The first operators when it became the Uclan Theatre were the independent circuit Dietrich and Feldstein.
Theatre interior designer Joe Musil was responsible for the current renovation carried out in conjunction with the Disney Organisation. He was also responsible for the 1993 restoration of the Cecchi Gori Fine Arts /theaters/212/ and the El Capitan Theater /theaters/17/
The book ‘Show Houses-Twin Cities Style’ by Kirk J. Besse (published 1997) gives the St Clair Theatre at the address given above by lostmemory. It operated as a movie theatre from 1924-1977 and became tennis courts (presumably indoor ones).
The Film Daily Yearbook 1941 lists the seating capacity as 838 and in 1950 it is given as 830 seats.
There is a very nice shot of the De Mille Theatre (“War and Peace”–“Vojna i mir” Russia 1968 on the marquee) in the opening credits of “Sweet Charity” (1969). You can pause it on the dvd-Chapter 2 after the overture-3.01-3.04 minutes in.
Famed cinema architect George Coles was responsible for the ‘new’ 1962 interior refurbishment of the Empire Theatre. It was the last work of this architect who had designed so many magnificent cinemas in the UK since the early 1920’s.
All that remained of the sumptious Thomas Lamb designed theatre of 1928 vintage was the facade, and that was hidden for many years behind an advertising billboard for the current attraction, until it was restored in the late 1990’s. George Coles single level auditorium was on the same level as the former circle, with the front section floored over what would have been the front stalls area. The former orchestra stalls of the Empire was converted into a dance hall, now used as a disco/nightclub.
The Dominion Theatre opened on 3rd October 1931 as a live theatre, but after a couple of ‘flops’(including a musical starring Maurice Chevalier) it showed its first film, the British premier of the Lon Chaney “Phantom of the Opera” with added talking sequences, sound effects and recorded music on 21st July 1930 (H.G. Wells attended the premier). Its 2nd film presentation was “City Lights” starring Charlie Chaplin, who attended the premier. A couple more live shows followed and then the owners of the Dominion ‘went bust’ in 1932. It was leased out as a full time cinema, first to United Artists for a few months, then on a long lease to a company who were part of Gaumont British Ltd and remained in their hands until it was sold by the company then known as The Rank Organisation in 1987.
Apollo Leisure and the Nedlander Theatre circuit have since operated it as a major home of big scale stage musicals, with a current seating capaity of 2,172.
The original seating capacity of the Dominion was 2,835 (1,340 in the orchestra stalls, 818 in the dress circle and 677 in the upper circle). During the period when it was a 70mm Roadshow movie theatre, the upper circle was sealed off and remained unused, a projection box was built into the rear orchestra stalls area which gave a reduced seating capacity of 1,654 as several rows of front seating were also removed.
The former upper circle is currently used as offices for a Ticketmaster theatre ticket booking agency.
Not just a ‘world premier’, in the UK we have the facility to give a film a Royal World Premier, which is what “Lawrence of Arabia” had at the Odeon, Leicester Square on the 10th December 1962. The 70mm print of this film ran for an exclusive 8 weeks engagement at this theatre.
The original art deco interior was swept away in the name of ‘progress and modernisation’ in 1967. Into the skip went etched glass doors, plaster mouldings on the ceiling above the prosceneum arch and the famous ‘flying lady’ figures on each side wall of the auditorium, leaving a bland auditorium for many years and an acute embarrassment to the Rank Organisation who ordered the mutilation.
Only recently has this been corrected somewhat and copies of the ‘flying lady’ figures have been put back, together with some of the concealed lighting in the auditorium ceiling rib bands.
The Odeon is the home of almost all premiers in London nowadays, sometimes there are two a week with all the major stars treading the ‘Red Carpet’ and greeting thousands of waiting fans. Not all films that premier here go on the play the theatre, they just get their one night premier here.
The original seating capacity when first opened was 2,116 (1,140 in the orchestra stalls and 976 in the circle), now reduced to 1984. Plans are to re-step the circle and re-seat it in 2005 which will further reduce the seating capacity.
The Compton 5 Manual/17 Rank theatre organ (with its multi-coloured illuminated console surround) is still played on special occasions.
The Odeon is fully equipped with the latest projection and sound equipment, which includes 3 main projectors (35mm and 70mm capable), 16mm projector, video projection from vhs tapes and digital dvd projection.
