Art Cinema

I believe this theatre originally opened as the Bomes theatre. If you look at the top of the front facade I believe the name Bomes is still there.

Yes, I indicated that in giving other names to the theatre, but that didn't show in the posting. As a young film nut, I went to the Art Cinema frequently and saw pictures here like THE MIRACLE OF MARCELINO, RIFIFI, THE STONE FLOWER, JAMES JOYCE'S ULYSSES, numerous Ingmar Bergman films in series they would run, even a revival of Griffith's THE BIRTH OF A NATION. They even showed rarely screened films like Rossellini's STRANGERS (VIAGGIO IN ITALIA), Malaparte's STRANGE DECEPTION, Germi's MADEMOISELLE GOBETTE. The theatre may have had some agreement with Art Film Booking Service, because they seemed to show everything in that distributors vault of interesting but commercially unviable esoterica.

This listing should be merged. It is a duplicate of the Bomes Theatre which is already listed at http://cinematreasures.org/theater/6034/ .

Here is a programming memory of the Art Cinema. In November of 1958 the cinema offered the "First Annual Cinema Harvest of Films Unique." I still have the flyer. The double bills shown were: SPECTER OF THE ROSE & GOYA, LA STRADA & I VITELLONI, THE STONE FLOWER & IVAN THE TERRIBLE, TONIGHT AT 8:30 & CASABLANCA, THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO & EROICA, THE BIRTH OF A NATION and THE W.C. FIELDS FESTIVAL. To follow, beginning a regular run on Thanksgiving Day, was Fernandel in THE MAN IN THE RAINCOAT.

As an art house, the Art Cinema was doomed. It was located in what was even then a semi-depressed part of Providence. The clientele was never really of local or neighborhood origin. People would have to get there from other parts of town. It was not like the Avon which had and still has a nearby affluent patron-base, and of course being located next to Brown University, the Avon benefitted from the perpetual foot-traffic on busy Thayer Street. I believe the Lockwood Gordon chain, which used to run the Avon in the 1950s, took over the Liberty to be used as an sister venue, renaming it the Art Cinema.

Bits of programming esoterica for the theatre when it was called the Liberty. Shown in January of 1933: MAZELTOV with Molly Picon, a reworking with Yiddish narration and framing sequence of the 1923 silent OST UND WEST. Shown in March of 1937: HIS WIFE'S LOVER, a 1931 Yiddish film.

When Joseph Strick's film "James Joyce's Ulysses" played here in March of 1967, the unheard-of admission price (for that time) was $5.50! That was about two to three times what normal admission prices were in the area.

Memories of the Art Cinema. Growing up in the 1960s, I just loved to read the movie page. But what fascinated me most were the ads for the Art Cinema (and, after that, those of the Avon). It showed the most unusual movies, usually foreign, but also unconventional American films as well. In fact, in those days, any motion picture that was on the "C-Condemned" list of the Catholic Church was eventually booked at the Art Cinema. The newspaper ads for these films were quite intriguing to me, even though I was too young for admission.

Yes, I remember. I also remember all the unique films I MISSED that were shown there because I was away at college, some of which I have never been able to see since, like "From a Roman Balcony." Here are photos of a two-page flyer announcing a special series of films they ran in the fall of 1958.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/italiangerry/Art%20Cinema/ArtCinemaProvidence1958program1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/italiangerry/Art%20Cinema/ArtCinemaProvidence1958program2.jpg

And a photo I took a couple of years ago.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/italiangerry/Art%20Cinema/ArtCinemaProvidenceRI-1001.jpg

Brian Michela,
Here is one of those films you refer to that got a "C-Condemned" rating by the Catholic Legion of Decency. It was shown at the Art in June, 1962 as part of a double bill.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/italiangerry/Art%20Cinema/ArtCinemaProvidenceRI-1.jpg

I love the NY Mirror review.....LOL. I bet by todays's standards this would be G rated.

My first visit to the Art Cinema was in May, 1966. The feature presentation was "To Die in Madrid," a documentary about the Spanish Civil War. The co-feature was a British comedy with Peter Sellers, "Two Way Stretch," made early in his career. However, I was too young at the time, in my early teens, to appreciate either film. What I especially remember is the number of patrons in the theater that evening that I could count on one hand. Even then, I wondered how the theater would stay in business with such low attendance. The answer, of course, came the following year. By fall of 1967, the Art Cinema was regularly showing exploitation films, a precursor to the soft core variety which played a couple of years later.

