Loew's Capitol Theatre

1328 F Street NW,
Washington, DC 20004

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Showing 1 - 25 of 52 comments

MarkA
MarkA on August 8, 2023 at 7:20 pm

A CORRECTION TO MY COMMENT ABOVE: The rebuilt console featured four manuals, controlling 28 ranks of pipes. It was rebuilt again and controlled 31 ranks.

MarkA
MarkA on July 6, 2023 at 4:20 am

The Wurlitzer organ at the Capitol was a three manual, fifteen rank instrument, not a 4m/31r. Known as a Style (model) 260, the organ chambers were installed on one side of the auditorium. When moved to Thurmont, it was combined with with another Wurlitzer from the Manos Theatre in Greensburg PA using the console from the Capitol. This console was rebuilt with manuals and eventually controlled thirty-one ranks of pipes. Its owner passed away in February 2023. The organ is now being installed in a private residence in southwest United States.

Sterli
Sterli on September 18, 2017 at 10:20 am

I worked at the Capital theater . From 1958 to 1960 as the secretary to the Manager .I ,Also ran the switch board and cashiered . I too like Ipa, loved to explore backstage . The Capital theater was truly a magical place to work,in. All of the Management that were in place at the time Ipa and I worked there are no longer living. There is an exception. The man who managed the Loews Palace.is still,living,

ChattTraveler
ChattTraveler on September 17, 2017 at 7:28 pm

musiclover…I think 1939 to 1946. She did sing for many military functions, raising money for war bonds, singing at Walter Reed, the Navy Sail Loft, and for many military brass (when Hap Arnold got his 4th star in 1943.) She even sang at the White House for FDR, and then again at his last birthday party before he died. She also sang at a memorial service for him at the Department of Ag.

musiclover
musiclover on January 4, 2017 at 10:08 am

ChattTraveler, glad to see your comment. What years did your mother sing at Loew’s Capitol? I’m doing research on USO camp shows and trying to find out if SJK & his orchestra performed in them at Westover Field in Massachusetts in late 1944/early 1945.

ChattTraveler
ChattTraveler on December 31, 2016 at 7:52 am

My mother, Lynn Allison, sang with SJK at the Lowe’s for 7 years. When they tore it down, he sent her one of the tassels from the curtain, which I still have. They were great friends. (Can’t remember if I posted this before; don’t mean to be redundant.)

musiclover
musiclover on July 15, 2016 at 1:43 pm

If anyone has recollections about or photos of Sam Jack Kaufman, Conductor and Musical Director of Loews Capitol Theatre 1940-54, would like to see them. He was the Conductor at the Truman Inaugural Gala in 1949.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 20, 2015 at 7:17 am

1929 photo added. Fox Roller Skating Girls 1929 by Schutz Photo, Capitol Photo Service Collection. Courtesy Panoramic Images. Fox marquee just visible on the far right. It was the largest version of the image I could find. It was in an e-mail from the Historical Society of Washington D.C.regarding an upcoming event called the Bootlegger’s Ball.

rivest266
rivest266 on June 21, 2015 at 8:16 am

August 14th, 1936 grand opening ad in photo section

rivest266
rivest266 on June 21, 2015 at 8:12 am

Monday, July 27, 1936 newspaper article announcing the contest of the new name of this theatre. Capitol, Congressional, Diplomat, Embassy, Federal, Marcus Loew, Nation, President, Union

Capitol won

rivest266
rivest266 on June 21, 2015 at 6:39 am

September 19th, 1927 grand opening ad in photo section.

scotttony
scotttony on May 18, 2015 at 2:17 pm

In the late 1940s my mother used to take me on Saturday mornings to the Capitol to see a stage show, news reel, cartoon and movie. On one of my visits the headliner was a very young female vocalist named Rosemary Clooney. We went backstage to meet her and she gave me a headshot photo and a kiss on the cheek. I fell in love with her and showbiz. In 1997 I again met her at Walt Disney World where I was an Entertainment Manager. Small World?

