Key Takeaways
- Renovations: The Florida Theatre underwent significant renovations during the COVID-19 pandemic, enhancing its lighting, sound, and seating.
- Ghostly Presence: The theater is known for a ghost named “J,” who is said to haunt a specific seat in the balcony.
- Historical Significance: Opened in 1927, the Florida Theatre is the last remaining movie palace in Jacksonville, showcasing its rich architectural heritage.
- Community Support: The theater relies on local support to maintain operations, especially during financial challenges.
In the summer of 2020, the historic Florida Theatre in Jacksonville, Fla., used the COVID-induced halt in touring to take care of some much-needed renovations. The former movie palace — which is now owned by the City of Jacksonville and the non-profit Florida Theatre Performing Arts Center — underwent capital improvements including new lighting, sound and video systems, as well as new seats — save for a pair in the balcony that were restored rather than replaced in honor of the theater’s ghostly friend, “J.”
According to multiple employees who spoke with Billboard, the grand, 1,900-seat movie palace — which took over a corner of Forsyth and Newman Streets that was formerly the site of a police station and jail — has hosted several paranormal specialists who claim to have witnessed ghostly activity in Section 500, Row E, Seat 2. This includes a figure seen sitting in the seat on video and sightings of what several have called an orb hovering over it. The alleged ghost haunting this spot got its name after a psychic consultant to a WJCT Public Television production said the apparition called himself J (either for Jay or Joy, an emotion the psychic said J felt for the theater). The psychic also noted that J was there to protect rather than harm.
“A lot of times when I’m in the theater, there’s only one seat that’s ever up, and it’s always the ghost seat,” says the theater’s marketing director Sarah Kraynik.
“There’s not a big sign [that] says ‘Ghost’ or ‘Beware of Ghost.’ It’s just, if you know, you know,” says Florida Theatre president Kevin Stone.
While the chairs look like all the others in the building, the theater gets calls from people throughout the year specifically asking to book the ghost seats, Stone says. The theater even sells a bumper sticker that reads, “I sat with the ghosts at the Florida Theatre.”
Courtesy The Florida Theatre
“There’s a little bit of a premium to those chairs,” says Stone. “It doesn’t hurt that the ghost seat is in the first row of the middle balcony, so there’s nobody in front of you.”
J may not be the only presence hanging around the ornate Mediterranean Revival building. Stone says construction workers have reported paint cans flying through the air and that multiple people have heard an electrical hum coming from unplugged items. Other strange occurrences, he says, include doors closing on their own and reports from theater staff of an unknown figure appearing in the projection booth.
“I can’t confirm or deny truth in that, but every now and then you get somebody who has a little feeling that there might be somebody there,” says Stone. “I haven’t encountered anything, but when I walk through the theater alone, I do acknowledge [out loud] that I come in peace.”
The Florida Theatre hasn’t survived nearly a century on lore alone. When it opened in 1927, it was the largest movie palace in Florida and sat on bustling Forsyth Street alongside five other movie houses (The Florida Theatre is now the only one still standing). The building features French, Spanish and Italian motifs; built in what is sometimes known as Spanish Eclectic Style with terrazzo and tile floors along with decorative moldings and coffered ceilings.
The theater once boasted a Wurlitzer organ that was reportedly second-largest anywhere according to its website; it also claims to be the first theater in Jacksonville with central air conditioning. Publix Theaters was originally responsible for constructing theaters and had foresight to add a stage big enough for live performances like Vaudeville acts.
The Florida Theatre did not become famous for live acts until Elvis Presley performed there in August 1956. His revue-style show was set to close out his seven-city tour at this venue — which could accommodate up to 10,000 fans across two days — with promotional materials highlighting his hit songs like “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Hound Dog.” However, local government officials were concerned about his performance style.
The legend goes that juvenile court judge Marion Gooding had arrest warrants ready for Presley due to concerns about “impairing morals.” “There’s lore about [Presley] having to meet with Judge Gooding and promise not to shake his hips,” Stone explains.
