The Paramount Theatre opened on 24th November 1927 with the Merian C. Cooper/Ernest B. Schoedsack production of the Paramount Picture “Chang”-epic of the Jungle. It was preceeded by the Paramount Orchestra playing the Overture the The Mastersingers by Richard Wagner, a Paramount ‘Actualites’ short documentary “Les Yeux du Monde”(Eyes of the World), a Max Fleisher ‘Out of the Inkwell’–‘KOKO’ cartoon, English organist Reginald Foort at the Wurlitzer 2Manual/10Rank theatre organ and a stage production by Leonce Perret starring Hope Hampton, Jaque Catelain and Gina Manes in “Printemps D'Amour”(Spring of Love).
In an American trade journal (possibly Better Theaters) there is an article dated June 2nd 1928 titled ‘The Finest Theatre in Paris’. Describing the building and it’s construction it is stated that:–
‘It was built by French engineers after plans by R.E. Hall & Company of New York, architects and surveyors of several notable theatres in this country.(USA) The construction and design was carried out by Frank T. Verity of London, designer of the Plaza and Carlton theatres there and Auguste Bluysen of Paris. Major Charles H. Bell of London was the engineer in charge of the electrical installation.
The main entrance opens on a grand domed foyer in a conservative Modern French style(early Art Deco), while the auditorium design is in an Italian Renaissance style. The seating plan is orchestra, mezzanine and balcony with just over 1,900 seats distributed over three levels'.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbook’s 1941 and 1943 with a seating capacity of 400. In the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. seating is listed as being 550. The Ilex Theatre was the only theatre listed in the town of Quitman during those years.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbook’s that I have;1941, 1943 and 1950 as the Ilex Theatre, S. Lee Street, Quitman, GA. The seating capacity is given as 400 in the 1940’s and 550 in the 1950 edition. It is the only theatre listed for this town.
The Walnut Street Theatre was renovated and re-named the Drury Lane Theatre in 1933. In use as a live theatre, the opening production was “Candle Light” by P.G.Woodhouse performed by a new stock company.
Incidently, in editions of Film Daily Yearbook’s that I have the seating capacity of the Drury Lane is given as 500 (closed) in both 1941 & 1943. As the Scoop Theatre in 1950 the F.D.Y. lists a seating capacity of 700.
The Ritz Cinema opened on 13th July 1936 with Binnie Hales in “Hyde Park Corner”. The opening was attended by Binnie Hales and local resident playwright Ben Travers. The original seating capacity of 612 was in stalls and balcony levels. It was built for and operated by the independent Truman Dicken circuit and the opening day coincided with the opening day of the nearby Oscar Deutsch built Odeon Theatre, Bridgewater.
Operating since at least 1941 when it is listed in that year’s edition of Film Daily Yearbook with a seating capacity of 882. It was operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management.
Still listed as under Warner Bros. control in 1950, the seating capacity given in the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. was 1,134.
Al; The West End Theatre is now the Lagree Baptist Church. The West End Theatre is located in the middle of the block and only has a frontage on 125th Street. The building you are searching for would have been built to the left of the West End Theatre. In the photo posted by Warren on 20th November 2005 there is a building next to the West End, which is still there today (just seen in my photo posted 8th May 2006). To me that looks too low a building to be a 1,800 seat theatre on a single floor. But I could be wong…..I will try and check out the next door building when I am in NYC in a couple of weeks time and see what lays behind and whether the facade goes around the corner to St. Nicholas Avenue.
Originally opened in May 1912 as the Kosmorama, it had a seating capacity of 1,200. In December 1914 it became the Cine-Max Linder. It was modernised into an Art Deco style in the 1930’s.
Totally modernised again in 1987 it now has seating for 700 (300 Stalls, 250 Mezzanine and 150 Balcony). The auditorium interior is totally black so that all focus is on the screen. The cinema is THX certified and can screen 70mm film.
There is no listing for a Fairfax Theatre in the Film Daily Yearbook;1941 edition.
In the 1943 edition there is a Fairfax Theatre listed with 700 seats operated by Paramount through their subsidiary E.J. Sparks.
The 1950 edition of F.D.Y. lists a Fairfax Theatre with 555 seats. However the address is different from the one given in the headers above. It is located at 4122 Heschel Street, Jacksonville
Could there have been two different Fairfax Theatre’s operating in the city at seperate periods of time?
I should have been more specific and said that the front of house (foyers and lobby spaces) have been gutted for the current use of Hamilton Place discount store. As Joey states, the auditorium block is huge and could well be still in a state of limbo as seen in Warren’s photo posted July 28th 2005.
The exterior (rebuilt facade and entrance) photographed in July 2003. The brick mass of the auditorium block can be seen at the rear: http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142660071/
The Paramount Theatre opened on 24th November 1927 with the Merian C. Cooper/Ernest B. Schoedsack production of the Paramount Picture “Chang”-epic of the Jungle. It was preceeded by the Paramount Orchestra playing the Overture the The Mastersingers by Richard Wagner, a Paramount ‘Actualites’ short documentary “Les Yeux du Monde”(Eyes of the World), a Max Fleisher ‘Out of the Inkwell’–‘KOKO’ cartoon, English organist Reginald Foort at the Wurlitzer 2Manual/10Rank theatre organ and a stage production by Leonce Perret starring Hope Hampton, Jaque Catelain and Gina Manes in “Printemps D'Amour”(Spring of Love).