Gerald DeLuca,
Thank you, I enjoyed the photos. Perhaps you will remember this. The Art Cinema had a sign or inscription permanently printed on each side of the marquee (and I think on the front, as well) that stated "Distinctive Fare from the Film Capitals of the World" or something like that. It was an apparent reference to the many foreign films that played there.

The place was probably doomed from the time it started with the art house policy in 1958. It was a bit out-of-the way and could not attract much of the neighborhood audience since those folks were not interested in those kinds of films. I do believe the Ingmar Bergman series shown in the early 1960s, at the time of the director's great popularity, attracted some sizeable audiences. I remember a guy in the audience saying out loud during "The Seventh Seal," "Is this supposed to be symbolic?" and then going to sleep. Russ Meyer's "Lorna" may have done well during the cinema's soft-core period. When they first started the art house policy, I believe they served free espresso in the little lobby. FREE espresso, like some of the Manhattan art houses of the time where it was a trend. Can you imagine any movie theatres serving you free espresso today? Yeah, right.

You're right. It was a bit out-of-the-way. I recall that my mother and father would refer to the theater as "way down Broad Street." Furthermore, as you stated, business probably peaked in the early sixties. The film that played one of the longest engagements there was "La Dolce Vita." After a successful first run at the Majestic, it opened at the Art Cinema in November, 1961. Every Friday, the newspaper ran a large ad with the addendum "Held Over!" printed above it. On the occasion of its fifth week, the theater pulled its usual ad that Friday, the one with Anita Ekberg holding a kitten, and replaced it with a more provocative one, Anita Ekberg in a long strapless dress, girating. It most certainly stood out from all the other bland advertisements on the page. When the movie finally ended its run, yet another controversial film followed, "A Cold Wind in August." Do you remember that one?

Yes, I saw that, but in Boston at the Fine Arts.

One vivid recollection I have was of attending a children's matinee program at the Art around 1958/59 because they were showing the boy 'n bull film "The Brave One," which I happened to like a lot and had already seen several times during those teenage years. An infuriating thing occurred during the projection. The first reel was switched to the second reel before it had ended, like about five or more minutes. Then reel 2 began not at the start but about five minutes or more into the reel...and so on and so forth. You get the idea. The projectionist, probably some dude who was in a hurry to get it on with his girl, was shaving about 10 minutes from each reel or almost an hour from the movie! (He could never have done that in later years with a platter system.) I was furious that this movie, which I knew and liked, was being butchered by some nincompoop projectionist who didn't give a crap, figuring that there was just a bunch of stupid kids in the audience. I think I complained and got my money back...but I'm not certain.

I didn't think the Art Cinema ever showed children's movies, at least beginning in 1960, except twice. "The Sword in the Stone" in 1963, and "A Hard Day's Night" two years later. There were never matinees on Saturday, only on Sunday, and always after 2:00 P.M.

As I recall, the Art Cinema didn't suddenly switch to exploitation films in the latter half of the sixties. It first tested the market with borderline ones, the kind with Jayne Mansfield and Mamie Van Doren. Their careers were in sharp decline at the time, but they were still name stars. The theater even dabbled in the avant guarde. "Scorpio Rising" and "Chafed Elbows" played there.

"Scorpio Rising" and "Chafed Elbows"? Didn't know about those, but I was away a great deal durng that period. I thought they were available only in 16mm. I wonder if the Art ever had 16mm shows. The Avon does from time to time. Todd Haynes' "Poison" was shown in 16mm because it was made available only in that format.
Totally unrelated, but yesterday I went to New Bedford and took photos of the old Orpheum. I posted them if you want to check them out. I was bowled over by the façade.

Christmas Attractions at the Art Cinema. The following films opened on Christmas Day or one or two days later, except Christmas, 1959.

