Historic Movie Theatres in Tampa
Donation protected
In November of 1906, Tampa's first motion picture theater, The Nickelodeon, opened in downtown Tampa in a converted storefront. Nickelodeon theatres were popular from 1905 to 1915 and were the first type of indoor exhibition space dedicated to the projection of moving pictures. The cost to enter was a nickel.
Tampa's earliest movie theatres were located throughout downtown, on Central Avenue, in Tampa Heights, Ybor City, Sulphur Springs, and West Tampa. They provided an air-conditioned space for audiences to enjoy a new form of entertainment while also seeking shelter from the Florida heat. From 1906 to present day, Tampa has seen dozens of historic single screen motion picture theatres come and go. From theatres in small, dark rooms with folding chairs, to ornate show palaces designed by renowned architects, the movie-going experience in Tampa has a rich and diverse history.
The Historic Movie Theatres in Tampa: 1906 to Present project documents the single screen motion picture theatres that have existed in Tampa for the past 114 years. By collecting personal recollections from Tampa residents, newspaper articles, and photo collections from Burgert Brothers and Robertson and Fresh, the goal of our project team is to tell the fascinating and colorful stories of Tampa's moving picture theatre history through a documentary and book. We hope that you join us on this journey by visiting our facebook page and sharing your Tampa theatre stories.
FAQ
This project is ten years in the making and we are finally close to producing the documentary and book that will tell the history of historic single screen theatres in Tampa!
You may be asking yourself...
Why has this taken 10 years? Good question! The Project Manager/Producer, Kelly Hickman, has worked on this project on and off by herself for a long time (and while working full time). Fortunately, an all-volunteer team of researchers and video production friends recently joined her on this adventure. With a newfound enthusiasm, and additional resources, the project is back on track!
What makes a theatre "historic"? For this project, any theatre that opened more than 50 years ago is considered historic.
What are the geographical boundaries for the theatres that will be featured? We are still working on defining the boundaries, but the majority of theatres featured are (or were) located in downtown Tampa, on Central Avenue, in Tampa Heights, Ybor City, Sulphur Springs, and West Tampa.
Do you need money for this project? Yes! Yes! We are an all-volunteer team. Donations of $250 or more will receive a complimentary book and complimentary 48-hour online streaming access to the documentary.
How else can I help? We need stories. Lots and lots of stories. We want these theatres to come alive through storytelling. If you know someone who lived in Tampa and experienced these theatres, we want to hear from them! We are looking for anyone with a story to tell, or a photo to share about these historic movie houses. Please encourage friends and family to visit our facebook page and share their stories!
Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you!
Project Team:
Kelly Hickman – Project Manager/Producer
Marty Kledzik – Research
Nick DiMaggio – Research
David Beebe – Video Editor/Photographer
Connect with us!
Kelly Hickman (813) [phone redacted]
Blog: http://historictheatresintampa.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/historictheatresintampa
Email: [email redacted]
Tampa's earliest movie theatres were located throughout downtown, on Central Avenue, in Tampa Heights, Ybor City, Sulphur Springs, and West Tampa. They provided an air-conditioned space for audiences to enjoy a new form of entertainment while also seeking shelter from the Florida heat. From 1906 to present day, Tampa has seen dozens of historic single screen motion picture theatres come and go. From theatres in small, dark rooms with folding chairs, to ornate show palaces designed by renowned architects, the movie-going experience in Tampa has a rich and diverse history.
The Historic Movie Theatres in Tampa: 1906 to Present project documents the single screen motion picture theatres that have existed in Tampa for the past 114 years. By collecting personal recollections from Tampa residents, newspaper articles, and photo collections from Burgert Brothers and Robertson and Fresh, the goal of our project team is to tell the fascinating and colorful stories of Tampa's moving picture theatre history through a documentary and book. We hope that you join us on this journey by visiting our facebook page and sharing your Tampa theatre stories.
FAQ
This project is ten years in the making and we are finally close to producing the documentary and book that will tell the history of historic single screen theatres in Tampa!
You may be asking yourself...
Why has this taken 10 years? Good question! The Project Manager/Producer, Kelly Hickman, has worked on this project on and off by herself for a long time (and while working full time). Fortunately, an all-volunteer team of researchers and video production friends recently joined her on this adventure. With a newfound enthusiasm, and additional resources, the project is back on track!
What makes a theatre "historic"? For this project, any theatre that opened more than 50 years ago is considered historic.
What are the geographical boundaries for the theatres that will be featured? We are still working on defining the boundaries, but the majority of theatres featured are (or were) located in downtown Tampa, on Central Avenue, in Tampa Heights, Ybor City, Sulphur Springs, and West Tampa.
Do you need money for this project? Yes! Yes! We are an all-volunteer team. Donations of $250 or more will receive a complimentary book and complimentary 48-hour online streaming access to the documentary.
How else can I help? We need stories. Lots and lots of stories. We want these theatres to come alive through storytelling. If you know someone who lived in Tampa and experienced these theatres, we want to hear from them! We are looking for anyone with a story to tell, or a photo to share about these historic movie houses. Please encourage friends and family to visit our facebook page and share their stories!
Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you!
Project Team:
Kelly Hickman – Project Manager/Producer
Marty Kledzik – Research
Nick DiMaggio – Research
David Beebe – Video Editor/Photographer
Connect with us!
Kelly Hickman (813) [phone redacted]
Blog: http://historictheatresintampa.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/historictheatresintampa
Email: [email redacted]
Organiser
Kelly Hickman
Organiser
Brandon, FL