Geauga Cinema

Was there a theatre in Chardon called the Chardon. I recently spoke to a lady who once lived in Chardon and she recalled a marquee with "twinkling lights" and the lady who sold her a ticket then sold her a box of popcorn.

And how are the renovations that were to "be completed by the end of 2001" coming along? I hope that the renovation work has been completed. And again, was there a theatre in Chardon called the Chardon?

This is a recent photo of the Geauga Cinema.

Here is a 2008 photo.

According to this website, movies are also shown at the Geauga Theater on weekends.

Here is a 2009 photo.

The Geauga Theatre was the subject of an article in the June 24, 1939, issue of Boxoffice Magazine, a few months after it opened. The house was built for Mr. L.M. Smith, who was also the owner of the old Chardon Theatre. The design, construction, and outfitting of the Geauga Theatre were all handled by the F&Y Building Service of Columbus, Ohio.

The Art Moderne design featured such amenities as chrome and leatherette furniture in the lobby and rest rooms, velour wall panels in lobby and auditorium, and steel-backed theater seats upholstered in mohair and maroon leather. The exits flanking the stage were surmounted by velour panels featuring decorative oil paintings in black, white, and scarlet, lit by up-lights concealed in troughs.

The facade featured tangerine face brick and buff terra cotta and glass brick. The vestibule had terrazzo flooring. The entire house was air conditioned.

The Theatre Division of the F&Y Building Service apparently designed quite a few theaters in the Ohio Valley. I've only been able to find the names of a small handful of them so far, but the company ran an ad featuring the Geauga Theatre in the June 24, 1939, issue of Boxoffice Magazine. One line reads "Go see the Geauga or any of the many other F&Y designed and built theatres."

The company was operating at least as late as 1959, headed by Leo Yassenoff. He was also interested in the Academy Theatres Circuit, later the Academy-Neff Circuit, run by Frank Yassenoff and then by Milton Yassenoff. It seems likely that theaters built for this circuit during the era would have been designed and built by the family company.

If the Geauga is typical of the quality of F&Y's design, the company surely qualifies as a significant regional design firm.

1982 photo of the Geauga Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c35%2c3%2c-1&catpageindex=10&catpagesize=25&ProductID=31683

October 2008 photo of the Geauga Theatre courtesy of jdcow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdcow40/2987601644/

October 2008 night photo of the Geauga Theatre courtesy loungelistener.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/loungelistener/2927711361/

Patsy, in regards to your question about the Chardon Theatre, yes it did exist, it was located at 36 South St. at the Square, built in the late 1920's and in operation at least through the late 1940's

Thanks for answering a question that I posted in 2006...had forgotten about it, but have not added the Chardon to CT.

Here are two more 1982 photos:

Photo1

Photo2