When first opened as the Pantages Theatre on 20th October 1928, the seating capacity given was 2,169. It had a Robert Morton 4 Manual/14 Rank theatre organ (Opus 2416) with the organ chamber beneath the stage.
A complete list of all movies which played the Fox from its 1929 opening to its 1963 closing plus gross takings for each film is listed in the book “Fox, The Last Word…story of the worlds finest theatre” by Preston J. Kaufmann. 1979.
Opened as Loew’s Richmond Theatre on 9th April 1928 with the M.G.M. silent film “West Point” starring William Haines and Joan Crawford. The supporting programme consisted of M.G.M. Short Subjects and News, Sid Bart leading the 12 piece Loew’s Concert Orchestra and Lloyd Oscar on the mighty 13 Rank Wurlitzer theatre pipe organn.
It closed as a full time movie theatre in May 1979, lay empty until it was purchased by the Richmond Symphony, restored and re-opened as the Carpenter Centre for the Performing Arts on 5th May 1983.
Just before closing, the Wurlitzer organ was removed for ‘safekeeping’ and donated to the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Another organ (originally in the RKO-Keith Theatre, New York City) was donated to the Carpenter Center and after many years of volunteer work to install it, it made its debut in April 1992. This current Wurlitzer has 24 Ranks, which is much larger than the original 13 Rank installation.
The architectural style of the Loew’s Kameo Theatre is Egyptian.
The seating capacity of the Park Theatre was given as 819.
The seating capacity of the Crest Theatre is 500.
The first operators when it became the Uclan Theatre were the independent circuit Dietrich and Feldstein.
Theatre interior designer Joe Musil was responsible for the current renovation carried out in conjunction with the Disney Organisation. He was also responsible for the 1993 restoration of the Cecchi Gori Fine Arts /theaters/212/ and the El Capitan Theater /theaters/17/
In the Film Daily Yearbook 1930, the theatre at this address is named the Sunshine Theatre with a seating capacity of 372.
It had been re-named Dewey Theatre by 1941 with a seating capacity of 350.
This was listed as Bluebird Theatre with 560 seats in 1930.
The street address is given as 731 Saratoga Ave.
The street address of the Orpheum Theatre is listed as 511 Main Street, Clarion, PA
The Film Daily Yearbook for 1941 gives a seating capacity of 442, by 1950 it had 350 seats.
The seating capacity of the Hawaii Theatre was given as 1,106, all on one level.
In the late 1940’s/early 1950’s it was listed under the name; Hawaii Music Hall.
The book ‘Show Houses-Twin Cities Style’ by Kirk J. Besse (published 1997) gives the St Clair Theatre at the address given above by lostmemory. It operated as a movie theatre from 1924-1977 and became tennis courts (presumably indoor ones).
The Film Daily Yearbook 1941 lists the seating capacity as 838 and in 1950 it is given as 830 seats.
Patsy,
The town of Titusville, PA had 3 theatres listed in 1941.
Grand, 624 seats (closed)
Orpheum, 122 W. Central Ave. 606 seats
Penn, 119 W. Spring St. 938 seats (newly opened)
None of these are currently listed on Cinema Treasures.
There is a very nice shot of the De Mille Theatre (“War and Peace”–“Vojna i mir” Russia 1968 on the marquee) in the opening credits of “Sweet Charity” (1969). You can pause it on the dvd-Chapter 2 after the overture-3.01-3.04 minutes in.
Ian Grundy’s exterior view photo above, shows the slightly less ornate entrance on Vauxhall Bridge Road.
Famed cinema architect George Coles was responsible for the ‘new’ 1962 interior refurbishment of the Empire Theatre. It was the last work of this architect who had designed so many magnificent cinemas in the UK since the early 1920’s.
All that remained of the sumptious Thomas Lamb designed theatre of 1928 vintage was the facade, and that was hidden for many years behind an advertising billboard for the current attraction, until it was restored in the late 1990’s. George Coles single level auditorium was on the same level as the former circle, with the front section floored over what would have been the front stalls area. The former orchestra stalls of the Empire was converted into a dance hall, now used as a disco/nightclub.
The Dominion Theatre opened on 3rd October 1931 as a live theatre, but after a couple of ‘flops’(including a musical starring Maurice Chevalier) it showed its first film, the British premier of the Lon Chaney “Phantom of the Opera” with added talking sequences, sound effects and recorded music on 21st July 1930 (H.G. Wells attended the premier). Its 2nd film presentation was “City Lights” starring Charlie Chaplin, who attended the premier. A couple more live shows followed and then the owners of the Dominion ‘went bust’ in 1932. It was leased out as a full time cinema, first to United Artists for a few months, then on a long lease to a company who were part of Gaumont British Ltd and remained in their hands until it was sold by the company then known as The Rank Organisation in 1987.
