RKO Keith's Theatre

I remember vividly the theatres on Salina Street in Syracuse, primarily for the mostly superb films I saw there first-run, while being taught the Russian language at Syracuse University's USAF "Skytop" facility during the 1950s: "Rio Bravo," "Anatomy of a Murder," "12 Angry Men" (the Henry Fonda version), "Ride Lonesome" and "Comanche Station," the Tiomkin-scored "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" and "Tension at Table Rock," "Sweet Smell of Success," John Ford's "The Horse Soldiers"--the list is endless. Even the schlock is memorable--Ray Harryhausen's "20 Million Miles to Earth" gains considerably when first experienced in such a movie palace as the Loew's State, across the street from the RKO Keith. (Happily, that particular venue remains today.) It's the entire moviegoing experience, theatre plus cinema, that thrives in the memory. The movie by itself is only a portion of the event.

"Marriage on the Rocks" with Frank Sinatra was playing in October 1965:
http://tinyurl.com/y5plok

Here is an article about the closing dated 1/1/67:

FINAL CURTAIN WILL FALL AT KEITH'S THEATER

"It marked an epoch in the realm of vaudeville distinguished for the excellence of the thespian art amid surroundings that surpassed the elegance of Babylonian settings." So declared a theater critic on opening night at Keith's Theater on Jan. 26, 1920. On that night of nights, Syracuse's "great white way" became
even brighter from the illumination of 5,000 incandescent lights, "proclaiming a new era in theatrical, musical, social and business affairs" in a city already synonymous with entertainment. Local newspapers hailed the new theater as "a temple of amusement" and "a Syracuse institution."

On opening night society turned out in all its glittering glory. Jewels and glamorous evening attire blended with the harmonious color scheme of the theater's decor. On the bill were Belle Baker, Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, Polly Walker and Miller & Mack, some of the most celebrated vaudeville acts of the day.
Such a show could be compared with television variety shows of today.

Full of years and honors, Keith's is scheduled to succumb to the wrecker's maul in April. It will dim its lights forever Thursday night. Down will come the structure, built at a cost of more than two million dollars, with its Italian marble columns and floors. The city is negotiating purchase of the building but
no price has been announced. It is expected, however, the price will be upwards of $700,000.

"The era of the 3,000 seat theater is drawing to a close," Dave Levin, manager of Keith's said. "Such palaces are no longer practical." Walking through the theater, one cannot help but marvel at the magnificent Czechoslavakian crystal chandeliers and the solid marble walls and pillars , which marked those bygone days of elegance. As early as 1910, the Keith's syndicate had been eager to acquire this property but hadn't been able to do so. After smoothing out details, however, only one parcel remained. On the south end was a roadway used by the Clark Music Co. for shipping and receiving. The syndicate agreed to build a tunnel to the rear of the Clark building.

The new theater was designed by T. W. Lamb, a noted architect of the day. But the architect's dream must
have been the contractor's nightmare. The solid marble columns, about 12 feet high, hold up beams hidden behind the "gingerbread" ornamentation. “This theater was built in the days when labor and materials were cheap," Levin commented. Cheap or costly, the theater buffs are shedding tears and hate to see it go.

Seating capacity is 2,514 according to the FilmTV Daily Yearbook of 1936. A lot of photos of the RKO Keith's are on a page in the Empire State Theatre and Musical Instruments Museum's web page- the Keith's page is at: http://www.jrjunction.com/keiths.htm It's quite a beautiful classically designed ornate palace. Two level lobby with oval balcony looking out over the lower lobby. Another inner promenade has a circular balcony looking out over the back section of the orchestra seats. It's a shame this place was demolished!

Here is a link to some wonderful photographs of the RKO Keith's Theatre - courtesy of Phillip A. Edwards (click on photos to enlarge):
http://www.jrjunction.com/keiths.htm

Now those were theaters ! I have great memories of going to places like RKO Keith's to see
a movie or two !!

Here is a 1948 ad from the Syracuse Post-Standard:
http://tinyurl.com/yr7hbv

The RKO Keith's can be seen in the background of this 1950s photo, featured in this year's Syracuse Post-Standard's "Memories of Christmas Past" feature.

That's a determined bunch of shoppers.

Here is part of a June 1965 article in the Syracuse Herald Journal:

Dean Robinson of Penn Yan, who delighted local music lovers last year with an informal concert on the giant Loew's Theater organ, will appear again on June 17 to put the newly-restored RKO Keith's organ through its paces. Robinson, who plays regularly for a well-known Penn Yan supper club, has been engaged by the fledgling Syracuse Theater Organ Society, which is seeking to save the Keith's organ for Syracuse.

This instrument is the only one of its kind left in the Syracuse area. The Loew’s organ has been sold to California interests. Officials of the association will solicit assistance from local people in their campaign to keep the organ here. Persons who are interested will be asked to join the society.

The RKO Keith's theater will be razed in about a year, but measures to save the organ must be taken before that time. Association officials estimate that about $10,000 will be needed to finance purchase of the organ and removal from the theater. The Keith's organ was restored by a small group of theater organ enthusiasts, under the direction of Paul Fleming. The men spent more than a year working on the instrument's maze of switches, circuits, pipes and sound effects.

A SHOUT OUT TO TOM LAMB :

Dear Tom,

Here in Syracuse we still have the honor of a 1928 Thomas Lamb theater, the Landmark (i.e. Loew's). It was one of 5 or 6 theaters that once made South Salina Street an Upstate Broadway. But just a few doors South of it was another Lamb theater - the B.F. Keith's. It was as beautifully Neoclassic as Loew's is posh Baroque/Near Eastern exotic. (I'm not a formally trained student of architecture, so no doubt I'm getting my stylistic categories wrong, but I'm sure you get my drift.) Anyhow, I remember the Syracuse Keith's - God, she was a beauty. It's "face" on the west side of South Salina Street was a huge, fan-shaped set of windows. Its interior was mostly white wood (?), and its acoustics were known to be fabulous. It opened on January 26, 1920 with vaudevile star Belle Baker as the main attraction. It remained till 1967, when, during the ugly, bone-headed days of Urban Renewal, it (she !) and two blocks' worth of lively, varied storefronts were demolished for a big 4-story department store which itself is now "sleeping with the fishes." (I was 7 years old when it was taken down.) The Keith's huge Wurlitzer organ was saved, though, and now resides in the Empire Theater on the State Fair Grounds), along with some other Keith's artifacts. Although the Keith's seated almost 2000, and there was talk even back then of the need for a new Civic Center to house the Syracuse Symphony, still, the Old Girl was demolshed anyway. So-o-o-...less than a decade later, we had to build a new Civic Center which ended up with "OK" acoustics and nowhere near the beauty. It seems that restoration just wasn't "interesting" enough to the leadership of the time. (On the other hand, laying in new concrete...You get the idea.)

Anyhow, are you (or anyone reading this) aware if the Syracuse Keith's had any surviving "twins" or "sisters" or even "close cousins" elsewhere? If so I'd love to make a pilgrimage.

my web address : lupinebreeze@inbox.com [e-mail]

Thanks,

Mark

Here is a photo circa 1933:
http://tinyurl.com/kq5k56

Great photo - thanks !!! In 1933 I wasn't born for another 26 years, but even I can sense the atmosphere of it...Sort of "We'll beat this Depression 'cuz AINT'T WE GOT GLITZ."