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.
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 interests". By the end of that decade the theater's 2/6 Kilgen/Robert Morton pipe organ was no longer in use.
In 1962 the theatre was updated for Cinerama projection and billed itself as the Cinerama Ritz. An enormous stage curtain was installed to mask the damage caused during installation.
In the 1970s the theatre screened "grindhouse" films. It was demolished in 1982.
References
- "Ritz Theater is bought by R-K-O" (May 16, 1930) Birmingham News - accessed via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Hollis, Tim (2005) Birmingham's Theater and Retail District. Images of America Series. Arcadia Publishing ISBN 0738517771
External links
- Photos from the demolition of the Ritz