Opened December 27, 1915 with the Triangle films, “Edge of the Abyss” and “The Submarine Pirate.” All 1,467 seats were filled at the open. A $15,000 Austin organ played by E,J. Napier along with a Parlor Grand Chickering piano entertained the patrons. Raymond H. Allen was the manager on behalf of the East Liberty Theatre Co. Circuit that operated the theater.
The H.E. Kennedy & Co. teamed with Palmer and Hornbostel to achieve architectural plans that were said to be an homage to the NYC Strand in a more miniaturized form. It was Hornbostel that is credited for the exterior with its distinctive white, glazed terra cotta tiles that framed a patriotic World War I era American flag illuminated by red, white and blue light bulbs. The victim of both end of lease issues and eroding patronage, the Liberty shuttered just shy of its 50th anniversary and was bulldozed four years later after being defaced by vandals.
Launched November 22, 1918 just after WWI with Mayor James Rolph commending new owner Samuel H. Levin and his 700 patrons for the fine playhouse. A Robert Morgan organ entertained the crowds once inside followed by the Coliseum Orchestra.
The Lyric opened February 7, 1918 with all proceeds going to the Red Cross. The Fitzpatrick-McElroy Circuit operated the 1,000 seat theatre at its opening with George H. Kennedy as its first manager. Distinctive “automobile box seats” in the balcony saluted the auto manufacturing industry while allowing groups to sit together.
Launched February 3, 1918 and got its name from A. Wilbert’s Songs Lumber and Shingle Company which built the theatre. Lionel Delzcrois ran the theatre at opening. The opening was a success and pictures prove this in photos.
The Owl Theatre opened in 1911 and during its run operator Samuel Orbach signed a contract with Paramount Pictures. By decade’s end, the Owl struggled and Orbach blamed Paramount for not getting the films to Lowell in a timely manner. The Owl closed and Orbach sued Paramount in Orbacj v. Paramount in which Orbach was found correct but couldn’t get the damages he sought. So new owners come in and change the theatre to the Rialto.
Opened with an invitational show on April 1, 1907 in the Atherton Office Building, the 1906 architectural exterior drawing in photos. But then a period of delay found Peter Lee Atherton’s United States Amusement closed to work on contracts and opened to the public September 2, 1907.
The original Rio design was architected in 1918 by C.A. Logan who had relocated from Port Arthur to Beaumont. It was then opened by Sol E. Gordon, J.I. Pittman, and J.C. Clemmons
It’s May of 1918 and D.H. Schumann is in the ticket booth to open his $45,000 theater, the New Florence. The atmospheric Italian patio architecture here matches the Florence moniker better than the later “State”
Roy R. Bair of R.R. Bair Theatre Circuit ran Bair’s South Side Theatre (most definitely not Hair’s) along with five other theaters in the Uptown, St. Clair, Strand, Lincoln, and Ritz. It opened on May 14, 1918 on the site of a smaller theater that had originally held a retail store (G.H Vail’s Newsstand and Confectionary and briefly Kester’s Saloon) before becoming the 300-seat Green’s Theatre in 1913. The Bair circuit took on Green’s Theater changing it to Bair’s South Side Theatre in 1914 and had success.
Bair razed the original Green/South Side late in 1917 to double the capacity creating a new 600-seat facility opening in 1918. However, Bair dropped the theater in 1922. It existed as a silent operation under the George H. Sanders Circuit (including the Apex and the Sanders).
When the Granada Theatre opened across the street at 1045 Virginia and installed sound, Sanders was in trouble. He was unable to convert any of his theaters to sound. His theatres are all auctioned off in 1928 including the South Side. It was purchased and used for some sporadic live events and doubled as home to the Sunshine Mission to assist Depression-era south side residents in need.
The South Side had a hiatus before getting one more shot as a cinema being equipped for sound late in the 1930s but advertising ceases in 1940. That is likely the end of the theater’s life as it becomes home to Sablosky’s Department store by 1943. Its longest stint was an antique mall that operated into the 21st Century.
H. M. Newsome completed the Trianon Theatre on Second Avenue North in 1913 according to two books of that era and then purchased the Bonita. Mudd & Colley Amusement Company took on the theater in 1916 along with the Strand from Newsome adding to their existing Princess Theatre there.
The Trianon went out of business in 1926 when the Ritz was used to supplant the Trianon. Mudd & Colley would be purchased by Karl Hoblitzelle in 1926 (finalized on January 13, 1927) becoming part of the Interstate Circuit. Soon thereafter, the Trianon had one more chance and reopened under new ownership likely as a sublease agreement with Interstate. (The operator was likely Richard M. Kennedy who had taken on the former Mudd & Colley Rialto in 1925 though not positive.) The Trianon was remodeled only to close again in 1932 probably completing a 20-year lease with the building repurposed for new retail use.
The Rialto was built upon the site of the former Macon Theatre by the Southern Enterprises Inc. Circuit of Atlanta with seating for 800 at its launch (500 on the main floor and 300 in the balcony) in August of 1921. It had a $20,000 Robert Morton organ with Powers Projection at launch.
Opened December 27, 1915 with the Triangle films, “Edge of the Abyss” and “The Submarine Pirate.” All 1,467 seats were filled at the open. A $15,000 Austin organ played by E,J. Napier along with a Parlor Grand Chickering piano entertained the patrons. Raymond H. Allen was the manager on behalf of the East Liberty Theatre Co. Circuit that operated the theater.
The H.E. Kennedy & Co. teamed with Palmer and Hornbostel to achieve architectural plans that were said to be an homage to the NYC Strand in a more miniaturized form. It was Hornbostel that is credited for the exterior with its distinctive white, glazed terra cotta tiles that framed a patriotic World War I era American flag illuminated by red, white and blue light bulbs. The victim of both end of lease issues and eroding patronage, the Liberty shuttered just shy of its 50th anniversary and was bulldozed four years later after being defaced by vandals.
