Saenger Theatre

Originally part of the Saenger chain. Now owned by a non profit organization, which also owns the Community Theater (both are landmarked). The theater can function as a legitimate theater as well as a film palace and indeed, in recent times the Zoppe circus appeared on the stage. Silent films complete with full symphony orchestra accompanying them have been shown there within the last 10 years.
The web site for the theater is:
http://www.pineblufffilmfestival.com/

There is an old photo of the Saenger Theatre here:
http://www.saengeramusements.com/theatres/pinebluf/pinebluf.htm

I have been involved in this theatre for over sixteen years and probably know more about its history and about the building than anyone. I welcome contact with anyone regarding it. I would give a tour if anyone is in this area. The building is structurally sound however it is only a shell. The original chandelier and other lighting fixtures (save one), as well as stage curtain and most of the original seating are gone. The original Robert Morton organ was sold long ago. There is temporary seating downstairs for now as well as a donated stage curtain and a screen for showing films. We have a 70mm projector but do not have the money to have the wiring to operate it put in conduit. The exterior is pretty much intact and we are on the National Register. There are places of serious water damage to the plaster walls but we have a fairly new roof on now. The detailed plasterwork up on the ceiling is the true glory of this theatre, however, its original colors were long ago painted out. The arched loges on either side of the stage are magnificent and well preserved although the box seats are removed. The broadway-sized stage is very sound but we have an on-going problem with water underneath down in the basement. Even in this condition we have held several film festivals inside featuring silent films accompanied by a full orchestra. A couple of music scores were specially commissioned for silent films we presented. This city is indifferent to saving the theatre and has no comphrension on how saving it could impact the city's attempts to revitalize the surrounding downtown area. A few dedicated individuals carry on the struggle to save the theatre in the face of overwhelming odds. I can be reached at pnblffrobert@aol.com

Bob, I found a picture of this theater in a book on mechanical musical instruments. The picture is part of an advertisement that implies that an instrument known as a "Reproduco" might have been used in the Saenger for film accompaniment at one time. Reproducos, made by the Operators Piano Company of Chicago, were a player piano type machine with a few ranks of pipes. Do you know anthing further about this?

Mike, I own an LP record about Reproducos with this same photo of the Pine Bluff Saenger on the back cover alongside the Strand Theatre at Shreveport. However, the captions for both theatres are reversed, the one for the Saenger under the photo of the Strand. I suspect this was an error at the printing company that printed the ad. Both theatres claim in the ad to own a Reproduco but my research has yet to yield any proof, at least for the Saenger. The ad says that the Reproduco was used as a 'relief' instrument. I have assumed that this meant this mechanical instrument was used perhaps between parts of the program, such as between a vaudeville show and the beginning of a movie. Perhaps it was used as pre-show music as the audience gathered or used as exit music after the program. Perhaps someone can enlighten me just how these instruments were used. I'm not sure if our Saenger had one. The theatre had its own very fine organist and musical director that performed on our Robert Morton organ. Maybe he saved his energy to perform for the silent movie and used the Reproduco for the 'fillers.' I do not believe that the Reproduco manufacturers would have deliberately misled the public by falsely stating their instrument was used in these theatres. It is possible that the instruments had been ordered by the Saenger Company and the ad was printed and distributed, but for some reason the order was cancelled and the instrument was never delivered. Another possibility is that the instrument may have been used only briefly and didn't work out for some reason, or perhaps the organist objected and it was removed. Then again, maybe it was used for a number of years but no documentation exists to substantiate its existence. I once queried an old timer (now deceased) who had, on occasion, played the organ for the films and he had no recollection of such an instrument (but that was a long time ago and he was showing senility). In short, Mike, I am not positive that a Reproduco was used in our house but I tend to believe that one was, at least briefly. I would love to know for sure!

