RSS FeedWayback II: Leader Theater On 9th
We’re setting the Wayback machine to around 1921 or 1922 with this photo of the Leader Theater that stood at 507 9th Street. The silent movie “The Kid”, starring Jackie Coogan and written and directed by Charlie Chaplin, is showing and by taking a closer look you can see that The Adventures of Tarzan runs every Saturday and Sunday. Note the pillar sculptures of women flanking the entrance and the inscription at the top of the front facade reads 1910 (presumably the building’s construction date). They don’t make theaters like this anymore! Anything else worth pointing out?
We attribute this photo to the website Shorpy (The 100-Year-Old Photo Blog) which has a searchable database of high resolution historical images.
Related posts:
- Free Night Of Theater In Penn Quarter (and elsewhere)!
- Wayback: Center Market, As It Was
- Shakespeare Theater’s Harman Center – Behind The Scenes
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Comments
It should be between E & F – I believe the numers are 100=A, 200=B, 300=C, 400=D, 500=E, 600=F, etc..
9th Street and E Streets were the entertainment center of the city in the early 1900s. Dozens of theaters, cinemas, vaudeville and more. In fact, the Mather (now condos) was built as a film depository — a fireproof, all-concrete building (the first in the city.
For a great read, check out “Motion Picture Exhibition in Washington, D.C.” — available on Amazon. So many great movie houses were in our neighborhood.
I’d second Jon’s recommendation, and add the recommendation to see The Kid. Unlike many contemporary silent films, it has aged well, and still packs an emotional punch.
Also, there is now a group on Flickr dedicated to Washington-area cinemas: http://www.flickr.com/groups/638644@N21/
I remember going to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show at midnight at the Key theater on Wisconsin just above M Street many, many times. it wasn’t 1921 though!
Jason: I believe you are thinking of the other side of the street. 507 9th would have resided where the new DLA Piper building (and future home of the Washington Stage Guild) is now. Before that, it was a parking lot.
#7 – yes, it’s Greek.
if you look carefully at the partially covered sign at the top part of the photo, I think it says ‘Gayety Burlesque.’ just caught that.
Judging from the wall on top of the theater, on the right side (just above the word “Factory” in the signage), there could have been a roof deck on top of the theater. It’s a fascinating photograph. The retail and pedestrian density must have been much higher than it is today.
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What cross street is this at?