1958- Bitter Rice and Anna
1959- Theater closed. Re-opened Jan 15, 1960 with Mating Urge and
Chase Me, Charlie
1960- Make Mine Mink
1961- The Truth and Girl With a Suitcase
1962- Carry on Teacher and Doctor in Love
1963- The Sword in the Stone (also at the Avon)
1964- A Hard Day's Night and Robin and the Seven Hoods
1965- Bambole
1966- 10:30 P.M. Summer and Mondo Cane

I noticed in small print, on Gerald's second program scan this past April 6th, that the films at the Art (at least in the program Gerald scanned) had 'continuous' showtimes, from, for example, 6 pm on. Why did theatres list their showtimes as such, as opposed to the more traditional (at least by current standards) 6 pm, 8:30, etc.? Did 'continuous showtimes' ever cause confusion as to the start time of later shows? About when did the 'continuous showtimes' standard come to an end, and what are the origins of that policy, at least in general? Was it a decades-long carryover from the vaudeville era?

Although I didn't see these two movies when they played the Art in October 1959, since I was away at school, the double bill is probably one of the oddest (and best) bits of programming that ever came there. "Strangers" by Roberto Rossellini is also known as "Viaggio in Italia" or "Voyage to Italy" and was a major influence on the French New Wave directors. Some critics, especially the French ones, rank it among the best films of all time. "Strange Deception" is really "Il Cristo Proibito" or "Forbidden Christ" and was directed by Curzio Malaparte, his only film. Both films were shown ALMOST NOWHERE. Both are available on video today, but what a unique experience, if you really like movies, to have seen them both in 35mm prints! I am sure that, sadly, the program bombed completely.

When James Joyce's "Ulysses" played the Art in 1967, it was promoted as a special event for three days only, with reserved seating. The newspaper ad even featured a coupon to fill out and mail for advance tickets.

I think I remember this theatre. In the mid 1960s we lived on Sumpter (sic) Street between Broad Street & Elmwood Avenue in Providence and I think the cinema was near where I lived. I went to St. Michael's in the first and second grade (1965/66) before we moved to the 'burbs. The area in those days was bustling. I remember pastry shops and there was a Woolworth's and a Supermarket on Broad Street. It went down hill quickly and became a slum. Too bad.

I recall Woolworth's and the supermarket. The Pancake House was also a short distance from the theater. The area began its decline in the late sixties, which might explain why the Art Cinema switched its program from quality films to soft core around that time.

The year 1967 was transitional for the Art Cinema. During the early months, it continued to show mostly foreign films or mainstream ones, among them, "Dear John," "Loves of a Blonde," "The Poppy is Also a Flower," "The Game is Over," even the surf film "The Endless Summer" direct from its engagement at the Avon. There was only an occasional nod to sensationalism ("Damaged Goods" starring Hollywood starlett Delores Faith!). By the end of May, however, the theater had apparently changed its policy, showing exploitation films a

(continued)
almost weekly. The theater did suspend its policy to bring back James Joyce's "Ulysses," this time for three weeks at popular prices. It even booked the obscure independent film "Dutchman" with Shirley Knight. But, they were exceptions. Its era as an art house had sadly ended.

Do you know exactly when it closed? I know it opened as the Art in 1958 because I went to the first film under that policy, "Gervaise." How about when the theatre first opened as the Liberty? World War I era, I would guess.

I remember talking with my mother about that part of Providence. It must have gone downhill real quickly.

How is this theatre doing business-wise? If I ever moved back to Rhode Island from New York City I suppose I would be living at this cinema.

With summer fast arriving, the big tent-pole films will be taking over the multi-plexes. I remember the Avon as changing its programs several times a week. A film may play for two or three days and then the program changes.

I've been here only a few times. Back in the 1980s I caught a Woody Allen double-bill; one of the films was INTERIORS and I forgot what the other one was. I also caught THE PIANO here back on its original release.

Hardbop, you are referring to the Avon, which is doing well as far as I can tell. It is owned by Ken Dulgarian who owns the entire business block, not to mention other holdings throughout Providence's East Side and elsewhere. The Avon has a large faithful core audience for the first-run art and independent films it programs and attracts an enormous number of students from nearby Brown University. There are four movie theatres open in Providence. Three of them are single screen: Avon, Cable Car, and the part-time multi-use Columbus. The other is the Providence Place Mall 16 Cinemas. When the Dulgarian-owned College Hill Bookstore closed a few months back, there was fear that the Avon would be next. But it seems to occupy an important niche and generates enormous prestige. Mr. Dulgarian is not likely to give that up. Too bad they don't consider adding additional screens for versatility (not by carving up the current auditorium) but by building a second level over adjacent shops.

