| On Christmas Day in 1938, the State Theater opened with Alexander's Ragtime Band starringTyrone Power, Alice Faye, and Don Ameche. Charles Behrensmeyer was retained to design thetheater in 1927 and Leo Monckton erected the theater. |
| |
| The State Theater was advertised as an attractive moviehouse, modern in every detail, including air-conditioning. It was a 500-seat theater with an Art Deco style The long,narrow design, sloping floor and Celotex material made the theater one of the most "sound perfect" buildings in the area. |
| |
The theater also had two innovations that had never been tried before in Quincy. The back row seats in the
main section was fitted with acoustical devices for
the hearing impaired. The other innovation was a
“crying room” in the second floor where mothers could take their small children and still view and hear the picture. |
| |
The entrance to the theater on South Eighth street
had a wide lobby. The ticket office was in the
center and to the right as one entered was the men’s
room and to the left was the powder room for women.
The lobby was decorated in apple green and maroon with silver stripes and a terazzo floor. |
| |
In the auditorium, the seats were of the lastest
style, self rising so that as soon as they were not
in use they would fold up. The auditorium walls
were a maroon finish to five feet from the floor,
with a pleasing light color of Celotex material
above that. |
| |
| The last feature film at the State Theater was “Little Man Tate”. |
| |
| The State Theater closed in February 1992 afterKerasotes Theaters had operated the theater for severaldecades. |
| |
| |
| Photos courtesy of Gardner Museum |
