The cover of Boxoffice magazine, April 28, 1958, had a montage of Ben Sack with four of his theatres: the Saxon, the Capri, the Beacon Hill, and the Gary. http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/boxoffice_042858
…and an article on Sack and his success with the acquisition of Boston theatres: View link
Lafayette becomes Holiday in 1967, Boxoffice magazine piece, August 28, 1967:
Central Falls Lafayette Open Under New Lessees
CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. —– The former Lafayette, under the new name of Holiday Cinema, was reopened Saturday (12) by Andre Papineau and Donald Rocheleau, newcomers to motion picture exhibition.
Papineau and Rocheleau installed a new marquee, remodeled and redecorated the interior and carried out needed repair jobs prior to reopening the theatre with “Hotel.” They wil play second run, seven days after Providence. Gerry Goven will continue to book for the theatre.
Just before the engagement of “Forever Amber” at the Bradley in Putnam, clergy of St Mary’s Parish there attacked the picture and urged parishioners not to attend it.
A flurry of excitement was caused at the Exeter Street during the Sunday evening showing of “Paisan” when Rex Harrison, his wife Lilli Palmer and Maria Montez were spotted watching the film. Lilli is playing the lead currently at the Colonial in “Figure of a Girl.” “Paisan” has been booked for its fifth week at the Exeter, setting a new consecutive run record for the house.
Not sure, but I don’t think so.
There is a Casino restoration website. Perhaps that info will appear here at some point. http://www.thestanfordwhitecasino.com/
John,
Thank you. I have been trying for several years to post here everything of relevance I can find about RI area theatres…though I ad a bit about theatres elsewhere.
“Charles Tobey of the Roosevelt in Valley Falls, R.I. was in the district.”
[That is, he was in Boston, probably doing summer bookings with distributors. Not earth-shaking, but we also know from this that the theatre was called the Roosevelt at this time.]
Italian films shown at the Rialto, item in Boxoffice magazine, August 28, 1948:
The Rialto, Woonsocket, R.I., will reopen September 20 with its regular policy of re-issues and first run foreign films. The house is owned by Maurice Safner but is the “baby” of his son Melvin, who is manager. The foreign element of Woonsocket is predominantly French (about 30,000) but the theatre has a large followig of Italians from surrounding cities and towns. Thus, such films as “Shoe-Shine,” “Panic” and “Open City” have been a good draw at the Rialto, which was closed for the summer months.
[Note: of the three titles mentioned, “Panic” is a French film, the other two are Italian. In Woonsocket, the Laurier often showed French films over the decades.]
20th Anniversary!
Item in Boxoffice Magazine, April 14, 1951:
“The Hollywood in East Providence recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. It opened in 1931 with "Cimarron.”"
[So the theatre existed as a functioning venue for less than 30 years, having ceased regular operation around the end of 1960. Nor was it around during the silent era, as I had thought.]
Sellout Audience at Opening of Cinerama in Providence
PROVIDENCE, RI – A sellout audience, together with a number of dignitaries, attended the gala opening of the new Cinerama Theatre, formerly the Hope Theatre, on the night of August 9, when the Lowell Thomas-Merian C. Cooper release “This is Cinerama,” was presented.
Among the first-nighters were Gov. and Mrs. John A. Notte, Jr., Catholic Bishop McVinney and Joan Zeller, “Miss Rhode Island,” who was official hostess for the occasion.
Two bands provided music for the program, searchlights probed the sky and radio and television personalities were on hand to give added importance to the event.
The new Cinerama Theatre here is the second of its kind in New England, the other one being located in Boston. A third is scheduled to be opened in Hartford, Conn., according to reports here.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, May 5, 1962:
“Rhode Islanders of Italian descent were particularly interested in recent programs at the Johnston Theatre, Thornton, where "The Ten Commandments” was presented with all-Italian dialog, and at the Leroy in Pawtucket, where “Buongiorno Primo Amore” and “Guai ai Vinti” were shown for a single night.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, May 5, 1962:
“Rhode Islanders of Italian descent were particularly interested in recent programs at the Johnston Theatre, Thornton, where "The Ten Commandments” was presented with all-Italian dialog, and at the Leroy in Pawtucket, where “Buongiorno Primo Amore” and “Guai ai Vinti” were shown for a single night.
That no-splice caveat is for archival film prints and certain distributors, such as Rialto. This is a good move.