The demise of the Art Cinema. In July, 1973, the Art Cinema announced that it was closed for the summer. Yet, it did not reopen until November, 1973, under new management, and only four days a week, Thursday through Sunday. The program changed from soft core to black themed films such as "Superfly," "Sounder," Cleopatra Jones," and "Blackula." Matinees on Saturday and Sunday featured children's movies like "Willy Wonka," "Puff N Snuff" or "Pippi Longstocking." Advertising was reduced to the minimum, small block size without illustration, stating the film titles and show times. The theater struggled through this phase for four months until March, 1974, when it abruptly closed. This time, it remained closed for more than a year. It reopened in April, 1975, again under new management, showing hard core pornographic films. A new logo and flashy ads ran daily. It stayed open for business about films months. By the end of August, 1975, the ads vanished from the movie page, the theater having closed once more. It did not reopen.

Some documented ownership follows. A 1925 Providence Journal Almanac lists the manager of the Liberty as as one John F. Carey, the seating capacity as 827. A 1931 Almanac lists Samuel Bomes as owner. The 1939 Almanac gives Samuel Bomes as president and manager and the corporation name as Elmwood Amusement Corporation. The 1948 Almanac lists Samuel as president and Edward Bomes as manager. A 1968 listing gives the "Art Theater" owner as Playhouse, Inc; Sol Turek, manager, with a seating capacity now at 750. The 1973 edition sates the owner was Sounderling Broadcasting Corp., SBC, Providence. Charles Conway was manager.

The Liberty Theatre opened on March 7, 1921 according to a Providence Journal article published the day before. The theatre had been under construction for about a year at the cost of $300,000. It was designed by Samuel Bomes, who was also the owner. It had a brick and terra cotta exterior.

The paper described the interior as old rose and gold, with wall panels lighted to give a tone effect. Marble and limestone were used in the lobby. Seats were 21 inches wide and rows 30 inches apart. The single-floor interior was marked by an absence of columns and good sight lines. The stage was equipped for all kinds of entertainment from vaudeville to classical drama. A new Moeller organ was to be installed within two weeks of opening. Despite the stage facilities, the policy of the Liberty was to be the showing of "photoplays exclusively." Program changes would occur on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. There would be daily matinées and evening programs beginning at 6:30 and 8:45. The first manager was C.M. Eberstein.
***
The opening program for the liberty was The Great Redeemer, directed by Maurice Tourneur and featuring House Peters and Marjorie Daw. The second feature was Buster Keaton in The Saphead. There was also an unspecified Harold Lloyd comedy short.

It should be noted that the theatre was never known as "Bomes Theatre" even though the name appears above the façade and was included as an alternate name in the description. Bomes designed and owned the theatre as he had with other R.I. theatres (such as the Hollywood in East Providence), but while it was a Bomes Theatre, the theatre itself was never named that. It went under only two names:
1921-1958: Liberty Theatre.
1958-1975: Art Cinema.

A newspaper ad from October, 1962, the era of art-house mania. Both the Art and the Avon on the other side of town, were run at the time by the Lockwood Gordon chain of Boston.

Lockwood & Gordon Enterprises of Boston was a chain of New England theatres that bought the Art Cinema in September of 1958, according to a Providence Journal article September 17. At the time they also operated the Avon, Hope, and Castle in Providence. An art house policy with internatonal films was promised. The theatre had been remodeled and redecorated a year before and equipped with modern upholstered seats.

It should be noted that the theatre had been opened as the Art Cinema the previous January with Gervaise. Before that it had been the neighborhood Liberty Theatre since 1921. I do not know who ran the place when it first became the Art, but will find out. But apparently Lockwood & Gordon did not run in its first days under this policy, as I implied in my description.

I always suspected a connection with the Avon. The films that played there were often booked at the Art at a later date, sometimes immediately afterwards. When "David & Lisa" ended its run at the Avon, the theater placed a newspaper ad showing a moving truck carrying the movie logo leaving the Avon and heading in the direction of the Art. The movie page was so much more fun to read in those days.

Yes, it was more fun to read. Later ads for Marty, which was a big hit at the Avon, showed a cartoon of someone "stretching the walls" to accomodate all the people who wanted to get in.

Here's the opening day ad for the Art Cinema, Januray 8, 1958.

From The Providence Journal, December 8, 1971:

Theater Is Denied Film Permit; Bd. Seeks Injunction
The Providence Bureau of Licenses denied yesterday an application by the Art Cinema, 1017 Broad St., to exhibit the film "Lies," print number four, from today through Tuesday.

