The 1950 edition of Film Daily Yearbook gives the address of the Denver Theatre, 510 16th Street and the address of the Paramount Theatre, 519 16th Street (across the road).
Well not a forecourt, but the Music Box Theatre did have (still does have) an open air foyer/bar above the main entrance. The back of the bar is actually the upper section of the facade and is a small covered area, but the remainder of the area is open.
I am re-posting the link which johngleeson posted above on May 26, 2006. Scroll down towards the bottom for 3 photographs of the Henry Fonda Theatre: View link
Later editions of Film Daily Yearbooks (late 1960’s onwards) lacked the information that was included in earlier editions. If you look in editions of F.D.Y. pre-1955 you will find seating capacities given (plus in some editions the full addresses for theatres in major towns and cities).
However, you say you are looking for seating capacities for the 1970’s (presumably for newly built theatres at the time?). Your best bet would be to search records in local town/city council’s planning departments & licencing departments
cjc;The ‘Dress Circle’ you refer to in your Jan 20, 2006 posting was actually a Mezzanine with only three rows of seats. The Balcony above it (currently screen 1) was the main circle.
The Mezzanine was located at street level and its entrance was straight off the main foyer. I presume this area is used for storage or staff rooms etc?
Architect Temple H Buell is credited for the Facade and entry on Glenarm Place. It is in a mix of Gothic Revival & Art Deco styles carried out in white terra cotta.
The remainder of the building was by Chicago based architects Rapp & Rapp. Styled in a mix of Art Deco & French Renaissance which is similar to the treatment they applied to the Paramount Aurora, IL the following year (1931).
Joe, I would come to the same conclusion regarding the Hitching Post becoming the Paris. However in the Film Daily Yearbooks for both 1950 and 1952 edition the Hitching Post Theatre is listed but there is no Paris Theatre. So…is there anyone out there who can remember the southeast side of Hollywood & Vine back in the early 1950’s?
The Elm Theater opened in 1937 and closed in 1960. In 1963 it became the Elm Bargain Mart. The frontage, marquee etc were torn down in 1965. In the late 1960’s and 1970’s the former auditorium became Armanetti’s Liqour Store and then in 1986 became a True Value hardware store which remains in use today.
The Ritz Cinema was equipped with a Compton 4Manual/10Ranks (with Melotone) theatre organ which was opened by Harold Ramsey. The opening date was 9th November 1936 and appearing on stage that night were Gracie Fields and Jack Hylton and his Band.
The architect Leslie H. Kemp was the main architect who worked in collaboration with E.F. Tulley & J.H. Lundy. The building was planned by the Lou Morris chain, but was taken over during construction by Union Cinemas. Union were taken over by Associated british Cinemas (ABC) in October 1937.
It continued with the Ritz name until 1963 when it was renamed ABC. It was closed on 22nd September 1977 when it was the victim of an arson attack by fire bombs. It eventually re-opened in 1981 as a 4-screen Cannon Cinema which was closed on 1st July 1993.
In 1946 the total seating capacity (as a live theatre) was for 1,888.
Stalls & parterre:823
Boxes(seats):28
Grand Circle:129
Upper Circle:158
Gallery:750
It operated as a full time cinema from 3rd October 1949 until April 1972, during which time it operated with a seating capacity of 1,500.
The Ritz Cinema opened on 12th May 1930 and was a project of John Maxwell’s ABC cinemas. It closed on 2nd July 1960 and was demolished in 1962. Shops and offices were built on the site.
The Orient Kinema was located on the corner of Gallowgate and Sword Street in the Dalmarnock district of Glasgow. It was the last cinema to be designed by architect Albert V. Gardner.
The theme of the atmospheric auditorium was a fantasy of gates and turrets in a Spanish and Norman style. The curved arch of the proscenium was made of plaster resembling rough-hewn stonework which was painted in gold. Beneath this hung the stage curtain which had a scene of a landscape with a castle upon it.
The 1950 edition of Film Daily Yearbook gives the address of the Denver Theatre, 510 16th Street and the address of the Paramount Theatre, 519 16th Street (across the road).
Well not a forecourt, but the Music Box Theatre did have (still does have) an open air foyer/bar above the main entrance. The back of the bar is actually the upper section of the facade and is a small covered area, but the remainder of the area is open.
I am re-posting the link which johngleeson posted above on May 26, 2006. Scroll down towards the bottom for 3 photographs of the Henry Fonda Theatre:
View link
Another pre-demolition view from a different angle:
http://flickr.com/photos/jonfry/119533433/
A pre-demolition photograph:
http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/40180367/
The 1950 edition of Film Daily Yearbook gives a seating capacity of 841.
