Keith-Albee Theater

Huntington, Cabell County

When it opened in 1928, the ornate 3,000 seat Keith-Albee cost $2 million to erect. This spectacular movie palace was one of three atmospheric theaters that designer Thomas Lamb worked on simultaneously, the others being Proctor's 58th Street in New York City (demolished) and the Keith-Albee in the NYC suburb of Flushing, Queens (currently vacant & awaiting its fate). Architects who designed “atmospherics” borrowed freely from various historical motifs and employed ostentatious ornamentation, because their mandate was to provide an opera house for the masses.
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A recent fire was just one of many challenges this movie palace has faced over the years, including floods, mounting financial problems, and the wear and tear of time. Huntington’s Keith-Albee could be forced to close and potentially fall victim to the wrecker’s ball as the result of a competing 14-screen stadium multiplex cinema that is part of the Pullman Square project being built one block away. Theater owners have said they will attempt to keep the Keith-Albee open, but financial necessity could force an eventual sale and possible closure if it is not profitable.