Hollywood Theater Minneapolis
The Hollywood Theater opened its doors in Northeast Minneapolis in 1935, It has been vacant for 25 years and I had the chance to spend some time getting to know those old walls yesterday afternoon….
Maybe it will feel like someone is watching you as you wander through remnants from the past. A few movie goers may still be waiting for the show to begin…
Self portrait
Valérie Jardin's Blog 
I worked the candy counter and popcorn it was my first job. 1966 !!!!!!! Kathy Anderson
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Stunning shots! Makes me feel all nostalgic 🙂
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Valerie,
Thanks for the great interior shots of the Hollywood!
I believe there are many more people out there that have a passion (including me) to finally bring the Hollywood back to it’s glory, I have some ideas, and would like to get a task force together to have some discussions by mid-August, and would love to have your input!
This would be a very Grass Roots effort, and would be an extremely worthwhile Legacy that could make a difference in lots of peoples lives!
I’m thinking of meeting at The Coffee Shop NE either Wed Aug 15th, or Thurs Aug 16th, 2012, but I will interact on the Hollywood Theater Facebook Page.
Troy Rognrud
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Alors là j’adore!! Je suis un fan des “Lostplaces”, c’est vraiment passionnant d’imaginer la vie dans ces lieux il y a quelques dizaines d’années, cet endroit a eu ses heures de gloires, des amoureux du cinéma s’y sont retrouvés pour y vivre des instants remplis d’émotions… Magnifique reportage, bravo pour les fantômes!!!!!!
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Beautiful interior photos, great atmosphere!The colors are gorgeous, Valerie very well done!
I have no preference they are all brilliant!!!
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Absolutely phenomenal images Valerie, one gets a good sense of what a beautiful building this must have been!
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I grew up in Nordeast and went to this theater a few times as a kid before it closed. For twenty five years I’ve drove by and wondered what it looked like now inside and wondered why no one has done anything with this. Thank you for answering one of those questions. Any idea on the second?
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I’ve been following your blog and admiring your work for quite a while now. I share your love of photo walks and subjects like this old theatre. This post will go down as one of my favorites. I’ve returned to it several times.
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What a wonderful series of photos of what must have been a stunning building. I think my favourite is #6 – I love that seat with the art deco decoration and colours. Fabulous.
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Thank you for all the comments, I’m really enjoying reading your stories about the theater in its glory days!
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In the 8th pictures there is a large circular thing up on the wall. I remember that being a light fixture that had an outer rounded schell that was light green (or teal or whatever it was called) and the inner part was white.
Wonder if any of my juju beads (sticky candy) are still on the floor????
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I remember my brother taking me to my first movie there in the 50’s. he said we were going to Hollywood and then pointed down the street. I had always thought Hollywood was further away. When we got there he explained to me that this was not Hollywood where they make the movies. I never forgot that. I saw all my movies either at the Hollywood theater or the Heights theater. I still go to the Heights theater now that it has been restored. They have a large organ that comes up from the floor in front of the stage and is played before the movie. They even show the old “Follow the bouncing ball” cartoons there and everyone sings. It would be great to see the Hollywood restored. Thanks for the pictures..
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Great photos. But , my heart breaks remembering the beauty of the theatre during the early to mid 60’s. I was an usher there. It was there I first developed my love of the Movies. I later what on to work for Columbia Pictures. Too many fine lost neighborhood theatres. Thank you for these photos.
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When I was growing up, we lived in an upper duplex in the 2400 block of University Avenue NE. An aunt and uncle lived downstairs, and my aunt (who, by the way, insisted she was not my aunt but the wife of my uncle) liked to go to the movies but she did not want to go alone so she often took me, and it was always to the Hollywood rather than to the Ritz on 13th Avenue and or the Arion on Central, which were much closer. We would take the Lowry Avenue bus up to Johnson and walk three blocks north to the Hollywood. Years later our family moved to the Hill area of Northeast Minneapolis, and the Hollywood was only a few blocks away.
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My first job was the Hollywood theater.
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If anyone is interested in seeing this theatre live and in person, my literary group is hosting a dark storytelling event there on June 23. It’s free to all and the doors are at 7:30. You can find more information over here: https://www.facebook.com/events/241068899330530/
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These are truly amazing photos! This theater was one block from my house growin up. I saw my first “R” movie here (Stir Crazy) and also went on my very first “date” with a boy here (we saw Footloose! I was in 8th grade….1983). It was such a beautiful place! So retro and Hollywood glam! I loved it! I wish somebody would purchase it and restore it like the Heights theater. It is such a wonderful monument to NE Mpls. I am now living in Arizona but seeing this makes me remember what a wonderful place I grew up in. Thank you so much for sharing these. If you only knew how special they are and how they have touched me 🙂 thank you!
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Like so many others that have commented on this…how I would LOVE to experience some photography time in this priceless gem! Thanks for sharing and how lucky you were to get to explore. Wonderful captures!
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I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to get my hands on this! How wonderful it would be to bring it back to it’s glory!
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I do believe this is possibly more beautiful today than its glory years. It has aged beautifully – love the colours, patina and especially love the film reels. What a find – thank you – a joy to behold! Have a happy week.
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More great shots from the passionate photographer! I try to imagine what the building was like when it was first built. No doubt it was considered quite grand in its day.
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Fantastic shots. I love old theaters. when I was a young girl we spent our summer going to the movies in theaters very much like these, so this series brings back a lot of memories. It doesn’t look like the theater has a balcony, but are those box seats I see? Love the art deco and the ghost shots are great.
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Wow, you can just imagine it in its former glory. What beautiful colors and textures! Great subject, spectacular images!
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Thanks everyone! @Laura, they had a special open house yesterday. @Betty the ghost images self portrait was a 30 second exposure, the two girls in the corner was a 13 second exposure. (Large sensor)
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Great shots. The movie reel picture spoke to me. Loved the hauntings. More than a minute?
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As the saying goes:”if only walls can talk”, there would be lots of memories and stories we would know. Thru your pics, we can see history of once was grand and beautiful. Thank you Valerie, this a wonderful gift to the people of Minneapolis and to us as well. Sometimes the past haunts.
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Great shots, Valerie! How did you get in?
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What an extraordinarily wonderful subject. Wandering through the ruins via your excellent photographs one can see, feel, and smell it’s long gone glory days. Your pictures leave me feeling both sad and elated. You captured the subject matter as few could. Thank you.
Vi
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Looks like a great place to explore and shoot. Images are “haunting”…in a nice way!
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