Theatres of Louisville
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As with all older American cities, Louisville, Kentucky has several generations of theatres, spanning from live stage theatres to large ornate downtown theaters to standalone neighborhood theaters to modern multiplexes. A great deal of the older theatres have been razed, or their buildings converted to other purposes.
"Years active" refers to years the building was actively used as a theatre. Due to renumbering and consolidation over the years, the address given may not exactly correspond to the modern building or lot at that location.
| Name | Years active | Address | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alamo Theatre | 1916-c. 1930 | 444 S. Fourth St. | Razed. Also called the Ohio (different than the later one on 4th St.) |
| Aristo Theatre | 1603 S. Fourth St. | Razed. Also known as The Ritz and The New Ritz | |
| Avenue Theatre | Razed | ||
| Bard Theatre | 1941-? | 2470 Bardstown Road | Razed in 1998 |
| Baxter Avenue Theatre | 1996- | 1250 Baxter Ave | Apex Theatres. Located in Mid City Mall. |
| Baxter Theatre | 1055 Bardstown Rd. | Building still stands, after a brief period as a youth center, part of back auditorium was razed and interior gutted, theatre converted to a restaurant/sports bar. Theatre originally called The Lincoln when first opened. Also called The Airway | |
| Bijou | 211 S. Fourth | Also called The Columbia | |
| Bijou | 104 E. Liberty | Also called The Liberty | |
| Bijou | 1230 W. Walnut | Also called The Olio and The Victory | |
| Broadway Cinemas | 1999-2004 | 1211 W Broadway | Converted from a Winn Dixie building into 10-screen complex. It was an effort to bring a theater back to the predominantly black West End, after the last of 6 area theaters, Cinema West, closed in 1975.[1] Broadway Cinemas failed due to slow ticket sales and trouble with its creditors. The building was converted again into retail space.[2] |
| Broadway Theatre | 1915-1960 | 816 E. Broadway | Closed. Originally vaudeville, later featured radio performances by a then unknown Gene Autry. Building has been restored, currently retail/showroom space for an office furniture company. |
| Brown Theatre | 1925- | 317 W. Broadway | Stopped showing films in 1962. Currently operating as a concert/live performance venue in conjunction with the Kentucky Center For The Arts. |
| Buckingham | ?-1897 | 223-27 W. Jefferson | Burlesque |
| Bunbury Theatre | 112 S 7th St | (502) 585-5306 | |
| Capitol Theatre | 2129 S. Preston | Neighborhood theatre. Building later converted to retail space. | |
| Carriage House | 1101 S. Fourth St. | ||
| Casino | 317 S. Fourth St. | ||
| Cherokee | 1589 Bardstown Rd. | ||
| Cherokee | 326 W. Market | ||
| Cinema West | ?-1975 | 3312 W. Broadway | Last theater in the West End until the brief Broadway Cinemas from 1999-2004. [1] |
| Clifton | 2003-5 Frankfort Ave. | ||
| Colonial | 1801 W. Market | ||
| Cozy Theatre | ?-1965 | 3105 S. Third St. | Closed in 1965. Razed |
| Crescent Theatre | 1926-? | 2862 Frankfort Ave | Closed. Also called The Masonic. Art theatre in the 1960s, became a porn theatre before closing. Building eventually became the Brasserie Deitrich restaurant, which opened in 1988 and closed in May 2003.[3] In 2004 the property was purchased by investors to be turned into condos.[4] |
| Crescent Air Dome | 2322 Frankfort Ave | Closed. | |
| Crown Theatre | 1215 S. Seventh | Razed | |
| Crystal | 456 S. Fourth St | ||
| Crystal | 314 W. Market | ||
| Dixie Dozen Cinemas | 6801 Dixie Hwy | Republic Theatres | |
| Dixie Drive-In Theatre | 5131 Dixie Hwy | Closed. Pleasure Ridge Park area. | |
| Dixie Theater | 941 S. Preston | Closed. Also called The New Dixie. One of four theatres open to blacks before desegregation.[1] | |
| Downs | 3423 Taylor Blvd | First called The Aljo | |
| Dreamland | 1904-? | 444 W. Market | |
| East Drive-In Theatre | 1948-? | Shelbyville Rd | Also called: Drive-In Theatre. Razed. Outdoor. |
| Gayety | 1910-1936 | 323 W. Jefferson St. | Burlesque |
| Globe | 2010 Portland Ave. | ||
| Grand Theater | 607-11 W. Walnut St. | Closed. One of four theatres open to blacks before desegregation.[1] | |
| Highland | 1014-16 Bardstown Rd. | Later called Shibboleth Hall | |
| Highland Amusement Co. | 919 Baxter Ave. | Later became the Gem. | |
| Highland Park | 1924-? | 4506 Park Blvd. | First called Hi-Land/New Superba. Highland Park |
| Hilltop Theatre | 1920-? | 1757 Frankfort Ave. | First theatre in Louisville's east end. Building still stands, currently retail/warehouse space for a novelty company.[5] |
| Hippodrome | 1920-? | 144-146 W. Market St | |
| Hopkins | 1905-? | 133 W. Market St. | |
| Ideal Theatre | 2315 W. Market St. | Razed | |
| J-Town 4 | 9601 Taylorsville Rd | ||
| Kentucky Theatre | 1921-? | 649-651 S Fourth St. | Theatre currently operating as a live performance/concert venue, with occasional film presentations. |
| Kenwood Drive-In Theatre | 7001 Southside Dr | Outdoor | |
| Knox Theatre | Corner of 3rd & Oak Street. | Also called the Tower Theatre. Theatre razed, front entrance still stands. | |
