Erie's History and Memorabilia

Since its grand opening, the Warner Theatre has established itself as a major cultural center for the region. Millions have passed by the freestanding ticket booth of solid bronze through the doors and stepped into the luxurious gold-gilded Grand Lobby. There they saw the beauty of rich tapestries and French gold-backed mirrors. A regal staircase with exquisite bronze banisters leads them through an archway of marble, gold gilding and draped tapestry to the mezzanine. Czechoslovakian glass and crystal chandeliers create the soft lighting that enhances the grandeur of a structure unmatched in stature, opulence and beauty. Warner Brothers today one of the world's largest producers of film and television entertainment, commissioned the building of the Warner Theatre in 1929. The design goal for their luxury movie palaces was to create an environment "twice as rich, three times more fanciful than life." Designed by architects Rapp & Rapp, the theatre was ...

The original Strand Theatre was erected in 1915 at a cost of $250,000 at 922 State Street. It had a seating capacity of 1,300. Paramount and First National Pictures were shown exclusively, and their Conductor Mr. Fordham had an excellent orchestra of nine pieces. Earl E. Lawrence joined the Strand Theatre Orchestra near the close of the first World War as their Guest Conductor. Mr. Lawrence was a well-known local African-American musician, conductor and music teacher. The theatre was owned by the Rowland and Clark Company of Pittsburgh. In the early-1940s it was operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp. The theatre was demolished in the late 1940s. In 1948 Stanley-Warner built a new 980 seat Strand Theatre on West 10th Street. The Theatre was designed by Victor A. Rigaumont. It was a Cinerama theatre for a time from around 1962-1964. The Strand was operated for many years and was managed by Milford Parker. The new theatre, though nice, was never the grand palace that the...