Pix Theatre
5125 Dauphine Street,
New Orleans,
LA
70130
5125 Dauphine Street,
New Orleans,
LA
70130
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MerlinV’s memory of the final operators of the Pix is confirmed by the November 16, 1955 issue of Motion Picture Exhibitor, which said “[t]he Pix, a neighborhood showcase, shuttered. It was operated by Anthony Fiorito.”
Note: the streetscape map sends you to Lizardi St., you need to maneuver around the corner to Dauphine St. Face the church and the movie theater was to your left. Like most folks, the geography of my little world as a kid is forever burned into my brain!
The theater was owned by the Fiorito brothers, Anthony and Kelly, who also operated a grocery store on the corner of Lizardi and Dauphine, just next to the theater. I don’t recall it being sold to the Joy family nor have I heard of a Mr.Schiro as being a later owner. My recollection is that it closed while owned by the Fioritos. Also, the address of 5125 Dauphine is correct. The entrance was on Dauphine, roughly where the camelback house, shown in the streetscape photo, is located now. As info, the grocery store was where that small parking lot is next to the church. This was my neighborhood theater as a kid. I grew up around the corner on Burgundy St.
Announcing a book about New Orleans Movie Theaters
THEREâ€\S ONE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
The History of the Neighborhood Theaters in New Orleans
is being written by 89-year-old Rene Brunet, the dean of the motion picture industry in Louisiana, and New Orleans historian and preservationist Jack Stewart. The 160-page,coffee table book will be released in November and is being published by Arthur Hardy Enterprises, Inc. Attention will be focused on 50 major neighborhood and downtown theaters, culled from a list of nearly 250 that have dotted the cityâ€\s landscape since the first “nickelodeon†opened in 1896 at 626 Canal Street. The book will be divided by neighborhoods and will open with a map and a narrative about each area. Each major theater will feature “then and now†photographs, historic information, and a short series of quotes from famous New Orleanians and from regular citizens who will share their recollections.
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED
We are trying to acquire memorabilia and additional photos of this theater for this publication. (deadline July 1.) You will be credited in the book and receive a free autographed copy if we publish the picture that you supply. Please contact Arthur Hardy at or call 504-913-1563 if you can help.
This theatre began it’s life as “Fiarito’s Dream Theatre”. In 1934, Joy Houck bought it and changed the name to the Joy.
Houck operated it until he was in the planning stages of building the Joy on Canal St. when he changed the name to the Pix.
He sold it to a gentleman who’s last name was Schiro, who operated it for a few years.
If I remember correctly, it closed in the 50’s, sat vacant for many years, and the building burned in the late 60’s.
My mom lived at 5316 Dauphine, and this was one of her ‘neighborhood shows’. The building did face Dauphine St, just to clear up any confusion.
Looks like the entrance was actually on Forstall Street. If you search for 756 Forestall Street, you’ll be looking at what was apparently the entrance to the theater. Appears vacant and abandoned.