In regards to Tom Dudzick's inquiry about " Shea's little Seneca" known as "The Rat Hole" was named "The Oakdale," and privatly owned by the same person who ran the "Artistic" at the foot of the Elk Street Bridge and Smith Street. The bar next to the "Oakdale" as I recall was known as  Luthers on corner of Seneca and Babcock. I too would be interested in seeing any photos of the old neighborhood. - Bill Kasinski.       

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My dad, George Miller worked as a sound engineer for Altec Lansing. He serviced the systems in all the major movie houses in greater Buffalo, along with Robbie Robertson, a Mr. Giles who lived on Grand Island, and late on, Ken Cavanaugh. This would have been from the late 30's until his retirement in the late sixties. We had free passes to all the big downtown theaters. I remember the premier of QUO VADIS, BEN HUR etc, and dinner afterwards at Laube's OLD SPAIN. I also remember being proud that I was too big for the "crying room" at the Colvin theater, where the infants could enjoy a good flick; Also,remember sneaking cigarettes and lipstick in the balcony of the old Kenmore Theater on Dealware Ave. - Mary Ann Miller Valaitis Whaley

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I WORKED AT THE CENTER THEATRE FOR 3 YEARS AS AN USHER. YES, IT WAS FOR .50 CENTS PER HR. THE CENTER PLAYED MAINLY PARAMOUNT PICTURES. I REMEMBER THE MANAGERS NAME WAS LEON SERIN. WE ALSO USED TO SHOW CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING EVENTS AND SOME STAGE SHOWS. AFTER CLEANING UP, WE WOULD OFTEN GET OUT OF WORK AT 1 AM AND THE BUSES WERE NO LONGER RUNNING AND GETTING HOME MEANT STICKING MY THUMB OUT AND HOPING THE GUY WHO PICKED ME UP WASN'T SOME KIND OF WEIRDO.

TWO NEIGHBORHOOD THEATRES I DIDN'T SEE MENTIONED WERE THE ORPHEUM ON GENESEE NEAR BAILEY AND A SMALL SHOW, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME, ON GRIDER  ACROSS FROM THE HOSPITAL NOT FAR FROM THE PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL. MY RECOLLECTION WAS THAT IT COST LESS THAN A DIME AT THE ORPHEUM TO SEE 2 MOVIES, A COUPLE OF SERIALS, MANY CARTOONS AND THE NEWS. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE MID TO LATE FORTIES. - BOB IN JUPITER

The touring big bands played Shea's Buffalo (Jim & Tommy Dorsey, Kay Kaiser, Harry James, Horace Height, Ink Spots, etc.). Also, radio's "Dr. IQ" (I have a lady in the balcony) played at Shea's Buffalo when it was in town.

I remember seeing "Lassie Come Home" at the Granada one Saturday afternoon. The projectionist skipped a whole reel. I stood outside the theater and cried.

I remember that the Century had a coat check room on their upstairs mezzanine. Don't remember
this anyplace else (quite likely Shea's Buffalo).

They were all very happy places for me. I spent most of my adult life managing movie theaters. The last one, before retiring, was a 12-plex. My, how times change. - Brian in San Francisco


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The Kensington Theater was right on the corner of Kensington and Bailey Avenue. I saw many a movie there in the early and mid 60's. Unfortunately, it went the way of the many neighborhood theaters with the advent of the mini-screen, multi-cinemas in the suburbs. Seeing a movie now at a mall does not come close to the going to the movies experience at one of the atmospherically rich old movie theaters of yesteryear. -Jerry

The Kensington theater blew up from a gas leak. The Genesee and Bailey were torn down and replaced with empty lots.-- those were my childhood Saturday matinee places. The Colvin on Kenmore near Colvin was torn down for a senior high rise. - Nancy Piatkowski

The Basil's Varsity Theater (next door to the Varsity Drug Store Upstairs and downstairs of an office building of sorts that housed, among others, our family dentist in the early 50's) was on the SE corner of Bailey and Berkshire. Saturday matinees of cartoons and feature films -- come early and stay all day to view at least one feature film, up to 25 cartoons and combinations of such film serial favorites as Superman, the Blackhawks, Flash Gordon and many many more -- were 12 cents. That was 2 cents cheaper than the Kensington Theater that was just down the street at Bailey and Kensington.

