The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Durfee has a facade photo dated May 1941. The attraction is James Stewart and Hedy Lamarr in “Ziegfeld Girl”. The theater entrance was at the right end of a one-story commercial block. The Report states that the Durfee has been presenting MGM product for over 10 years; that it’s over 10 years old; that it’s in Good condition; and has 1391 seats on the main floor and 838 in the balcony, total: 2229 seats. Competing theatres are: Empire and Center. 1940 population was 115,400. I recall someone telling me when I was in high school in Quincy MA in the 1950s that the best and biggest theatre in Fall River was the Durfee.
The theatre has been known for some time (10 years, maybe) now as the Wang Theatre. That name is used in ads and posters. The old name, Wang Center for the Perf. Arts, is now the organization which runs the Wang Theatre and the Shubert across the street. This fact was brought out (above) in a posting made several years ago. I was reminded of this upon receipt of the latest issue of Marquee Magazine, published by the THSA. There is a full page profile of the theatre headed by “Wang Center of the Performing Arts” in big letters. Even they couldn’t get the name right !
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Capitol on Union St. in Lynn has a facade photo taken in May 1941. There is an elaborate marquee under an equally-elaborate arch. The attractions are a movie, “So You Won’t Talk”, plus a stage show. The Report states that the theatre is not a MGM customer; that it’s over 15 years old; that it’s in Fair condition; and has 650 seats on the orchestra floor and 600 in the balcony, total: 1250 seats. Competing theaters in Lynn are listed as the Paramount and the Warner. The 1940 population of Lynn is given as 98,100.
Bway in his posting of March 28 2006 mentions the Hammerstein Ballroom near Penn Station and wonders about the original name. It opened as the Manhatten Opera House about 1910, built by Oscar Hammerstein. The facade today has been modernized but much of the interior detail in the auditorium has been restored.
That’s a funny story, GWaterman! The Metropolitan Opera tours came to the Met/Wang every year in the spring, after the old Boston Opera House near Symphony Hall was demolished in early-1958. The original stage at the Met/Wang was very shallow, so it was a real challenge for them. Their scenary was outside in tents and trailers and it was chaotic around the back of the theatre while they were there. I don’t doubt that someone could have pulled off what you describe. After the Wang’s big new stage was added circa-1979, the problem was over – but now the Met Opera doesn’t tour anymore. As for the adjacent Wilbur Theatre, it doesn’t have a Page in Cinema Treasures because it apparently has never presented movies.
Many great comments, Bill Liberman, and made by someone “who was there”. I agree that there was no entrance on Avery Street, even way back in the old days. There was an exit there, amid a lot of fancy decorative work. And I agree that there was no way that the house had 2400 seats. The “serious fire” occured within the entrance structure in the early 1980s. This was after the arcade/club “Union Station” had closed. The entrance structure on Tremont St. had to be demolished, followed by the theatre itself in July 1983.
Warren, I disagree. Let’s build up the data base in Cinema Treasures to include as many theatres as possible, even ones with limited cinema use. According to Mary Henderson’s book, this theatre opened in 1867 as a museum/theatre run by John Banvard. After various names and operators, Augustin Daly took it over in 1879. He ran it until 1899. He also ran the Daly’s Theatre in London which was a leading musical house until it was demolished for the Warner cinema in 1937. Daly’s in NYC was run by the Shuberts for awhile and then ended its days as a burley and movie theatre, demolished about 1920. As for it being a “cinema treasure”, maybe it was to someone who went to it regularly during its final years. Who can say today?
In the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook, there is no Bijou Theatre listed for Worcester, but there is a Rialto, with 1283 seats. There is also a Report for the Rialto in Worcester in the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project. There is an exterior photo taken in April 1941. The Wentworth Bakery is to the right of the entrance and a market is to the left. The address is given as “37 Millburg”. (That’s close to “Millbury”). The competing theater is listed as the Royal Theatre. The Report states that the Rialto is not a MGM customer; that it was over 15 years old; that it’s in Poor condition; and that it had 940 orchestra seats and 340 balcony seats, total: 1280 seats.
