North Park Theatre

The North Park Theatre opened Nov.21,1920 with a seating capacity of 1,420. The Architect was Henry L. Spann and the Interior Designer was Raphael Beck.

1) The North Park has the majority of its original lights, but putportedly, it originally had hanging Tiffany Lamps at the rear of the theater. These lamps were removed and sold at one time as were those in the Shea's Buffalo Theater (those flanked the proscenium). The lamps should be found and replaced.

2) There is a circular oil painting surrounding the "dome" of the theaer. In 2004, the bulbs illuminating it were replaced, revealing more of the detail in the paintings. However, restoration and preservation work should be done on the paintings.

3) The original proscenium around the original (Academy Aperature, 1.33:1) screen is intact, but it is totally obscured by the current screen which stands in front of it on a jerry-rigged wooden stage. This screen should be available for special, classic film screenings.

The North Park is the only Shea's theater still in existence in the Buffalo area besides Shea's Performing Arts Center (formerly Shea's Buffalo theater). Offering a mixed palate of art and foreign films, it has a tough time competing with other theaters who began offering similar fare, including one located not too far from it. Parking can sometimes be difficult even at night and the other theater is located in a plaza with plenty of parking.
Some seating was sacrificed a number of years ago for the addition of a concession area. Even so its still a sizeable house.
The impression I received is that the management has all it can do
to keep afloat and there is little, if any, funds for refurbishment of the theater. I sincerely hope that the North Park will survive.

Was the Shea's circuit of theatres situated solely in upstate N.Y. or were there Shea's located elsewhere as well?

I lived in the neighborhood of this theatre for about 2 years. First of all, I loved living in Buffalo (no kidding)! I would move back in a heartbeat. I especially enjoyed the Hertel Avenue area because (back in the 90's anyway) it seemed like the perfect city neighborhood. Not too rich, not too poor, great old houses, pharmacy's, bars, grocery stores and anything else you might want, all in walking distance from my front door. One of the highlights was the North Park Theatre. A great old theatre showing movies worth seeing, and I could stroll home or to a restaurant after the flick! As an added plus, my Canadian friends could not get over how friendly Buffalonians are, so you Go Buffalo! As far as I'm concerned, YOU ROCK!

At one time there were 10 Shea's theaters in the Buffalo area alone, as well as Shea's Hippodrome in downtown Toronto. That theater was demolished in the early 60's to make way for Toronto's new city hall and civic square. There may have been other theaters elsewhere. Except for the North Park and Shea's Performing Arts Center, all other Shea's theaters in Buffalo are gone.

You're right ziggy, North Buffalo and Hertel Av still is a great area.

The North Park is, supposedly, currently (12/2004) owned by the Dipson Theatre chain.

They would surely benefit from a restoration of the theatre by increased audience interest and attendance.

Anyone know where they are located and who is in charge?

Dipson Theatres' corporate office is located in Williamsville NY (a suburb of Buffalo). In addition to the North Park, they operate several theaters in the Buffalo area as well as a number of other theaters in western NY. According to their website they operate 37 screens in total.

br91975: I believe there were other Shea's, but someone more Shea's knowledge than myself could help us with this information, I'm sure.

I believe there were other Shea's around the country other than in Buffalo as I know there were other Warner Theatres.

When first opened in 1920, Sheas North Park Theatre was equipped with a Wurlitzer 2Manual/6Rank theatre pipe organ Opus 365. However it was repossed on 27th March 1926 and removed to the Lyric Theatre, Louisville, KY. It is now in Albany. NY.

Where, exactly, in Albary, NY is the North Park Theatre organ?

E. Summer: Interesting post in regards to the Tiffany lamps as I wonder how many historic theatres had or have Tiffany lighting?

Strangely enough there are Tiffany style hanging fixtures at the rear of the North Park (around the concession area) but these are definite fakes. Unless they have been removed quite recently, they are still there.

Ziggy: Just read your Buffalo comments. As everyone knows winters can be tough in Buffalo, but the other seasons are just fine and if one knows where to look one can find out of way great neighborhoods, historical buildings, wonderful restaurants and friendly folks along the shores of Lake Erie! I plan to check out the North Park Theatre and the Riviera this summer. I think Shea's takes top honors for the City of Buffalo though.

