Beatles Ticket Stub

Submitted by Nessa February 17th, 2011
Certifikitsch Winner

One of my prized possessions, a ticket stub from a premiere of “A Hard Day’s Night.”  Special enough because it is Beatles memorabilia, but prized because it is from my favorite hometown movie theatre, The Warner Theatre.  The Warner is a beautiful art deco palace.  Unfortunately, it suddenly closed this past August, I was totally crushed.  However, there is hope it will be reopened again, soon.

There was once a large vertical sign in the middle of the facade there, it was removed many years ago.


The Warner was designed by famous theatre architecht John Eberson.  Do you think teens crowded into this lobby to see The Beatles?  I need to look up some microfilm and find the answer to that question, I’ll get back to you. =)

Some ceiling detail up in the balcony.  Unfortunately, the theatre was triplexed at some point, but it’s still beautiful.

Me in the ladies’ lounge.. the closing breaks my heart into a million pieces, I love this place. :(

For the record, the last movie I saw here was Banksy’s “Exit Through The Gift Shop.”  I hope it won’t actually be the last movie I see here.  If anyone is interested in helping out with saving this theatre, there should be some major actions towards that goal in the next few weeks.

21 Responses to “Beatles Ticket Stub”

  1. Allee Willis

    The only thing that could be better was if you were actually at that Beatles concert. Of course, you weren’t even walking the earth yet.

    I never saw the Beatles as I never liked going to concerts other then the Motown Reviews at the Fox theater in Detroit because I was so obsessed with Motown. But I’ve seen enough footage to know that I should have gone to see The Beatles just for the event of it. And there’s no debating that they were absolutely BRILLIANT.

    So sad about the theater. It makes me absolutely ill when I hear about things like this. Please keep us posted on the efforts to save it.

  2. Michael Ely

    Beautiful theater. “A Hard Day’s Night” is a great movie that totally captures the early Beatles music and their wicked sense of humor. I was 11 years old and totally into the Beatles when the movie came out. Like Allee, I was obsessed with Motown too. Those were the days! Just for the record – “Exit Through the Gift Shop” is another great movie.

  3. denny

    Such a beautiful place. Closed down? Are they going to renovate this place? I hate it when gorgeous movie houses close their doors.

  4. k2dtw

    Nessa this is such a great post, the photos are beautiful.
    I’m always so sad when plans go badly, and so thrilled when things go well for these theatres, especially this Art Deco Gem. The Warner Theatre has great history.

    This is a great site…(I think the site needs a photo?)..
    http://cinematreasures.org/theater/8238/ ..Warner Theatre..
    Art Deco theatre was opened by Warner Brothers, Inc. in 1931

    John Eberson’s work…
    http://cinematreasures.org/architect/34/
    Wish they could all be saved.

  5. Kyle Dayton

    Very sad.

    Too many of these wonderful old theatres close then fall into disrepair, and eventually are demolished (I didn’t realize how many, and how often, until I read k2dtw’s posted link). Nessa, I hope it doesn’t happen to this one.

    The citizens of Tucson rallied to save the old Fox Tucson Theatre, which opened in 1930, closed in 1974, then over the next couple of decades started to fall apart. After great effort it was finally saved, then beautifully renovated. Now it’s one of the jewels of downtown Tucson, and of the entire state of Arizona.

    http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/2007/01/09/38133-fox-theatre-tops-preservation-award/

    http://www.foxtucsontheatre.org/support/

    • Allee Willis

      Fox theaters are all gorgeous. The interior of the one in Detroit, where I’m about to conduct my high school band playing some of my greatest hits before a performance of my musical, The Color Purple, is absolutely staggering. I will get tons of photos of it when I’m there.

      • Nessa

        Yeah, the Fox in Detroit is great! =D

        As long as I am breathing I will do everything I can to rescue old theatres, it’s a hobby of mine.

      • Kyle Dayton

        What a wonderful honor!

        Kudos and Congratulations to you, Allee. Please! bring back tons of photos of everything. I’m sure that while you’re there you’ll be asked to sign so many autographs, that your fingers will be beyond numb.

        Very best wishes for a fantastic experience.

        • Allee Willis

          It’s not until April so I have a little time to get my fingers nimbled up. It’s very exciting because The Color Purple cast will be singing along. My high school became famous in Beverly Hills Cop when Eddie Murphy wore the school, Mumford, T-shirt throughout the film. I got a Grammy for the soundtrack to that movie with my songs “Neutron Dance” and “Stir It Up” so it’s a natural tie-in. The school is also largely African-American, underprivileged students, mny of whom have gone on to achieve great things. So the tie-in to The Color Purple is very organic in that way too. I also grew up in the theater it’s playing in in Detroit and when The Motown Review played there for two weeks at the end of every year in the mid and late 60s I was at every performance. There’s no question I’m a songwriter because of Motown. So it’s the perfect storm of circumstances for me.

    • k2dtw

      Great post.. Yea Tucson…really wonderful!!!
      When we are on the road we have accidently found a couple theatres, it’s always a surprise and so exciting…never enough time to explore.