Olympia Theater Grand Opening in 1926

Miami's grand theater of the 1920s is celebrating its centennial. The theater and office building at 174 E Flagler Street, opened on Thursday evening, February 18, 1926.

Cover: Olympia Theater building on February 18, 1926. Courtesy of Miami-Dade Public Library, Romer Collection.

As the Olympia Building began welcoming its first office tenants in December 1925, work on the adjoining theater was behind schedule. The principals of Paramount Enterprises had envisioned a single grand opening for both the commercial tower and the theater, but unforeseen delays forced them to abandon that plan.

While businesses settled into their new offices, architect John Eberson supervised the intricate final phases of the auditorium and stage construction. By late January 1926, the theater’s interior and mezzanine were nearing completion. Yet one critical exterior element remained unfinished, preventing the Paramount team from announcing an official opening date. This is the story of the grand opening of the Olympia Theater and Office building on Thursday, February 18, 1926.

Theater’s Orchestra Conductor

Figure 1: Photo and caption in the Miami Herald on February 11, 1926.

As construction of the Olympia Theater neared completion in January 1926, the principals of Paramount Enterprises turned their attention to assembling the team that would operate the new venue. Harry Leach, general manager of the partnership between his family and the Famous Players-Lasky organization that built the theater, faced the task of recruiting stagehands, ushers, parlor attendants, concession workers, and, importantly, a conductor to lead the theater’s orchestra.

The Olympia was opening during the height of the silent film era, when motion pictures relied on live musical accompaniment rather than recorded dialogue. ‘Talkies’ would not arrive until October 1927 with the release of “The Jazz Singer” starring Al Jolson. To heighten drama and provide a musical score, major metropolitan theaters like the Olympia featured full orchestras, while smaller regional houses often relied on a single organist to achieve a similar effect.

For this critical role, Paramount selected a familiar and seasoned conductor, E. Manuel Baer, to direct the 25-piece Olympia Theater Orchestra. Baer brought eight years of experience with Famous Players-Lasky, having conducted at New York City’s Rialto Theatre and Rivoli Theatre. He relocated to Miami in January 1926, quickly settling in and organizing auditions for instrumentalists and vocalists. While the finishing touches were being applied to the auditorium, stage, and orchestra pit, Baer conducted screen tests on the second floor of the adjoining office building.

Figure 2: Mezzanine outside auditorium in 1926. Courtesy of Miami-Dade Public Library, Romer Collection.

Baer was very fond of Miami based on a couple of earlier trips to the Magic City prior to accepting the job with the Olympia. He embraced not only the opportunity to lead the Olympia’s orchestra but also the prospect of establishing a conservatory to train aspiring local musicians. During auditions, he made a concerted effort to recruit as many Miami-based performers as possible.

As work on the building continued, Baer finalized his orchestra and began rehearsals for opening night. By early February, management announced that the debut would be postponed until the third week of the month due to delays involving exterior signage deemed essential for the grand unveiling. Though the precise program for the evening had yet to be announced, the orchestra stood ready to make the occasion unforgettable.