Saenger Theatre - New Orleans, Louisiana - Vintage Movie Theaters on Waymarking.com

From Cinema Treasures:

The Saenger Theatre opened on February 4, 1927. The 4,000-seat theatre took three years to build and cost $2.5 million. Its opening prompted thousands to parade along Canal Street. The top ticket price was 65 cents, and the bill for each performance included a silent movie and stage play (produced by the Paramount Publix Corporation), and music from the Saenger Grand Orchestra.
In 1929, Julian Saenger sold the theatre to Paramount Publix, which continued to operate the theatre successfully throughout the Great Depression. In 1933 Paramount Publix converted the theatre to "talking pictures" only.
In 1964, ABC Interstate Theatres turned the Saenger into a piggyback theatre, building a wall in front of the balcony to divide the larger space into two smaller theatres. The upstairs theatre was known as the Saenger Orleans.

Architect Emile Weil designed the interior of the theatre to recall an Italian Baroque courtyard. Weil installed 150 lights in the ceiling of the theatre, arranged in the shape of constellations of the night sky. The theatre also employed special effects machines to project images of moving clouds, sunrises, and sunsets across the theatre's interior.
When the theatre opened, there was installed an approximately 2000-pipe Robert-Morton organ - one of the largest instruments the legendary Robert-Morton Organ Company ever built, and the prototype for the company's "Wonder Morton" line. The organ has a four manual console and 26 ranks of pipes. Nine ranks extend to the 16' pitch. It was designed specifically for the acoustics of the Saenger Theatre, and is one of the few Robert-Morton organs in the United States still in its original installation position.

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, the Saenger Theatre suffered significant water damage. As of May 2009 it has not yet reopened. The water line went approximately a foot above stage level, filling the basement and orchestra seating area. The vintage Robert Morton Wonder Organ was at stage level and suffered some damage. The administrative offices of the theatre and the box office on Rampart Street suffered extensive water damage. Photos taken immediately after Katrina often show the Canal Street marquee damaged, however in fact the staff of the theatre had removed the acrylic glass and other materials which could become "flying debris" during such a storm.
At the time of Katrina, the Saenger Theatre was in the middle of a major renovation. Work had begun on repairs to the interior theatre ceiling, and all carpeting and seating had been removed in anticipation of being replaced.

Year Theater Opened: 1927 Number of Screen(s): 1 Concessions Available: yes Web site: [Web Link] Ticket Price (local currency): Not Listed Matinee Price (local currency): Not Listed

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Date Logged Log   12/29/2014 Benchmark Blasterz visited it 04/01/2014 Sportbikechick visited it 10/27/2010 BrewSleuth visited it 09/09/2010 Charlie Fingers visited it 08/19/2010 40 visited it 02/20/2010 iJEEP visited it

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