The Shea's Kensington of this era had essentially the same Saturday afternoon venue. The Kensington was larger and more plush. Both had stages and what might have passed earlier for an orchestra pit. The Kensington also had a red velvet curtain that was dramatically opened at the beginning of the show -- the Varsity may also have had this feature but my memory is hazy on that one.
The photos indicate that the Genesee and Lafayette were both Basil's Theaters, as was the Varsity on Bailey Ave. The Amherst (3500 Main St. - a Dipson Theater) and University Plaza were, I believe, one and the same. By the late 1950's this theater, located in the University Plaza, had become one of the better local "art" theaters showing offbeat and foreign films -- probably due to it proximity to UB and the large surrounding student population. However, it also gained further notoriety because it was once owned/operated by the the Weinstein Bros. (Bob and Harvey of Miramax Films fame) while they were attending UB (Harvey) and Fredonia State (Bob) and from which they never graduated. (It is possible that the reference is to the Century Theater at that time but my memory and another source are at odds on that*). In Sept. 2000 SUNY Buffalo awarded Harvey an honorary degree for the one he had failed to earn 30 years earlier. Miramax was actually formed in Buffalo in 1979 with offices in Memorial Auditorium. - Jack DUKESBURY, Jakarta, Indonesia


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The Shea's Elmwood theater was located at 539 Elmwood Ave. which was on the east side of the street just north of Utica. I spent many a Saturday afternoon there sitting in the 13th row from the screen along with my current classmate from School 16. Admission (early 40's) was $0.11 with a nickel for a candy bar. (No chocolate, there's a war on, you know...!) It was here I hid behind my jacket as I watched Boris as "The Mummy" and Lon ,howling at the moon as he changed by stop-action to "The Wolfman".

I really don't remember much about the theater, itself. I think the candy bar was to the left as you entered. - Bob Schley


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Does anyone remember when the movie "The Sound of Music" premiered in Downtown Buffalo?

I believe it was at the Shea's Buffalo, but it could have been the Paramount. There was a parade on Main Street during the day and search lights circled the sky from in front of the theater at night. Remember those big search lights you would see in the sky and wonder what was going on in some part of town?

Anyway, The Sound of Music starring Julie Andrews was premiering in Downtown Buffalo on that night. It continued playing for many months and had special signage all around the marquee that lit up Main Street in front of the theater. Although I didn't see it that night, I saw the Sound of Music there some weeks later after the crowds dissipated somewhat. It was a wonderful movie to see on that big screen in that grand old theater some 35 years ago. - Jerry


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Jerry, If my memory serves me correctly (it often doesn't), The Sound Of Music played at the Paramount Theater. I remember being very impressed with the opening scenes on that large screen. - Gene Thompson

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My memory isn't real accurate anymore either, but I thought I saw The Sound of Music at the Granada Theater on Main Street. - Dennis


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The Granada Theater was on Main just west of Winspear in the University district. It was right next to my uncle's dress shop, "Leslie's Dress Shop"; he then bought a building across Main St. from the Granada, remodeled it, and moved the dress shop across the street. This was in the early 1950s. - Sue



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The downtown theaters certainly were grand! Seems like we would go to the Century, Shea's Buffalo or Paramount to see films whenever we could, just because of the luxury of the theater. Some of my fondest memories are seeing movies at these downtown theaters with my grandmother. She never drove a car, but every Thursday she would take the NFT bus downtown to see a movie, have lunch, and shop. I enjoyed going with her, but didn't care for the shopping part too much. Lunch would usually be at Lobby's Old Spain. - Dennis


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Yes, the downtown theaters were grand and its sad that we have lost them. We do still have Shea's Buffalo, though. It's good that we have at least one of them left.

Wasn't it great, though, when you could go into the Buffalo, Paramount, Century, Lafayette, or other downtown theater any time you wanted for the relatively affordable price of a movie ticket. I used to watch the movies, but often during them, couldn't help but look up at the ceiling and around the theater. It was such a feast for the eyes...such architectural grandeur.