In an American trade journal (possibly Better Theaters) there is an article dated June 2nd 1928 titled ‘The Finest Theatre in Paris’. Describing the building and it’s construction it is stated that:–
‘It was built by French engineers after plans by R.E. Hall & Company of New York, architects and surveyors of several notable theatres in this country.(USA) The construction and design was carried out by Frank T. Verity of London, designer of the Plaza and Carlton theatres there and Auguste Bluysen of Paris. Major Charles H. Bell of London was the engineer in charge of the electrical installation.
The main entrance opens on a grand domed foyer in a conservative Modern French style(early Art Deco), while the auditorium design is in an Italian Renaissance style. The seating plan is orchestra, mezzanine and balcony with just over 1,900 seats distributed over three levels'.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbook’s 1941 and 1943 with a seating capacity of 400. In the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. seating is listed as being 550. The Ilex Theatre was the only theatre listed in the town of Quitman during those years.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbook’s that I have;1941, 1943 and 1950 as the Ilex Theatre, S. Lee Street, Quitman, GA. The seating capacity is given as 400 in the 1940’s and 550 in the 1950 edition. It is the only theatre listed for this town.
The Walnut Street Theatre was renovated and re-named the Drury Lane Theatre in 1933. In use as a live theatre, the opening production was “Candle Light” by P.G.Woodhouse performed by a new stock company.
Incidently, in editions of Film Daily Yearbook’s that I have the seating capacity of the Drury Lane is given as 500 (closed) in both 1941 & 1943. As the Scoop Theatre in 1950 the F.D.Y. lists a seating capacity of 700.
The Ritz Cinema opened on 13th July 1936 with Binnie Hales in “Hyde Park Corner”. The opening was attended by Binnie Hales and local resident playwright Ben Travers. The original seating capacity of 612 was in stalls and balcony levels. It was built for and operated by the independent Truman Dicken circuit and the opening day coincided with the opening day of the nearby Oscar Deutsch built Odeon Theatre, Bridgewater.
Operating since at least 1941 when it is listed in that year’s edition of Film Daily Yearbook with a seating capacity of 882. It was operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management.
Still listed as under Warner Bros. control in 1950, the seating capacity given in the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. was 1,134.
Al; The West End Theatre is now the Lagree Baptist Church. The West End Theatre is located in the middle of the block and only has a frontage on 125th Street. The building you are searching for would have been built to the left of the West End Theatre. In the photo posted by Warren on 20th November 2005 there is a building next to the West End, which is still there today (just seen in my photo posted 8th May 2006). To me that looks too low a building to be a 1,800 seat theatre on a single floor. But I could be wong…..I will try and check out the next door building when I am in NYC in a couple of weeks time and see what lays behind and whether the facade goes around the corner to St. Nicholas Avenue.
The 1950 edition of F.D.Y. lists the Ritz Theatre at 829 N. Davis Street, Jacksonville.
Kevin;Many thanks for filling in this additional historical information on the Excelsior Cinema
Originally opened in May 1912 as the Kosmorama, it had a seating capacity of 1,200. In December 1914 it became the Cine-Max Linder. It was modernised into an Art Deco style in the 1930’s.
Totally modernised again in 1987 it now has seating for 700 (300 Stalls, 250 Mezzanine and 150 Balcony). The auditorium interior is totally black so that all focus is on the screen. The cinema is THX certified and can screen 70mm film.
Correction, the address given in 1950 for ‘that’ Fairfax Theatre is 4122 Herschel Street, Jacksonville, FL 32210
There is no listing for a Fairfax Theatre in the Film Daily Yearbook;1941 edition.
In the 1943 edition there is a Fairfax Theatre listed with 700 seats operated by Paramount through their subsidiary E.J. Sparks.
The 1950 edition of F.D.Y. lists a Fairfax Theatre with 555 seats. However the address is different from the one given in the headers above. It is located at 4122 Heschel Street, Jacksonville
Could there have been two different Fairfax Theatre’s operating in the city at seperate periods of time?
Listed in editions of Film Daily Yearbook 1947-1955 in the ‘Negro’ Theatres section, but not in the main State/City listings.
I should have been more specific and said that the front of house (foyers and lobby spaces) have been gutted for the current use of Hamilton Place discount store. As Joey states, the auditorium block is huge and could well be still in a state of limbo as seen in Warren’s photo posted July 28th 2005.
Photographed in July 2003:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142910058/
Photographed in July 2003:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142890244/
Four views of the RKO Hamilton Theatre as seen in July 2003:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142789725/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142790179/
Close-ups of details
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142790673/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142791128/
Two views of the former Players Cinema as seen in June 2005:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142772569/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142773500/
Two photographs from July 2004:
The entrance on W.181st Street:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142694356/
The auditorium section as seen around the corner on Audubon Avenue:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142694582/
The exterior (rebuilt facade and entrance) photographed in July 2003. The brick mass of the auditorium block can be seen at the rear:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142660071/
Four views of the former Odeon Theatre taken in July 2003:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142308365/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142308805/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142309237/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142309540/
Three views of the former Loew’s Rio Theatre taken in July 2003:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142274860/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142275376/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142275926/
Two exterior views from July 2003:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142204641/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142205068/
Two photographs taken in July 2003:
Facade and marquee:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142173254/
Detail in close-up:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/142173666/
Lost Memory;Excellent research and data found. I will check out the building again when I am in NYC in a few weeks time.