There is a MGM Report for the Rialto at 709 South St. in Roslindale with a photo dated May 1941. It’s also listed in the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook, but with no info. The 1941 photo looks nothing like the photos posted above. The entrance, with its boxy marquee, was in the middle of an old block. The Report states that it has been showing MGM product for over 10 years; that it’s over 15 years old; that it’s in Fair condition; and has 739 mainfloor seats and 587 balcony seats, total: 1326 seats.
Is this Weber & Fields Imperial Music Hall? It was on the west side of Broadway just above W. 29th Street and was a small house built in 1892 and taken over by W. & F. in 1896. The entrance was originally on 29th, but a new entrance was created on Bway in 1896. It later was known as Weber’s Theatre (after W. & F. split up). It became a film house in 1912 and was razed in 1917. This info is from the Mary C. Henderson 1973 book “The City and the Theatre”. I believe that it seated well under 1000.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Capitol in Fall River has a facade photo taken in May 1941. There is a rectangular marquee with “Capitol” at the top-front above which is an illustration of a capitol dome. There are 3 lines of black letters on a white background. Films playing are : “Marxmen Go West”, a “merry mad musical”; and “The Trial of Mary Dugan”. The address is at 390 S. Main St. The Report states that the theater had been showing MGM product for over 10 years; that it was over 10 years old; that it was in Fair condition; that it had 1018 seats on the main floor and 543 in the balcony, total: 1561 seats. The competing theatre is listed as the Plaza. The 1940 population of Fall River was 115,400.
The history of Boston theatres book written by Donald King states that movies were presented at the Palace as early as 1897, using the “Aumorgraph” system.
In Donald King’s Boston theatres history, mention is made that films of boxing matches came to the Old Howard as early as 1897, using the “Acmegraph” film system. The booking of such movies confirms that the Old Howard became a rowdy, low-brow place of entertainment during the 1890s.
How did this cinema acquire its unusual name ? Absinthe is a type of very powerful booze, potentially poisonous to drink, which was banned in the USA many years ago.
An early movie engagement at the Boston Theatre occured in the Spring of 1897. The heavyweight championship boxing match which took place in Reno NV on March 17, 1897 was filmed. James J. Corbett was pitted against Bob Fitzsimmons and, after 14 rounds, Corbett won. In addition to his activities as a professional boxer, Corbett was also a popular actor. (His hit show “A Naval Cadet” played in Boston at the Bowdoin Square Theatre in 1897). Each round of the match took up one reel of film. The film process was called “Veriscope”. The movie ran for 4 weeks at the Boston Theatre, according to Don King’s Boston theatres history.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Central Theatre in Lawrence has a facade photo taken in 1941. There was a 2-sided triangle-style marquee with 3 lines of black letters on a white background. At the apex of the triangle was a logo “Val Jean”. The Report states that the Central was on Oak Street, that it had been playing MGM product for 1 year; that it was built in 1939; that it was in “New” condition; and that it had 600 seats all on one floor.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Central Theatre in Somerville has a facade photo taken in May 1941. It had a 2-sided triangle-style marquee. The Report lists the address as 151 Highland Avenue and states that the theatre had been a MGM customer for over 10 years; that it was over 15 years old; was in Fair condition, and had 665 seats on the main floor and 265 in the balcony, total: 930.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Capitol at 303 Broadway in Somerville has a facade photo taken in May 1941. The Report states that the theatre had been a MGM customer for over 10 years; that it was over 15 years old; that it was in Fair condition, and that it had 1358 seats on the orchestra floor and 373 in the balcony, total: 1731 seats.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Newton Theatre has a facade photo taken in April 1941. The name on the marquee is just plain “Newton”. The address is listed as 1300 Washington St. The Report states that the Newton has been a MGM customer for less than 5 years; that it was built in 1935; that it’s in Excellent condition; and has 822 seats on the main floor and 340 in the balcony, total: 1162 seats. Competing theatres are located in Natick and Wellesley Hills. The 1940 population of Newton was 69800. If the theatre was actually built in 1937 instead of 1935 then that would conform to the fact that the house had been showing MGM films for “less than 5 years” in 1941.
