroy across the street could be added here.