Bob, thank you for your information on the instruments used at the Saenger. Your guesses as to the Reproduco sound very probable. It's interesting that such a large theater would possibly use a small machine such as a Reproduco. Most Reproducos were sold to smaller movie houses. Other similar machines were made by Wurlitzer (the "Organette"), Nelson-Wiggen (the "Selector-Duplex")and Seeburg (styles MO, TR, and the "Celesta" and "Celesta Deluxe"). Most of these other makes, however, were sold to mortuaries and funeral parlors. I have the recording of the Reproduco that was in the collection of Harvey Roehl of Vestal, N.Y. - "Speakeasy and Silent Movie of the 1920's." These machines are very popular with collectors and have a unique sound among the many types of mechanical musical instruments.

You could add the 'Fotoplayer' to your list of mechanical players. The Fotoplayer was built by the American Photoplayer Co which was a division of Robert Morton. These instruments were intended for smaller theatres that had neither the space, nor the budget for a large pipe organ. Most were equipped with a dual roll player mechanism, thereby offering a further savings on the salary of a musician to play it. Apparently they served only one purpose and that was to accompany silents and were soon discarded when 'talking' pictures arrived. Whether the Saenger had a similar instrument as a stopgap measure until the Robert Morton organ was installed, or whether this was an error in the information is anyone's guess.

I'm definitely a photoplayer fan. I have a friend in my area who owns the style 25 "Fotoplayer" once owned by collector Harvey Roehl, as well as some other types of self-playing instruments. He eventually wants to open up a museum in my area with these machines on display, including having the photoplayer in a nickelodeon theater type setting.

Thanks to both of you for more info on mechanical instruments. Very interesting! Some comments and observations: I know for a fact that the Robert Morton was already installed for the opening ceremony of the theatre because the newspaper gives the program which included both the organ and the Saenger Orchestra. I am sure you are both correct claiming the smaller machines were used primarily in smaller houses to accompany the pictures. However, I have wondered if they really were used to actually accompany them. Imagine a tender love scene with a mechanical instrument blurting out a Sousa march! There would have been no way these machines could have been in sync with the picture and, I suspect, would have been very disconcerting to an audience. Perhaps, in the earliest days of film, any kind of accompaniment, even if it was out of sync with the film, was used in small houses. I have not done a lot of research into this and perhaps I am wrong. I have had the pleasure of seeing several silent films accompanied live with a full orchestra and the music fit the emotions like a hand in a glove. The music heightened the emotions of the scene. A mechanical instrument playing popular tunes or marches would have completely destroyed the effect. I welcome comments about this.

Bob, you are right. Many smaller machines, such as photoplayers and Reproducos, were very popular with smaller movie houses. It has been estimated that about 8,000-10,000 photoplayers were manufactured in the U.S. for movie accompaniment. 1,000 of these were Reproducos made by Operators of Chicago. Yet, there are only a few dozen photoplayers in existence today; I'm not sure how many Reproducos specifically exist nowadays, but some have survived. These instruments actually could be synchronized with the film by installing certain types of "mood music" rolls on them. Several models of photoplayers had provision for two rolls (the "duplex roll system"), so that one song could be switched to another to match the film. These instruments could be hand played, but often they were played automatically, either by the operator sitting at the machine itself or by controlling the instrument from the projection booth. However, it is humorous to note that many operators sometimes did just let the machines play whatever was next on the rolls regardless of what was happening on the screen. According to the books I've read, however, most audiences apparently didn't mind this so much; just as long as there was music, the movie was worth seeing!

As a member of the board of directors which owns the Saenger Theatre, I thought I would write a few lines to bring things up to date. This past summer (2005) we had a business plan created for the restoration of the theatre. It has gone out to various business leaders, government agencies, funding groups, developers, and many others who have expressed interest and have the means to help. As always, we remain optimistic, though it is an uphill battle.

We won't allow it to become a parking lot or mall however, so no fear there. We will only accept a complete restoration of the Saenger to its original form and function.