The MGM staff did not consider the Newton Th. in West Newton as competition for the Paramount. They issued a seperate Report for the Newton Th. which shows it competing with houses in Natick and Wellesley Hills.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Paramount in Lynn has a facade photo taken in May 1941. There is a vertical sign and a fancy marquee similar to that of the Paramount in Boston. Attractions are Crosby and Hope in “Road to Zanzibar” and Ann Sothern and Lew Ayers in what looks something like “Maisie Was a Lady”. The Report states that the theatre was on Union St. at Birchstead Street,that it had been a MGM customer for over 10 years; that it was over 15 years old; that it was in Good condition, and that it had 2051 seats on the orchestra floor and 474 balcony seats, total: 2525 seats. The Report also states that competing theatres to the Paramount were the Warner Th. and the Capitol Th. The population in Lynn in 1940 was 98,100.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Paramount in Newton has a facade photo taken in May 1941. The theatre had an impressive entrance which appears to be on a corner. The address is 299 Washington Street in Newton. The Report states that the theatre has been a MGM customer for over 10 years; that it’s over 15 years old; that it’s in Good condition, and has 760 seats on the orchestra floor and 452 in the balcony, total: 1212 seats. The Report states that there were no competing theatres in Newton.
There is a MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Paramount Theatre in Needham with a photo dated May 1941. The address is given as 924 Great Plain Avenue, which is very close to the address above. The Report states that the theatre had been showing MGM product for over 10 years, that it was over 15 years old, that it was in Good condition, and had 768 seats on the main floor and 347 seats in the balcony, total: 1115 seats. The theatre was part of M&P. The photo shows it with a fancy entrance and stores on either side. Was this building later adapted as the Needham Cinema ?
I meant to write “Route 58” in the above posting. Some 10 or 15 years ago I spoke to someone who grew up in N. Abington in the 1940s and he remembered the theatre across from the railroad station very well. He was the one who told me that it was called “Joe’s Theater” by area kids because the manager, Joe, treated them kindly. He did not recall the actual theatre name. The MGM Report calls it the Capitol Th.; however, the MGM Report, made at the same time, for the Strand Th. in nearby Rockland, refers to the competing theatre as the “North Abington Theatre”, not as Capitol Th. The closed-up building had no name on it when I first discovered it while admiring the ancient railroad station.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Durfee has a facade photo dated May 1941. The attraction is James Stewart and Hedy Lamarr in “Ziegfeld Girl”. The theater entrance was at the right end of a one-story commercial block. The Report states that the Durfee has been presenting MGM product for over 10 years; that it’s over 10 years old; that it’s in Good condition; and has 1391 seats on the main floor and 838 in the balcony, total: 2229 seats. Competing theatres are: Empire and Center. 1940 population was 115,400. I recall someone telling me when I was in high school in Quincy MA in the 1950s that the best and biggest theatre in Fall River was the Durfee.
The theatre has been known for some time (10 years, maybe) now as the Wang Theatre. That name is used in ads and posters. The old name, Wang Center for the Perf. Arts, is now the organization which runs the Wang Theatre and the Shubert across the street. This fact was brought out (above) in a posting made several years ago. I was reminded of this upon receipt of the latest issue of Marquee Magazine, published by the THSA. There is a full page profile of the theatre headed by “Wang Center of the Performing Arts” in big letters. Even they couldn’t get the name right !
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Capitol on Union St. in Lynn has a facade photo taken in May 1941. There is an elaborate marquee under an equally-elaborate arch. The attractions are a movie, “So You Won’t Talk”, plus a stage show. The Report states that the theatre is not a MGM customer; that it’s over 15 years old; that it’s in Fair condition; and has 650 seats on the orchestra floor and 600 in the balcony, total: 1250 seats. Competing theaters in Lynn are listed as the Paramount and the Warner. The 1940 population of Lynn is given as 98,100.
Bway in his posting of March 28 2006 mentions the Hammerstein Ballroom near Penn Station and wonders about the original name. It opened as the Manhatten Opera House about 1910, built by Oscar Hammerstein. The facade today has been modernized but much of the interior detail in the auditorium has been restored.
That’s a funny story, GWaterman! The Metropolitan Opera tours came to the Met/Wang every year in the spring, after the old Boston Opera House near Symphony Hall was demolished in early-1958. The original stage at the Met/Wang was very shallow, so it was a real challenge for them. Their scenary was outside in tents and trailers and it was chaotic around the back of the theatre while they were there. I don’t doubt that someone could have pulled off what you describe. After the Wang’s big new stage was added circa-1979, the problem was over – but now the Met Opera doesn’t tour anymore. As for the adjacent Wilbur Theatre, it doesn’t have a Page in Cinema Treasures because it apparently has never presented movies.
