Comments from Ken Roe

Showing 4,726 - 4,750 of 5,433 comments

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Did Any Of These Boston Theatres Show Movies? on Apr 7, 2005 at 7:41 am

Ron;
The second Globe was the one that showed Loew’s vaudville/movies in the 1900’s. The article I have doen’t mention that there was a third Globe a block away as it reads, it seems to be talking about the same theatre regarding going burlesque then movies. Obviously a mistake.

The same article in THSA Marquee Vol 6 #3 A Historical Survey of the Theatres of Boston by Donald C. King makes no reference to a second Selwyn, former Cort. So sorry at this moment in time I can’t help any further.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Did Any Of These Boston Theatres Show Movies? on Apr 7, 2005 at 6:27 am

Out the initial list above I have listings on the Film Daily Yearbooks for the following theatres:

1941 edition
Columbia Theatre, Washington Street 1,800 seats (closed)

1943 edition
Columbia Theatre, Washington Street 1,800 seats

1950 edition
Columbia Theatre, 978 Washington Street 975 seats

There is a Tremont Theatre, Tremont Street 1,500 seats listed in both 1941 & ‘43 but I’m not sure if the is the Tremont Temple you mention above but it operated as a movie theatre by the 1930’s. Later known as the Astor Theatre.

I have a record of the Selwyn Theatre (former Globe) being run as a vaudville film house in the 1900 by Loew’s. Later went to Burlesque. After W.W.II it was taken over by E.M.Loew’s Theatres and was re-named Centre Theatre, showing movies.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Roxy Theatre on Apr 6, 2005 at 7:48 pm

The firm of R.E. Hall & Co.Inc. were the architects and engineers of the Keith-Albee Georgia Theatre which opened on 15th November 1926 with the movie “Her Big Night” starring Zazu Pitts and five big acts of Keith vaudeville with Julian Leonard at the Grande Symphonic Wurlitzer Organ.

It was re-named Roxy in 1938 when it was leased by Independent Theatres Inc who promised a deal had been done with the famous Roxy Theater in New York to bring the stage shows from that theatre the following week after their Manhattan appearance. The Roxy became a ‘de-luxe’ movie theatre for several years until the last stage show was a part of the programme on 30th October 1943. From then on, it was movies only.

In the 1960’s it became a Cinerama theatre and this meant the removal of the two loge boxes either side of the stage and the auditorium was draped.

Regular movies return for the final years, the film “Willard” set a house record and Rock Hudson made a personal apearance when his movie “Pretty Maids All In A Row” was screened. The Roxy closed on 21st May 1972 with the screening to a small audience of a camp B grade horror movie, “Twilight People”. The wreckers moved in early summer 1972 and there were still portions of the theatres walls still standing as late as September 1972.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Capitol Theatre on Apr 6, 2005 at 5:51 pm

The Mercy Theatre opened on 5th April 1920 with a Shubert production of the operetta “Maytime”.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about RKO Palace Theater on Apr 6, 2005 at 4:14 pm

The RKO Palace closed on 2nd August 1965 and demolition of the building was completed four months later.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Russell Theatre on Apr 6, 2005 at 3:44 pm

The Russell Theatre opened on 4th December 1930 with the movie “Whoopie” starring Eddie Cantor

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about RKO Royal Theatre on Apr 6, 2005 at 3:30 pm

The RKO Royal Theatre had two other architects helping out Thomas Lamb (on one of his first projects), they were Buchanan & Fox.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Scott 1-2-3 on Apr 5, 2005 at 7:22 pm

This Scott Theatre opened in 1959.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Alhambra Theatre on Apr 5, 2005 at 4:20 pm

The Alhambra Theatre opened on 23rd September 1927 with the movie “The Fighting Eagle” starring Rod LaRocque.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about American Theater on Apr 5, 2005 at 3:44 pm

Loew’s American Theater opened in December 1940.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Plaza Theater on Apr 5, 2005 at 2:22 pm

The Plaza opened on 28th November 1927. It was demolished in August 1971

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Teck Theatre on Apr 5, 2005 at 1:32 pm

The original building opened in 1883 as the Music Hall, a concert venue which burn’t down in 1885. It was re-built became first the Teck Theatre, then taken over by the Shubert’s in 1908. They operated it as a live theatre until 1933 when it was shuttered.

It remained closed until 1945 when it was gutted internally and most of the front facade was removed and rebuilt and it re-opened as a movie theatre known as Shea’s Teck Theatre from 1945. The seating was all on one level and the decorative scheme was described as ‘Pompeian Moderne’.

