The 1,400-seat theater, the first in Virginia to be equipped with a sound system, opened to great fanfare on December 24, 1928.
Its mission is to expand the big screen experience, celebrate the art of cinema and preserve Virginia’s grand motion picture palace, with a vision to elevate the Byrd’s landmark position among American theaters as a center for film that continues to provide the … Today the theatre still shows movies 365 days a year, and has not been re-modeled (with the exception of repairs and minor changes such as the installment of a larger screen, new digital projection equipment and a concession stand).
Here is a link from today’s Baltimore Sun. Built in 1928, and named after Richmond’s founder, William Byrd II, the Byrd Theater is an Old World movie palace that has been lovingly maintained to reflect the glamor of its time. In the 1980s, the Byrd enhanced its programing with the Rockettes-like Byrdettes, a high-kicking chorus line of dancers who performed on special occasions. The lights dim, the movie starts.
One of the last of the great 1920s movie palaces is a Floridian Greco-Spanish-Persian dreamscape. The Byrd Theatre, named after William Byrd, the founder of Richmond, is one of Virginia’s finest cinema treasures.
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That’s equivalent to almost $11 million today! Twenty-five cents got you into the matinee, and a whopping 50 cents was the price for the evening show. Built during the transition between silent and talking pictures, the designers outfitted the theatre with two sound systems. The interior features a lavish design by the Arthur Brunet Studios of New York. And if you’re a visitor to our city, the theatre is a sight not to be missed – and when you spend time in Carytown, it’ll prove impossible to miss! Richmond, Virginia, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary, History of the National Register of Historic Places, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Byrd_Theatre&oldid=923093449, National Register of Historic Places in Richmond, Virginia, Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 26 October 2019, at 09:27. The original Brenkert Master Brenograph (F7 Model) is still used to project the Byrd Theater logo on the curtain (along with other effects).
There is an electrical and pneumatic switching system that aids the organist in choosing which pipes and other devices to use (all of the pipe work, bells, drums, and other effects are acoustic and not electronic). The Byrd Theatre is over 90 years old and is best known for its Wurlitzer organ, crystal chandelier and opulent, old-time atmosphere. And be sure to play along with the award-winning litter prevention clip filmed at the Byrd.
Sunday September 24,1967. ( Log Out / One of the most unique architectural features is the cantilevered balcony at the rear of the auditorium. The Byrd had AC from the first day. Personally spoke with the Theater manager of over 10 years. Now both a State and National Historic Landmark, the theater has long resisted decorative “updates,” and has only been altered only to meet the technological requirements of showing today’s major motion pictures. © 2000 - With increased commercial interest in the area, additional store fronts and restaurants soon opened, leading the way for the development of Richmond’s first strip mall in the 1930s, aptly named Cary Court. April 19, 2019 edition of The Fairfax County Times, State and National Historic Landmark theatre, DC: Take in Nature’s Beauty at the National Arboretum, PA: Lancaster County’s Covered Bridges Tour, MD + DE: Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, DE: Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge & Auto Tour, GA: Visit The Laurel and Hardy Museum for Laughs [Guest Post], WV: Hampshire County–West Virginia’s Two-Lane Paradise [Guest Post], MD: Travel Back in Time at the Maryland Renaissance Festival, Follow Mid-Atlantic Traveler on WordPress.com.
In 1978, the theater was designated a state landmark. Winner will be selected at random on 11/01/2020. The first theater manager was Robert Coulter, who started in 1928 and remained in the position until his retirement in 1971. [3] In 2007, the Byrd Theatre Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, entered into a purchase agreement for the Byrd with the express purpose of restoring and preserving this theatre as a community resource.
It is today both a State and National Historic Landmark. There are no supports visible!
Indeed, the Byrd regularly shows big screen classics, current flicks, and yes, even family favorites like “The Lorax.”. At long last, the Byrd Theatre is beginning the process to replace the Carytown movie palace’s worn out seating. If you live in Richmond, you’ve almost certainly taken in a move at the iconic Byrd Theatre. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Water can be pumped from this spring for use by the building’s air conditioning system. The other sound system was the Wurlitzer Theatre organ.
The theater operates 365 days a year, primarily showing second-run films, but also many special events, from movie throwbacks to family classics to director/actor tribute marathons. They have a picture of the panel, worth checking out. Designed by Richmond architect Fred Bishop in the French Empire style with décor by Brunet Studios of New York, the Byrd Theater is characterized by lavish detailing throughout.
It was then named after William Byrd II, founder of the city of Richmond. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Gary Cowardin (Byrd Engineer), Vmad. For the first few years, movie-goers had to rough it without concessions onsite. 34 people
It is today both a State and National Historic Landmark.
The original seats are available through an online request form. At the time, adult tickets were 50 cents for evening shows and 25 cents for matinees, while a child's tickets was only 10 cents.
In fact, its design and creation cost $900,000. The Byrd Theatre Foundation, the owner of the Byrd, was established in 2007 as a 501(c)(3) not-for- profit corporation. The 1,200-seat Byrd Theatre is named after William Byrd, one of the founders of Richmond, and is one of the nation’s finest cinema treasures.
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