Nickel Theatre

Nickel Theatre was a pioneering cinema in St. John's, Newfoundland, and is generally recognized as the first movie theatre in Newfoundland. It opened on July 1, 1907, during the North American five-cent picture-show boom, when inexpensive motion-picture venues were spreading rapidly through urban and regional communities. Rather than occupying a small purpose-built storefront typical of many nickelodeons in the United States and larger Canadian cities, the St. John's Nickel operated on the top floor of St. Patrick's Hall, a community building belonging to the Benevolent Irish Society at 48 Queen's Road. The theatre formed part of the wider B.F. Keith's Nickels network, which connected inexpensive picture shows in New England and Eastern Canada. Its opening did not mark the first appearance of moving images in St. John's: a Lumière Cinematographe had been shown at Methodist College Hall on December 13, 1897, and films had also appeared at St. Patrick's Hall before 1907. The Nickel's importance was that it established regular daily public amusement through motion pictures, making cinema-going a sustained part of local urban life rather than an occasional exhibition. The venue was one of several early picture shows that adapted existing community halls for film exhibition. Three additional five-cent shows opened in St. John's by October 1907, illustrating how quickly the format spread after the Nickel's launch. The theatre reportedly contained about 1,000 chairs, supplied by John Lake's furniture factory in Fortune, Newfoundland. Its scale and location made it a significant public entertainment venue in the city. J. P. Kiely, who had come to St. John's from Montreal as an employee of the Keith chain, became the Nickel's longtime proprietor and later its owner. In the early period he was known for singing illustrated songs between film presentations. Kiely subsequently operated other cinemas in St. John's and remained associated with the Nickel until it closed. He was also one of the few survivors of the SS Florizel disaster. The theatre's operation reflected the social and religious conditions of early twentieth-century Newfoundland. In March 1908, the Roman Catholic bishop prohibited attendance at picture shows during Lent, a restriction that remained in force until 1915. Despite such limitations, the Nickel continued for decades and closed in 1960, making it the longest-operating cinema in St. John's. The original BIS building has since been converted into high-end residential condominiums, so the theatre no longer operates as a venue. The Nickel's cultural legacy survives through the Nickel Film Festival in St. John's, whose name recalls the city's first sustained cinema experience. The theatre is therefore remembered less as a continuing commercial brand than as an important local institution in the introduction and normalization of motion-picture entertainment in Newfoundland.

Motion pictures reached St. John's before the Nickel Theatre was established. On December 13, 1897, the Lumière Cinematographe was demonstrated at Methodist College Hall, and moving pictures were shown at St. Patrick's Hall before the opening of the Nickel. These early presentations were occasional exhibitions, however, rather than a permanent daily cinema service. The Nickel opened on July 1, 1907, in the top floor of St. Patrick's Hall, the Benevolent Irish Society building at 48 Queen's Road. Its launch occurred during the rapid spread of five-cent picture shows across North America. The venue was associated with B.F. Keith's Nickels, a chain operating in New England and Eastern Canada. Its location in a large existing community hall distinguished it from the small storefront nickelodeons common in the United States, Ontario, and larger Canadian cities. The theatre gave St. John's a regular and inexpensive form of public amusement centered on motion pictures. Its reported capacity was approximately 1,000 chairs, said to have been manufactured by John Lake's furniture factory in Fortune, Newfoundland. The venue's popularity helped stimulate further competition: three other five-cent picture shows opened in St. John's by October 1907. J. P. Kiely was the central figure in the theatre's long operating history. Originally from Montreal, he first arrived in St. John's as a Keith-chain employee and reportedly sang illustrated songs between screenings. He later became proprietor and owner of the Nickel. Kiely was one of the few survivors of the SS Florizel disaster and later owned or operated additional cinemas in the city. The theatre's history also illustrates the influence of religious and civic institutions on early cinema. In March 1908, the Roman Catholic bishop of Newfoundland banned attendance at picture shows during Lent. This rule continued until 1915. Nevertheless, the Nickel remained in operation for decades and ultimately closed in 1960. It was the longest-running cinema in St. John's at the time of its closure. The former theatre building has since been converted into three high-end condominiums. Although the physical venue disappeared, its name remains part of St. John's film culture through the Nickel Film Festival. The theatre is remembered as the starting point of sustained moviegoing in Newfoundland and as an early example of cinema becoming a routine form of mass entertainment in a regional city.

• 1960

  Theatre closes

  [1]Nickel Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The Nickel ceased operations after more than fifty years and was remembered as the longest-operating cinema in St. John's.

• 1908

  Lenten picture-show prohibition begins

  [1]Nickel Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  A Roman Catholic prohibition on attending picture shows during Lent was introduced in Newfoundland and remained in effect until 1915.

• 1907

  Nickel Theatre opens

  [1]Nickel Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The theatre opened on July 1 at St. Patrick's Hall and began offering daily five-cent motion-picture entertainment.

• 1907

  Five-cent cinema competition expands in St. John's

  [1]Nickel Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Three additional five-cent picture shows had opened in the city by October, following the Nickel's launch.

• 1897

  First recorded motion-picture presentation in St. John's

  [1]Nickel Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The Lumière Cinematographe was shown at Methodist College Hall, preceding the establishment of the Nickel Theatre by a decade.

Affordable mass entertainment and an early community cinema serving St. John's during the five-cent picture-show expansion.

• Cinema exhibition · 1907

  Five-cent picture shows

  The Nickel's core offering was inexpensive, regular motion-picture entertainment modeled on the five-cent picture-show format that spread across North America in the early 1900s. Its significance lay in making filmgoing a daily public activity in St. John's rather than an occasional traveling or hall-based presentation.

• Live entertainment

  Illustrated-song interludes

  Early screenings were supplemented by live entertainment, including illustrated songs. J. P. Kiely was associated with singing these songs between motion-picture presentations before becoming the theatre's proprietor and owner.

• 1960

  Decision to end operationsOther

  Background

  After operating for more than five decades, the Nickel had become the longest-running cinema in St. John's.

  Action taken

  The theatre closed in 1960.

  Aftermath

  The venue ceased to function as a cinema, while its name continued through the Nickel Film Festival and local film culture.

  Source

• 1907

  Launch of a permanent five-cent cinema in St. John'sProduct launch

  Background

  Motion pictures had already been exhibited in the city, but no venue had yet established daily public moviegoing on a permanent basis.

  Action taken

  The B.F. Keith's Nickel operation opened in the Benevolent Irish Society's St. Patrick's Hall on July 1, using an existing community hall rather than a purpose-built storefront cinema.

  Aftermath

  The theatre helped establish regular cinema-going in Newfoundland and was followed by three other five-cent picture shows in St. John's before the end of October.

  Source

1. 1Nickel Theatreen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Early Picture Shows at the Fulcrum of Modern and Parochial St. John's, Newfoundlandgoogle.com