Ritz Theatre
The Ritz Theatre was a "million dollar" air-conditioned movie theater built on the 1700 block of 2nd Avenue North for the Interstate Amusement Company. Seating 2,000, the Ritz was the largest in the city when it was completed, and second only in size to the Alabama Theatre, built the following year.
It opened on August 15, 1926 with a screening of "More Pay-Less Work" starring Mary Brian and Buddy Rogers. Before the film was a stage performance by vaudeville stars Herman and Sammy Timberg. The first manager was Vernon Reaver. The Ritz showed the first "talkie" in Birmingham, a 1927 newsreel with an audio recording of President Calvin Coolidge's welcome to Charles Lindbergh in New York City.
In 1930 the theater was bought by the Radio-Keith-Orpheum Company (RKO) and Karl Hoblitzelle was named managing director. In 1933 the operation was sold again, to the Wilby-Kincey Corporation. By the end of that decade the theater's 2/6 Kilgen/Robert Morton pipe organ was no longer in use.
In 1962 Wilby-Kincey updated the property for wrap-around Cinerama projection. The project involved demolition of the lobby and a reduction in seating capacity from 1,700 to 500. An enormous stage curtain was installed to mask the damage. The remodeled theater, managed by Cecil Brown, re-opened in June as the Cinerama Ritz. The opening night screening of 1952's This is Cinerama was accompanied by the Birmingham-Southern College Choir, a Marine Corps color guard, child pianist Delores Hodgens and Governor John Patterson.
In the 1970s the theatre screened "grindhouse" films. Its last screening was of "Thunder and Lightening" starring David Carradine and Kate Jackson.
The vacant theater was put up for auction in 1982. Robbie Arbitelle, owner of the neighboring Magic Palace magic shop, took possession of some seats and other artifacts, which he displayed in his store. He made a bid for the theater building, but lost out to the T. M. Burgin Demolition Company, which tore down the Ritz that year.
Gallery
The Ritz Theatre in 1933. courtesy BPL Archives
Post-1962 Cinerama sign
Demolition of the Ritz in 1982. Photo by John McDavid
References
- "Ritz Theater is bought by R-K-O" (May 16, 1930) Birmingham News - accessed via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Caldwell, Lila May (June 24, 1962) "Cinerama comes to Alabama: 'This is Cinerama' is first of many spectacular films" The Birmingham News - via Birmingham Rewound
- Rowell, Raymond J. (February 1973) "Birmingham - As It Was" The City Hall Reporter
- Hollis, Tim (2005) Birmingham's Theater and Retail District. Images of America series. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0738517771
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