I do remember Old Spain and eating there , although I do not remember what I ordered or much about the experience except that it was kind of a neat place. It was on the same side of the street as Shea's Buffalo and it seems like it was kind of near the old Greyhound Bus station. Further down Main was a Chinese restaurant named Chins. On the other side of Main Street was the Swiss Chalet that had good rotisseried chicken and it seems like you could see them cooking it right in the front window. How about Sinatra's...a bar where all the songs on the jukebox, if I remember correctly, were Frank Sinatra's? - Jerry



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When I was going to school in Fredonia before I had a car, I remember taking the bus to the Granada. I loved that theater--it was large, with a huge screen and stereophonic sound. It was a revival house. When I went, I saw "Gone With the Wind," "My Fair Lady," "The Sound of Music," and others. Many of these played in 70mm wide screen.

Several years later, I went back hoping to relive the memories only to find a huge vacant lot where the theater had been. I felt as though a part of my youth had died...I still think of that theater often.

I also remember the TECK theater. It was in bad shape when I went. I saw "Fame" there. - Mark Goodrich


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Wasn't there a theater by the name of The Center downtown on Main Street? I'm sure there was and it was there in the 60's. It seems like it was on the east side of the street. Also, there was Shea's Teck further up Main Street from Shea's Buffalo and on the same side of the street. It was smaller and not as elaborate as the Buffalo but still a theater of the old style.

Later, in the late 60's, after the old Palace Burlesque on lower Main St. had been razed, a new Palace Burlesque opened on Main Street. It was further up Main on the other side of the street. It either took over Shea's Teck Theater and opened there or in another building very close by. It had live burlesque just like the old Palace. So, there were two Palace Burlesque theaters in downtown Buffalo at different times. - Jerry Puckett


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The Elmwood Theater building was completed April 27th, 1914. It was a three story tall fireproof stage and film house built for the sum of $50,000. It originally contained 1600 seats. When opened, the theater contained a Skinner opus 216 organ with a two rank echo that cost $9,000. The Elmwood was built at the same time some 10 other theaters were being planned and constructed around Buffalo.

The Elmwood eventually became a part of the Shea Theater chain and operated under that name until closure during December,1961. It was used again for local theater groups until October 1965 when it was demolished in one day. It's site is now a parking lot for the Marine Midland Bank.
Bob Schley


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Ah yes, the Seneca Theater on Seneca St. in South Buffalo had no seats down the left and right sides of the theater. For overflow crowds they would hand out throw rugs to sit on in those areas! I saw the Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night" there. The place was packed with screaming girls, and I'm sure all the rugs were handed out on the day I was there. You couldn't hear half of the movie because of all the screaming!

The Abbott Theater was on Abbott Road near Ridge road. I don't know if it was officially in Lackawanna or South Buffalo. We would ride our bikes there and stop at the drug store in the Abbott Plaza to buy candy on our way there (I wish I could remember the name of the drug store). I saw many movies there in the 60s and early 70s, before the General Cinema theaters were built at the Seneca Mall. -Karl Metzger

I'm not sure who I'm writing to or if anyone is there to read this, but I'd love to know if anyone out there remembers "Shea's Little Seneca" theatre, affectionately known as "The Rat Hole". It was at, I think, 774 Seneca Street, right next door to my father's tavern, "Big Joe Dudzick's" at 770. It was just a little neighborhood movie house, torn down around 1960, but I saw my first movies there. I'd give anything to see a picture of it, and maybe in that way I could see, included in the shot, my father's tavern, which has now been turned into a parking lot. - Tom Dudzick


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I used to go to the Seneca also for the movies and the bands after and the theater on Abbott was called The Towne Theater - Ed Toy


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When I was a kid in the 50s, the Commodore was a movie house. It was where I think I saw "White Christmas" and I only was inside once. We were more likely to go downtown or to the Bailey (Bailey at Genesee) or the Genesee (Genesee at Nevada.) The Commodore was at or very near the city line, on the south side not quite to Holy Redeemer as you head out to Pine Ridge. - Karen Kolb


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Re: Sound Of Music
Currently enjoying a huge revival in NYC and, I think, in Europe, too. Sort of a camp-cult classic. Big audience participation, sing along, dress-ups, etc. Sooner or later, it all comes 'round again. I think the last resuscitation of the Granada was "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". - Peter Hassett


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In the 1954 phone book, there are 58 theaters in Buffalo, not including the drive-ins!


