Academy Theatre

56 N. University Avenue,
Provo, UT 84601

Unfavorite No one has favorited this theater yet

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Carmike Cinemas, Mann Theatres

Architects: James E. Allen

Nearby Theaters

News About This Theater

Academy Theater Provo UT 1995

The Academy Theatre was opened May 9, 1941 by Joseph L. Lawrence and David K. Edwards, who also built the Villa Theatre, Southeast Theatre and Murray Theatre, all in the Salt Lake area.

The building was originally a skate rink and then became the main office of a utility company before it became a theatre. Carmike Cinemas closed the Academy Theatre on September 10, 1998 after opening a new 12-plex in the same general area.

Contributed by Grant Smith

Recent comments (view all 10 comments)

William
William on December 7, 2003 at 1:21 am

The Academy Theatre seated 752 people.

utahguy
utahguy on February 22, 2005 at 4:29 am

The Academy Theatre has also been demolished. I hadn’t been to Provo in 15 years and visited today and saw that both the Academy and the Paramount around the corner (which I used to manage) are gone.

kristya
kristya on March 6, 2005 at 5:44 am

I am a student in Provo researching early movie theaters in Utah County. Was Academy the first theater, or does anyone have more detailed information?

utahguy
utahguy on March 6, 2005 at 11:17 pm

The Academy was not the first movie theatre in Provo. The now-demolished Pantages/Paramount Theatre was built in 1914 but I don’t when it first started showing movies.

ghamilton
ghamilton on March 8, 2005 at 2:58 am

The Paramount and the other one in the same block(Uinta?)had a lot more personality than the Academy,now all three are gone.How sad.the mini-wharehouses keep winning.I also went to the Art City in Springville and the old Grove in Pleasant Grove.There was or is a nice old place in American Fork too.During my way-too many years at BYU,I loved going up to SLC,with movie palaces lining State and Main Sts.Almost all gone.When the LDS church destroyed the “Promised Valley"place,it was a sad day.That was a beautiful facilty that SHOULD HAVE BEEN,AND COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED(pure greed by Zion Securities).The only remaining question is the fate of the UTAH THEATER.

ghamilton
ghamilton on June 12, 2005 at 1:45 am

The Paramount and Uinta were both in the 100 East block of Center St.

kpdennis
kpdennis on April 26, 2009 at 12:03 am

Sorry to hear the Academy is no more…here’s a view from 1995:
View link

donkincheloe
donkincheloe on April 24, 2010 at 2:17 am

I worked at this Theater Dec 1980 – 1981. There that a very cool basement where the staff would sometimes play Dungon and Dragons. The Manager was Tracy Hickman, who now writes fantasy novels. The projectors were sooooo old. Great staff. Lots of fun.

Don K.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on May 30, 2017 at 6:41 pm

1962 photo added credit Provo Historical Images.

You must login before making a comment.

New Comment

Subscribe Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.