In a compaint filed in Superior Court, bureau memebrs said they viewed the film at the theater yesterday and determined it is probably obscene. They asked the court to judge it obscene and permanently enjoin its showing here.

Three men were held in a plot to destroy the movie projector at the Liberty Theatre in September of 1931. One of the men, Conrad S. Lavigne, had worked there as a projectionist. He pleaded guilty and was given a jail term. The theatre was owned by Samuel Bomes, who several years before had brought injunction proceedings against the Moving Picture Operators' Union to enjoin picketing about the theatre and the case eventually went to the Supreme Court. An article about the attempted break-in appeared in the Providence newspaper on September 13, 1931.

Renewal plans for the Liberty Theatre/Art Cinema.

A photo-article in The Providence Journal of September 1, 2005 discusses continuing plans to convert the former Bomes-owned Liberty Theatre (later Art Cinema) to a neighborhood "community space where arts and culture are displayed and celebrated."

The building is currently owned by the Providence Redevelopment Agency, which takes ownership of abandoned properties.

The consensus among area residents is to turn the building into the "Liberty Theater Cultural Center, a facility that could serve as a multi-cultural arts and education resource for the South Side and the entire city." Under the plan, the center would have space for live theater and dance, musical performances, film and culturally diverse performing arts.

The article reports that plans would likely include gutting the interior and replacing electrical, plumbing, heating and air and sprinkler systems, according to an assessment by the Urban Design Group. Cost estimates range from $2.5 million to $3.5 million.

The theatre opened in 1921 and has been closed since 1975.

Work continues on the Liberty Theater Cultural Center. This Providence Journal news-photo by Kathy Borchers shows the rear of the auditorium and the former projection booth.

Spanish-language programs appeared at the Art Cinema from 1972 and were run on Saturdays by promoters Raphael Nunes and Virgilio Grullon. A Providence Journal article of February 5, 1973 reported that in an article headlined "Films Please R.I. Latin Americans." The program continued after that at the Elmwood Theatre.

The Art Cinema and the Castle Theatre on Chalkstone Avenue shared a programming of the film of the La Scala production of Puccini's La Bohème on November 3 & 4, 1965. An unusual bit of day-dating shared by the two theatres.

Just as David and Lisa moved over to the Art from its successful run at the Avon, so did Zorba the Greek in May, 1965. Before it arrived, the Art had been showing Lorna and Playgirl After Dark...sexy sizzlers starring Lorna Maitland and Jayne Mansfield respectively, but not porn.

Here is a nicely-designed ad for a double bill from early 1967. Dear John is a Swedish film; Red Lanterns is Greek. Both had spicy content but were films of some class.

The Art Cinema had such a talent for booking a double bill of compatible foreign films even when they came from different countries. "Dear John" and "Red Lanterns" are a good example. I looked forward so much to the "Starts Tomorrow!" movie ads for the theater. Sadly, by the fall of 1967, the art house policy had ended.

Richard Chadbourne of Calgary, Alberta, sent me a recollection of his childhood in Providence and memories of the Liberty Theatre. He wrote:

"I was born in 1922 and grew up in South Providence, on Sackett St. between Broad St, and Elmwood Ave., not far from Roger Williams Pk. I remember many a delightful Sat. afternoon attending the Liberty Theatre...on Broad Street, just a couple of blocks from where I lived. I remember it cost 25¢ (or was it just 10¢?), often a double feature. Now and then in the earliest years there would be a silent film (with piano or organ). I still recall vividly today two horrifying scenes, one from Phantom of the Opera and the other from Frozen Justice. Lots of cowboy movies; my pals and I would leave the girls during the love scenes (boring!) and dash to the lobby for bubble gum."

What are some of the bookings in this theatre? Are the runs open-ended?

I seem to remember coming home to R.I. & my brother would get the shedules and tape them to the refridgerator door and it seemed they would bring in art films and change the films every couple of days. Films wouldn't even run for a week.

With all the art films that are released and the fact that only two or three theatres showing art films in Rhode Island you can't say the pickings are slim.

This theatre has been closed for decades and hasn't shgown movies in nearly 30 years. A local cultural organization has purchased it with plans to use it for community activities. Still needs lots of work. See postings above for September 8, 2005. When it was an art house (1958 to early 1970s) the runs were open-ended. They sometimes did special film series (Bergman comes to mind.)