At this time however we are allowing NO tours of the building. Sorry, but it is necessary for safety and insurance reasons.

Here is an interesting article about the Saenger and the Silent Film Festival:
http://tinyurl.com/qnxar

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995

Saenger Theater (added 1995 - Building - #95000348)
Also known as JE0550
Jct. of W. Second Ave. and Pine St., SE corner, Pine Bluff
Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Weil, Emil
Architectural Style: Classical Revival
Area of Significance: Architecture
Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Theater
Current Function: Work In Progress

Here is a large modern photo of the Saenger Theater.

Mr. Beatty; Mr. Curry,
I have spent a couple of afternoons with Ms. Kathleen helping her clean the Community Theatre for its sale. I went to the screening of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" with my 10 year old niece and we met Patricia Neal. I felt so bad because I had to get her home and we had to leave and Prof. Hirsch practically begged us to stay as there was really noone there.
I am from the younger generation and I have recently become infatuated with the Saenger. I have a lot of ideas and Im currently working on a letter to Ms. Kathleen about some of my opinions, comments, suggestions, and a vision for the future. Im trying to get in touch with as many people as possible related to the Pine Bluff Film Festival so that perhaps I can express my concerns and receive feedback on the feasibility of some of my ideas. I need someone to contact me because while I'm beginning to see this as a lost cause, im pretty determined not to give up.
Respectfully,
Eric

Here is the most recent photo of it on the web.
http://a901.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/30/l_4bcc98436c67077278f6a2d9437f0c6c.jpg

Theatre needs a marquee it looks naked without one. brucec

The Theatre is lacking a lot more than a Marquee. It needs about 6 million for a complete restoration, with at least 55,000 for the roof alone. Unfortunately, the grant money is gone and the Pine Bluff Film Festival is over. They are selling the Community THeatre (Oldest 1 screen theatre in Arkansas), to turn it into a bar. The closest thing that it has to a Marquee is a sign that I'll probably hang within the next few weeks. Heres a picture of the lobby through the window.
http://a49.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/20/l_e476ade273edfa6869077b765b8f6990.jpg

Know anyone that wants to make a donation?

Respectfully,
Eric

Heres a shot of the Fascade
http://a200.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/117/l_61ec07df962a46801a0171b7981ff96f.jpg
A Shot of the Marquee, removed in 1988
http://a136.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/46/l_b493f728a233ec063b0556d274a6050f.jpg
Heres the lateral and Posterior view
http://a642.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/6/l_bd959c40150fd0e3f2e57c6c6bf211c9.jpg
And a view of the Saenger from Underneath the Marquee of the Community Theatre.
http://a129.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/101/l_2381913f89abec4c9a10851d3feedc00.jpg

I now know that the Community and the Saenger are under negotiations for changing hands altogether. Developments as of Wednesday are happening and I will be able to comment on this further in the future.

Eric

What is the status of the Saenger Theater now? Has it changed hands? Did the Community Theater become a bar as was stated in the earlier post?

Should the Saenger Theater have the same address as the Community Theater?

The 1955 Film Daily Yearbook gives the address of the Saenger Theater as 120 West Second St. which is probably West Second Avenue and seating at that time was 1494.

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Okay,
The theatres were sold to a gentleman investor by the name of MOON. He is from Memphis and is responsible for the building of Beale Street what it is today. He has been buying up a lot of properties in Pine Bluff such as the Hotel Pines and dozens of others, but he has been doing it semi-secretly. Its been in the papers but noone has a clue what he wants done with it. That whole downtown section is falling apart. THe ceiling just caved in at the old band museum.