DavePrice
DavePrice on March 19, 2015 at 4:44 pm

In 1947 my family lived in Washington for a time. Every Friday evening we would meet my father in town and go to the Capitol, the reason being that my dad loved vaudeville. In fact he lived with the hope that someday Vaude would come back to Nashville, our home town.

One time when Sammy Kaye was playing the Capitol my mother was selected to go on stage and lead the band. I still have the signed baton that Mr Kaye gave her.

Another act I recall was Drapo, a man who would wrap lengths of cloth around models and create dresses right before you eyes. My dad had seen Drapo on stage a number of years earlier.

I wish I could remember more of the acts but at 76 my memory is failing.

bobc316
bobc316 on October 12, 2014 at 5:42 am

tineseltoes, if the fox theatre renamed as loews capitol in 1936 as of 2011 an that was 75 years ago that means my ticket was between 1927-1936 ? because it says fox lol

bobc316
bobc316 on September 9, 2014 at 2:20 pm

i have a ticket from this theatre when it was known as the fox, price was 60 cents lol

DianneLesliePalmer
DianneLesliePalmer on July 22, 2014 at 8:06 pm

My grandfather Dick Leslie was a comedian that would introduce acts at the theater. I was wondering if anyone has information on him. He would open as a warm up act for Jackie Gleason sometimes to.

RSM3853
RSM3853 on December 28, 2013 at 10:48 am

Thanks to sconnell1 for correcting my entry – “Key Witness” indeed played at the Loew’s Capitol. My research has it during the week of 10/12/60 which also had a stage show. The reason I use Wednesday dates is because MOST movies did open that day of the week back then (although not all) and when going through old microfilms it would take forever to look at every single day. In addition, VARIETY came out on Wednesdays and is an invaluable source for finding out first-run movie openings in its box-office pages. I do plan at some point to put in the films of the Dupont, MacArthur, and other great DC theaters. Stay posted.

beachy
beachy on July 21, 2012 at 1:08 pm

Now if you want to here the real story why the Capitol was demolished, here it is. When the Kennedy center was being planed, it was known that it could not compete with the Capitol. The Capitol was with out a doubt the most beautiful theatre in Washington DC seating almost 4000. The stage was able to handle anything including the Metropolitan Opera witch was booked about once a year. The only thing the Kennedy center had in its favor was parking. Other wise, it was and is and will always be a poor theatrical experience.

Brad Smith
Brad Smith on May 5, 2012 at 11:58 am

Click here for an exterior view of the Fox Theatre in 1929.

sconnell1
sconnell1 on March 30, 2012 at 12:33 pm

The list of the films posted in these comments that played at the Capitol theater omitted the film “Key Witness” which opened on Saturday, October 20, 1960 and played until Wednesday, October 19th. “Ruby” opened the next day. Back in those days not all movies opened in on Wednesday, some opened on Thursday, or Friday, or even Saturday. At the Dupont and the MacArthur some films opened on Tuesdays, but not always. There are no listing for the films that played at those two theaters posted in the comments under those theaters.

CharlieCoates
CharlieCoates on June 28, 2011 at 12:50 pm

My first visit to the Capitol was in 1952. The feature was “Son of Ali Baba” with Tony Curtis. (“Yondah lies da castle of my fadduh”). There was also a stage show featuring Patti Page, who sat atop the charts with “Doggie in the Window.”

I later saw the 1961 release of “Gone With the Wind” there for the princely sum of a buck. My last visit was in July, 1962 for “Hatari.” About a year later, it was gone.

Local619
Local619 on May 8, 2011 at 10:16 pm

If Glenn Miller played at a Loews in Washington in June of 1942 they did not advertize it in the Washington Post.

He did play the Loews Capitol the week of March 9th 1942.. the Movie was Joe Smith, American w/Robert Young

lindab
lindab on May 8, 2011 at 6:10 pm

How do I find out what movie was playing at Loew’s in D.C. in June of 1942 when Glenn Miller was on the stage bill?

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on May 8, 2011 at 1:36 pm

Marcus Loew was born on this day in 1870.