Tiffany Lights: While I have no idea about Tiffany lamps in general (someone might do some research), I am aware that both the Shea's Buffalo and North Park had actual, Louis Comfort Tiffany lighting. In both cases, the original lighting was sold. The whereabouts of the North Park's fixtures remains unknown as of this writing. The Sheas Buffalo lights were in the Museum of the City of New York, but (as I recall) returned to Buffalo under some special arrangmeent. Any details regarding this would certainly be interesting!

Buffalo New York as a film community: While this is probably not the optimal place to put this information, it seems relevant to the informed discussion which is occurring. It's not well known, but Buffalo, New York was extremely important as a motion picture distribution center dating back to the early 20th Century. Every major distribution company (Warner Brothers, Fox, Paramount, Universal, Republic, et al) had their own building grouped for the most part along Franklin Street in close proximity to West Tupper. Several of the buildings remain intact but are used for different purposes: The Univesal exchange, the Warner Brothers Exchange (now a restaurant closer to Chippewa Street), the Warner Brothers shipping facility (diagonally across the street from the Exchange), the Paramount Exchange, and perhaps others.

If someone knows of a better place in this website to post such information, please let me know, or we can continue the dialog here.

There's as much chance of the original Tiffany fixtures being returned to the North Park as there is of the Frank Lloyd Wright 'Tree of Life' windows and original furnishings being returned to the Darwin Martin house, but you never know. Don't forget you're talking about a city that didn't utter a murmur of protest when the Wright signature Larkin headquarters office building was demolished, something they'll never live down now.
Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society might be a place that would have additional information on the film exchange buildings and perhaps even the light fixtures.
Someone recently asked where in Albany the repossessed Wurlitzer organ from the North Park ended up. That's another question that has yet to be answered.

Sam_e: I sure agree with your FLW/Larkin accessment! Buffalo will NEVER live down what happened to that Larkin Administrative Building. BTW, are you aware of the annual Larkin Expo? A friend of mine, Jerome Puma is very involved with that event each year so if you want additional information I can provide it for you via Jerry. Also, through eBay last year I purchased a Larkin cold creme jar (no lid though) that I treasure and have colorful Lake Erie beach glass in it now.

It's amazing to me how these theatre organs disappear and then can't be find/located so they can be returned to their rightful spot in a restored theatre. :-(

Patsy, ........and it is bigger than a bread box too :) One can only hope that it didn't suffer the fate of the organ from Shea's Hippodrome in Toronto. That organ was reinstalled in Maple Leaf Gardens. Later, in a fit of pique, Gardens management took a fire axe to the console and destroyed it. The rest of the organ eventually ended up in Casa Loma where it is still in use today, but with a console from yet another theater organ. (see also the damage done to the Garrick theater organ in Winnipeg while it was in storage). Strange how things happen.

Sam_e: Thanks for posting your theatre organ knowledge as it is most interesting!

Sam-e: I had your email at one time and wanted to discuss former Buffalo theatres with you so will mention it here in the hopes that you read this. My email is on my profile page so if you want to contact me, please do so.....Richard Grow and E. Summer, too.

Best cinematic experience available on the planet. It's as simple as that.

Here is a 1995 b/w photo of the North Park Theater.

sam_e:The Toronto Hippodrome,opening Apr. 27, 1914, was demolished in March of 1957. Lempert, Jr. also designed in Toronto: the Shea's Theatre,later the Victoria, at the corner of Victoria and Richmond. It opened: Aug.1, 1910.

Here is a night view of the North Park Theater.

