Hyannis Theater

626 Main Street,
Hyannis, MA 02601

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Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on July 30, 2014 at 10:58 pm

A “Looking Back” feature in the June 27, 2013, issue of The Barnstable Patriot cites an item from the June 28, 1923, issue of the paper saying that the new Hyannis Theatre would open that day. The timing indicates that the Hyannis was probably the theater project mentioned in the April 28, 1923, issue of Exhibitors Herald, which said that a 1,000-seat house was being built for Hyannis Theatre, Inc., from plans by Boston architects J. Williams Beal Sons. The same firm later designed the house now known as The Boston University Theatre.

RogerA
RogerA on April 17, 2012 at 6:18 pm

The theater was gutted long ago. So far the only photo I have seen is the one I posted.

caissie
caissie on November 2, 2011 at 3:51 pm

The theater is not demolished! It is still standing, now with retail on the ground floor. The upper floors are condominiums and my mother is moving into one right now. I am trying to get some memorabilia from the theater for her, but so far, no luck. There are a couple of photos floating around online, but not enough resolution to blow up and frame. But the condo is quite nice and the big wooden beams from the roof are exposed. It is her dream come true!

rsalters (Ron Salters)
rsalters (Ron Salters) on November 10, 2010 at 7:43 pm

The 1927 Film Daily Yearbook lists the Hyannis Theatre, 1,020 seats.

crownx
crownx on July 25, 2009 at 12:59 am

I also resided there during the early 50’s when I was manager of the Center and later on when I was projectionist at the Hyannis. I remember George when he came and replaced Paul Dion (Motorcycle Man)at the Center.
The Ice cream parlor when much earlier than this.

RogerA
RogerA on July 24, 2009 at 9:30 pm

I was one of those summer employees and the second floor has private rooms for Interstate’s summer projectionists but only three were from off cape and lived there. George Nelson was there the longest. I had never heard of the space being used as an ice cream parlor.

crownx
crownx on June 28, 2009 at 1:17 pm

The second floor used to be an ice cream parlor. The entrance was on the side. Later is was used as a domitory for Interstate’s summer employees.

RogerA
RogerA on June 28, 2009 at 5:42 am

A picture of the Hyannis Theater
View link

RogerA
RogerA on March 5, 2008 at 7:17 pm

The last time I was there the space had been converted into retail and housed a variety of shops but all remains of the theater are gone as the interior of the building had been gutted.

Roger Katz
Roger Katz on February 15, 2008 at 2:36 am

Doesn’t this still stand as retail, which is contrary to the demolished status above?

RogerA
RogerA on December 18, 2007 at 8:09 pm

The story about the hundred dollar bill was told to me by George Nelson who worked as a projectionist at the Center Theater for years until it burned down. A manager left a plastic trash container near the furnace and that started the fire as I was told. George had a room in the Hyannis theater and worked summers on the cape until he retired. He was appalled that the manager at the Hyannis Theater didn’t just let Liz and Mike go in for free.
One interesting story few know is that after they ran Sound of Music all summer in the tent where Cinema 28 was later built the mag optical print was sitting in the lobby of the Center Theater waiting to be shipped back and George noticed it. Seeing it was a mag optical print and as the Center Theater was the only theater on Cape Cod that could run stereo he took a couple of reels up to the booth and ran them. The district manager walked in and commented on who good it sounded. His words were, “You mean I have been listening to this all summer in optical when it could have sounded like this.” The district manager hearing how good it sounded booked it to run the following summer at the Center Theater.

crownx
crownx on November 24, 2007 at 7:15 pm

Roger A.

I was projectionist at the Hyannis when Liz Taylor & Mike Todd attended. I am not aware of the hundred dollar bill. Only that they sat in the balcony.

RogerA
RogerA on November 24, 2007 at 6:59 pm

Richard D. were you the manager when Liz Taylor attended. She has a hundred dollar bill there was trouble breaking it then she asked to sit in the balcony.

rsalters (Ron Salters)
rsalters (Ron Salters) on March 24, 2007 at 2:17 pm

Richard D – your guess is close! The MGM Report says that the Center Theatre had 570 seats on the main floor and 134 in the balcony, total: 704, as of 1941. Thanks for clearing the matter up— I can now see that the data on the MGM Reports is correct, but the photos for the 2 theatres in Hyannis have been switched. The MGM agent said that the Hyannis Th. was in “Fair” condition, but the Center Th. was in “Excellent” condition,(in 1941).

crownx
crownx on February 6, 2007 at 9:06 pm

Ron & Gerald- I was Manager and projectionist at the Hyannis and Center during the 50’s. The Hyannis was the larger of the two and 960 on main floor and 90 in balcony seems about right. The Hyannis operated only in the summer and was located in the west end of town surrounded with shop, bars restaurants etc. but everything was closed during the winter. I remember seeing Mike Todd and Elizabeth Taylor attend a showing of the “Sun Also Rises” .
The Center was at the other end of town and is listed in Cinema Treasures. It was open all year. A smaller theater than the Hyannis, I would guess around 600 on Main Floor with about90 in Balcony.

rsalters (Ron Salters)
rsalters (Ron Salters) on November 18, 2006 at 4:02 pm

Here is the info on the MGM Report for the Hyannis Theatre, with a photo taken in May 1941. The photo apparently is of the Center Theatre. It has a brick facade with a rectangular rain canopy over the sidewalk. On either side of the center boxoffice are 2 pairs of double doors. The Report states that the theatre has been a MGM customer for over 10 years; that it’s over 10 years old, is in Fair condition and has 960 seats on the main floor and 90 balcony seats, total: 1050 seats. It’s obvious that the person who did the Reports mixed up the 2 theatres; I know now which photo is correct, but I don’t know which set of data pertains to which theatre.

rsalters (Ron Salters)
rsalters (Ron Salters) on November 12, 2006 at 4:31 pm

The 1920s postcard shown above is the same building shown on the MGM Report in May 1941 supposedly of the Center Theatre in Hyannis. In that photo, the theatre name does not show on the marquee. Obviously, the MGM Report is incorrect (what a surprise).

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on May 28, 2006 at 11:17 am

Here is a postcard photo of the Hyannis Theatre from the 1920s.