Our Current Mayor in Pine Bluff is Carl Redus. Moon told Redus "The first thing you need to do is write a grant proposal to get the asbestos out of the buildings downtown."
"We don't have anyone on our staff that does grant writing" Redus replied.
"Well here is the grant proposal from Memphis. Just change the name of the city and the figures and send it in."
"Im sorry, we just don't have anyone on any of our staffs that handle that."
It turns out that Redus and Moon supposedly dated the same girl in high school therefore redus doesn't want to gove Moon the credit for saving Pine Bluff. Now I don't know if this is true but I have sources closely associated with the buildings that told me this and other things.
So the dream is over essentially. I went up on the roof and the condition of the roof up there was the last straw. My sister was getting ready to do a story about the buildings for the Commercial when we found out that they were both sold as fast as they could have been. Frankly I was pissed, so I will tell all I know as it is out of their hands now.

I have videos from inside the theatre as well as a lot of pictures of its state that are several months old.

THe community is across the street on the next block. That address is 207 W. Second Street.

Sorry for the bad news.
Respectfully,
Eric

It will re-open as theatre as planned......

First Movie will be "The MOON strikes back, the negroids take revenge"

I say that in humor and to prove a point: MOON himself boasted of his pride to be able to buy the places that enforced segregation by law. So now he is the HNIC. The more you buy the more control you have. Now lets see him donate some property for charities sake.

1984 photo of the Saenger Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c4%2c3%2c-1&ProductID=23464

Another angle in the same year 1984.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c4%2c3%2c-1&ProductID=23465

According to this link posted by SiliconSam on the Strand page the Saenger originally opened as the Hauber Theatre.
http://pbjclibrary.state.ar.us/rotary/Hauber/
If I am reading it right the Sainger should have an AKA Hauber Theatre.

2nd paragraph here says the same thing....

http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=1106

And here too....

http://www.arkansaspreservation.org/historic-properties/_search_nomination_popup.asp?id=28

The Saenger website claims "The Saenger was built in 1924 after the Hauber Theatre, a store-turned-theater burned shortly after it was remodeling in 1922". Did both theaters occupy the same building or did one building replace the other?

The 2nd link I posted says Hauber sold to Bohlinger Amusements in 1920, then 2 months later sold to Saenger. So it appears to already have been Saenger when it burned in 1922. Very possible a 1922 building on the same lot, but it doesn't mentioned the building was razed.

This one is a little confusing, the Historical Society magazine mentions that the Hauber Theatre later became the Saenger Theatre but it doesn't emntion before or after a fire or if the Saenger built a new building.

Take the 2 links I posted and it shows that the Hauber became Saenger sometime late in 1920. Burned in 1922, when Hauber no longer owned it, and was rebuilt by Saenger. Granted, it doesn't say where or how much it was rebuilt. Since the rebuilding had an architect Emile Weil, I am going to assume from the ground up.

Cost for rebuild was estimated at $30,000 before the fire, then was finally rebuilt after the fire at a cost of $200,000. From reading the articles, it burned while in the process of rebuilding or remodeling.

I was in Pine Bluff last February and I was blown away by the ghost-town it had become. I remember seeing movies in the Saenger and it was just an amazing place! I'm a photographer and I planned to capture the historic buildings as they stood against time....when I saw them, I found myself hoping to document their existence before they're gone--which, given what I saw, is not far in the future. I was never there when the Hotel Pines was open but I have always been drawn to it--I remember stretching and straining to look through the boarded up/dirty windows just hoping to see what was inside. While I was there, I was allowed into the Hotel and I wanted to bawl! I shot several photos of it just to have some record of its existence. It is so sad that these places are being left to decay and be demolished because they don't fit into our "Wal Mart and strip mall" world today.

I've tried to contact the owners of these old buildings to no avail. It really bothers me that they've become pawns in some petty "pissin' contest" between two immature ex-school rivals! How pathetic! They need to pull theirs heads out.......and realize there's not just a "big" picture here, there's a HUGE picture. They're not playing Monopoly--they're playing with history and, if they cause these places to be lost forever, history will NOT be kind to them when their stories are told in the future. I'd like to try to help save these places (and some others around Arkansas) so, any ideas.............