Let’s hope they get correct screen masking, aperture plates, lenses to show 35mmm films in the various aspect ratios correctly and un-cropped CinemamScope.
“The Royal at Olneyville, R.I. has been reopened after a long shutdown. Foreign films will be shown on Saturday and Sunday of each week, with the house remaining dark the rest of the time."
—-iten in Boxoffice magazine, November 11, 1939
Report on the opening of Conn’s Metropolitan Theatre on August 25, 1932 at 10 a.m., in Boxoffice magazine, September 1, 1932: http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/090132/3
The Pawtucket Strand, closed by an 11-week strike of projectionists, reopened Christmas Day, using independent operators, with “The Last Time I Saw Paris.” Harold Lancaster is manager. The Strand, Pawtucket’s most popular house, has long been ranked as Blackstone Valley’s leading theatre.
“Henry Tobin, resident manager of the Olympia, Olneyville, has leased the Casino in Johnston from Nicolina Ferri, rechristened it the New Johnston and is operating it five nights a week."
—-from Boxoffice magazine, September 20, 1941.
Looks like a garage next to a residence. You can use Google Maps, type in the address, take it to street level, swivel, and see images of all that is around. Can’t pinpoint where the theatre was.
“Melvin Safner of the Safner circuit has taken over the Bellevue Theatre, Central Falls, R.I. on a long term lease. This theatre has been operated for many years by the late Phil Marget and now makes the second house in that city to be operated by the Safners, who have the Lafayette Theatre there.”
The cover of Boxoffice magazine, April 28, 1958, had a montage of Ben Sack with four of his theatres: the Saxon, the Capri, the Beacon Hill, and the Gary.
http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/boxoffice_042858
…and an article on Sack and his success with the acquisition of Boston theatres:
View link
Item in Boxoffice Magazine, October 1, 1938 (after the hurricane)
WASHED TO SEA
There were unconfirmed rumors Saturday that the Casino Theatre at Narragansett Pier in Roode Island had been washed to sea.
Lafayette becomes Holiday in 1967, Boxoffice magazine piece, August 28, 1967:
Central Falls Lafayette Open Under New Lessees
CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. —– The former Lafayette, under the new name of Holiday Cinema, was reopened Saturday (12) by Andre Papineau and Donald Rocheleau, newcomers to motion picture exhibition.
Papineau and Rocheleau installed a new marquee, remodeled and redecorated the interior and carried out needed repair jobs prior to reopening the theatre with “Hotel.” They wil play second run, seven days after Providence. Gerry Goven will continue to book for the theatre.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, November 22, 1947:
Just before the engagement of “Forever Amber” at the Bradley in Putnam, clergy of St Mary’s Parish there attacked the picture and urged parishioners not to attend it.
A tank in front of theatre. From Boxoffice magazine, August 18, 1969:
View link
Item in Boxoffice magazine, January 29, 1949:
A flurry of excitement was caused at the Exeter Street during the Sunday evening showing of “Paisan” when Rex Harrison, his wife Lilli Palmer and Maria Montez were spotted watching the film. Lilli is playing the lead currently at the Colonial in “Figure of a Girl.” “Paisan” has been booked for its fifth week at the Exeter, setting a new consecutive run record for the house.
Not sure, but I don’t think so.
There is a Casino restoration website. Perhaps that info will appear here at some point.
http://www.thestanfordwhitecasino.com/
John,
Thank you. I have been trying for several years to post here everything of relevance I can find about RI area theatres…though I ad a bit about theatres elsewhere.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, November 21, 1942:
“The Central Theatre, Manville, R.I., has beeen sold by Napoleon J. Trahan to Henry M. Sperling, Woonsocket op-erator.”
Item in Boxoffice magazine, May 3, 1941:
“Charles Tobey of the Roosevelt in Valley Falls, R.I. was in the district.”
[That is, he was in Boston, probably doing summer bookings with distributors. Not earth-shaking, but we also know from this that the theatre was called the Roosevelt at this time.]
Italian films shown at the Rialto, item in Boxoffice magazine, August 28, 1948:
The Rialto, Woonsocket, R.I., will reopen September 20 with its regular policy of re-issues and first run foreign films. The house is owned by Maurice Safner but is the “baby” of his son Melvin, who is manager. The foreign element of Woonsocket is predominantly French (about 30,000) but the theatre has a large followig of Italians from surrounding cities and towns. Thus, such films as “Shoe-Shine,” “Panic” and “Open City” have been a good draw at the Rialto, which was closed for the summer months.
