Barry Theater

edblank on May 29, 2008 at 1:58 pm

Originally called the (New) Kenyon Opera House, it opened Dec. 23, 1912. It already had become the Pitt Theatre by the time it played “Birth of a Nation,” though not necessarily as part of the silent blockbuster’s initial release.

Later it became the Penn Avenue Theatre and then the Miles.

I believe it might have become the Barry in 1935. Estimates of capacity during this period range from 900-1,000 seats. It closed on or about June 1, 1951.

The Barry played almost exclusively first-run double bills of minor, hour-long movies from distributors such as Republic. Sample bills: “Loaded Pistols” with “Leather Gloves”; “Baby Face Morgan” and “Bad Men of Tombstone”; “Hold That Baby” and “Brothers in the Saddle.” Holdovers were extremely rare.

Notable exceptions: The Marx Brothers' “Love Happy” got a 12-day run as a single feature. And most notably, about a year after “The Red Shoes” had concluded a roadshow (reserved seat) engagement elsewhere, it moved to the Barry for a six-week run that did business far beyond the norm here.

kencmcintyre on April 7, 2009 at 1:40 pm

This site has a 1948 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/dh7ycn

Joe Vogel on June 1, 2012 at 4:04 pm

The lighting system in the Pitt Theatre was redesigned as part of an early renovation, and the theater and its lighting were described at length and rather effusively in an article in the trade journal Electrical Review of June 20, 1914:

“Artistic New Lighting in Old Theater.

“The theater-going public must be pleased not only with the performance but also with physical comfort at the theaters it attends. Realizing this, the Pitt Theater, of Pittsburgh, Pa., recently remodeled the entire house and installed the latest improvements in lighting.

“The details are of interest, as there is much theater building going on now owing to the steadily increasing popularity of motion pictures. Illumination for this class of work is special and there is a noteworthy lack of definite information on the subject. In the following description of the Pitt is given a good example of recent practice in this line.

“The main ceiling has three Parian bowls, a 500-watt lamp in each, hanging 20 feet from ceiling. In front of the second balcony are 14 eight-inch Parian acorns with a 40-watt lamp in each. In front of the first balcony are 17 Parian panels with two 16-candle power carbon linolite lamps and Frink reflectors behind each panel. The ceiling over the first balcony has four Parian bowls with 250-watt lamp in each. The second-floor corridor has six bowls each with 150-watt lamp. In the first-floor corridor are five bowls, 250-watt lamp in each.

“On the newel post at the foot of the stairs are Parian urns with a 150-watt lamp in each. Under the first balcony are four bowls, 250-watt lamp in each. In the first-floor box eight bowls are used as ceiling lights with three 25watt round-bulb tungsten lamps in each. The second-floor boxes have eight Parian acorns suspended with arms so that they give the appearance of urns, a 150-watt lamp being in each. The height of the main ceiling is about 40 feet. The floor space of main floor, including corridor, is 80 by 100 feet. The area of the first balcony is about 35 by 100 feet.

“The color scheme of the theater is blue and old ivory. The hangings, draperies, etc., dark blue. All the glass work is decorated light blue and old ivory, with a blue band, the fret work on the Grecian band being brought out in blue. For the ladies' retiring room special bowls colored old rose to match the hangings were selected. Frink reflectors are used over the ticket window, around the inner edge of the marquise, and inside the framework of the two billboards in front.

“Parian balls are set on the marquise and on the top of the theater. The inside brackets use blue and old-ivory decorated shades. Special bracket fixtures for mirrors, handle trimmings and silk shades, candelabra fixtures, fire logs, etc., complete the lighting installation which, was furnished throughout by the H. W. Johns Manville Company, New York City.

“The architects, Simpson & Isles, of Pittsburgh, Pa., have received much praise from the management and patrons for the excellent effects they have secured. Formerly with the ordinary fixtures the lamps were exposed and gave the usual disagreeable glare. With the new equipment, beside accomplishing a decided current decrease, not a lamp is visible and the restful comfort and beauty are conspicuous.”

Here is a drawing of the theater made by Anthony Dumas during the period when it was known as the Shubert Pitt Theatre (1919-1935.)

I doubt that Simpson & Isles were the original architects of the theater. They probably only designed the later renovation. About the only thing I can find about them on the Internet is that the partnership was dissolved in 1915. An earlier Pittsbrgh house built by Thomas Kenyon was designed by William Kauffman, so Kauffman might have designed the New Kenyon as well, though so far I’ve found no evidence that he did.

Joe Vogel on June 21, 2012 at 1:45 pm

The Pitt Theatre was again remodeled in 1936, after the Shuberts gave the house up. This is probably when it was renamed the Barry and began showing movies. Here’s the item from the “Pittsburgh Patter” column of The Film Daily for February 5, 1936:

“Victor Rigaumont, local architect and member of the Variety Club, is in charge of the Pitt Theater remodeling work now under way.”