Here is a recent photo of the Art Cinema.

Thanks to all the contributers on this post, to awaken fond memories of this old theater. Now for an update...

From notes of the RI Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission dated May 14, 2008.
http://www.preservation.ri.gov/pdfs_zips_downloads/public_info_pdfs/08-05-14minutes.pdf

Notes to the commission follows regarding Bomes Theatre (aka Liberty, Art):
" built in 1921. The neighborhood movie theater exhibits terracotta trim on the brick exterior; the original marquee appears to remain but has been boxed inside later panels; original storefronts have been altered; some deteriorated original windows appear to remain behind plywood panels. On the interior, the lobby area has been altered; the proscenium arch remains together with cornice, cove ceiling, and decorative details but all are quite deteriorated."

They go on to say, that although some features are deteriorated or missing, the theater has not been remodeled or irreversibly altered and has preliminary approval for nomination to the National Registry. The present owner is Michael Van Leesten who is planning to rehabilitate the theater to a community cultural center. As i noted from the earlier comments, this planning seems to be taking some time.

I lived on Gallatin St, the road adjacent to the theater during part of my childhood (early 60s) and enjoyed matinees there, with my siblings. I walked to Roger Williams JH, and during those years, had many an occasion to look up a the Bomes Theatre sign on my way home. The ornate facade on many of those old theaters were especially impressive to a young fellow. My Mom was born on Gallatin St and watched many double features at The Liberty in the 30s & 40s. A good friend of mine told me his recollection going to movies there in the 50s. He liked the Westerns in the double feature matinees. He realized later, it was the country music (Roy Rogers, Gene Autry) he especially enjoyed in those movies.

My college classmate, who played piano very well, is Ken Dulgarian's brother. I remember seeing him in the College Hill Bookstore and told me he worked there sometimes as it was a family business. My older brother tells me of his high school classmate who was another of Ken's brothers (who played bassoon). Later when I worked at Brown, some colleagues pointed out Ken to me, dressed in a nice suit, walking in front of the bookstore.. They told me, there goes the mayor of Thayer Steet. I only learned afterwards, it was in reference to him owning much of that block. Gerry and Brian, you both described the Art Cinema as being out-of-the-way. That is funny because I felt the Castle on Chalkstone that way, but that made it more fun to seek out and watch films there as well <grin>

As a young man I was the manager of the Art Cinema from mid 1958 to mid 1960. It was leased to Lockwood & Gordon Enterprises of Boston. The most successful run at the theatre was a twin bill of two British exports, "Carry On Nurse" and "Carry on Sargeant". "Nurse was showed at 6:30 & 9:30 and "Sargent" was screened at 8. The first two weeks of the run I hired a model who was dressed as a nurse amd she handed out plastic thermometers. This little promotion was a huge success as the crowds got bigger and bigger! The run lasted for seventeen weeks from late '58 into '59 so I put on the marquee "2nd Proud Year"!!! Weekends sold out and the crowds didn't start to diminish until 12 or 13th week. I believe the admission was 85 cents for the double bill. It was a lot of fun watching the people come out of the theatre laughing and smiling especially when I had the model doing her thing. My gosh, that was fifty years ago. I remember as if it were yesterday. I moved on as a musician/actor on New York and London stages.

As a young man I was the manager of the Art Cinema from mid 1958 to mid 1960. It was leased to Lockwood & Gordon Enterprises of Boston. The most successful run at the theatre was a twin bill of two British exports, "Carry On Nurse" and "Carry on Sargeant". "Nurse was showed at 6:30 & 9:30 and "Sargent" was screened at 8. The first two weeks of the run I hired a model who was dressed as a nurse amd she handed out plastic thermometers. This little promotion was a huge success as the crowds got bigger and bigger! The run lasted for seventeen weeks from late '58 into '59 so I put on the marquee "2nd Proud Year"!!! Weekends sold out and the crowds didn't start to diminish until 12 or 13th week. I believe the admission was 85 cents for the double bill. It was a lot of fun watching the people come out of the theatre laughing and smiling especially when I had the model doing her thing. My gosh, that was fifty years ago. I remember as if it were yesterday. I moved on as a musician/actor on New York and London stages.

