Roxy Theater

521 Washington Avenue,
Bay City, MI 48708

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Roxy Theater

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Associated Theatres

Firms: Johnson Construction Co.

Previous Names: Alvarado Theater, Lyric Theater, Grotto Theater, Temple Theater, Rialto Theater

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Roxy Theater

The Alvarado Theater was opened on September 2, 1906. It became the Lyric Theater on september 3, 1911. By June 1913 the name was changed again to the Grotto Theater. In February 1921 the interior was destroyed by fire. Repairs were carried out and by 1926 it was known as the Temple Theater. In 1936 it was renamed Rialto Theater and on February 15, 1942 following another remodel the name was changed to the Roxy Theater. The Roxy Theater closed around 1958. Click the link below for a photo of the Roxy Theater. The movie on the marquee is dated at 1939.

Contributed by Lost Memory

Recent comments (view all 12 comments)

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on May 6, 2018 at 9:03 am

This house had still another aka, according to this item from the January 7, 1936, issue of The Film Daily:

“Bay City-Rialto Theater Co. has been incorporated as operating company for the Temple, Bay City, being renamed the Rialto upon acquisition by Associated Theaters.”

graymatters
graymatters on April 17, 2021 at 2:51 pm

The Roxy was among the Michigan theaters that my grandfather Albert S. “Al” Johnson apparently remodeled. His son’s notes show a “Roxy Theatre job in Saginaw,” with no project date. I could find no record of a Saginaw theater with that name, so I suspect that Johnson Construction Co. instead remodeled this theater in Bay City which then opened in 1942 as the Roxy.

Unfortunately, my grandfather left behind no Kodachrome images of the Roxy among his theater project slide collection.

graymatters
graymatters on July 19, 2022 at 1:57 am

I just located and uploaded a 1940 image of the Roxy Theatre, taken by my grandfather Al Johnson, whose Johnson Construction Co. remodeled the theater. Previously we didn’t know which year Al Johnson completed the job, but based on the theater history and the 1939 film titles shown in the only other photo known to exist of the theater when it was called the Roxy, my educated guess is that the remodel was completed in 1939.

Although Al left behind no color Kodachrome slides of the theater, as he did for most of his jobs, this black and white photo provides additional documentation that this was the Roxy Theatre that my uncle listed as one of the Johnson projects. -Andy Gray

nsortzi
nsortzi on September 21, 2023 at 5:41 pm

This theater has been demolished. The site is currently a parking lot.

rivest266
rivest266 on February 19, 2024 at 10:31 pm

opened on September 2nd, 1906, as Alvarado. Grand opening ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on February 19, 2024 at 11:25 pm

Reopened or placed its first ad as Lyric on September 3rd, 1911. Another ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on February 19, 2024 at 11:59 pm

Closed or stopped placing ads in 1912 and reopened on March 27th, 1917. More ads posted. More to come for this theatre.

rivest266
rivest266 on February 20, 2024 at 1:23 pm

Closed in 1923 and reopened as Temple on September 21st, 1924. Another ad posted. More to come for this theatre.

rivest266
rivest266 on February 20, 2024 at 2:42 pm

Closed or stopped placing ads in 1930. It reopened as the Roxy theatre on February 15th, 1942. Another ad posted.

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on February 20, 2024 at 3:04 pm

Website link is dead.

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