Later editions of Film Daily Yearbooks (late 1960’s onwards) lacked the information that was included in earlier editions. If you look in editions of F.D.Y. pre-1955 you will find seating capacities given (plus in some editions the full addresses for theatres in major towns and cities).
However, you say you are looking for seating capacities for the 1970’s (presumably for newly built theatres at the time?). Your best bet would be to search records in local town/city council’s planning departments & licencing departments
cjc;The ‘Dress Circle’ you refer to in your Jan 20, 2006 posting was actually a Mezzanine with only three rows of seats. The Balcony above it (currently screen 1) was the main circle.
The Mezzanine was located at street level and its entrance was straight off the main foyer. I presume this area is used for storage or staff rooms etc?
Architect Temple H Buell is credited for the Facade and entry on Glenarm Place. It is in a mix of Gothic Revival & Art Deco styles carried out in white terra cotta.
The remainder of the building was by Chicago based architects Rapp & Rapp. Styled in a mix of Art Deco & French Renaissance which is similar to the treatment they applied to the Paramount Aurora, IL the following year (1931).
Joe, I would come to the same conclusion regarding the Hitching Post becoming the Paris. However in the Film Daily Yearbooks for both 1950 and 1952 edition the Hitching Post Theatre is listed but there is no Paris Theatre. So…is there anyone out there who can remember the southeast side of Hollywood & Vine back in the early 1950’s?
Entrance to the Star Cineplex:
http://flickr.com/photos/jollybengali/304671373/
For reasons unknown, this seems to be the least documented (photographically) of the ‘Wonder’ theatres.
Now demolished and a Lidl Supermarket built on the site.
The ‘extensive renovations’ which were carried out in July 1935 were to the design of architectural firm Blackmore & Sykes.
Listed un the 1943 edition of Film Daily Yearbook as being operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. via their subsidiary E.V. Richards.
Still listed as open in 1950 with a seating capacity of 629.
The Elm Theater opened in 1937 and closed in 1960. In 1963 it became the Elm Bargain Mart. The frontage, marquee etc were torn down in 1965. In the late 1960’s and 1970’s the former auditorium became Armanetti’s Liqour Store and then in 1986 became a True Value hardware store which remains in use today.
Various editions of Film Daily Yearbook in the 1940’s and 1950’s list the Grove Theatre located in Pleasant Grove, TX rather than in Dallas, TX.
The Ritz Cinema was equipped with a Compton 4Manual/10Ranks (with Melotone) theatre organ which was opened by Harold Ramsey. The opening date was 9th November 1936 and appearing on stage that night were Gracie Fields and Jack Hylton and his Band.
The architect Leslie H. Kemp was the main architect who worked in collaboration with E.F. Tulley & J.H. Lundy. The building was planned by the Lou Morris chain, but was taken over during construction by Union Cinemas. Union were taken over by Associated british Cinemas (ABC) in October 1937.
It continued with the Ritz name until 1963 when it was renamed ABC. It was closed on 22nd September 1977 when it was the victim of an arson attack by fire bombs. It eventually re-opened in 1981 as a 4-screen Cannon Cinema which was closed on 1st July 1993.
In 1946 the total seating capacity (as a live theatre) was for 1,888.
Stalls & parterre:823
Boxes(seats):28
Grand Circle:129
Upper Circle:158
Gallery:750
It operated as a full time cinema from 3rd October 1949 until April 1972, during which time it operated with a seating capacity of 1,500.
The Star Theater is listed in the 1941 and 1943 and 1950 editions of Film Daily Yearbook with a seating capacity of 300.
Correction to my previous posting…the Orient Kinema was located in the Bridgeton district of Glasgow.
The Ritz Cinema opened on 12th May 1930 and was a project of John Maxwell’s ABC cinemas. It closed on 2nd July 1960 and was demolished in 1962. Shops and offices were built on the site.
The Orient Kinema was located on the corner of Gallowgate and Sword Street in the Dalmarnock district of Glasgow. It was the last cinema to be designed by architect Albert V. Gardner.
The theme of the atmospheric auditorium was a fantasy of gates and turrets in a Spanish and Norman style. The curved arch of the proscenium was made of plaster resembling rough-hewn stonework which was painted in gold. Beneath this hung the stage curtain which had a scene of a landscape with a castle upon it.
The Orient Cinema had a stage 25feet deep, the proscenium was 40feet wide and there were 3 dressing rooms. Another facility for patrons was a cafe.