Far better fare than the soft porn that ran there in later years. I worked for L&G and used to deliver films there while working at the Avon or Cinerama.

Hello Nick, Nice to hear you are a L&G alum. I cannot believe it was solong ago. My salary was $40 bucks a week....geez, if I stayed with them I'd be making $50 a week!!

I liked the L&G organization. Did you know Jack O'Sullivan or Doug Amos?

Yes, I knew both and I oftenthink of Jack O'Sullivan. I liked him very much. He was firm but very fair. He has passed on but I don't know when. I knew he smoked a lot. He got such pleasure from smoking, so he would be most displeased rules put on smokers today. In Europe, people still smoke a lot. Hey, you can't smoke in a pub anymore in England. Same in Paris. Doug Amos was the big cheese but he was very aloof. Couldn't get much out of him. I remember Amos calling me and offering me the Avon a few years after leaving the company. I was heading in another direction as a young man, but managing the Avon would have been a good job I think with Brown University around the corner and Thayer Street being a bustling place.

Yes, I knew both and I oftenthink of Jack O'Sullivan. I liked him very much. He was firm but very fair. He has passed on but I don't know when. I knew he smoked a lot. He got such pleasure from smoking, so he would be most displeased rules put on smokers today. In Europe, people still smoke a lot. Hey, you can't smoke in a pub anymore in England. Same in Paris. Doug Amos was the big cheese but he was very aloof. Couldn't get much out of him. I remember Amos calling me and offering me the Avon a few years after leaving the company. I was heading in another direction as a young man, but managing the Avon would have been a good job I think with Brown University around the corner and Thayer Street being a bustling place.

Ha! If you had taken the Avon job, we probably would have met. I started there in '67. Jack was my mentor. I believe he passed about 10 years ago. His daughter Jackie, commented on the Cinerama page as Jackie O. He always spoke of her but I never got to meet her. I did become friendly with his wife as well.

Small world!

Small world indeed! Jack O'Sullivan invited me to his house for dinner one night and I believe he lived in Randolph or Norwell. I remember dinner with his wife but I don't know if his daughter was born yet. The date I believe was mostg likely 1960, as I filled in at the Cameo Theatre in S. Weymouth for a month after leaving the Art Cinema. This forum by Cinema Treasures is great as you can talk about the "good old days" making $40 bucks a week though I believe Jack bumped me up to $50 bucks for the Cameo job and I was commuting from Providence. I forgot to mention to you that my first manager deal after working at the Hope was the Westminster Playhouse, formerly E.M.Loews Victory and before that the Modern Theatr. It was on Westminster St. just up past Empire and a three block or so down from the Capitol Theatre. The Playhouse to me was a facinating theatre. Backstage and in the office there were tons of old playbills, payroll info, and advertising stuff when it was a live theatre.It had a small lobby but had around 1400-1500 seats wich orchestra and balcony. There were a lot of dressing rooms backstage and lighting equipment etc. including a piano. The stage door was on something lane, a very narrow street and 10 feet from the stage door was the Golden Dragon Restaurant and Hotel. They had a tiny bar with about six seats and tables for the Chinese restaurant. I was about20 or so but the bar was very happy to serve me. After work, we would go there for a couple of beers and some food. The hotel had about 8 rooms and it was a place that was rented out to prostitutes. Ah,downtown Providence!!! The theatre was rented to L&G who ran it as a "art" house. Let me clarify...I was the assisted manager and the Manager was Harry Sullivan, I believe. He was an easy going guy and had just retired from a career with the FBI. The biggest hit while I was there was a double bill of Italian exports..."Bread, Love, & Dreams' With Gina Lolabridigida (spelling wrong?)and another movie starring Anna Magnanni but I don't recall the name. What I do remember was that it was springtime and when we opened on the first saturday there was a line outside waiting to get in. The show was to start at 6:30 and we decided to open up a little early because of the line. Good thing we did as the line drew and we had to open up the balcony! I don't recall that the balcony was even clean as we never used it before as business didn't warrant opening the balcony. Well, I can't really recall if we sold out the house, and if not, we camepretty close. It did well enough that it was extended into a three week run. We were all pretty excited about the big crowds. I wasn't there for the whole run by L&G, but I think the theatre was open for about three years. Iloved that theatre. I can barely remember that in the early fifties it rand as a legit house with plays and a resident cast.

