Monday, July 29, 2013

Cleveland: Loew's Stillman Theatre

Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the closing of Loew's Stillman which was at 1111 Euclid, next to the Hotel Statler. The Stillman opened in 1916, designed by George Post & Sons, Loew's acquired it within a few years.Probably the greatest moment in the theatre's history was the Cleveland premiere of Gone With the Wind in 1939. Huge crowds wound down 12th street from the theatres entrance for several weeks that December.  The Stillman became a little less relevant following the reopening of Loew's Ohio in September 1943. Loew's Stillman would close on July 28, 1963 following a lengthy run of Lawrence of Arabia.  Not long after the closing the auditorium was razed, and replaced with a parking garage for the neighboring Hotel Statler. For the next 25 years the ornate plaster ceiling of the front lobby was still visible until it was dry-walled over in a mid 1980's renovation.
Above two images from the Cleveland Memory page.
Main floor plan from Architectural Record, November 1918.  
Mezzanine floor plan from Architectural Record, November 1918.  
Balcony floor plan from Architectural Record, November 1918.  
Entrance foyer, from Architectural Record, November 1918.  
Mezzanine stairs, from Architectural Record, November 1918.  
Mezzanine promenade, from Architectural Record, November 1918.  
Another view of the Mezzanine promenade, from Architectural Record, November 1918.  
Reception Room, from Architectural Record, November 1918.  
Rear of the auditorium, Mezzanine promenade, from Architectural Record, November 1918.  
Auditorium side wall, Mezzanine promenade, from Architectural Record, November 1918.  
From the Plain Dealer, April 20, 1919.
GWTW packed the house for 10 weeks in 1940. From the Plain Dealer, February 2, 1940.
Ad from the Cleveland Press, May 19, 1963.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My mother was a cashier there in the 1930s. Lots of great stories about the place and the people back then.