My memory from junior high school, when I used to get into the Community to play the organ reveals NOW that indeed it was only a 2 manual Wurlitzer organ. Installed in 1929 and sold in 1968 and moved to Seekonk. It now has a new owner, and is still in existence.
bob cloutier
In the early 1970’s me and a friend opened the Community Theater once again. We scrubbed the entire house floor, re-painted all the seat backs, and lowered and cleaned the 4 wrought-iron, gold leafed chandeliers, and replaced all the bulbs with new clear glass ones so the filaments would sparkle brightly on the ceiling.
Originally there were also 2 crystal chandeliers, but when they left is unknown to me. Of my earliest memory these were not in place, but replaced by two ordinary single spot lights.
At that time (the 70’s) there was still an identical theater in the Boston area, an exact duplicate of the Community, that still had all 6 chandeliers.
The water-cooled Simplex projectors were still in use. All the power to run the theater was generated on site by an enormous vintage DC generator housed in a separate room off to one side of the projection booth. The booth was accessed by climbing up a steep iron ladder, and we hoisted the steel film-boxes up there using a block and tackle.
Unfortunately the fabulous 4 manual Wurlitzer pipe organ had been sold off in the 60’s, though I recall playing it often when I was younger. It had all the bells and whistles one might expect from an organ designed for a vaudeville house.
The fire curtain had a large painting of what might be a southern-style mansion. The stage curtains were brilliant gold with wide turqoise borders, and it looked great when it was lit. The walls and ceiling were painted a warm gold/tan, seat back maroon, and plenty of gold leaf throughout the theater. Stair cases going down on either side from the lobby were white marble, leading to the coat rooms and rest rooms.
The theater floor had a steep rake to it, and contrary to the post above, there was no balcony nor box seats. (the Union in Attleboro had a balcony).
We began by running vintage B&W movies such as Mae West or WC Fields hoping to attract a crowd. We also sold cheap refreshments. Barely making a profit we started running concerts and booked the Kinks, and Seals & Crofts. Shortly thereafter we closed again.
After that the interior was filled up with office space built quite badly. You could still look out service doors and see the interior walls of the theater.
The theater was demolished in the 80’s.
Bob Cloutier
My memory from junior high school, when I used to get into the Community to play the organ reveals NOW that indeed it was only a 2 manual Wurlitzer organ. Installed in 1929 and sold in 1968 and moved to Seekonk. It now has a new owner, and is still in existence.
bob cloutier
In the early 1970’s me and a friend opened the Community Theater once again. We scrubbed the entire house floor, re-painted all the seat backs, and lowered and cleaned the 4 wrought-iron, gold leafed chandeliers, and replaced all the bulbs with new clear glass ones so the filaments would sparkle brightly on the ceiling.
Originally there were also 2 crystal chandeliers, but when they left is unknown to me. Of my earliest memory these were not in place, but replaced by two ordinary single spot lights.
At that time (the 70’s) there was still an identical theater in the Boston area, an exact duplicate of the Community, that still had all 6 chandeliers.
The water-cooled Simplex projectors were still in use. All the power to run the theater was generated on site by an enormous vintage DC generator housed in a separate room off to one side of the projection booth. The booth was accessed by climbing up a steep iron ladder, and we hoisted the steel film-boxes up there using a block and tackle.
Unfortunately the fabulous 4 manual Wurlitzer pipe organ had been sold off in the 60’s, though I recall playing it often when I was younger. It had all the bells and whistles one might expect from an organ designed for a vaudeville house.
The fire curtain had a large painting of what might be a southern-style mansion. The stage curtains were brilliant gold with wide turqoise borders, and it looked great when it was lit. The walls and ceiling were painted a warm gold/tan, seat back maroon, and plenty of gold leaf throughout the theater. Stair cases going down on either side from the lobby were white marble, leading to the coat rooms and rest rooms.
The theater floor had a steep rake to it, and contrary to the post above, there was no balcony nor box seats. (the Union in Attleboro had a balcony).
We began by running vintage B&W movies such as Mae West or WC Fields hoping to attract a crowd. We also sold cheap refreshments. Barely making a profit we started running concerts and booked the Kinks, and Seals & Crofts. Shortly thereafter we closed again.
After that the interior was filled up with office space built quite badly. You could still look out service doors and see the interior walls of the theater.
The theater was demolished in the 80’s.
Bob Cloutier