Do you remember Ed Stokes who ran the Avon and Larry Johnston who ran the Castle? Ed Stokes is around and still lives in the Boston area though Larry Johnston passed away a number of years ago. I remember he ran the Elmwood for awhile.
I don't understand the time that is given when our notes are posted. For instance it is now 7:15 in London so it is 2:15 in Providence. I'll check the time it will say on the post.

Abrunner,
Very fascinating comments. You should repost them on the Modern Theatre/Westminster Playhouse page: http://cinematreasures.org/theater/6596/
When Bread Love and Dreams played there it was alone on a single bill. I have the Providence Journal newspaper ad, but perhaps it was paired in a later run? On that solo run it was a move-over from the Avon where it had played for "four record-breaking weeks." The times were 2:10, 4:00, 5:55, 7:45, 9:35 in that ad I have.

Abrunner,

I worked for Ed's replacement when I was at the Avon. Pat Carter, who later became a district manager for SBC, ran the Avon and then moved over to Cinerama. I was hired by Larry Johnson; his son commented on the Cinerama page.

When I became a DM for SBC we had offices in the theatre district and then later in the burbs. Jack spoke of the Cameo, which I believe is still running. He lived in Rockland when I worked in Providence.

Of course, in my younger years, I would run film to the Art. The manager was Charlie and I would rush to deliver so I could catch a few minutes of the 'racy' films. They were rated R at best by today's standards (I have a feeling my earlier post was removed so I am being very delicate.) The Art I knew was quite different than the one you knew!

Dear Mr. DeLuca, Greetings from London! It was so long ago and you are most likely right about the single feature of "Bread, Love, & Dreams". To this day I can remember that night as if it was yesterday. It looked so good to look up to the balcony and ses all the people there. Maybe it was to be the biggest night at the theate as it was torn down a few years later. As stated in my comments above, I was facinated about that theatre as so much literature was found in the office regarding it's earlier days as a resident stock company and I took a lot of things from that office, but it is long gone.
I wish to thank you for all the work you have done regarding theatres in Providence. I have read your book and it was wonderful reading. The effort you have put forth is amazing and your dedication to this subject is endearing.
My very first "gig" in show business was conductor of the show "kiddies On Parade" broadcast saturday mornings from Fay's Theatre! I bhelieve the time frams would be around 1948.

Hello Nick,I remember the name Pat Carter. Was he a big framed guy? Perhaps I met him through the years. YOu moved up to DM with BC.Whatever happened tothat company, and was Doug Amos still with SBC during the time worked there as DM?

Hello Abrunner
Pat was a bigger guy with curly light brown hair. Doug Amos was president of SBC for the entire run of the company. We were sold to Hoyts around 1985. They purchased Cinema Centers Corp (CCC) just prior to SBC.

Things were never the same after the purchase. Slowly, all of the SBC people left. We were a great little company with a lot of integrity; the new owners and the CCC people installed to run the show were quite simply not.

Anyway, it was a great run while it lasted. I got to book, advertise, run promotions, etc., while working all of New England and upstate NY. Wouldn't change a thing!

Abrunner,
Thanks for the compliment, but I never wrote a book on Providence film theatres. I refer a lot on these pages though to Roger Brett's splendid work on that subject, Temples of Illusion.

Abrunner & Ritota,
Again, I request that you post or copy and re-post some of your comments on the Westminster Playhouse on its own page, listed under Modern Theatre:
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/6596/

Dear Mr DeLuca, Again, you are right and the book was Temples of Illusion> I recall that it was very well written and loaded with so much information especially the older theatres that were in Providence. Though I have a computer there are a lot of things that I don't know how to run. You have asked me to repost my comments on the Westminster Playhouse and I don'tknow howtodo that. Another theatre that I had an interest in was the Capitol.I was onlyin it once and it had to have been in the fifties. I remember there was an extension of the stage halfway up the middle aisle in the orchestra. I believe thaqt this "walkway" was used by dancers in the era that the theatree had burlesque. The second balcony I believe did not have seats but slats and people that were homeless would pay the admission (around 35 cents) and sleepon the slats. I think but am not sure that the house for a time ran 24 hours and there was a sign out front that said "always open, never closed".

Abrunner,
You can post on the Westminster Playhouse page by clicking this following link which will take you there and then posting as you have done with the Art Cinema:
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/6596/

This link will take you to the Capitol Theatre:
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/6395/