The Exeter Street Theatre is a Richardsonian Romanesque building at the corner of Exeter and Newbury Streets, in the Back Bay section of Boston, Massachusetts. It was built as the First Spiritual Temple, 1884–85, by architects Hartwell and Richardson. For seventy years, from 1914 to 1984, it operated as a movie house. It now houses the Kingsley Montessori School.
History
"Wealthy socialite Mrs. [Marcellus Ayer] (Hattie M. Ayer) and her friends" organized the conversion in 1914 of church into cinema;Russell Merritt. "Nickelodeon Theaters, 1905-1914." In: Thomas Schatz, ed. Hollywood: critical concepts in media and cultural studies. Taylor & Francis, 2004 Clarence Blackall designed the renovation.Jane Holtz Kay. "The Last Picture Show at the Exeter." Boston Globe, April 3, 1984 It "could accommodate 900 patrons."A. Scott Berg. Goldwyn: a biography. Penguin, October 1, 1998"Lively hearing on movie censorship; mayor feels Boston needs no aid from state -- labor and theatre men oppose." Boston Globe, February 25, 1920 Proprietors and overseers included Viola and Florence Berlin,Mark Feeney. "When Boston was home to many lavish theaters: Hub’s heyday of theaters is recalled." Boston Globe, Jan. 8, 2012 and Neil St. John Raymond. The Working Union of Progressive Spiritualists continued to meet in the building's lower auditorium until 1974, when the congregation relocated to neighboring Brookline (and subsequently to Harwich, on Cape Cod), and they and/or Hattie Ayer sold the theater operation and building.
After the theatre closed in 1984 amidst popular cultural anguish and bottom-line real-estate concerns, the building has been deployed for a variety of mostly commercial purposes.Lynnley Browning. "Staples, others eyeing historic Exeter Street edifice." Boston Globe, January 13, 2000 It was occupied by Conran's housewares retailer and Waterstones booksellers.Waterstone's closing chapter. Boston Globe, May 25, 1999 By 1988 "the Exeter Street Theatre building [housed TGI] Friday's Restaurant and an office complex."Michael Blowen. "The changing Boston cinema: more screens, less art." Boston Globe, October 9, 1988 Business consultants Idealab leased space in the building from 2000 to 2003.Scott Kirsner. "Incubator Smackdown". Boston Globe, November 6, 2000Peter Howe. "Idealab to shut Boston office." Boston Globe, May 10, 2003 In 2005 it became the Kingsley Montessori School.Jill Gross. "Evolution: movies, books, kids: ex-Exeter Theatre is reborn as Montessori." Boston Globe, October 23, 2005
One of the cinema's electric signs, scrapped in 1985, was acquired by collector Dave Waller.Nathan Cobb. "Dave Waller's sign collection sheds bright light on bygone times." Boston Globe, May 24, 2003Robert Preer. "Old signs have a home." Boston Globe, January 18, 2009
John Cheever's short story "The President of the Argentine" mentions the Exeter Street Theatre.Atlantic Monthly, April 1976. Discussed in: Douglass Shand-Tucci. The Crimson Letter: Harvard, Homosexuality, and the Shaping of American Culture. Macmillan, 2004
Gregory Mcdonald's second book in the Fletch series Confess, Fletch (1976) mentions an Alec Guinness Saturday matinee double feature of The Lavender Hill Mob and The Man in the White Suit at the Exeter Street Theatre.Confess, Fletch, Gregory McDonald, 1976
Screenings
1910s The Foundling"Mary Pickford Week." Moving Picture World, February 12, 1916 Tess of the Storm Country
1920s A Virtuous VampBoston Globe, February 10, 1920 Haunting Shadows Robert Z. Leonard's Stronger Than Death Live Sparks Passion FlowerBoston Globe, June 7, 1921 Just Out of College Sowing the Wind Haunted Spooks Pink GodsBoston Globe, December 12, 1922 The Man Who Saw Tomorrow East is West
1960s The Endless Summer
1970s The Rocky Horror Picture Show
1980s Lynne Littman's TestamentThe Boston Phoenix - November 8, 1983 The LeopardBoston Globe, January 15, 1984 "The Man Who Skied Down Everest"indelible personal memory of contributor The Tin Drum
References
Further reading "Boston time capsule opened after 100 years." Bangor Daily News - September 23, 1985
External links
Flickr. Photos of the building, 1984 Exterior Exterior Sign holder Interior Stained glass window, interior