Hi All, Just recently discovered this web sight. I have a lot of memories about the North Park Theater.
I lived next door to the movie from 1939 to 1960 and was an usher in 1949 and 1950. I lived upstairs in an appartment above the Parkway Ice Cream Shop which is now known as Birtha's.
One fun thing when I was young was to talk out the window to the stage hand when they would change the letters on the marquee.
Looking at the pictures posted here the marquee that you see is the new one although a lot of time has gone by with this one. The original marquee was larger and rectangular and protruded more over the sidewalk. I covered more area and was good to stand under while waiting for the movie to open the front doors when the weather was bad. As I recall the present marquee was built sometime in the early 50's. While I was an usher I can remember helping cange the letters on the older one. There was a guy from one of the local stores that would sell the Sunday Morning Courier-Express under the marquee as the patrons came out from the last show.
The parkway Ice cream Shop made all their oun products. It was a real aromatic treat to smell all the chocolate and cinamon flavored candies they would make at the different holidays of the year. They had a large popcorn machine and in the summer months they would put it out on the sidewalk and sell popcorn the the people as they headed to the movie. Many of them would also stop in for ice cream sundsys and sodas.
When they would open the first outer doors to the movie you would line up for tickets at the box office. In that first enterance area you would see on the wall the next posted comming attractions. The picture then showing was posted outside. After you got your ticket you would go through a second row of doors with the door man posted at one door to take your ticket. Thenyou went through another row of doors to the theater seating area. Just inside the last row of doors was a candy case counter. Later on they moved it down to the end of the back wall area as it caused a lot of congestion. Later on again they installed a candy and popcorn consession stand in the area just after you came in from the door man. That first area was also where the enterances to the rest rooms were. The mens room was to the left and upstairs. Originaly that consession area was the room where they kept the sign letters and ladders for changing the marquee.It was also the lost and found room.
Being an usher back then was considered quite a status symbol.Especially with the gals. They all wanted to date the ushers.
Ushers had many different jobs. Help with seating,sell at the candy consession,help change signs and comming attractions posters.You would sometimes help the stage hand change light bulbs on the marquee and other areas. One of the most scarriest jobs was to change burn out bulbs in the cieling. There was a series of cat walks that you had to stay on. The cieling was very fragile and made of wire mesh and plaster.
Access to the cieling was through the projection room. There was a door that you climbed through on the back wall.
The projection room had three carbon arc projectors and a rewind machine as I remember. At one time when I was an usher there was a panaramic picture of the entire block of Hertel ave from North Park to Norwalk showing all the stores and the movie as it was when it first opened.
Living next door to the movie I used to go to the movies every time the picture changed. I probably saw every movie that was ever made in the 40's. I missed a lot of the 50's as I was in the military many of those years. Tickets were only about 14,16 cents for child. If you had a quarter you could go to the movie and get a couple of candy bars as well. Still had money left for a coke after the show.
I have many more memories of those years at the North Park and living on Hertel Avenue. I would be glad to answer any questions or comments that I can if anyone who reads this would like to ask.
Best regards to all the North Park movie goers past and present. norrlip@aol.com

This is a recent photo of the North Park Theater.

The theater originally had 1,100 seats according to articles published in 1920.

The outer lobby was once twice as tall as it is now. A drop ceiling was installed to save on heating bills, but the original lobby is intact above this false ceiling.

Here is another recent photo of the North Park Theater.

EDWARD SUMMER,
SAM_E,
PATSY...About the WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ, I find it interesting that WurliTzer shipped it on November 13, 1920 and WurliTzer didn't reposess it untll March 27, 1926, over 5 years. It of course then went to the Lyric Theater in Lousiville, Kentucky. It then went to a privare owner in Albany, New York where the organ was installed and played.
I'm not sure if the organ is still all together. The owner of the above organ also had/has a 3 manual 11 rank Wurlizer Theater Pipe Organ Opus 2114 from the Paramount Theater in Middletown, New York, shipped June 12,1939. He then sold the console to a private owner in Agoura Hills, California and it is now the console at the Orpheum Theater in Phoenix, Arizona. So these organs do get around!

"Gee Dad, it was a WurliTzer!"

This is a more recent photo of the North Park Theater.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15920679@N07/
Hoping this works.At a recent visit to the North Park theatre I took ten photos of the theatre. If you can view the photos I have a comment about each one. I hope the link to flickr photo site works. Enjoy,regards....norrlip

Here are three more recent photos of the North Park Theater.

The comment under the night view photo of the marquee says "It was barely lit! I know I've seen it all lit up before though."

