Here is a story dated 2/2/58 from the Cedar Rapids Gazette:
TRAER â€" People will soon be going to the movies here again. For more than seventeen months now – television notwithstanding-silver screen sympathies remained strong.
The recent history of the Traer motion picture business is a little confusing. First there was the “old†theater, then the "new” one. When the new theater began operation in 1950, the old one became a beauty parlor. Later the “new” theater was sold to the Traer Masonic bodies and remodeled for their use. At the time of the sale, the motion picture equipment was moved back to the old theater, which had been vacated by the beauty shop. For months the projection equipment theater seats and other apparatus has been stored, unassembled in the older theater location.
And it is in that building that Eddie Malina will put the pieces back together so that Traer people can see movies again in their own town theater.
Between today and opening day for the renovated Traer theaterâ€"probably March 1â€"Malina has his work cut out for him. Among other things, he must remodel the old theater back to a theater again. This means lowering the floor Into a general slope like it was before the building became a beauty parlor and the floor was leveled.
Malina is planning on a remodeled canopy for the front of the theater building, some rewiring and other necessary jobs. Included in the time set aside fnr the renovation must be countless hours of work reassembling, relocating and reconditioning the projection equipment, placing the seats and other such jobs.
None of the equipment which will go into the new Traer theater is what you’d call old in show business. All of it, from the projectors to the theater seats, was new when the new theater opened in what is now the Masonic building. “It’s all been checked over carefully and it’s all in good condition,” Malina said.
The theater which Malina will open will seat around 200. Admission charge will be 20 cents for children, 33 cents for teen-agers in high school and fifty cents for adults. Malina himself will run the projection booth.
The Band Box is last advertised in the Mason City newspapers on December 11, 1956. It either closed or changed its name again, which would be why Band Box no longer shows up in the search.
That’s what Joe said a few months ago. I’m looking at some ads now that seem to end in December 1956, but nothing at that time about the theater closing.
The Band Box theater, formerly the State, opens Tuesday under a new name and advertised with the picture of a clown, which is to represent the “center of attraction.” There is a new look about the Band Box theater, new seats, new air-conditioning, new screen, new sign, new carpet, new projection and sound, modern concession bar and new front.
Two separate companies united through the general manager of each, R.P. Carmean, announced the appointment of two men as new additions to their executive personnel. Robert G. Budlong, 28, manager of Gretchen’s Sweets Candy shop, has served his apprenticeship acting as assistant manager in this store for more than a year. He is from Albert Lea, Minn., but has bought a. home at 1134 First S.E. His family consists of his wife, Leone, who also is employed by Gretchen’s Sweets, and his mother.
Harry Miller, 29, is the new manager of the Band Box theater. He has long been known around Mason City in the field of show business. He worked as house manager for more than two years n the old State theater here, and has been in show business for 10 years.
Here is a May 1950 article from the Mason City Globe:
C.A. Schultz, former president and co-founder of the Commonwealth theater circuit of Kansas City, has purchased the State theater from Nathan Miller and has signed a long term lease with N. Levinson, owner of the building. Mr. Schultz, who already has other business interests in Mason City and Albert Lea, in the Gretchen Sweet shops which he owns and operates, has had a long career in motion picture theater operation. He withdrew from Commonwealth a year ago to recover his health and now plans to concentrate on a number of carefully chosen theaters to which he can give his personal attention.
The State theater will be closed soon for remodeling and econditioning. The latest ideas in modern theater construction will be used. Plans include the rebuilding of the marquee, with the new spotlight illumination, covering of the lower part of the building with structural glass, the building of a hew box office, and the installation of display cases. The lobby will be enlarged, and an 11 foot snack bar will be installed. New carpet, artistic pastel wall decorations, new drapes and many mirrors will give the lobby a luxurious note.
A grand staircase will lead from the lobby to a lower floor lounge, with completely new rest rooms, where smoking will be permitted. The manager’s office also will be located on the lower floor. New Manager Glenn Beckett, who comes to Mason City from the deluxe Uptown theater in Kansas City, and who has also managed the Ritz in Chillicothe, and the Home theater in Kansas City, will be the resident manager.
The State theater will adhere to a policy of entertainment designed for the entire family. The snack bar will have a bottle warmer for the convenience of mothers attending the theater with small babies. In his housewarming plans, Mr. Beckett will include an opportunity to get a preview of this beautiful little theater before it is re-opened for business.
Here is an undated photo:
http://tinyurl.com/kkhsdk
Here is an undated photo:
http://tinyurl.com/klmn4s
Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/lt49pu
Here is an undated interior photo:
http://tinyurl.com/lq3yob
Here is a 1985 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/leenqk
Here are some more photos:
http://tinyurl.com/lkpouu
http://tinyurl.com/lvnrzu
http://tinyurl.com/luprgv
http://tinyurl.com/lfw396
http://tinyurl.com/lvplos
Here is a story dated 2/2/58 from the Cedar Rapids Gazette:
TRAER â€" People will soon be going to the movies here again. For more than seventeen months now – television notwithstanding-silver screen sympathies remained strong.