In 1950 it became Loew’s Teck and in 1952 Stanley Warner took control and it was converted into a Cinerama theatre from 1956. It reverted to the name Loews Teck for its final years.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Century Theatre on Apr 5, 2005 at 12:56 pm

Opened on 17th October 1921 as Loew’s State Theater, the opening was attended by Marcus Loew. There were two entrances, the Main Street entrance brought one in at the main floor and loge level, the other entrance was on Mowhawk Street. The configeration of the stage was unusual as an adjacent building (dating from at least 1895) had its wall hollowed out and the stage house was fitted into the space.

Loew’s dropped the house in 1928 and by 1930 it was under the control of Shea’s who moved their RKO vaudville shows into the what had now become the Century Theatre. In late 1939 Shea’s moved on and it it is listed as the Twentieth Century Theatre, or 20th Century with 2,911 seats in Film Daily Yearbooks under different managements.

In 1953 United Artists Theatres took out a 10 year lease and converted the theatre into a Cinerama theatre which resulted in a massive loss of the seating capacity to 1,200. It was also at this time that the 4Manual/33Rank De-Luxe Moeller theatre organ was junked. The pipes remained in the building.

The Century Theatre closed as a movie theatre in 1970 to become a rock concert venue. Later demolished.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Randolph Theatre on Apr 5, 2005 at 11:02 am

I have an opening date of 10th November 1902 for the Keith’s Theatre.

It was re-named Randolph Theatre and re-opened on 24th December 1949.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Capitol Theatre on Apr 5, 2005 at 9:10 am

The Capitol Theatre was built for the Ascher Bros. and opened in 1921. It had the first Wurlitzer Style 260 Special theatre organ ever built.

It became the twelfth theatre in the USA to be converted to a Cinerama theatre and it finally closed in 1967, remaining shuttered until it was demolished in 1970.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Miller Theater on Apr 5, 2005 at 8:22 am

Seating 1,956, the Miller Theater was a project of Publix Theatres and the opening on 1st May 1922 was attended by Adolph Zukor himself.

It closed its doors for the last time on 18th March 1970, with a gala farewell show sponsored by the Wichita Art Museum; Robert Foley played the Wurlitzer organ as a special selection of silent movies flickered onto the screen for the last time.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Decatur Theatre on Apr 4, 2005 at 7:43 pm

The 1930 edition of the Film Daily Yearbook has it listed as the U.S. Theater with 1,400 seats.

In the 1941 edition of the Film Daily Yearbook it has been re-named Decatur Theater with 950 seats (900 in the 1943 edition). It is not listed in 1950 or 1957 editions of F.D.Y. that I have.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Villa Theater on Apr 4, 2005 at 7:26 pm

In the Film Daily Yearbook,1943 the Ritz Theater is shown as being operated by the Fox Wisconsin Circuit under a subsidiary Fox City Theatres Corp. A seating capacity of 800. It was equipped with a Kilgen theatre organ. It closed as the Villa Theatre in 1986

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Gold Theatre on Apr 4, 2005 at 7:10 pm

The Film Daily Yearbook’s 1930, 1941 give a seating capacity of 544. The 1943 edition of F.D.Y. has a capacity given as 548.

It is not listed in the 1950 F.D.Y.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Luna Theater on Apr 4, 2005 at 6:24 pm

In the Film Daily Yearbook,1941 a seating capacity is given as 880. In the 1943 edition it lists the Luna as being managed/operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary John Balaban and it is listed as being closed.

The 1950 edition of F.D.Y. gives a seating capacity of 906.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about B. F. Keith's Theatre on Apr 4, 2005 at 5:18 pm

The Film Daily Yearbook,1950 lists this theatre as the Art Movie Theatre, with a seating capacity of 1,239. Obviously seating has been reduced due to fire code enforcements and closing an upper balcony.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about RKO Albee Theatre on Apr 4, 2005 at 3:20 pm

I will add it with the details that I have.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about RKO Albee Theatre on Apr 4, 2005 at 2:47 pm

TJ;
The B.F.Keith Theatre, Cincinnati is not listed on this site at the moment. Do you know anything about it so that you can list it? or shall I post it as a new listing with just the basic details that I have? Is it still there?

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about State Theater on Apr 4, 2005 at 2:04 pm

The Film Daily Yearbook,1941 gives a seating capacity of 907 for the State Theatre. In the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. seating is given as 997.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Wuerth Theater on Apr 4, 2005 at 12:06 pm

Film Daily Yearbook’s in the 1940’s show that the Wuerth Theater was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary W.S. Butterfield Theaters Inc and Butterfield Michigan Theaters Co.