Peoples' Theatre

14 Nason Street,
Maynard, MA 01754

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rsalters (Ron Salters)
rsalters (Ron Salters) on November 8, 2010 at 2:17 pm

The “People’s” is listed under Maynard in the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook. It’s listed as having 700 seats and open 6 days per week. There is also a Riverside Theatre listed for Maynard. It had 383 seats and was also open 6 days per week.

Ron Newman
Ron Newman on November 4, 2010 at 2:22 am

What is the ‘Rivest Site’ ?

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on November 3, 2010 at 7:53 pm

The book is A Brief History of the Town of Maynard, Massachusetts by William H. Gutteridge. The photo is on page 75, and the theater is also mentioned briefly on page 64.

Ron Newman
Ron Newman on October 31, 2010 at 6:14 am

Can you also link to the whole book and tell us what page this was on? Thanks.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on October 31, 2010 at 5:50 am

Here is a photo of the People’s Theatre, from a history of Maynard published in 1921.

Ron Newman
Ron Newman on October 30, 2010 at 2:08 pm

Where did you find the 1955 date?

Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois
Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois on October 30, 2010 at 8:28 am

Open May 6, 1921-~1955? Anyone care to verify the exact dates?

Need more info and old photos.

Ron Newman
Ron Newman on October 29, 2010 at 1:42 pm

The STAR Tech Healing and Learning Center appears to be one of the principal tenants of the Peoples' Theatre Office Building. A good photo of the building, complete with intact (or re-created) marquee, is on STAR Tech’s web page.

Since the sign on top has an apostrophe after PEOPLES' , that’s the name I used here when submitting this theatre.

Ron Newman
Ron Newman on October 29, 2010 at 1:33 pm

An advertisement for both the Peoples and Fine Arts theatres is on page 92 of this book:

Maynard: Postcard History Series by Paul Boothroyd

The name of the theatre doesn’t have an apostrophe in this ad.

The caption under the ad says: “On May 6, 1921, Peoples Theatre on Nason Street was opened with a license to show moving pictures. In June 1949, the Fine Arts Theatre, a moving picture house on Summer Street, was opened. A few years later, Peoples was closed, and the Fine Arts became the only moving picture theatre in town.”

The movies advertised for the “Week of December 31” are Dallas with Gary Cooper, Crisis with Cary Grant, and Devil’s Doorway with Robert Taylor. All of these movies came out in 1950 so I assume that’s when the ad ran. Admission was 44 cents, or 16 cents for children before 6:30. There are ‘Daily Broadcasts from WKOX Framingham’ but this is not otherwise explained in the ad.