Gladmer Theatre

Info Updates:

9/19/2014 - D.F.N.

My first date with my future wife was at the Gladmer Theater on September 5, 1953. We saw an um-memorable movie Vice Squad. Our sixtieth wedding anniversary is later this year.

5/31/2014 - AL G.

The old, 1950s, photos sure brought back some memories. The shot of the fire escapes on the side of the Theater makes me remember the times when five of us criminals would go to the show and buy ONE ticket. The ticket holder would go in, and up to the balcony. The rest of us would go to the side of the building and pull down the fire escape and climb up to the balcony door. On a signal from the outside guys, the inside guy would open the fire escape door allowing the outside guys to get in and quickly scatter throughout the Theater so the ushers couldn't find us. Sometimes the movie was no good, so we just left. Who says crime don't pay. Oh to be 16 again in 1058.

6/12/2003 - Lansing Public Library

The Gladmer Theater was one of the finest of the Lansing Theaters. It began its life as Bucks Opera House in the 1870s. Designed by architect E.E. Meyers and was considered one of the finest theaters in Michigan. It is amazing to think that the theater could seat 1060 people. Later in 1890 Daniel Buck sold the theater to James Baird and it became know as Bairds Opera House. The theater remained Bairds Opera House until about 1910 when faced with increasing completion from other downtown theaters it was decided that the theater needed to be remodeled. After an extensive modification the theater was reopened and renamed the Gladmer.

1/6/2003 - Cinema Treasures

The 1940s postcard photo of the Gladmer reminds me of when I was a student at nearby Michigan State University. All the buildings to the left of the Gladmer were replaced by the Lansing HQ and switching office of Michigan Bell Telephone Company (now SBC Ameritech). So when the Gladmer closed around 1979, it seemed inevitable that the single screen theater would be leveled by the phone company to be replaced by a parking lot.

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