The Lansdowne Theatre auditorium.
The patterns on the auditorium ceiling were based on the Roman emperor Nero’s Domus Aurea palace.
The projectors remain in the projector room.
The theater was sold in 1986 to the Lansdowne Theatre Associates, Inc, who closed it for renovations for most of the year. It reopened and was quickly closed again after an electrical fire broke out in the basement of one of the building’s retail storefronts. No one was injured, but the electrical system was destroyed. The Lansdowne Theater Associates were never able to raise the money to repair the damage and the building was seized by the Bell Savings and Loan Bank in 1989.
The interior of the theater was decorated in a Spanish revival style.
The building was purchased in 2007 by the Historic Lansdowne Theatre Corporation, a non-profit organization dedicated to reopening the theater. They have since made repairs to the storefronts and office spaces and plan to reopen the theater in the near future. The Corporation intends to use the Lansdowne as a performing arts venue to host concerts, theater and dance performances. Donations to help restore this theater can be made at www.lansdownetheater.org
Marquee letters in the lobby of the theater.
Another view of the auditorium.
The main entrance to the Lansdowne Theater.
The chandelier still works twenty-five years after the theater closed.
The front of the Lansdowne Theater building.
Great story and photographs!
Wonderful story how the Lansdowne is getting closer and closer to their goal of starting restoration.
Great pics, spent many hours there in 60’s and 70’s.
As a young teen in the 70’s this was my favorite place to take my date. The price too watch a movie $1.00 and at 17 it wasnt the movie I was interested in. Great memories and sadly missed. Good luck in the future hopefully there will be more great memories.
I also have great memories of going to the theater as a kid and a teenager. It was so nice to have a movie theater so close to our home. The pictures are really great!
Amazing that this was on FB today. Last night I was reading some of my Mothers papers, she passed away several years ago, and found a list from Warner Bros. of men promoted for being capable and loyal. This is from 1937.
On the list William Yurasko was promoted to Manager of the Lansdowne from Assistant Manager at the Circle.
I also have a picture of about 100 men all at the meeting.
Nice photographs! your color correction is very well done considering those nasty yellow construction lights.
Thanks. Those lights made it quite difficult to get the color right.
I’m sure you must be tired of hearing this, but you are a true artist. Everything you do seems to capture the soul of your subject.
Thanks Mike!
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