Center Theatre

1517 Atlantic Avenue,
Atlantic City, NJ 08401

2 people favorited this theater

View larger map →

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.

Previous Names: Colonial Theatre

Nearby Theaters

This theater, on Atlantic Avenue, next to the larger Hollywood Theatre. It was opened on July 2, 1913 as the Colonial Theatre. By 1941 it was operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp. On May 13, 1955 it was renamed the Center Theatre.

The Center Theatre was closed in July 1977.

Contributed by bryan

Get Movie Tickets & Showtimes

Recent comments (view all 26 comments)

TheALAN on April 16, 2014 at 5:58 am

In case we missed something —

This theater opened as the Colonial Theatre in 1914, two blocks from the boardwalk. Located at 1517 Atlantic Avenue near Mississippi Avenue, it seated 1,391. Renamed the Center Theatre in 1954. Yes, the theater was capable of screening 70mm as it was equipped with 35mm/70mm Philips/Norelco projectors and Ashcraft Super Cinex carbon arc lamps. “Greased Lightning” starring Richard Pryor (Warner Bros.—July, 1977) was the last motion picture to be seen at the Center Theatre. The lettering was still on the marquee when the theatre was demolished. The site is now a part of Renaissance Plaza, a shopping center built in 1996. A KFC/Taco Bell now stands where the Center Theatre once stood.

Mikeoaklandpark on April 17, 2014 at 3:02 pm

Funny Girl was shown here in 70MM

Joe Vogel on April 25, 2014 at 4:53 am

The August 9, 1913, issue of Motography had this item about the opening of a house called the Colonial Theatre, but it gives a different location for it:

“Crowds flocked to the handsome new Colonial theater at Atlantic avenue, between New York and Kentucky avenues, Atlantic City, the afternoon of July 2, to attend the opening performance. Words of praise were heard on all sides for the up-to-date manner in which the new house is to be conducted and for its general appearance. Six capital pictures are shown each afternoon and evening. Chris S. Hand is the able general manager of the house and he has a competent staff of assistants.”

I don’t know if the magazine just got the location wrong, or if there actually was another, short-lived Colonial Theatre a few blocks from this one.

MSC77 on December 14, 2017 at 6:36 pm

Does anyone know/recall if “Camelot” had its Atlantic City roadshow run at this venue?

Mikeoaklandpark on December 16, 2017 at 6:22 pm

I think Camelot played the Shore, but I am not 100% sure

MSC77 on October 2, 2021 at 5:07 am

Did “West Side Story” have a roadshow run at this venue?

MSC77 on October 6, 2021 at 7:59 pm

m00se1111… It’s unclear to me if you are being genuine or snarky. My query was not a request for tips on how to conduct research (and you’d know this if you were familiar with my hundreds of articles and thousands of internet postings). Anyway, 1962 is the year in question (not 1961). And moreover the NJ State Library does not in fact possess the Atlantic City newspaper for the relevant timeframe.