Ritz Theatre
610 N. Farish Street,
Jackson,
MS
39202
610 N. Farish Street,
Jackson,
MS
39202
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The Ritz Theatre was opened on March 20, 1944 with Lon Chaney Jr. in “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man”. It was operated by the Royal Theaters chain, headed by A. Lloyd Royal. The Ritz Theatre was an African-American theatre. It was offered ‘For Sale’ in January 1955 following its recent closure. It became a supermarket.
Demolished many years ago, the site is still a vacant lot.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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The Ritz theatre opened on April 17th, 1944 and closed by 1955. Grand opening ad and an for sale ad posted.
The War Production Board authorized the plan of civic leader and dentist Dr. A.H. McCoy to build the Ritz Theatre in the existing Bob’s Pastry Bakery in 1943. The Ritz’s architect was E.G. Malvaney.
Upon opening on March 20, 1944 with “Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man.” It was reported that it was one of just six theatres operated and managed by an African American and, like the others, it was operated for African American patrons. The existing Booker T. and the New Alamo on Amite - replaced by the Alamo Theatre opening in 1949 - were the other Jackson theaters with the same policy.
At its ten-year anniversary in March of 1954, The Ritz was equipped with widescreen to present CinemaScope titles. And that didn’t last too long as the theatre was soon closed and offered for sale. It looks like it became a supermarket and was later demolished.