Regent Theatre

41 E. Third Street,
Dunkirk, NY 14048

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Showing 51 - 75 of 78 comments

psomerf
psomerf on August 7, 2006 at 4:59 pm

I “met” the elder, as I did attend a few movies in town back in the late 70’s and 80’s. The elder was usually seen at the Cine. I would estimate that he was in his 80’s about 1980, which means he would have been late 20’s/ early 30’s for the fire. Likely the man you met wasn’t very old, or maybe not born yet at the time of the fire, so didn’t have direct knowledge of the organ.

The 1910-1929 Drohen/Regent was of metal skinned wood construction, not the sturdier brick of today.

Boy, it’s taking me a while to finish this one. The Regent reopened on Thanksgiving, 1942, as a second run house. “Constructed by Dalton B. Burgett for a syndicate headed by Clyde R. Lathrop of Brocton.”

Capacity: 702

This is all based on an article in the Dunkirk Observer.

The reconstructed Regent celebrated it 50th aniversary by closing its doors. Ironically both beginning and ending as a second run theatre. In 1942 a seat cost 35 cents, in 1992 $1.50.

Patsy
Patsy on August 7, 2006 at 4:00 pm

It’s amazes me that the Regent having gone through a total fire loss and must have been rebuilt to be around in the 60’s for the youth of that era. The name Dalton Burgett must have been the father of the man I recently met. Dalton is an attorney and when I met him he told me that his father had owned the Wintergarden, the Capitol and the Regent years ago. He also told me that he didn’t have any memorabilia from any of those theatres. I thought to myself…what a shame. Thanks for the organ information, etc. as the Mr. Burgett that I met didn’t have much to tell me as he didn’t seem to have the interest.

psomerf
psomerf on August 7, 2006 at 2:47 pm

Ammentment to the above, and likely answer to the missing Wurlitzer:

October 28, 1929
REGENT THEATRE A TOTAL FIRE LOSS

By this time it was operated by the Berenstein Theatre company of Elmira. Nothing was left standing but the front and west walls.

Dalton Burgett was manager by this time. Yup, the pipe organ was lost in the fire. (Sorry, I am writing as I read.) The Capitol was also owned by the same company by this time. The Regent was purchased from Lally in May of 1926.

The building was built by James Drohen in 1910. Drohen built the Capitol, also.

psomerf
psomerf on August 7, 2006 at 1:11 pm

Urban Renewal is not necessarily the cause for all the loss, though. It may be, but at present I don’t have enough information. The north side of 3rd street (where the Regent is located) is occupied by railroad tracks. There was a problem with folks getting clipped by trains, and with the tracks at surface height the trains had to slow down. By the lat ‘30s it was decided to elevate the tracks. I am sure that as the tracks were elevated, some buildings, particularly on the north side, were lost. If this involved any movie houses, I do not know.

Also, after some thought, I suspect that the organ was removed by the early 40’s. According to some of the old ads, they used to advertise the organist. It’s my understanding that movie houses, until the advent of sound, would have live music during the shows. Once the movies provided their own sound, I bet the organs were replaced with more seating. I could be wrong.

psomerf
psomerf on August 6, 2006 at 5:44 pm

Many things were lost or almost lost to UR. That church you visited, across from the Regent, was almost lost, one of its support buildings was torn down. Up the road my uncle’s store was torn down and replaced with a bank. Down the road Quality Markets is where the State theater and I think the Palace theater was located. Although the Palace appears to have gone by the wayside about 50 years before UR. And I am not certain if it it was located where the church parking lot is, or further east on 3rd street. I can barely remember the city that was when my years were in single digits. :) I also seem to recall a big bridge in Westfield that rose over the railroad tracks. I don’t remember when they removed it, but I sure miss it.

Then again, I recall massive fires taking what UR hadn’t gotten to yet. Fredonia had a couple of those fires, as well. Plus a train wreck or two helped reduce Dunkirk, one even made a building near the Capitol unstable, about a year or two before the Capitol’s roof collapsed. I’ve been wondering if that train wreck damage had any effect on the Capitol.

Patsy
Patsy on August 6, 2006 at 5:17 pm

Paul: Thanks and it seems that Dunkirk had many theatres over the years so if only one could have survived the urban renewal era!

psomerf
psomerf on August 6, 2006 at 5:06 pm

There appear to be at least 2 other theaters in Dunkirk, the Palace and Dorhen (or something similar.) The Dorhen is apparently named after a street that either no longer exists or was renamed before my existence. As I learn more, I will share.

psomerf
psomerf on August 6, 2006 at 5:00 pm

Nope. He’s got me by about 10-20 years. Although I’ll bet my broter or sister does.

Patsy
Patsy on August 6, 2006 at 4:56 pm

Also, do you know the Don who posted on Jan 28, 2005?

Patsy
Patsy on August 6, 2006 at 4:56 pm

Paul: Since you have subscribed to the newspaper archive site, please consider posting any theatre information that you read. Thanks.

psomerf
psomerf on August 6, 2006 at 4:39 pm

It isn’t on the “Disturber” website. I did a search earlier today for microfilm/microfiche, and found this website: View link

And, yes, you have to subscribe for this service. As time goes on, I have more and more of an interest in Dunkirk/Fredonia history, and being 7 hours from the library, I consider the cost worth it.

