Discover the secrets of these stunning derelict picture houses
Inside these fascinating historic picture palaces, movie stars from Hollywood once dazzled audiences with their glamor and glamour. Despite the fact that these magnificent buildings are now abandoned to the passage of time and are no longer enchanted by the silver screen, there is still something alluring about them. Thanks to photographer Leland Kent of Abandoned Southeast, who documented five abandoned theaters in all of their fading splendor, you now have the opportunity to peek inside. Go ahead and click or scroll, and let’s enter.
Crumbling neo-Renaissance theatre in New Orleans, Louisiana
The dilapidated but still opulent Loew’s State Theatre in New Orleans first opened its doors in 1926. Scottish-born theater architect Thomas W. Lamb constructed it for Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s parent business, Loews Incorporated. Admire the magnificent gold-tinted arches in the neo-Renaissance style! Without a question, this was the most amazing spot to spend a Saturday night at the pictures.
A picture palace is born
As you can see, the deserted area is grand, with lovely floating balcony boxes that extend along the side wall. Before talking pictures took control, 3,335 theatergoers experienced the newest silent films and vaudeville productions. There were rumored to have been dressing rooms, an orchestra pit, an organ, and even an animal act’s kennel in the basement that once held lions and tigers from a visiting circus!
Grand marble interior
The theater was constructed with no costs spared. Take note of the exquisitely carved classical and botanical themes gracing the walls, as well as the stunning marble interior columns with scroll tops. Construction of the theater is said to have cost $1.5 million (£1.2 million) at the time. Water damage is obvious on the stage, and while the appropriately theatrical red and yellow curtain is still remarkably intact, the rest of this vast interior is sadly neglected.
Beauty under threat
Sadly, several of the original characteristics were removed when it was transformed into a chic multiplex in 1976. It was said that priceless chandeliers were sold and that plastic panels covered the marble in the lobby. This Tiffany chandelier, intended to glitter under stage lights, is still in existence. It is made of iridescent beads. The building faced another threat in 1984 when a new owner intended to demolish it and replace it with condominiums. Fortunately, the bid was rejected by officials. After taking control, theater operator Rene Brunet, Jr. restored a number of its original elements.
From film to music madness
Two ancient movie projectors, seemingly about to fall apart, are surrounded by a mess of cables, and abandoned photographic film strips are all over the place. There are severe peeling issues on the walls and ceiling, indicating water damage. The theater was given new life as a concert hall, playing host to major acts such Sheryl Crow, Korn, Morrissey, Pearl Jam, and Smashing Pumpkins. Subsequently, the grand old theater hosted raves until a drug-related fatality turned it into the focus of multiple undercover DEA investigations.
Toxic stage curtains
Up until the 1980s, asbestos was a common safety feature in theaters, despite the fact that the term “asbestos” on the decorative curtain terrifies viewers nowadays. Because asbestos is extremely fire-resistant, it was utilized to shield spectators from the heat. Unfortunately, this meant that as curtains wore out, theater employees were exposed to harmful asbestos fibers. Up until the advent of film, the theater presented plays and musicals every night. A week-long screening of the popular film Gone with the Wind in 1940 drew both adults and teenagers.
Elvis is in the building
When the King arrived in the city, the excitement only grew! In 1956, music legend Elvis Presley played before a full house. However, the theater’s heyday had passed by the 1970s, and as attendance declined over time, the structure was left empty for nearly fifty years. Fortunately, in 2011 it was classified to the National Register of Historic Places, keeping it safe from demolition. This is the lobby, including a ceiling-mounted, appropriately dramatic spiraling balcony.
Dilapidated Art Deco theatre in Green Cove Springs, Florida
Built in 1937, this spectacular Art Deco theater. It features a recessed entrance, a flat roof, and a massive marquee with the Clay Theatre emblem protruding from it. The restored exterior, which is located near Green Cove Springs, Florida, features vertical and horizontal line decoration that complements the original design. The theater was well-liked in the 1940s by sailors who came on Friday nights in their eye-catching white uniforms from the neighboring naval aviation station.
Magical movie interior
Just picture yourself sitting in this stylish theater! The two ornamental pendant lights subtly reference the building’s Art Deco past, and the interior, while not very original, is appropriately exquisite. When they leased the theater in 2012, it appears that two brothers attempted to give it new life. They tried to draw a throng by offering the cheapest movie ticket prices in Clay County, but regrettably that didn’t work out. In 2014, the location officially shuttered after just 18 months.
Vintage film projector
Here is an abandoned movie projector from a very retro era. Even though the technology is outdated, it appears as though it might still function! Take a look at the enormous film spools next to it. The sole indication that decay may have begun is water damage on the floor. The husband-and-wife partnership Clay Theatre Events purchased the historic property in 2017 with the intention of reopening the facility. Unfortunately, a full house every night was a much too high order for them to make a profit without.
Eerie abandoned theatre in Florence, South Carolina
Opened in the late 1920s, the O’Dowd Theatre in downtown Florence, South Carolina, is undoubtedly the spookiest of this crop of ancient theaters. When it was first constructed in the Art Deco style, weekend evening films and midday matinees were both available for a few pennies! Sadly, this abandoned place has severe deterioration currently. This view displays a largely collapsed stage, with falling ceiling rubble and disintegrating walls all over the place. Chairs in the front row are torn out, looking like a tornado tore through the structure.