Many great comments, Bill Liberman, and made by someone “who was there”. I agree that there was no entrance on Avery Street, even way back in the old days. There was an exit there, amid a lot of fancy decorative work. And I agree that there was no way that the house had 2400 seats. The “serious fire” occured within the entrance structure in the early 1980s. This was after the arcade/club “Union Station” had closed. The entrance structure on Tremont St. had to be demolished, followed by the theatre itself in July 1983.
Warren, I disagree. Let’s build up the data base in Cinema Treasures to include as many theatres as possible, even ones with limited cinema use. According to Mary Henderson’s book, this theatre opened in 1867 as a museum/theatre run by John Banvard. After various names and operators, Augustin Daly took it over in 1879. He ran it until 1899. He also ran the Daly’s Theatre in London which was a leading musical house until it was demolished for the Warner cinema in 1937. Daly’s in NYC was run by the Shuberts for awhile and then ended its days as a burley and movie theatre, demolished about 1920. As for it being a “cinema treasure”, maybe it was to someone who went to it regularly during its final years. Who can say today?
In the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook, there is no Bijou Theatre listed for Worcester, but there is a Rialto, with 1283 seats. There is also a Report for the Rialto in Worcester in the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project. There is an exterior photo taken in April 1941. The Wentworth Bakery is to the right of the entrance and a market is to the left. The address is given as “37 Millburg”. (That’s close to “Millbury”). The competing theater is listed as the Royal Theatre. The Report states that the Rialto is not a MGM customer; that it was over 15 years old; that it’s in Poor condition; and that it had 940 orchestra seats and 340 balcony seats, total: 1280 seats.
There is a MGM Report for the Rialto at 709 South St. in Roslindale with a photo dated May 1941. It’s also listed in the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook, but with no info. The 1941 photo looks nothing like the photos posted above. The entrance, with its boxy marquee, was in the middle of an old block. The Report states that it has been showing MGM product for over 10 years; that it’s over 15 years old; that it’s in Fair condition; and has 739 mainfloor seats and 587 balcony seats, total: 1326 seats.
Is this Weber & Fields Imperial Music Hall? It was on the west side of Broadway just above W. 29th Street and was a small house built in 1892 and taken over by W. & F. in 1896. The entrance was originally on 29th, but a new entrance was created on Bway in 1896. It later was known as Weber’s Theatre (after W. & F. split up). It became a film house in 1912 and was razed in 1917. This info is from the Mary C. Henderson 1973 book “The City and the Theatre”. I believe that it seated well under 1000.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Capitol in Fall River has a facade photo taken in May 1941. There is a rectangular marquee with “Capitol” at the top-front above which is an illustration of a capitol dome. There are 3 lines of black letters on a white background. Films playing are : “Marxmen Go West”, a “merry mad musical”; and “The Trial of Mary Dugan”. The address is at 390 S. Main St. The Report states that the theater had been showing MGM product for over 10 years; that it was over 10 years old; that it was in Fair condition; that it had 1018 seats on the main floor and 543 in the balcony, total: 1561 seats. The competing theatre is listed as the Plaza. The 1940 population of Fall River was 115,400.
The history of Boston theatres book written by Donald King states that movies were presented at the Palace as early as 1897, using the “Aumorgraph” system.
In Donald King’s Boston theatres history, mention is made that films of boxing matches came to the Old Howard as early as 1897, using the “Acmegraph” film system. The booking of such movies confirms that the Old Howard became a rowdy, low-brow place of entertainment during the 1890s.
How did this cinema acquire its unusual name ? Absinthe is a type of very powerful booze, potentially poisonous to drink, which was banned in the USA many years ago.
