Salem Theaters

From Salem Links and Lore
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Some of the defunct theaters in Salem are:

  • Theatre Comique (opened in 1908 on what is the site of the Salem District Court building)- 49 Washington St. closed and reopened as Rialto Theatre.

(The Comique Theatre was still operational in 1927 but closed in 1929 during the Great Depression. Owned by Jack and William Koen.

It reopened in 1931 as the Rialto Theatre which closed in 1943.)

  • Rialto Theater - 49 Washington St.
  • Paramount Theater - 180 Essex Street (closed in 1970 and torn down 1971). Built in 1929 as a motion picture house. Seats 2,187 persons.
  • Plaza Theater - 273 Essex Street (torn down 1969). Opened Dec. 31, 1913; rebuilt after a disastrous fire in 1917. Seating capacity was 770. Closed in the mid 1950's.
  • Federal Theater - built 1908. 24 Federal Street (torn down 1970)
  • Empire Theater - 283-285-287 Essex Street. Built in 1906, seated nearly 1500. Empire Theater opened Aug. 29, 1907. This was also the site of Mechanic Hall, erected of brick in 1839, and destroyed by fire Feb. 4, 1905.
  • Salem Theatre (the first)- 273 Essex St. Opened on April 25, 1901. Featured live shows and silent movies. Harry Houdini performed here in 1906. Closed in 1936.
  • Salem Theater (E.M.Loew's) 293 Essex Street, was built in 1952 as a motion picture house. It was air-conditioned and had the largest screen on the North Shore. Seating capacity 1,000. - (demolished May 9, 1985)

See Also

Salem's Long History of Movie Houses J. Curley, Salem Patch

"Salem Theater" Salem Evening News, April 15, 16, 22,24 and 26, 1901.

"Paramount Theatre" Salem Evening News, April 17, 1930.

"Salem Theater slated for demolition", Salem Evening News, May 9, 1985., p1.

City's golden age of theaters glittered" Salem Evening News, Feb. 20,2002. p.A2

Vertical File in Salem Collection - Salem Theaters

"Organist loved playing at old Paramount Theatre" Salem News, Jan. 31, 2011, p. 1

"Festival revived memories of old Salem film palaces" Salem News, Apr. 4, 2003, p. 13

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