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Author Topic: how many theatres are 111 years old? Edwin Schwing Expert Film Handler Posts: 116 From: Las Vegas NV Registered: May 2002 posted 06-22-2007 12:16 AM                     I recently spent a big chunk of my vacation time driving to my home town and back so that I could visit my Father on Father's Day. I also had the opportunity to visit my local theatre that is 111 years old. The place no longer runs movies, but it sure has a nice stage with plenty of fly space. It was built in 1896 after the original wooden structure burnt down. It was to be torn down in the 70's, but thankfully it was not. Now it is a vibrant and important deity of the small town that I call my home town. Any one else? E  |  IP: Logged Anslem Rayburn Master Film Handler Posts: 476 From: Yuma, AZ, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 06-22-2007 07:37 AM                     Where is this?  |  IP: Logged John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-22-2007 08:02 AM                     No, but I've been in a few multiplexes that LOOK that old.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 06-22-2007 08:14 AM                     Parts of the Odeon, Salisbury, though not the auditorium, date from Tudor times. We've got quite a number of purpose-built cinemas still operating which are 97 years old; many new cinemas were built in 1910, in order to meet the requirements on the Cinematograph Act of 1909, which came into force that year. Most of them had rather similar architecture.  |  IP: Logged Thomas Pitt Master Film Handler Posts: 266 From: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Registered: May 2007 posted 06-23-2007 05:57 PM                     I know there are several theaters (for drama) that were built before 1900, some of which were converted into cinemas when movies took off. It's perfectly possible that there are cinemas even to this day that are over 100 years old, although they will only have operated as a cinema for a much shorter time. Taking the old Bradford Odeon as an example, originally opened in the late 1920s as the New Victoria Theatre. In the 1960s it was converted into a 2-screen Odeon, and later a 3-screen, but has now closed. Sometimes even other buildings have been converted into cinemas in the past, showing no hint of their former usage. You then have to ask, do you only count the years the site was operating as a cinema? Or do you count the time since it was originally built, for whatever purpose?  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 06-23-2007 06:43 PM                     In the U.S. 111 years is pretty old for a theatre, Carnegie Hall is older.  |  IP: Logged John McConnel Expert Film Handler Posts: 118 From: Okmulgee, OK USA Registered: Nov 2003 posted 06-23-2007 10:54 PM                        My theatre is 86 going on 87. It opened Aug. 23, 1920, with Clara Kimball Young in EYES OF YOUTH, along with a short pipe organ concert and a stage show presented by the Vanderbilt University Glee Club.  |  IP: Logged Edwin Schwing Expert Film Handler Posts: 116 From: Las Vegas NV Registered: May 2002 posted 06-23-2007 11:20 PM                     Here is a link to the place if anyone is interested. http://www.lakebentonoperahouse.org/index.html I used to volunteer there when I was a kid, and was in several plays. I always did love the place and know that that is where I got bitten by the "theatre bug". E  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-24-2007 01:28 PM                     A number of the theaters that I service are actually older than that. Mark  |  IP: Logged Ray Faultless Film Handler Posts: 96 From: Amington, Tamworth, England Registered: Jun 2001 posted 06-24-2007 06:06 PM                     The oldest working cinema in the UK. The Elecric Cinema in Birmingham. Built in 1909.  |  IP: Logged Mark Hajducki Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 500 From: Edinburgh, UK Registered: May 2003 posted 06-25-2007 10:44 AM                     I don't think it is possible to count the time before conversion to a cinema when establishing the age of a cinema. (If an old church is used then there would be difficulties. Many old cinemas have had a period of time where they have been closed or changed usage (this applies to Scotland's two oldest cinemas.. Some sites have undergone significant 'refurbishment' which has stripped much of the original interior and exterior features, so it is difficult to tell the true age of the building.  |  IP: Logged Robert Throop Master Film Handler Posts: 412 From: Vernon, NY USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-26-2007 08:37 AM                     The Hamilton Theater in Hamilton, NY opened in 1895. It was originally called the Sheldon Opera House. It's been running movies since silent days and is now a triplex owned by Colgate University. Bob  |  IP: Logged Keith Peticolas Expert Film Handler Posts: 108 From: Eagle River, Alaska, USA Registered: Aug 2001 posted 06-30-2007 01:54 AM                     I did some hot and hard time in the booth at the Fountain Theater in Mesilla, New Mexico. Pretty damn old and very cool place. Hi Dad. http://www.fountaintheatre.org/pages/history.html  |  IP: Logged

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