Leroy Theatre

Leroy Theatre
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Coordinates
Built	1922
Architect	John F. O'Malley
Architectural style	Classical Revival, Other
Demolished	1997
NRHP Reference #	83000181
Added to NRHP	August 4, 1983

Leroy Theatre was a historic movie palace at 66 Broad Street in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. It was built in 1922, listed on the National Register in 1983, and demolished in 1997.

The building

The theatre was designed by architect John F. O'Malley and was built in 1922 for client Charles Payne, a power company executive. Payne spared no expense on the building, named in honor of Payne's son Leroy, who had been killed in World War I. It was considered the "most lavish public building" in Pawtucket, and referred to as Pawtucket's Million Dollar Theatre.

The Leroy was one of the finest and largest theatres of the period in all of New England, built when Pawtucket was at its economic height. It was one of the finest buildings in a city already brimming with distinguished architecture. The lobby featured a large fireplace, a grand staircase, and a frieze of golden vases. The interior had seats for 2,700 people, and included extensive ornamentation such as mirrors, colored lights, brass rails, and gold leaf. Above the balcony was a dome filled with classical sculpted figures.

History

At the time of the Leroy's construction, Pawtucket was a prosperous mill town. In addition to the Leroy, Pawtucket boasted a half-dozen theatres and two dozen hotels.

The Leroy hosted vaudeville acts, silent (and then sound) movies, and all manner of theatrical productions and musical performances. However, by the late 1960s, the once-wealthy mill town of Pawtucket had fallen into decline, and suburban moviegoers generally began to prefer multiplexes to the old downtown movie palaces.

The theatre was closed in 1963, briefly reopened in 1976, and was again shuttered. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Another attempt was made to open the theatre in 1986, this time as a concert hall, but this was also unsuccessful. In April 1997 the building was sold to a Boston developer and demolished later that year, along with three neighboring buildings, to build a Walgreens drugstore.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Pawtucket, Rhode Island

External links

• The Leroy Theatre at Cinema Treasures