City - Cincinnati, OH - The Royal Theater 1939
by Mike Savad
Title
City - Cincinnati, OH - The Royal Theater 1939
Artist
Mike Savad
Medium
Photograph - Colorized Photo
Description
Colorized photo from 1939
Original title: Theater
Photographer: John Vachon
Location 709 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH
This is the Royal Theatre, in Cincinnati Ohio. Frank W. Huss opened the Royal in 1910, it was stunning, with large columns and an elaborate butterfly facade. Early ads called it the most handsome five-cent show house in America. It had a total of 281 seats.
In 1911, January 14th, Moving Picture World reviewed it. They called the theater very expensive, entirely out of proportion and in poor taste. They said the two columns, were heavy enough to support a Chicago skyscraper, and were out of proportion for a two story building. The top was quite heavy looking, too rich in ornaments, and the ticket box intended for a beautiful girl cashier, had been called by many, a splendid specimen of a mausoleum.
However, they really liked the butterfly on the top, it mostly clashed with the weird background they chose (though over the years they did change the decorations and type of butterfly). They also said they liked the attendants, which were well uniformed in the winter. And in the summer were provided with very neat and tasty white duck uniforms with caps to match, (their words).
With all that said, they did say that the attendants were well uniformed in the winter, and in the summer were provided with a very neat and tasty white duck uniforms with caps to match.
Despite the poor review this theater lived on till 1979, making it the longest continuously operated theater in downtown Cincinnati. Of all the theaters owned by Associated Theaters, who owned 15 of them, this was the last to go. In its last 15 years of life it showed adult X rated movies. When they finally closed it, they demolished it within that week. They also removed the building on the left as well.
Today this location is a parking lot.
Uploaded
April 16th, 2022
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