[Note: of the three titles mentioned, “Panic” is a French film, the other two are Italian. In Woonsocket, the Laurier often showed French films over the decades.]
20th Anniversary!
Item in Boxoffice Magazine, April 14, 1951:
“The Hollywood in East Providence recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. It opened in 1931 with "Cimarron.”"
[So the theatre existed as a functioning venue for less than 30 years, having ceased regular operation around the end of 1960. Nor was it around during the silent era, as I had thought.]
From Boxoffice magazine, August 21, 1961:
Sellout Audience at Opening of Cinerama in Providence
PROVIDENCE, RI – A sellout audience, together with a number of dignitaries, attended the gala opening of the new Cinerama Theatre, formerly the Hope Theatre, on the night of August 9, when the Lowell Thomas-Merian C. Cooper release “This is Cinerama,” was presented.
Among the first-nighters were Gov. and Mrs. John A. Notte, Jr., Catholic Bishop McVinney and Joan Zeller, “Miss Rhode Island,” who was official hostess for the occasion.
Two bands provided music for the program, searchlights probed the sky and radio and television personalities were on hand to give added importance to the event.
The new Cinerama Theatre here is the second of its kind in New England, the other one being located in Boston. A third is scheduled to be opened in Hartford, Conn., according to reports here.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, May 5, 1962:
“Rhode Islanders of Italian descent were particularly interested in recent programs at the Johnston Theatre, Thornton, where "The Ten Commandments” was presented with all-Italian dialog, and at the Leroy in Pawtucket, where “Buongiorno Primo Amore” and “Guai ai Vinti” were shown for a single night.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, May 5, 1962:
“Rhode Islanders of Italian descent were particularly interested in recent programs at the Johnston Theatre, Thornton, where "The Ten Commandments” was presented with all-Italian dialog, and at the Leroy in Pawtucket, where “Buongiorno Primo Amore” and “Guai ai Vinti” were shown for a single night.
Plans for the creation of this cinema in 1976, as reported in Boxoffice magazine, March 8, 1976:
View link
That no-splice caveat is for archival film prints and certain distributors, such as Rialto. This is a good move.
Let’s hope they get correct screen masking, aperture plates, lenses to show 35mmm films in the various aspect ratios correctly and un-cropped CinemamScope.
The Royal as foreign film venue???
“The Royal at Olneyville, R.I. has been reopened after a long shutdown. Foreign films will be shown on Saturday and Sunday of each week, with the house remaining dark the rest of the time."
—-iten in Boxoffice magazine, November 11, 1939
Three months later Conn filed for bankruptcy. Item in Boxoffice magazine, November 3, 1932:
http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/110332/3
Report on the opening of Conn’s Metropolitan Theatre on August 25, 1932 at 10 a.m., in Boxoffice magazine, September 1, 1932:
http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/090132/3
Item in Boxoffice magazine, January 15, 1955:
The Pawtucket Strand, closed by an 11-week strike of projectionists, reopened Christmas Day, using independent operators, with “The Last Time I Saw Paris.” Harold Lancaster is manager. The Strand, Pawtucket’s most popular house, has long been ranked as Blackstone Valley’s leading theatre.
CinemaScope capability comes to Olympia. Item in Boxoffice magazine, January 15, 1955:
“E. M. Loew’s Olympia, Olneyville neighborhood house, will soon reopen, completely redecorated and equipped with CinemaScope.”
More of same (see above entry.)
“Henry Tobin, resident manager of the Olympia, Olneyville, has leased the Casino in Johnston from Nicolina Ferri, rechristened it the New Johnston and is operating it five nights a week."
—-from Boxoffice magazine, September 20, 1941.
Looks like a garage next to a residence. You can use Google Maps, type in the address, take it to street level, swivel, and see images of all that is around. Can’t pinpoint where the theatre was.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, October 9, 1954:
“Melvin Safner of the Safner circuit has taken over the Bellevue Theatre, Central Falls, R.I. on a long term lease. This theatre has been operated for many years by the late Phil Marget and now makes the second house in that city to be operated by the Safners, who have the Lafayette Theatre there.”