Joseph P. Kennedy met his match in this small-town New Hampshire theater owner

Theresa Cantin’s Defiance Against Kennedy’s Theater Monopoly

Joseph P. Kennedy built his path to Hollywood power through small-town theaters in New Hampshire.

In 1919, he bought the Maine-New Hampshire Theatres Company and soon owned Concord’s Capitol and Star theatres. Kennedy then merged his film business with RCA in 1928 to form RKO Pictures.

But in 1933, his movie empire faced an unlikely rival: 19-year-old Theresa Cantin. When Kennedy told her women “didn’t belong” owning theaters, Cantin stood her ground.

She went on to run the Concord Theatre for 47 years, outlasting both Kennedy theaters.

The Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord still showcases the restored Egyptian-style Chubb Theatre where this battle of wills played out.

Joe Kennedy Bought His First Theaters in 1919

Joe Kennedy got his start in movies when he bought the Maine and New Hampshire Theatres Company in 1919. This gave him 31 small movie houses across New England and the regional Universal Pictures franchise.

Kennedy quickly figured out making movies made more money than showing them. His theater chain helped him climb to Hollywood power.

Kennedy spotted what others missed – movies weren’t just fun, they were big money-makers.

The Capitol Theatre Became Kennedy’s Crown Jewel in 1927

The Capitol Theatre opened in Concord, New Hampshire in 1927 as the best of Kennedy’s growing theater chain. With its Egyptian design and room for over 1,300 people, the Capitol was Concord’s fanciest movie spot.

Kennedy ran it alongside his smaller Star Theatre on Pleasant Street. Both showed top films from big studios like MGM, Fox, and later RKO.

The Capitol’s prime spot and luxury helped Kennedy control Concord’s entertainment.

Hollywood’s Big Five Welcomed RKO in 1928

Kennedy combined his Film Booking Offices with RCA’s Keith-Albee-Orpheum theaters in October 1928, creating RKO Pictures.

This new movie giant joined Hollywood’s “Big Five” studios, giving Kennedy huge power in the film world. RCA boss David Sarnoff pushed for the deal to promote RCA’s new sound film tech.

Kennedy walked away with over $5 million in profits. The new company owned about 700 theaters across America and Canada.

A Teenage Girl Challenged Kennedy During the Depression

The Concord Theatre opened in October 1933 on South Main Street, bringing new competition to Kennedy’s movie houses.

Theresa Cantin, just 19, started as the cashier when her father turned the old Norris Bakery into a movie theater. The new place mostly showed cheaper films from smaller studios like Republic and Monogram.

Kennedy’s theaters still got the best movies from major studios. Small theaters like Cantin’s had trouble getting access to top films.

Kennedy Told Theresa Women "Didn’t Belong at the Helm"

Joe Kennedy himself confronted young Theresa Cantin about running the Concord Theatre.

He told her straight up that women could sell tickets or work at snack counters but “didn’t belong at the helm—owning a theater.”

His attempt to scare her showed how normal it was to treat women unfairly in 1930s business. Kennedy probably saw a female-owned theater as a threat to his local control.

His harsh approach showed his tough business style.

She Fought for Better Movies Against Industry Giants

Theresa Cantin refused to settle for B-movies and fought booking agents to get better films for her theater. By 1947, she bought out her business partner Mr. Charbonneau and took full control of the Concord Theatre.

Her first big win came with “The Best Years of Our Lives,” which packed the house so full people stood in the aisles. Quality films like “The Red Shoes” helped her small theater compete with Kennedy’s chain.

Cantin picked movies based on what her customers wanted.

Kennedy’s Star Theatre Went Dark in 1951

The Star Theatre on Pleasant Street showed its last movies on December 1, 1951.

The final double feature included Alfred Hitchcock’s “Strangers on a Train” and a Johnny Mack Brown western. For over 18 years, the 999-seat Star competed directly with Cantin’s Concord Theatre.

The closing showed Kennedy’s local theaters weren’t making money like before.

Years later, the Star Theatre building became luxury apartments, though they kept the original look.

The Once-Grand Capitol Couldn’t Survive the 1980s

Kennedy’s Capitol Theatre struggled through the 1980s as downtown Concord changed. The beautiful Egyptian-style movie palace slowly fell apart until it closed in 1989.

People moved to the suburbs, and new multiplexes pulled crowds away from downtown. The building sat empty until a nonprofit group called Capitol Center for the Arts raised $4.2 million to fix it up.

The closing marked the end of the Kennedy family’s 62-year presence in Concord’s entertainment scene.

Theresa Ran Her Theater Longer Than Any Woman in America

Theresa Cantin kept the Concord Theatre going for 47 years until 1994, becoming the longest-running woman owner of a first-run independent movie theater in American history.

Over a million people watched movies at her theater during her time in charge.

She treated everyone who came through her doors with the same respect and knew her regular customers personally. Her success showed women could thrive in the male-dominated world of theater ownership.

Men Like Kennedy Kept Women Out of Business Ownership

Kennedy’s clash with Cantin highlighted how the entertainment industry kept women from owning businesses in the 1930s. Women typically got stuck in lower-level jobs while men ran the companies.

Cantin’s 47 years of successful theater ownership went against Kennedy’s beliefs about women’s business abilities. Her stubborn determination helped open doors for future female entrepreneurs in entertainment.

Their face-off represented the broader struggles women faced fighting for equality in business.

Both Historic Theaters Found New Life Decades Later

The Capitol Theatre reopened in 1995 as the Capitol Center for the Arts after the community rallied to save it. The restored 1,304-seat venue now hosts Broadway shows and concerts instead of movies.

In 2019, the Bank of New Hampshire Stage opened in the former Concord Theatre building, bringing performances back to Cantin’s old movie house.

They named a special room after Theresa Cantin to honor her contributions to local entertainment. Both venues keep the architectural history alive while serving as modern performing arts spaces for the community.

Visiting Capitol Center for the Arts, New Hampshire

You can catch shows at Capitol Center’s two venues – the 1,304-seat Chubb Theatre at 44 S Main St and smaller BNH Stage at 16 S Main St. Buy tickets at the box office Monday-Friday 12pm-6pm.

Grab beer, wine, snacks, or pizza in Governor’s Hall lobby. They accept mostly cashless payments but bring some cash for tips.

Shows include Broadway productions, comedy, music, author readings, and Met Opera broadcasts.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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