Omaha Theater | |
Address | 1506 Douglas Street Omaha, Nebraska United States |
---|---|
Coordinates | 41°15′32″N95°56′10″W / 41.2590°N 95.9362°W |
Owner | World Realty Co. |
Type | Vaudeville, Movie theater |
Capacity | 2,100 |
Current use | Razed 1980 |
Construction | |
Opened | April 15, 1922 |
Closed | February 26, 1978 |
Years active | 1922–1978 |
Architect | C. Howard Crane, Fisher & Lawrie |
The World Theater was a vaudeville and movie theater at 1506 Douglas Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. [1] Its name was changed to the Omaha Theater in February 1935 when it was sold to new management. [1] It closed on February 26, 1978, and was razed in 1980 to allow for the construction of a parking garage. [1]
The 2,500 seat World Theater was designed by architect C. Howard Crane for the World Realty Company. [1] Crane, a native of Detroit, was one of the foremost theatrical architects in the United States. [1] Harry Lawrie, of the Omaha architectural firm of Fisher & Lawrie, oversaw the project from Omaha. [1] The James Black Masonry and Construction Company served as the general contractors. [1] Construction took ten months. [1]
The theater was constructed of brick on a steel frame. [1] The exterior was faced in glazed terra cotta all around. [1] Three grand arched windows with iron mullions separated by four sets of Corinthian columns dominated the front of the theater. [2] Railings with balustrade sills completed the windows' ornamentation. [2] The Corinthian columns supported an enriched frieze and cornice decorated with dentils and modillions. [2] A parapet band with sculptured inserts and the inscribed words, World Theatre, was centered at the top of the building. [2]
The interior included a large chandelier with a thousand cut-glass crystals hanging from the large center dome of gold and silver inlay. [3] Two smaller chandeliers hung from two lesser domes. [3] In the lobby hung a chandelier of prismatic glass in the shape of a globe, surrounded by an orbit of comets, stars and crescents. [3] Torchers of cathedral glass set on Corinthian shafts and marble bases are on the mezzanine foyer, and a ceiling of Chinese silk and Chinese coins decorated the women's lounge. [3] The stage curtain was made of velvet with gold fringe and large tassels sewn by the Drapery Department of the J. L. Brandeis and Sons Store. [4] The velvet carpets, also provided by the J. L. Brandeis Store, were in harmonizing shades of blue and gold. [4] Completing the Brandeis decorations were davenports and overstuffed chairs in the promenade lounge and other smaller lounges. [4]
A $45,000 pipe organ manufactured by Hope-Jones Wurlitzer was installed by the theater's opening. [5] The grand opening of the World Theater was on Saturday, April 15, 1922. [6] A crowd of over 10,000 attended the opening with shows at 2:00 pm, 4:20 pm, 6:45 pm and 9:15 pm. [7] Prices for the grand opening were 50 cents for unreserved seats, and 75 cents with a reservation. [6]
In February 1935 the World Theater was sold and the new management renamed it the Omaha Theater. [1] It closed on February 26, 1978. When plans for redevelopment of the theater failed, the building was razed in 1980 and a parking garage built at the location. [1]
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