In 1949, when searching for the opening of the Van Buren Drive-in, I found that there were ads for the Winter Garden, Regent, State, Capitol, and Geitner theaters. Boy have times changed. In 1949, weekend shows also included a midnight showing, at least during the summer. And today I understand why. ;) The Regent and Capitol also advertised which newsreel they were affiliated with.

As a side note, until recently no local supermarket stayed open past 10 pm, even now I think Martin’s is the only 24 hour store. (Perhaps Wal-Mart is as well, but to me that outfit doesn’t exist. :) In 1949 a small supermarket was open from 9a-11p during the week, and until 10 on Saturday. No wonder I left 16 years ago, the town wasn’t progressing.

Patsy
Patsy on August 6, 2006 at 3:47 pm

Paul: Upon logging onto the Dunkirk Observer site do you have to be a paid subsriber to access any information about the former Regent? If not, how does one go about retrieving articles relating to the Regent?

Patsy
Patsy on August 6, 2006 at 3:41 pm

I will enjoy reading any research information on the Regent that you can find. The building still stands. The marquee is long gone, but for many the memories remain. In nearby Silver Creek NY stands the former Geitner Theatre, but is now a teen center with the auditorium stripped along with the balcony though the lobby is somewhat intact complete with a fireplace.

psomerf
psomerf on August 6, 2006 at 2:44 pm

I found a website that allows me to look through old newspapers. The Dunkirk Observer is one of them. Print isn’t great though. My eyes are tired now.

The Regent opened on 3/27/1921. It was an older theatre rebuilt. (I can’t read the article well enough to find the old name. 3/26/1921.)

Owned by the Lally Theater Corporation. It seats about 1,000. And it had a balcony. I wonder when it lost that, I don’t recall one. Looks like the Archetect was H.T. Higgins, at least for the remodel. Guess I have to find the article in a more readable form next time I am in Dunkirk.

psomerf
psomerf on July 30, 2006 at 1:58 pm

Funny one should mention photographing the Regent. I did that a couple of days ago. And the now parking lot that was the Capitol is in the background. One of these days I will get around to uploading the shots.

Patsy
Patsy on July 27, 2006 at 8:45 am

Incidentally, this man is a trial attorney in Jamestown NY, former childhood home to Lucille Ball (www.lucy-desi.com).

Patsy
Patsy on July 27, 2006 at 8:44 am

And if the organ isn’t in the building, I’d sure like to know where it is now! The man I met whose father owned the 3 former theatres didn’t act like he really wanted to discuss theatres when I finally met him at a local auction called Save A Seat to raise money, ironically, for the upkeep and maintenance of a local restored THEATRE…..the REG LENNA(CT link)so I didn’t pursue the topic, but sure wanted to chat more with him! This man did tell me that he hadn’t saved much, if anything, of the theatre memorabilia! I thought to myself…‘such as shame as it would be worth $$$ today on eBay’!

Patsy
Patsy on July 27, 2006 at 8:37 am

Lost Memory: Excellent idea and I will contact the church again as I didn’t reallly get to the right person, in charge to ask about a ‘tour’ of the former Regent…. only a receptionist in another building. I’m sure the seats have been removed. The building is made of brick so it’s probably structurally strong, but urban renewal changed alot of the ‘landscape’ in the City of Dunkirk along the shores of Lake Erie with beautiful sunsets. It’s a shame that the sun has set on the 3 theatres in Dunkirk though.

Patsy
Patsy on July 27, 2006 at 7:38 am

The former Wintergarden is now the Fredonia Opera House, the Capitol was demolished after severe roof damage and fire, I think and the Regent still stands, but has long since been a theatre.

Patsy
Patsy on July 27, 2006 at 7:35 am

Lost Memory: My heart aches when I read that the Regent once had a Wurlitzer organ, but it doesn’t surprise me as the Wurlitzer Organ Co. was in nearby N. Tonawanda NY. The former Regent building still stands, but the marquee is gone and a nearby Catholic church owns the building now and uses it for storage so suppose the seats are gone. Last summer I tried to contact someone in that church for a tour of the former theatre, but I haven’t accomplished that challenge….yet!

Patsy
Patsy on July 27, 2006 at 6:46 am

Recently I met a man whose father once owned 3 former theatres in Dunkirk NY…the Regent, the Wintergarden and the Capitol.

psomerf
psomerf on July 13, 2006 at 11:56 am

Based on the advertisements in the Observer, the Regent ceased advertising in November 1992.

Between May 1990 and May 1991 the multiplex at the old Ames opened, and by May 1991 the Regent was second run, selling seats for $1.50. Playing on 5/25/1991 was Dances with Wolves.

donstachowiak
donstachowiak on August 23, 2005 at 6:38 pm

The Regent was in operation at least until 1969 or 1970. By that time the Capitol was gone, the roof having caved in one night.
As I mentioned before, all 3 of the theaters were managed by Mr. Tallman, whose son, Bill was still living in Fredonia as of about 10 years ago, when I bumped into him while visiting home. If anyone cared to look him up, he would probably be able to provide a wealth of information and lore about all 3 of these great old theaters.

Patsy
Patsy on August 22, 2005 at 5:58 pm

View link

This site has an exterior and interior photo of the Regent.

Patsy
Patsy on August 22, 2005 at 5:34 pm

I answered my own question today…the Regent is a red brick building and is still standing. It is now owned by the local Catholic Diosese and is for rent.