| Lakewood Drive-In Theatre | Highway 3 & Highway 62 | Closed | |
| Lincoln Theater | Closed (ALSO SEE: Baxter Theatre 1055 Bardstown Road) | ||
| Louisville Science Center IMAX Theatre | 1988- | 727 W Main St | |
| Lyric Theater | Closed. One of four theatres open to blacks before desegregation.[1] In 2003, proposed to be converted to a youth center to be called the Grand Lyric Theatre.[6] Closed by the late 1980s, part of the Walnut Street corridor, a center of a black-owned businesses and entertainment venues. | ||
| Macauley's Theatre | 1873-1925 | Razed in 1925 | |
| Majestic Theatre | Razed | ||
| Mary Anderson Theatre | Closed in the 1970s. Named for Mary Anderson. Theatre was gutted in the late 80's and converted into office space. | ||
| Movie City | 9070 Dixie Hwy | ||
| National Theatre | 1913-? | Razed in 1953 | |
| New Superba Theatre | Razed | ||
| Oak Theatre | Dixie Highway & Oak Street | Razed | |
| Ohio Theatre | ? 4th Street | Razed (Facade and front entrance still stands, converted to retail space.) | |
| Orpheus Theatre | Razed | ||
| Palace Theatre | 1928- | 625 S Fourth St | Also called: Loews, State, United Artists, United Artists Penthouse. Theatre has been restored and now functions as a live concert/performance venue, with occasional film presentations. Facade and interior designed by John Eberson |
| Parkland Theatre | Razed. Parkland neighborhood. | ||
| Parkway Drive-In Theatre | 2702 Millers Ln | Closed | |
| Pix Theatre | Razed | ||
| Preston Drive-In Theatre | 6705 Preston Hwy | Closed/razed. | |
| Rex Theatre | Razed | ||
| Rialto Theater | 1921-1968 | 616 S.Fourth St | Razed |
| Rodeo Theatre | Razed | ||
| Savoy Theater | 1890- | 211 W. Jefferson St. | Initially called the Grand Opera House, was Vaudeville, then Burlesque, then film theatre. Building razed following extensive damage resulting from arson in 1989. Was scheduled for demolition and amid Louisville's downtown "porno district" by that point.[7] |
| Scoop Theatre | 1910-1940s | Building still stands, converted to office/retail space in 2000. Originally known as the Walnut Street Theatre, was a vaudeville house until 1930 when it began showing films. Then known as the Ritz briefly and the Drury Lane Theatre from 1933 to 1940. Acquired its eventual name in the 1940s when it was a popular newsreel theatre. Converted to convention space by James Graham Brown in the late 1940s.[8] | |
| Shelby Theatre | Razed | ||
| Showcase Cinemas Louisville | 1965-2004 | 3408 Bardstown Rd | National Amusements. Closed. 13-screen, 20-acre site sat empty for years, plans to sell it to a fast-growing Pentecostal church were announced in March 2007. |
| Showcase Cinemas Stonybrook | 2745 S Hurstbourne Pky | National Amusements | |
| Skyway Drive-In Theatre | 3000 Bardstown Rd | Closed | |
| Southpark Drive-In Theatre | 9205 National Tpke | Closed | |
| Star Theatre | Razed | ||
| Strand Theatre | Chestnut St. | Razed. Also called: Shubert Theatre. | |
| Sun Theatre | Razed | ||
| Tinseltown Louisville | 1997- | 4400 Towne Center Dr | Cinemark Theatres |
| Twilite Drive-In Theatre | 1950-? | 4015 Crittenden Dr | Razed. Also called: Twin Drive-In, Twilight Drive-In |
| Twin Drive-In Theatre | Closed | ||
| Uptown Theatre | 1928-1989 | 1502 Bardstown Rd | Closed. Part of The Schuster Building, the theatre's auditorium was razed in 1994 but the former front entrance and lobby area remain as part of the building fronting Bardstown Road. |
| Valley Drive-In Theatre | Dixie Hwy S | Closed | |
| Village 8 Theatres | 4014 Dutchmans Ln | Apex Theatres | |
| Vogue Theatre | 1939-1998 | 3727 Lexington Rd | Closed. Theatre gutted and converted in 2006 to a retail center called "The Vogue", marquee was restored and is still prominent. As a theater, the Vogue was known in later years for its long run showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Was described by the Courier-Journal as "perhaps the last genuine neighborhood movie house in Louisville" at the time of its closing.[9] |
| Walden Theatre | 233 W Broadway | ||
| West End Theatre | Razed | ||
| Westonian Theatre | Razed | ||
| Wood's Theatre | Razed |
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d e McDonough, Rock. "Cinemas may be sign of revival in West End", Courier-Journal, 1999-05-05.
- ^ Goetz, David. "Accounts differ on why West End theater failed; owners, bank point fingers", Courier-Journal, 2004-03-21.
- ^ http://www.iglou.com/restaurants/deitrich.shtml
- ^ Elson, Martha. "Restaurant to become condos", Courier-Journal, 2004-06-22.
- ^ Elson, Martha. "Seeing the Sights", Courier-Journal, 1995-08-30.
- ^ "Group to build $6.5 million community center in Russell area", Courier-Journal, 2003-02-26.
- ^ Estlick, Stacy. "Former owner of Old Savoy, Mary Ed Williams, Dies", Courier-Journal, 1992-09-12, p. 9A.
- ^ Shafer, Sheldon. "Scoop redo: Back to the future - 1910 building restored as home of high-tech firm", Courier-Journal, 2000-02-04, p. 1B.
- ^ Shafer, Sheldon. "Group wants landmark status for Vogue", Courier-Journal, 2000-08-26, p. 1B.
[edit] References
- Louisville Theaters on Cinema Tour
- "Movie Theaters". The Encyclopedia of Louisville (1). (2001).
