Movie Palaces - March 31, 2006

When Thomas L. Tally opened the Electric Theatre in Los Angeles on April 2, 1902 -- the first movie theater in the United States, he couldn't possibly have imagined that a century later, the moviegoing experience would be a cacophony of ads, cell phones, screaming babies, and unruly patrons.  Regardless, Tally may have hoped that his small storefront theater would eventually evolve into a movie palace, a grand temple where thousands could gather in lush and opulent surroundings to watch giant flickering images on the silver screen.  The heyday of movie palaces was short, lasting only about 30 years, and while most of the grand theaters of yesteryear have vanished, many are still standing -- and thriving.  From Jersey City to Hollywood, from Detroit to Abilene, there are still opportunities to get a good seat in the second balcony and lose yourself in a classic film or show with a couple thousand of your best friends. Suggested Sites... Cinema Treasures - photos and vital statistics for movie theaters and palaces throughout the world. Los Angeles's Broadway Theatre District - information about the movie palaces built in downtown Los Angeles in the 1920s and 1930s. The Last Remaining Seats - annual festival in Los Angeles, showing classic films in cinemas in the historic Broadway Theatre District. Going Attractions - official site for the documentary about the rise and fall (and, in some cases, rebirth) of the grand movie palaces of the 20th century.