National Theatre, Boston (1911)

The National Theatre (1911-1978) of Boston, Massachusetts, was a 3,500-seat multipurpose auditorium on Tremont Street in the South End.[1] It functioned as a cinema, lecture hall, and stage. Performers included Jehovah's Witness founder Joseph F. Rutherford[2] and "big-name entertainers like Duke Ellington and Ray Bolger."[3] Movie screenings included The Battle of Gettysburg in 1913.[4] The English High School held graduation exercises in the National.[5] Around 1919 it was known as the "Waldorf Theater."[6] In 1992, it was purchased by Philip Smith.[7]

Not to be confused with National Theatre, Boston (1836).

The space operated "intermittently after World War II for plays and movies."[8] Among the audience members: clothing designer Joseph Abboud.[9] The National closed in 1978. The Boston Center for the Arts oversaw the property thereafter, when it was subject to numerous plans for redevelopment.[10][11][12][13] The building existed until 1997, when it was demolished.[14][15]

Images
  • National Theatre, Tremont St. (near Berkeley St.), Boston, 1911 (photo courtesy Boston Public Library)
  • Advertisement for Tillie's Punctured Romance, with Charlie Chaplin, 1915
  • Advertisement for "base ball machine" at the Hippodrome (i.e. National), 1915
  • James Curley election campaign rally, 1917
  • Advertisement for Rutherford at the National, 1920

References
  1. Boston Register and Business Directory. 1921. National Theatre, no.535 Tremont St.
  2. Boston Globe, Dec 17, 1920
  3. Maureen Dezell (June 16, 1995). "National: bringing the house down?". Boston Globe. p. 61.
  4. Moving Picture World, July 5, 1913
  5. Boston Daily Globe, June 28, 1918
  6. Anthony Mitchell Sammarco (2006), Boston's South End, Arcadia Publishing, ISBN 9780738539492
  7. Los Angeles Times: "General Cinema More Wall St. Than Hollywood : Investments Pay Off Handsomely for Bottler and Theater-Chain Operator" by Kathryn Harris August 11, 1985
  8. Maureen Dezell (October 28, 1994), "City to study theater revamp at BCA", Boston Globe, p. 50
  9. Rhonda Stewart (November 25, 2004), "Abboud had early designs on his career", Boston Globe
  10. Christine Temin (October 4, 1981), "BCA still building, still struggling", Boston Globe
  11. "Striar aims to reopen National by '87", Boston Globe, p. 74, April 3, 1986
  12. Jeff McLaughlin (September 26, 1986), "Arts Center to renovate historic theater", Boston Globe, p. 47
  13. Boston Center for the Arts (1991), Preliminary report on site development opportunities, OL 24634625M
  14. Boston Globe, August 8, 1996
  15. Patti Hartigan (February 27, 1998), "Druker Co. will develop BCA site", Boston Globe

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