It all depends on who's working that night. They can be forgetful. I've driven by more than once when the exterior lights, attractions panels and neon sign were off. The only thing that was on was that circle of incandescent lamps under the marquee. You could never be quite certain if the theatre was open or closed unless you looked carefully and saw the cashier sitting in the box office.

Regarding last set of marque photos and comments by lost memory and sam-e. I get the impression that you are in the buffalo area in order to take pics and notice if the lights are on. I am in amherst ny. It would be interesting if we all could get together some time and compare notes over a cup of coffee,say at birtha's,next to the north park.    I am also wondering if you or anyone has looked at the pics I have posted of the inside of the theater. So far I have not seen any comments about the pics or my first post about when I lived and worked there.      Regards   norrlip    Regards     norrlip

There is a Yahoo Group for Buffalo Movie Theaters at:

http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/BuffaloMovieTheaters/

Members can exchange information, photos and arrange to meet.

Another photo of the North Park
http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=7198

"THE SHOW STARTS ON THE SIDEWALK" S. Charles Lee/Maggie Valentine

http://www.buffalonews.com/entertainment/story/282171.html

I was sad to read that Ike Erlichman who booked films for the North Park along with the other Dipson theatres has died.

http://www.forgottenbuffalo.com/forgottenbflofeatures/northparktheater.html

Some nice pictures of the North Park here.

Phone number 1963: TF6-7411

45 YEARS that's at least how long this theater has had the same phone number!

bflofan,
I live near Chicago, so Buffalo phone numbers don't mean a lot to me, but it's should bring back memories to those around Buffalo and especially if they worked at one of these theaters. It was still neat for me to be reminded of when exchanges had names.
Do you have phone numbers for theaters not listed on Cinema Treasures? If yes, you could add them to CT. What a great way to get all the Buffalo area theaters of the early 60's all listed on CT.

"This is like deja vu all over again." Yogi Berra (1925-)

I already updated all the Buffalo, NY and the suburban area theatres' phone numbers. Locations include Tonawanda, N. Tonawanda, Lockport, Lancaster, Cheektowaga, Orchard Park, Lackawanna, Hamburg, Kenmore, Blasdell, Depew, Sloan and Ebenezer.

I had never seen anything like this wonderful theatre in my life until my friend and I stumbled upon it one day, desperate to see There Will Be Blood, but unable to find any theatres in Ontario playing it. We were absolutely in awe when we saw the theatre, and especially when we entered it. Every person we have encountered working there has been so kind and helpful, and makes the experience that much better. Now, we make the trek out to Buffalo once every few months, whenever money allows it. There are very few trips now that are worth the gas money, but I will always spend every cent I have to make the trip to the North Park Theatre.

Does anyone know, are there any other theatres in the Buffalo area that even compare to this one?

blackjackdavey: Not to take away from the little gem that the North Park is, but if you're looking for other cinema treasures in the Buffalo area you should make a point of visiting the former Shea's
Buffalo theatre on Main St in downtown Buffalo. It has been refurbished to it's 1920's grandeur, along with it's original Wurlitzer organ. Used mainly as a live performance venue today, it only rarely shows film now. However, the theatre itself is worth the visit. Also any trip to the area means a visit to the Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda. Not only has it been restored and regularly shows movies, but there is the added bonus of the Wurlitzer organ in it's original setting. Besides regular monthly organ concerts, it is usually played at intermission.
Both Shea's Buffalo (Shea's Center for the Perfoming Arts) and the Riviera theatre have their own listings here on Cinema Treasures.

Thanks for the advice! I'll check out both those places next time I'm near Buffalo

Mama Mia has been playing here. This is a departure from its usual foreign or art films which have an exclusive run at the North Park.

http://movie-theatre.org/usa/ny/buffalo/buffalof.pdf

There is information on the North Park at the above website.

http://www.buffalorising.com/story/the_north_park_uncovering_neoc#SlideFrame_0

Nice article on the North Park at the site above.

Here are some 1980s photos of the North Park

Photo1

Photo2

Photo3

Photo4

I found two Shea's movie palaces that operated in the Pittsburgh area. One is the Fulton Theater, in Downtown Pittsburgh, still in operation and Shea's Orpheum, in McKees Rocks, which is still standing, but dark.