Garden Theater
Encyclopedia
The Garden Theater is a 1,000-seat theater that was built in 1915 at 12 West North Avenue in the Central Northside neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, USA
. Formerly a movie theater
, it closed in 2007 and has not been in use much since that time, except for a scene in the movie adaptation of One for the Money starring Katherine Heigl
filmed in July 2010. The city of Pittsburgh hopes to revitalize the theater, and it was placed on the List of City of Pittsburgh historic designations by Pittsburgh City Council
on March 25, 2008.
style. According to a 14-page Historical American Buildings Survey data sheet from 1978, "motion picture theater
s became more substantial and dignified than the earlier Nickelodeons. The Garden Theater is a typical little-changed neighborhood movie house of this century's second decade." Bennett Amdursky managed the theater from the time it opened, purchased it from Park's son in 1924, and ran it until his death in 1970. The theater "became the pride of his life," the historical survey states. "He worked at the theatre daily until his death in the spring of 1970, over a half-century later." After he died, things changed. In 1973, the pornographic film Deep Throat
played there, and did quite well, and soon after the Garden became known as an adult movie theater. It was a porno
theater for 34 years thereafter, until it closed in 2007. Now the city of Pittsburgh is trying to revitalize this historic area, and there are plans to restore this classic theater. The Garden Theater is on the List of City of Pittsburgh historic designations.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Formerly a movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
, it closed in 2007 and has not been in use much since that time, except for a scene in the movie adaptation of One for the Money starring Katherine Heigl
Katherine Heigl
Katherine Marie Heigl is an American actress and producer. She is possibly best known for her role as Dr. Izzie Stevens on ABC's Grey's Anatomy from 2005 to 2010, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Drama Series in 2007...
filmed in July 2010. The city of Pittsburgh hopes to revitalize the theater, and it was placed on the List of City of Pittsburgh historic designations by Pittsburgh City Council
Pittsburgh City Council
The Pittsburgh City Council is the legislative body of the City of Pittsburgh. It consists of nine members. City council members are chosen by plurality elections in each of nine districts....
on March 25, 2008.
History
Built in 1915, and designed by architect Thomas H. Scott and financed by David E. Park, a steel-industry scion and banker, the Garden Theater exhibits an Art DecoArt Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style. According to a 14-page Historical American Buildings Survey data sheet from 1978, "motion picture theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
s became more substantial and dignified than the earlier Nickelodeons. The Garden Theater is a typical little-changed neighborhood movie house of this century's second decade." Bennett Amdursky managed the theater from the time it opened, purchased it from Park's son in 1924, and ran it until his death in 1970. The theater "became the pride of his life," the historical survey states. "He worked at the theatre daily until his death in the spring of 1970, over a half-century later." After he died, things changed. In 1973, the pornographic film Deep Throat
Deep Throat (film)
Deep Throat is a 1972 American pornographic film written and directed by Gerard Damiano and produced by Louis Peraino and starring Linda Lovelace ....
played there, and did quite well, and soon after the Garden became known as an adult movie theater. It was a porno
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
theater for 34 years thereafter, until it closed in 2007. Now the city of Pittsburgh is trying to revitalize this historic area, and there are plans to restore this classic theater. The Garden Theater is on the List of City of Pittsburgh historic designations.
Film depictions
- The 1979 sports/cult classic The Fish That Saved PittsburghThe Fish That Saved PittsburghThe Fish That Saved Pittsburgh is an American sports/fantasy comedy film that was released in 1979. The movie was directed by Gilbert Moses and co-produced by David Dashev and Gary Stromberg. It was produced by Lorimar and distributed by United Artists. The rights to the film are currently owned by...
used the Garden Theater and its surrounding neighborhood as the home of the film's astrologist heroine Mona (Stockard ChanningStockard ChanningStockard Channing is an American stage, film and television actress. She is known for her portrayal of First Lady Abbey Bartlet in the NBC television series The West Wing; for playing Betty Rizzo in the film Grease; and for her role as Ouisa Kittredge in the play Six Degrees of Separation and its...
) to depict a gritty inner city gypsy fortune teller's residence.
- The 2010 film One for the Money starring Katherine HeiglKatherine HeiglKatherine Marie Heigl is an American actress and producer. She is possibly best known for her role as Dr. Izzie Stevens on ABC's Grey's Anatomy from 2005 to 2010, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Drama Series in 2007...
uses the same exact buildings complete with Garden Theater marquee to once again depict a gritty inner city former burlesque district. This time, the theater and area around it are used to recreate a seedy Trenton, New JerseyTrenton, New JerseyTrenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, inner city neighborhood.