An early movie engagement at the Boston Theatre occured in the Spring of 1897. The heavyweight championship boxing match which took place in Reno NV on March 17, 1897 was filmed. James J. Corbett was pitted against Bob Fitzsimmons and, after 14 rounds, Corbett won. In addition to his activities as a professional boxer, Corbett was also a popular actor. (His hit show “A Naval Cadet” played in Boston at the Bowdoin Square Theatre in 1897). Each round of the match took up one reel of film. The film process was called “Veriscope”. The movie ran for 4 weeks at the Boston Theatre, according to Don King’s Boston theatres history.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Central Theatre in Lawrence has a facade photo taken in 1941. There was a 2-sided triangle-style marquee with 3 lines of black letters on a white background. At the apex of the triangle was a logo “Val Jean”. The Report states that the Central was on Oak Street, that it had been playing MGM product for 1 year; that it was built in 1939; that it was in “New” condition; and that it had 600 seats all on one floor.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Central Theatre in Somerville has a facade photo taken in May 1941. It had a 2-sided triangle-style marquee. The Report lists the address as 151 Highland Avenue and states that the theatre had been a MGM customer for over 10 years; that it was over 15 years old; was in Fair condition, and had 665 seats on the main floor and 265 in the balcony, total: 930.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Capitol at 303 Broadway in Somerville has a facade photo taken in May 1941. The Report states that the theatre had been a MGM customer for over 10 years; that it was over 15 years old; that it was in Fair condition, and that it had 1358 seats on the orchestra floor and 373 in the balcony, total: 1731 seats.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Newton Theatre has a facade photo taken in April 1941. The name on the marquee is just plain “Newton”. The address is listed as 1300 Washington St. The Report states that the Newton has been a MGM customer for less than 5 years; that it was built in 1935; that it’s in Excellent condition; and has 822 seats on the main floor and 340 in the balcony, total: 1162 seats. Competing theatres are located in Natick and Wellesley Hills. The 1940 population of Newton was 69800. If the theatre was actually built in 1937 instead of 1935 then that would conform to the fact that the house had been showing MGM films for “less than 5 years” in 1941.
The MGM staff did not consider the Newton Th. in West Newton as competition for the Paramount. They issued a seperate Report for the Newton Th. which shows it competing with houses in Natick and Wellesley Hills.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Paramount in Lynn has a facade photo taken in May 1941. There is a vertical sign and a fancy marquee similar to that of the Paramount in Boston. Attractions are Crosby and Hope in “Road to Zanzibar” and Ann Sothern and Lew Ayers in what looks something like “Maisie Was a Lady”. The Report states that the theatre was on Union St. at Birchstead Street,that it had been a MGM customer for over 10 years; that it was over 15 years old; that it was in Good condition, and that it had 2051 seats on the orchestra floor and 474 balcony seats, total: 2525 seats. The Report also states that competing theatres to the Paramount were the Warner Th. and the Capitol Th. The population in Lynn in 1940 was 98,100.
Bravo to the Paradise management for allowing these tours and bravo also to Orlando Lopes for his dedication and energy in conducting them.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Paramount in Newton has a facade photo taken in May 1941. The theatre had an impressive entrance which appears to be on a corner. The address is 299 Washington Street in Newton. The Report states that the theatre has been a MGM customer for over 10 years; that it’s over 15 years old; that it’s in Good condition, and has 760 seats on the orchestra floor and 452 in the balcony, total: 1212 seats. The Report states that there were no competing theatres in Newton.
There is a MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Paramount Theatre in Needham with a photo dated May 1941. The address is given as 924 Great Plain Avenue, which is very close to the address above. The Report states that the theatre had been showing MGM product for over 10 years, that it was over 15 years old, that it was in Good condition, and had 768 seats on the main floor and 347 seats in the balcony, total: 1115 seats. The theatre was part of M&P. The photo shows it with a fancy entrance and stores on either side. Was this building later adapted as the Needham Cinema ?
I meant to write “Route 58” in the above posting. Some 10 or 15 years ago I spoke to someone who grew up in N. Abington in the 1940s and he remembered the theatre across from the railroad station very well. He was the one who told me that it was called “Joe’s Theater” by area kids because the manager, Joe, treated them kindly. He did not recall the actual theatre name. The MGM Report calls it the Capitol Th.; however, the MGM Report, made at the same time, for the Strand Th. in nearby Rockland, refers to the competing theatre as the “North Abington Theatre”, not as Capitol Th. The closed-up building had no name on it when I first discovered it while admiring the ancient railroad station.