New Salem Theater
521 Salem Avenue,
Dayton,
OH
45406
521 Salem Avenue,
Dayton,
OH
45406
1 person
favorited this theater
The 1,000-seat Salem Theater opened on February 16, 1928 with Bebe Daniels in “She’s a Sheik”. It was operated by Salem Theater, Inc. and was equipped with a Wurlitzer theatre organ which was opened by organist Johanna Grosse. In 1953, the Salem Theater was closed. The theater reopened as the New Salem Theater on July 2, 1954, now with a snack bar.
On December 19, 1965 the New Salem Theater closed for good with Vivian Leigh in “Ship of Fools”. The projection booth was converted into “Juliet’s Balcony” and the auditorium was converted to several eating areas. Today it has been converted in an apartment building for seniors.
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
I formerly lived in Dayton from Aug.1963 to Apr.1999. I can assure you that this theater was purchased by Vic Cassano, owner and frahchisor of a large chain of restaurants known as “Cassano’s Pizza King” who was local to Dayton. I attended a Christmas Party in 1970 inside this place when it was one of his flagship restaurants.
The building still exists, though not as a theatre. The entire block burnt I believe in the 80’s and the entire block sat vacant for years…I few years back the entire building was renovated as well as the Terra Cotta apartment building behind it which is now Senior living.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyum/4999245043/
As you can tell, I didn’t spend a lot of time on this one. Just fired off this shot as I drove past.
Reopened as the New Salem on July 2nd, 1954. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
Grand Opening of the Salem Theatre on February 16, 1928 with Bebe Daniels in “She’s a Sheik” with Johanna Grosse at the mighty Wurlitzer organ supported by a Pathé newsreel. H&K Cinema Enterprises took on the venue in January of 1964. It dropped it a year later and the venue continued independently until December 19, 1965 closing with José Ferrer in “Ship of Fools.”
Salem theatre opening
Salem theatre opening 15 Feb 1928, Wed Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) Newspapers.com
The June 19, 1954 issue of Boxoffice said that Gus Barbalis and an unnamed partner expected to open the New Salem Theatre in Dayton by July 1. The house, which had been closed since December, 1953, had been extensively remodeled and CinemaScope equipment had been installed.