The recent history of the Traer motion picture business is a little confusing. First there was the “old†theater, then the "new” one. When the new theater began operation in 1950, the old one became a beauty parlor. Later the “new” theater was sold to the Traer Masonic bodies and remodeled for their use. At the time of the sale, the motion picture equipment was moved back to the old theater, which had been vacated by the beauty shop. For months the projection equipment theater seats and other apparatus has been stored, unassembled in the older theater location.
And it is in that building that Eddie Malina will put the pieces back together so that Traer people can see movies again in their own town theater.
Between today and opening day for the renovated Traer theaterâ€"probably March 1â€"Malina has his work cut out for him. Among other things, he must remodel the old theater back to a theater again. This means lowering the floor Into a general slope like it was before the building became a beauty parlor and the floor was leveled.
Malina is planning on a remodeled canopy for the front of the theater building, some rewiring and other necessary jobs. Included in the time set aside fnr the renovation must be countless hours of work reassembling, relocating and reconditioning the projection equipment, placing the seats and other such jobs.
None of the equipment which will go into the new Traer theater is what you’d call old in show business. All of it, from the projectors to the theater seats, was new when the new theater opened in what is now the Masonic building. “It’s all been checked over carefully and it’s all in good condition,” Malina said.
The theater which Malina will open will seat around 200. Admission charge will be 20 cents for children, 33 cents for teen-agers in high school and fifty cents for adults. Malina himself will run the projection booth.
Party time at the Strand in February 1958, from the Ackley World Journal:
http://tinyurl.com/mk2yer
It looks there are some lawyers at this address, but I don’t know if they are in the theater building or a new building.
Here is a December 1956 ad from the Mason City Globe:
http://tinyurl.com/lnrjn5
The Band Box is last advertised in the Mason City newspapers on December 11, 1956. It either closed or changed its name again, which would be why Band Box no longer shows up in the search.
That’s what Joe said a few months ago. I’m looking at some ads now that seem to end in December 1956, but nothing at that time about the theater closing.
This is from the same paper in July 1951:
The Band Box theater, formerly the State, opens Tuesday under a new name and advertised with the picture of a clown, which is to represent the “center of attraction.” There is a new look about the Band Box theater, new seats, new air-conditioning, new screen, new sign, new carpet, new projection and sound, modern concession bar and new front.
Two separate companies united through the general manager of each, R.P. Carmean, announced the appointment of two men as new additions to their executive personnel. Robert G. Budlong, 28, manager of Gretchen’s Sweets Candy shop, has served his apprenticeship acting as assistant manager in this store for more than a year. He is from Albert Lea, Minn., but has bought a. home at 1134 First S.E. His family consists of his wife, Leone, who also is employed by Gretchen’s Sweets, and his mother.
Harry Miller, 29, is the new manager of the Band Box theater. He has long been known around Mason City in the field of show business. He worked as house manager for more than two years n the old State theater here, and has been in show business for 10 years.
Here is a May 1950 article from the Mason City Globe:
C.A. Schultz, former president and co-founder of the Commonwealth theater circuit of Kansas City, has purchased the State theater from Nathan Miller and has signed a long term lease with N. Levinson, owner of the building. Mr. Schultz, who already has other business interests in Mason City and Albert Lea, in the Gretchen Sweet shops which he owns and operates, has had a long career in motion picture theater operation. He withdrew from Commonwealth a year ago to recover his health and now plans to concentrate on a number of carefully chosen theaters to which he can give his personal attention.
The State theater will be closed soon for remodeling and econditioning. The latest ideas in modern theater construction will be used. Plans include the rebuilding of the marquee, with the new spotlight illumination, covering of the lower part of the building with structural glass, the building of a hew box office, and the installation of display cases. The lobby will be enlarged, and an 11 foot snack bar will be installed. New carpet, artistic pastel wall decorations, new drapes and many mirrors will give the lobby a luxurious note.
A grand staircase will lead from the lobby to a lower floor lounge, with completely new rest rooms, where smoking will be permitted. The manager’s office also will be located on the lower floor. New Manager Glenn Beckett, who comes to Mason City from the deluxe Uptown theater in Kansas City, and who has also managed the Ritz in Chillicothe, and the Home theater in Kansas City, will be the resident manager.
The State theater will adhere to a policy of entertainment designed for the entire family. The snack bar will have a bottle warmer for the convenience of mothers attending the theater with small babies. In his housewarming plans, Mr. Beckett will include an opportunity to get a preview of this beautiful little theater before it is re-opened for business.
Here is a 1956 view of Michigan Avenue:
http://tinyurl.com/nu8t6m
Here is a recent view:
http://tinyurl.com/m6mndw
Here is a January 1939 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/lznrbz
Here is a January 1939 ad for the Colony from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/ntn524
Here is the Edwards theater in 1984:
http://tinyurl.com/ls2lew
Here is a 1987 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/lgq5ms
I think Lady from Shanghai was 1947.
Here is a photo circa 1939:
http://tinyurl.com/ooch45
Here is an undated photo:
http://tinyurl.com/qwucd5
This is supposed to be a Rialto in Philadelphia in 1940. if it looks like the one on Germantown Avenue, let me know.
http://tinyurl.com/qmabju
Here is a 5/25/09 story about possible demolition from the Modesto Bee:
http://tinyurl.com/p33hg4