Colonial Theater
492 Farmington Avenue,
Hartford,
CT
06105
492 Farmington Avenue,
Hartford,
CT
06105
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Here’s a new 4-page 50th anniversary FIDDLER ON THE ROOF retrospective featuring a roadshow playdate chronology and historian Q&A. The Cinerama’s lengthy run is mentioned in the piece.
Another classic roadshow cinema that turned overnight into a porn exploitation palace.
Just updated Cinerama aka Colonial theatre with ads and articles from 1961 to 2000 – http://www.incinerama.com/ctcolonial.htm
Mid `60’s photo as Cinerama added courtesy of Theo Tersteeg.
I will be updating my web site in the future with ads and articles on the Cinerama aka Colonial theatre.
http://incinerama.com/ctcolonial.htm
This opened on September 20th, 1961. Grand opening ad in the photo section
Found on Newspapers.com powered by Newspapers.com
Ed
When were you there? Was it during the Lockwood & Gordon years or later?
If anyone wants more information on the Colonial/Cinerama theatre, email to I worked as a projectionst at the theatre for 15 years. ED Glazer
Article on The Colonial as a kung-fu house circa 1983 here.
Hi Chuck,
I would love to see pictures of the Colonial when it was a Cinerama theatre.
Thanks!
Roland
Mentioned here http://www.hogriver.org/issues/v01n03/palaces.htm
Chuck1231
If your still around, please let us know where we can see pictures of the Colonial when it was a Cinerama theatre. I have pictures before it was a Cinerama and after – http://cineramahistory.com/ctcolonial.htm Please contact me at
Thanks!
Roland
If it were that simple. I worked in the business for 20 years and there are problems with that model. Older theatres were likely in cities where parking, and adventuring downtown at night were both dubious. The megaplexes tend to play out todays films so that there is not enough run after they are complete.
Plus, the old buildings are expensive to keep up, with 80 year old roofs, outdated HVAC systems and a lot of space to heat and cool for a minimal return on tickets sold.
Unless there is a grass roots organization to place the house under non-profit status, raise funds and apply for tax breaks, a private owner doesn’t stand much of a chance.
It’s like opening a harware store between a Lowes and Home Depot; nice thought, but not practical in todays climate of business efficiency.
That theatre looks like it was a beautiful theatre—both inside and out, with a classic curved screen and curtains, to boot. What a shame that it had to be closed and demolished like that. Why it couldn’t have just been restored is beyond me. It’s disheartening to hear of yet another venerable old movie palace gone the way of cinema heaven to make way for these antiseptic-looking multiplex cinemas that mainly show today’s schlockier movies.
Another poster on here had an excellent idea, which could’ve/should’ve been applied to this theatre and elsewhere; Leave the venerable old movie palaces for the over-40 crowd, with the older films, at 3-5 dollar admissions, and let today’s young kids have the multiplexes so they can have the schlockier films and destroy the movie-going experience there.
Some pics and history at:
http://cinerama.topcities.com/ctcolonial.htm
http://cinerama.topcities.com/ctcolonial.htm
Does anyone have pictures of when it was a Cinerama theatre?
When this was a Cinerama house it was run by Lockwood and Gordon (sometimes referred to as Gordon and Lockwood or L&G). L&G ran several Cinerama ventures around the country, eventually selling many of its assetts to SBC (an arm of Sonderling Broadcasting Corp) and Pacific Theatres.
Doug Amos, eventually president of SBC, ran this house in the late 50’s early 60’s to the best of my recollection.
SBC eventually built the Cinema City in Hartford, which was uniquely constructed unlike the other SBC modern (early 70’s) multiplexes.
The people who knocked this beauty down (and an historic Hartford home behind it) had the nerve to call themselves “Colonial Theater Renaissance Corporation”. What a joke! Renaissance my a**!
This photo is somewhat indistinct, but the caption places the theater on the left on West Farmington in Hartford. The date is 1933. The films on the marquee are “Beloved” and “Convention City”:
http://tinyurl.com/zsj9h
Charles,
I would love to add the pictures to my Cinerama web site -http://cinerama.topcities.com of the Colonial when it was a Cinerama Theatre. I have pictures before it was a Cinerama and after – http://cinerama.topcities.com/ctcolonial.htm Please contact me at
Thanks!
Roland
It’s a done deal. The restaurant is now open, as of 7/11/04.
Paul Michaud
A new building has been constructed behind the Colonial’s facade. A Brazilian restaurant is expected to open inside that new building very soon.
The Colonial Theatre was located at 492 Farmington Ave. and it seated 1200 people.