Apollo Leisure and the Nedlander Theatre circuit have since operated it as a major home of big scale stage musicals, with a current seating capaity of 2,172.
The original seating capacity of the Dominion was 2,835 (1,340 in the orchestra stalls, 818 in the dress circle and 677 in the upper circle). During the period when it was a 70mm Roadshow movie theatre, the upper circle was sealed off and remained unused, a projection box was built into the rear orchestra stalls area which gave a reduced seating capacity of 1,654 as several rows of front seating were also removed.
The former upper circle is currently used as offices for a Ticketmaster theatre ticket booking agency.
Not just a ‘world premier’, in the UK we have the facility to give a film a Royal World Premier, which is what “Lawrence of Arabia” had at the Odeon, Leicester Square on the 10th December 1962. The 70mm print of this film ran for an exclusive 8 weeks engagement at this theatre.
The original art deco interior was swept away in the name of ‘progress and modernisation’ in 1967. Into the skip went etched glass doors, plaster mouldings on the ceiling above the prosceneum arch and the famous ‘flying lady’ figures on each side wall of the auditorium, leaving a bland auditorium for many years and an acute embarrassment to the Rank Organisation who ordered the mutilation.
Only recently has this been corrected somewhat and copies of the ‘flying lady’ figures have been put back, together with some of the concealed lighting in the auditorium ceiling rib bands.
The Odeon is the home of almost all premiers in London nowadays, sometimes there are two a week with all the major stars treading the ‘Red Carpet’ and greeting thousands of waiting fans. Not all films that premier here go on the play the theatre, they just get their one night premier here.
The original seating capacity when first opened was 2,116 (1,140 in the orchestra stalls and 976 in the circle), now reduced to 1984. Plans are to re-step the circle and re-seat it in 2005 which will further reduce the seating capacity.
The Compton 5 Manual/17 Rank theatre organ (with its multi-coloured illuminated console surround) is still played on special occasions.
The Odeon is fully equipped with the latest projection and sound equipment, which includes 3 main projectors (35mm and 70mm capable), 16mm projector, video projection from vhs tapes and digital dvd projection.
When first opened as the Pantages Theatre on 20th October 1928, the seating capacity given was 2,169. It had a Robert Morton 4 Manual/14 Rank theatre organ (Opus 2416) with the organ chamber beneath the stage.
The architects of the Eastwood Theatre were Frederic J. Klein and H.C. Alford.
The Eastwood Theatre opened on 28th December 1929.
The opening date of the Annex Theatre was 4th February 1927.
The opening date of the Palace Theatre was 26th November 1925.
A complete list of all movies which played the Fox from its 1929 opening to its 1963 closing plus gross takings for each film is listed in the book “Fox, The Last Word…story of the worlds finest theatre” by Preston J. Kaufmann. 1979.
Opened as Loew’s Richmond Theatre on 9th April 1928 with the M.G.M. silent film “West Point” starring William Haines and Joan Crawford. The supporting programme consisted of M.G.M. Short Subjects and News, Sid Bart leading the 12 piece Loew’s Concert Orchestra and Lloyd Oscar on the mighty 13 Rank Wurlitzer theatre pipe organn.
It closed as a full time movie theatre in May 1979, lay empty until it was purchased by the Richmond Symphony, restored and re-opened as the Carpenter Centre for the Performing Arts on 5th May 1983.
Just before closing, the Wurlitzer organ was removed for ‘safekeeping’ and donated to the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Another organ (originally in the RKO-Keith Theatre, New York City) was donated to the Carpenter Center and after many years of volunteer work to install it, it made its debut in April 1992. This current Wurlitzer has 24 Ranks, which is much larger than the original 13 Rank installation.
Originally opened as the Riviera Theatre on 26th March 1927.
Thanks Richard,
I have posted a link to this page from the Glove Theatre, Gloversville page.
Hi Joe,
Thanks for your input into your involvement of the Auburn Schines Theater. It has its own lising here on Cinema Treasures. /theaters/258/
The County Theater opened in 1939 and the architects were Silverman and Levy.
The Film Daily Yearbook 1941 gives a seating capacity of 700 (682 in the 1950 edition).