A 1920s Miami theater will be sold to Pitbull’s school. See Olympia’s early days
By Miami Herald Archives
Media and filmgoers gather outside the historic Gusman Theater in this March 2010 file photo at opening night of the 27th Miami International Film Festival, presented by Miami Dade College.
Pedro Portal
El Nuevo Herald file
The Olympia opened on Flagler Street as a silent movie palace in 1926.
The Olympia, 174 E. Flagler St. in downtown Miami, was also known as the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts from the mid-1970s to 2014, in honor of philanthropist Maurice Gusman, who donated the property to the city in 1975.
Whatever its name, the theater has a storied history.
The Olympia/Gusman hosted the Miami Film Festival in the 1990s and 2000s as its premier venue. Elvis Presley performed in concert there in 1956. So did B.B. King, Etta James, the Marx Brothers and Gypsy Rose Lee. Italian operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti and Canadian rocker Bryan Adams played the venue, too.
Now, the theater is taking on a new role. The city of Miami has approved the sale of the deteriorating property to a school backed by Miami-based rapper Pitbull.
But for now, before any of the changes, let’s take a step back to a time when the theater was in the spotlight:
Elvis Presley performing at the Olympia Theater in downtown Miami on Flagler in 1956. Charles L. Trainor The Miami News file
Jimmy Buffett takes the stage at the Maurice Gusman Cultural Center (aka Olympia Theater) in downtown Miami on Aug. 14, 1978. He recorded these dates for his first live album, “You Had to Be There,” released later that year. Murry Sill Miami Herald file
An inside view of the Olympia Theater in downtown Miami on Monday, July 8, 2019. MATIAS J. OCNER mocner@miamiherald.com
Interior view of the historic Olympia Theater in downtown Miami, showcasing its ornate architecture and timeless charm. C.A. Fishaugh Miami Herald file
Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts during a Grand Reopening Celebration featured 67-year-old Darrell E. Stucky, who has played the organ at the Gusman for 40 years. This file photo is from Oct. 22, 2002. MARICE COHN BAND Miami Herald file
Carly Simon, right, shares the stage with members of the Miami cast of her family opera, “Romulus Hunt,” at the Gusman Center on May 17, 2008. Howard Cohen hcohen@miamiherald.com
The Olympia Theater in its early days. Miami Herald File
Al Weiss, Olympia Theater manager. Battle Vaughan Miami Herald File
On a tour of the Olympia Theater’s delicate paint restoring. Miami Herald File
Visitors in hard hats take in a restoration of the Olympia Theater. Miami Herald File
The interior of the Olympia. Battle Vaughan Miami Herald File
Enthusiastic movie-goers stand in line late Monday evening for tickets to a film sponsored by the 11th Annual Miami Film Festival at Gusman Theater of the Performing Arts in downtown Miami. Candace Barbot Miami Herald
File photo from Jan. 26, 1999 of an exterior view of Miami’s historic Gusman Theater. MARICE COHN BAND Miami Herald file