Launched November 22, 1918 just after WWI with Mayor James Rolph commending new owner Samuel H. Levin and his 700 patrons for the fine playhouse. A Robert Morgan organ entertained the crowds once inside followed by the Coliseum Orchestra.
That’s Nov. 12, 1918 – end of the War announcement and public celebration at the five-month old Dayton mt mgr Mark Gates.
Allied — opened during World War I early in 1918 with C.H. McCroskey operating.
The Lyric opened February 7, 1918 with all proceeds going to the Red Cross. The Fitzpatrick-McElroy Circuit operated the 1,000 seat theatre at its opening with George H. Kennedy as its first manager. Distinctive “automobile box seats” in the balcony saluted the auto manufacturing industry while allowing groups to sit together.
The Cosmo was launched by J.C. Lakin in May of 1917 with 448 seats and Simplex Type “S” projectors at opening.
Launched February 3, 1918 and got its name from A. Wilbert’s Songs Lumber and Shingle Company which built the theatre. Lionel Delzcrois ran the theatre at opening. The opening was a success and pictures prove this in photos.
Was a World War I Liberty Theatre named in 1916 and retaining it to the end of its silent era. Otis Hoyt ran it and the Strand.
The original Quinn’s Rialto was architected by A.R. Walker in 1917 and utilized some of the aspects of the outgoing Hampshire Hotel which it replaced.
“Restoring” . AKA Lavon Theatre. Royal Theatre (1913-)
The August 27, 1907 local paper lists the opening of the Lyceum at this address.
Was open in the early 1910s and was refurbished in April 25, 1918 with a full house under the direction of William Stewart.
The Owl Theatre opened in 1911 and during its run operator Samuel Orbach signed a contract with Paramount Pictures. By decade’s end, the Owl struggled and Orbach blamed Paramount for not getting the films to Lowell in a timely manner. The Owl closed and Orbach sued Paramount in Orbacj v. Paramount in which Orbach was found correct but couldn’t get the damages he sought. So new owners come in and change the theatre to the Rialto.
Opened with an invitational show on April 1, 1907 in the Atherton Office Building, the 1906 architectural exterior drawing in photos. But then a period of delay found Peter Lee Atherton’s United States Amusement closed to work on contracts and opened to the public September 2, 1907.
The original Rio design was architected in 1918 by C.A. Logan who had relocated from Port Arthur to Beaumont. It was then opened by Sol E. Gordon, J.I. Pittman, and J.C. Clemmons
It’s May of 1918 and during WWI, D.H. Schumann opens his $45,000 theater, the New Florence, with flags at right in the auditorium.
It’s May of 1918 and D.H. Schumann is in the ticket booth to open his $45,000 theater, the New Florence. The atmospheric Italian patio architecture here matches the Florence moniker better than the later “State”
Peoples Theatre manager John C. Stille designed that front
Opened as the Happy Hour Theatre and changed to the more patriotic American Theatre during World War I by Walter James and Barry Sisk.
Roy R. Bair of R.R. Bair Theatre Circuit ran Bair’s South Side Theatre (most definitely not Hair’s) along with five other theaters in the Uptown, St. Clair, Strand, Lincoln, and Ritz. It opened on May 14, 1918 on the site of a smaller theater that had originally held a retail store (G.H Vail’s Newsstand and Confectionary and briefly Kester’s Saloon) before becoming the 300-seat Green’s Theatre in 1913. The Bair circuit took on Green’s Theater changing it to Bair’s South Side Theatre in 1914 and had success.
Bair razed the original Green/South Side late in 1917 to double the capacity creating a new 600-seat facility opening in 1918. However, Bair dropped the theater in 1922. It existed as a silent operation under the George H. Sanders Circuit (including the Apex and the Sanders).
When the Granada Theatre opened across the street at 1045 Virginia and installed sound, Sanders was in trouble. He was unable to convert any of his theaters to sound. His theatres are all auctioned off in 1928 including the South Side. It was purchased and used for some sporadic live events and doubled as home to the Sunshine Mission to assist Depression-era south side residents in need.
The South Side had a hiatus before getting one more shot as a cinema being equipped for sound late in the 1930s but advertising ceases in 1940. That is likely the end of the theater’s life as it becomes home to Sablosky’s Department store by 1943. Its longest stint was an antique mall that operated into the 21st Century.
Opened in 1918
H. M. Newsome completed the Trianon Theatre on Second Avenue North in 1913 according to two books of that era and then purchased the Bonita. Mudd & Colley Amusement Company took on the theater in 1916 along with the Strand from Newsome adding to their existing Princess Theatre there.
The Trianon went out of business in 1926 when the Ritz was used to supplant the Trianon. Mudd & Colley would be purchased by Karl Hoblitzelle in 1926 (finalized on January 13, 1927) becoming part of the Interstate Circuit. Soon thereafter, the Trianon had one more chance and reopened under new ownership likely as a sublease agreement with Interstate. (The operator was likely Richard M. Kennedy who had taken on the former Mudd & Colley Rialto in 1925 though not positive.) The Trianon was remodeled only to close again in 1932 probably completing a 20-year lease with the building repurposed for new retail use.
Sol Lesser
The Rialto was built upon the site of the former Macon Theatre by the Southern Enterprises Inc. Circuit of Atlanta with seating for 800 at its launch (500 on the main floor and 300 in the balcony) in August of 1921. It had a $20,000 Robert Morton organ with Powers Projection at launch.
November 12, 1914 grand opening ad for the Delft Theatre – never as the Opera House other than in planning stages.