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The Elmwood management were smart - - - -in the late 40s when I went there, they had one program for the Saturday matinee and changed it for Sunday. So we could go two days in a row! I think the ticket price then was a quarter. - Alison Kimberly


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In the early 40's, the price of admission to the Elmwood was $0.11. With another nickel for candy, a whole Saturday afternoon at the movies cost a grand total of $.16. That got you two movies, a short , a cartoon and the Movietone news. Heck of a deal for the 40's.....! - Bob Schley


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The Central Park was at the southeast corner of Main & Fillmore, and next to Don Allen's Chevrolet. Hall's Bakery was almost across Fillmore. During the '40s, a Saturday matinee, with all the features others have mentioned: two movies, a cartoon, short subject, newsreel and previews, cost 14 cents; candy was 6 cents, including a "war tax, " so two dimes, would purchase the movie ticket and candy. We would buy candy which would last, such as Walnettos or Necco wafers. The house lights were controlled from backstage, so the tip-off that the movie was about to begin was the usher walking down the aisle and behind the stage. The site, which was a parking lot,  now, along with the site of the former Chevrolet dealership (once Don Allen, then Dan Creed),  contains a Rite Aid.  - Graham Millar


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It was an evening at the Genesee Theater. The date was October 31st sometime in the early to mid 60's. There was a triple-feature playing that night and it wasn't a lineup for the faint of heart. The Mummy, Frankenstein, the Wolfman ... they were all up there on that big screen and the theater was filled to capacity with young thrill-seekers ready and willing to have their hair stand on end. My bother, a friend, and I were sitting in the front row and just in front of and below us was a dark and foreboding place on that particular night, the orchestra pit.

In addition to the triple-feature, the newspaper had announced that there was to be a live, on stage appearance of a special guest. The three classic horror movies were more than enough to put the audience in the right frame of mind. The lights were turned down, lightening was projected on the screen and the sound of thunder echoed through the theater. The master of ceremonies came onto the stage, said a few words, and then directed our attention to the wings where out from behind the curtains trudged a stiff figure we all immediately recognized.

It was when Frankenstein crossed the stage and headed down the stairs into the audience, and the all the lights were turned off, that the place really went crazy. All we heard for the next couple of minutes was the deafening sound of a theater full of screaming kids. Everybody got their money's worth of fun and fright that night. Those were the good old days, or nights, at the movies. - Jerry Puckett


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This [Frankenstein story immediately above] reminds me on the time when I went to see the movie "House on a Haunted Hill". I don't remember the theater, but a skeleton went flying across the theater. And I thought it was a very scary movie. Compared to what they make today, it was more like a Disney movie. - Kathy Kovalek, Antelope CA


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I remember the Haley Mills movies. The curtain opening at the Shea's Kensington as Pollyanna's train moved across the screen bringing her to live with her aunt...Parent Trap, with Haley Mills and Haley Mills and Let's Get Together, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. We all wanted those pixie haircuts. - Sharon


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Saturday afternoons at the movies- how could you beat it? There were double features plus cartoons, Junior Mints, popcorn, Juju Beads, raisinettes,... . I grew up in North Buffalo so our choices for Saturday matinees were either the North Park or the Colvin shows. At the Colvin, there was a small room next to the projection room that you could sit in and see the movie. Also, the manager, Frank Mancuso (later worked for Paramount) had a son, Frank Jr.,who produced the Friday the 13th series. Check out the websites... it still gives me the chills... - Mary Vacanti


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Anybody else remember the Circle Theater on Connecticut Street on the West Side? I remember catching parts of "Trader Tom of the China Sea" there. The owner, Danny, was always at the door with a cigar and his hand out to collect the ... I think 25 cents, maybe 20. - Butch Kavanaugh


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I remember once when I was going to school at Burgard V.H.S. around 1960 or 61, my friends and I skipped one day to go to the Palace to see a very hot film, LADY CHATTERLY'S LOVER. Pretty risqué stuff, huh? We thought we were really doing something. That was my only time in the Palace, but we did see some strippers and comics. Actually the comics were better. Sure was a different time. -- Jerome P. Maragliano


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I was an usher at the Shea's Buffalo during the summer of 1954. It was my first "real" job; between 8th grade graduation and starting freshman high school. I earned 50 cents an hour. At first, I was under the watchful eye of the usher captain at the bottom of the grand stairs telling people to "watch your step up." Later, I was moved to the main auditorium guiding people to the seats with my trusty flashlight. Much later, when I was a "pro," I moved up to the loges. Many many times I watched the time go by on the grandfather clock still on the stair landing inside the Pearl Street entrance. -- Tom Beatty