Have a news tip for us?
Just email . Ideas for stories, links to interesting articles, and press releases are welcome.
Theaters
-
April 1, 2003
Latest News On The Sameric/Boyd Theater
PHILADELPHIA, PA — The recent fundraiser held by the Friends of the Boyd raised over $6,000 from ticket sales for “The Show-Off,” proceeds from the sale of a new print of the 1928 Boyd theater facade by artist Lynne Neuman, and other donations.
Added to a new $7,500 grant from the Fels Foundation, and the organization is more than half way to their goal of raising $25,000 that is needed to match a city grant of the same figure.
Howard Haas writes of the fundraiser:
[Philadelphia Inquirer film critic] Carrie Rickey gave a wonderful introduction, Warner Bros. sent us a beautiful archival print that looked new (which will help save a movie palace built by the Warner chain), Don Kinnier’s piano playing was perfect, and I was happy to speak to so many of you at our reception.
Photos of people in the auditorium & at the reception are on our website homepage, scroll down to Show-Off, click on photos! Because we had an overflow crowd, we raised a substantial amount of money for the business & architectural studies we need. We also had to turn away some latecomers, so it was good so many purchased tickets in advance or early.
More information can be found in the following articles and editorial:
Philadelphia Daily News — Pennsylvania Ballet eyeing Sameric for classrooms, offices
0 comments -
March 28, 2003
“The Lost Theatres of Somerville” Exhibit Opens Today!
SOMERVILLE, MA — “The Lost Theatres of Somerville” is a special year long exhibit that opens tomorrow at 5:00 pm at the Somerville Museum.
The exhibit focuses on the the fourteen cinemas “that once thrived in this small working class city near Boston and how these ‘nabes’ — neighborhood cinemas — fostered a sense of place and common culture.”
According to Mimi Graney, “The exhibit includes a wealth of archival photographs, contemporary photos, and all sorts of memorabilia from tickets and posters to a ten foot neon marquee. [We also have] a series of lectures coming up in April and others planned for the rest of the year long run.”
For more information on this amazing exhibit, read the Lost Theaters press release or visit the exhibit’s website. The exhibit is curated by Tufts University Anthropology professor David Guss.
Hopefully this exhaustive study of Somerville’s theaters, which couples other such efforts by theater historians such as Cesar Del Valle, will inspire more of these around the county.
We’ll continue to update you about special events surrounding this terrific exhibit.
Thanks to Mimi Graney for keeping us updated and to David Guss for reminding all of us what we’ve lost.
-
March 24, 2003
Another 1960s Theater To Be Demolished
PHILADELPHIA, PA — The original 1964 Andorra Theater, last known as the AMC Andorra 8, is slated to be demolished and replaced by a fitness center.
Read the Review article
Read more about this theaterThis all too familiar story serves as a reminder that the most endangered theaters in the country have, of late, been those built after 1960.
-
Loew’s Jersey Announces Upcoming Events
JERSEY CITY, NJ — The Loew’s Jersey Theatre will host the following events this coming weekend:
The 2nd Annual Classic Comedy Weekend
Saturday, March 29, 4PM
The Sons of the Desert (1933) 73 min.Saturday, March 29, 8PM
A Night At The Opera (1935) 92 min.
Shown with three classic Three Stooges shorts!Paul Wesolowski will display rare posters and film stills in the Loew’s and will give a brief introduction to A Night At The Opera that will include questions from the audience.
Sunday, March 30, 2PM
Bob Hope’s 100th Birthday Double Feature
The Road To Morocco (1942) 83 min.
The Seven Little Foys (1955) 93 min.If you haven’t been to the restoration-in-progress, this is a perfect time to show your support.
Thanks to the Friends of the Loew’s for the update!
-
Aero Theatre Announces Farewell Party
SANTA MONICA, CA — The following email has been sent from Chris Allen of the Aero:
I’m pleased to announce that we will be hosting a farewell party on Saturday, April 12, 2003. The movie “Blazing Saddles” will be the feature presentation because it is a time for laughter and not tears. Like our other special events, there will be food and wine, and tickets will once again be $20.
I want to thank all of you for your support over the last year. Without your help, the Aero would have surely met its demise.
American Cinematheque will have a representative on hand that night to let us all know of their plans to bring the Aero back to its original glory! I hope to see everyone that night. Continued vigilance will assure the Aero’s safety for years to come.
For more information, visit the Aero Theatre website.
-
March 17, 2003
Two Remain In Running For Chicago Theatre
CHICAGO, IL — The list of potential owners and operators of the famous Chicago Theatre has been reduced to two.
Read the Chicago Tribune article
Thanks to Bryan Krefft for the update.
(Three more stories below.)
-
Friends of the Boyd Host A Fundraiser
PHILADELPHIA, PA — The following email was sent by Friends of the Boyd Chairman, Howard Haas:
We are really eager for you to join us at our film fundraiser of The Show-Off, 8 PM, Friday March 21, at International House, 3701 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. $15 includes live music & reception afterwards at International House with White Dog Cafe food, Yards Brewing Co. beer, and 1920’s music from radio D.J. Dan Buskirk.
The Show-Off is a silent 1926 romantic comedy starring Louise Brooks, and was filmed in Philadelphia with scenes of Swann Fountain, City Hall, and old Pennsylvania RR Broad Street Station. Movie critic Carrie Rickey will introduce the film. Hope to see you there. Please bring your friends!
For tickets, call Upstages at 215-569-9700 or buy at Prince or Plays & Players when Upstages open at those theaters, or with cash or credit card at International House from 2 hours before the film. Friends of the Boyd is raising funds for business and architectural studies to restore the Sameric.
For more information, visit the Friends of the Boyd website.
Thanks to Howard for the update.
-
Last Chance For A Discount Rate At The National Town Meeting
WASHINGTON, DC — Today is the last chance to sign up for the early registration rate at the National Town Meeting, to be held May 18-21 in Cincinatti, Ohio.
To qualify for this rate, you must sign up by 5 pm today.
For more information on the National Town Meeting, visit their website.
Thanks to David Tully for the update.
-
March 10, 2003
Send In Your Proposals For The Villa!
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — The following email was sent out by Kirk Huffaker of the Utah Heritage Foundation:
Over the last 2 weeks, we have heard not only the continuing concerns of Villa-philes from everywhere, but also some great ideas to continue the use of the Villa as a theater venue and for adaptive use of the building. Utah Heritage Foundation would like to serve as the clearinghouse for all ideas for the continued use of the Villa Theatre and requests your assistance in this endeavor.
We would like to continue collecting these ideas through the next week (March 14). Please forward your thoughts on continuing the use of the Villa as a theater (business planning, management, rehabilitation, variation of use, integration into community events, partnerships, fundraising, etc.) or the adaptive use of the theater (ideas for other uses, feasibility of those uses in the building, rehabilitation and costs, funding/financing of a project, etc.) to me.
Thank you for your continued interest in saving the Villa!
Kirk Huffaker
Assistant Director
Utah Heritage Foundation
Memorial House in Memory Grove Park
P.O. Box 28
Salt Lake City, UT 84110-0028
801.533.0858
801.537.1245 fax
www.utahheritagefoundation.comThanks to Grant Smith and Kirk Huffaker for their work on behalf of the Villa!
-
Theaters For Sale On eBay
The following theaters are currently for sale on eBay: