The “New” Criterion opened on September 16, 1936 with the film, GIVE ME YOUR HEART" staring Kay Francis. It was a Warner Bros., Cosmopolitan production. Harry Charnas, a brother-in-law of the Warner brothers was vice prseident of the operating company Macon Amusement Company) and manager of the theatre. Charnas had held the position of General manager of the Warner Bros. Broadway Theatres before becoming vice presidet of Macon Amusement Company and manager of the Criterion.
Warner Bros. acquired the Ritz Theatre circa 1931 and operated it until the theatre operations were separated from the film studio in 1953. Stanley Warner continued to operate the Ritz until about 1969 when Stanley Warner discontinued its theatre operation in California.
The Harbor Theatre opened on June 24, 1949 by Jack H. Greenberg Theater Enterprises who perated theaters in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The theater was designed by David supowitz who had an early association with William H. Lee. Supowittz designed the Goldman and Randolph Theatres in Philadelphia for William Goldman. Supowitz was also reponsible for updating a number of theaters for William Goldman. The theater fronted on the main street of Stone Harbor a few doors from the Park Theatre also operated by Greenberg. The auditorium was on an angle and stretched to the street behind. Greenberg sold out to Wm. Hunt Theatres of Wildwood who then sold out to Frank. On opening the theater had a very long inside lobby that was made into a creening room when the auditorium was divided into four screening rooms.
The website for the Beach Theatre is www.beachtheatre.org If you click on W. C. Hunt you will see an article that I wrote on this pioneer showman who was responsible for the building of the Beach Theatre. All of the Hunt Theatres were featured in a Theatre Historical Society of America, Marquee, Vol. 36 No.1 published in 2004.
The Palladium Theatre opened as the Plymouth Theatre on November 24, 1928. It became the E. M. Loew Center for the Performing Arts on April 14, 1980 and the Palladium after that.
According to the Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ it did have a 2/8 Robert Morton organ. The newspaper article on the opening identified “Buddy” Webber at the console of Our Mighty Organ but did not identify the organ manufacturer.
The Park Theatre was advertised in the local evening paper as the New Strand on April 3, 1925 and later as the Park on November 22, 1929. In that advertsiement the Rialto, also in Everett, was playing the same show.
According to information from the Lynn Public Library the Capitol opened in 1912 as the Central Square and became the Capitol in 1920. It was the last theatre operating in Lynn in March 1972. It was operated by E. M. Loew at that time.
The Waldorf opened as the Lynn Theatre on September 6, 1888. It was purchased by Harry Kelsey, president of the Waldorf restaurant chain in 1919 and renamed it the Waldorf Theatre. there were a number of Waldorf theatres in Massachusetts. Warner Bros, acquired the theatre in 1930 and operated it until it closed in 1956.
According to the Lynn Item of February 17, 1972 the Paramount opened in 1931 and closed on December 1, 1963 and was demolished in January 1964. It was reported to be the largest motion picture theatre north of Boston.
The Warner Theatre opened as the Mark Strand on November 15, 1915. The Mark New York Theatres were acquired by the Stanley Company of America in 1926 and subsequently by Warner Bros. in October 1928. The Mark Theatres in Massachusetts were acquired by Warner Bros. in November 1929 and the Mark Strand became the Warner in April 1930. E. M. Loew acquired the Warner in 1967 and renamed it the Cinema. It closed in 1972 and was scheduled to become an indoor mini-mall.
The newspaper account in the Everett Herald and Republican indicated the Capitol opened with a Symphony Orchestra and Wonderful Pipe Organ. The organ make was not listed but it was an Austin 2 manual, 9 rank organ.
From the researh librarian at the Parlin Memorial Library in Everett the Capitol opened on September 6, 1926 by Moe mark of the Mark Strand New England Corporation. Although the Mark Strand Corporation of New York was merged into the Stanley Company of America just about the time the Capitol opened it was not until November of 1929 after Warner Bros. acquired the Stanley Company that the Capitol and its sister theatres in Lynn and Worcester became part of the Warner Bros. theatre circuit.
The Warner Theatre was one of five Massachusetts theatres of the Mark Strand New England Corporation that was sold to Warner Bros. in 1929. Prior to the sale to Warner Bros. it was called the Strand.
According to research by Irv Glaser and Craig Morrison the Queen opened on February 16, 1916. The architect was the Hoffman Company of Philadelphia. It was rebuilt in January 1942. William H. Lee, architect.
The Grand Opera House (Grand)was part of the acqusition of the Harris Amusement Company of Pittsburgh by Warner Bros. in 1930. It operated as a movie house by Warner Bros. (Stanley Warner)until about 1967.
The Empire (Warner) is listed in the 1928 Film Daily Year Book as being operated by Toomey & DeMara who also operated the Colonial, Empire, Palace and Premier in Lawrence.
Barry Goodkin
The 977 seat Merritt Theatre was opened by Warner Bros. Theaters on April 15, 1942. The supervising architect is listed as Bridgeport architect Toby Vece but from observation it is likely that the plans were drawn by Drew Eberson who did much work for Warners' at the time. All seats were located on one floor. The theater was later twinned down the middle. It was the last RKO-Stanley Warner Theatre in Connecticut and closed on February 10, 1985.
Warner Bros. began to acquire their theatre chain in 1925. The Warner is not advertised in the January 6, 1940 Chicago Daily Tribune and is not listed in the theatres section of International Motion Picture Almanac for 1942/1943 or subsequent Almanacs or Film Daily Year Books.
Does anyone know the date WB closed the Orpheum and when the building was converted to other uses?
The Huntington Park Warner Theatre opened on November 19, 1930 according to research by Jimmie Hicks. Joe E. Brown was master of ceremonies. The opening film wa “The Life of the Party,” a Vitaphone film in Technicolor.
fedoozle: I meant to mention and perhaps you are aware but the Bridgeport Library has a theater clippimg file that may be helpful to you. Mary Withowski was the librarian in the Bridgeport room.
I have done rather extensive research of Bridgeport theaters from 1910. I began with 1910 because many of the theaters were storefronts that did not last showing movies very long.
This is information obtained from the Bridgeport City Directories in the Bridgeport Library. The city directories are not always accurate, not listing theaters in the year opened and sometimes listing them after they closed.
Asoria, 517 Newfield Avenue, 1910-1913;Bull’s Head 1737 Main Street, no listing; Crescent, 875 Main Street, 1911-1914; Elk, 1071 Main Street, no listing; Fairway, 2782 Fairfield Avenue, 1916-1918; Gem, 235 East Washington Avenue, 1910; Imperial, 515 Union Avenue 1910-1915, listed as the East End in 1915; Oriole, 441 Pembrooke Avenue, no listing; People’s 1447 Main Street, no listing; Seamans', 278 Spruce Street. There was a Star at 223 Spruce 1913-1916.
One of the first storefront theaters in Bridgeport was the Nickellete at 1219 State Street, Circa 1907.
The Bijou is reported as opened in 1910. It became the Rivoli on October 3, 1929 and later by a variety of names including Studio and Community.
Although there were no operating theaters in Bridgeport in 1998 when I relocated to another state there are still a number of old theaters that have been coverted to other uses that are still standing. The Poli Palace and Majestic are mothballed and still standing but I am not aware of any plans for restoration.
There is a complete description of the Crosskeys and the Philadelphia Theatres in Irv Glazer’s book “Philadelphia Theatre, A-Z. The Crosskeys was part of the Sablosky and McGuirk Vaudeville circuit that became part of the Stanley Company of America and subsequently Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corporation.
The “New” Criterion opened on September 16, 1936 with the film, GIVE ME YOUR HEART" staring Kay Francis. It was a Warner Bros., Cosmopolitan production. Harry Charnas, a brother-in-law of the Warner brothers was vice prseident of the operating company Macon Amusement Company) and manager of the theatre. Charnas had held the position of General manager of the Warner Bros. Broadway Theatres before becoming vice presidet of Macon Amusement Company and manager of the Criterion.
Warner Bros. acquired the Ritz Theatre circa 1931 and operated it until the theatre operations were separated from the film studio in 1953. Stanley Warner continued to operate the Ritz until about 1969 when Stanley Warner discontinued its theatre operation in California.
The Harbor Theatre opened on June 24, 1949 by Jack H. Greenberg Theater Enterprises who perated theaters in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The theater was designed by David supowitz who had an early association with William H. Lee. Supowittz designed the Goldman and Randolph Theatres in Philadelphia for William Goldman. Supowitz was also reponsible for updating a number of theaters for William Goldman. The theater fronted on the main street of Stone Harbor a few doors from the Park Theatre also operated by Greenberg. The auditorium was on an angle and stretched to the street behind. Greenberg sold out to Wm. Hunt Theatres of Wildwood who then sold out to Frank. On opening the theater had a very long inside lobby that was made into a creening room when the auditorium was divided into four screening rooms.
The website for the Beach Theatre is www.beachtheatre.org If you click on W. C. Hunt you will see an article that I wrote on this pioneer showman who was responsible for the building of the Beach Theatre. All of the Hunt Theatres were featured in a Theatre Historical Society of America, Marquee, Vol. 36 No.1 published in 2004.
The Palladium Theatre opened as the Plymouth Theatre on November 24, 1928. It became the E. M. Loew Center for the Performing Arts on April 14, 1980 and the Palladium after that.
According to the Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ it did have a 2/8 Robert Morton organ. The newspaper article on the opening identified “Buddy” Webber at the console of Our Mighty Organ but did not identify the organ manufacturer.
William H. Lee was the architect of the Parker Theatre.
The Empire (Warner) opened on March 30, 1915.
The Park Theatre was advertised in the local evening paper as the New Strand on April 3, 1925 and later as the Park on November 22, 1929. In that advertsiement the Rialto, also in Everett, was playing the same show.
The Park and the Rialto, both in Everett, played the same show in both theatres as advertised in the Everett Gazett on November 22, 1929.
According to information from the Lynn Public Library the Capitol opened in 1912 as the Central Square and became the Capitol in 1920. It was the last theatre operating in Lynn in March 1972. It was operated by E. M. Loew at that time.
The Waldorf opened as the Lynn Theatre on September 6, 1888. It was purchased by Harry Kelsey, president of the Waldorf restaurant chain in 1919 and renamed it the Waldorf Theatre. there were a number of Waldorf theatres in Massachusetts. Warner Bros, acquired the theatre in 1930 and operated it until it closed in 1956.
According to the Lynn Item of February 17, 1972 the Paramount opened in 1931 and closed on December 1, 1963 and was demolished in January 1964. It was reported to be the largest motion picture theatre north of Boston.
The Warner Theatre opened as the Mark Strand on November 15, 1915. The Mark New York Theatres were acquired by the Stanley Company of America in 1926 and subsequently by Warner Bros. in October 1928. The Mark Theatres in Massachusetts were acquired by Warner Bros. in November 1929 and the Mark Strand became the Warner in April 1930. E. M. Loew acquired the Warner in 1967 and renamed it the Cinema. It closed in 1972 and was scheduled to become an indoor mini-mall.
The newspaper account in the Everett Herald and Republican indicated the Capitol opened with a Symphony Orchestra and Wonderful Pipe Organ. The organ make was not listed but it was an Austin 2 manual, 9 rank organ.
From the researh librarian at the Parlin Memorial Library in Everett the Capitol opened on September 6, 1926 by Moe mark of the Mark Strand New England Corporation. Although the Mark Strand Corporation of New York was merged into the Stanley Company of America just about the time the Capitol opened it was not until November of 1929 after Warner Bros. acquired the Stanley Company that the Capitol and its sister theatres in Lynn and Worcester became part of the Warner Bros. theatre circuit.
The Warner Theatre was one of five Massachusetts theatres of the Mark Strand New England Corporation that was sold to Warner Bros. in 1929. Prior to the sale to Warner Bros. it was called the Strand.
According to research by Irv Glaser and Craig Morrison the Queen opened on February 16, 1916. The architect was the Hoffman Company of Philadelphia. It was rebuilt in January 1942. William H. Lee, architect.
The Grand Opera House (Grand)was part of the acqusition of the Harris Amusement Company of Pittsburgh by Warner Bros. in 1930. It operated as a movie house by Warner Bros. (Stanley Warner)until about 1967.
The Empire (Warner) is listed in the 1928 Film Daily Year Book as being operated by Toomey & DeMara who also operated the Colonial, Empire, Palace and Premier in Lawrence.
Barry Goodkin
The 977 seat Merritt Theatre was opened by Warner Bros. Theaters on April 15, 1942. The supervising architect is listed as Bridgeport architect Toby Vece but from observation it is likely that the plans were drawn by Drew Eberson who did much work for Warners' at the time. All seats were located on one floor. The theater was later twinned down the middle. It was the last RKO-Stanley Warner Theatre in Connecticut and closed on February 10, 1985.
Warner Bros. began to acquire their theatre chain in 1925. The Warner is not advertised in the January 6, 1940 Chicago Daily Tribune and is not listed in the theatres section of International Motion Picture Almanac for 1942/1943 or subsequent Almanacs or Film Daily Year Books.
Does anyone know the date WB closed the Orpheum and when the building was converted to other uses?
The Huntington Park Warner Theatre opened on November 19, 1930 according to research by Jimmie Hicks. Joe E. Brown was master of ceremonies. The opening film wa “The Life of the Party,” a Vitaphone film in Technicolor.
fedoozle: I meant to mention and perhaps you are aware but the Bridgeport Library has a theater clippimg file that may be helpful to you. Mary Withowski was the librarian in the Bridgeport room.
I have done rather extensive research of Bridgeport theaters from 1910. I began with 1910 because many of the theaters were storefronts that did not last showing movies very long.
This is information obtained from the Bridgeport City Directories in the Bridgeport Library. The city directories are not always accurate, not listing theaters in the year opened and sometimes listing them after they closed.
Asoria, 517 Newfield Avenue, 1910-1913;Bull’s Head 1737 Main Street, no listing; Crescent, 875 Main Street, 1911-1914; Elk, 1071 Main Street, no listing; Fairway, 2782 Fairfield Avenue, 1916-1918; Gem, 235 East Washington Avenue, 1910; Imperial, 515 Union Avenue 1910-1915, listed as the East End in 1915; Oriole, 441 Pembrooke Avenue, no listing; People’s 1447 Main Street, no listing; Seamans', 278 Spruce Street. There was a Star at 223 Spruce 1913-1916.
One of the first storefront theaters in Bridgeport was the Nickellete at 1219 State Street, Circa 1907.
The Bijou is reported as opened in 1910. It became the Rivoli on October 3, 1929 and later by a variety of names including Studio and Community.
Although there were no operating theaters in Bridgeport in 1998 when I relocated to another state there are still a number of old theaters that have been coverted to other uses that are still standing. The Poli Palace and Majestic are mothballed and still standing but I am not aware of any plans for restoration.
There is a complete description of the Crosskeys and the Philadelphia Theatres in Irv Glazer’s book “Philadelphia Theatre, A-Z. The Crosskeys was part of the Sablosky and McGuirk Vaudeville circuit that became part of the Stanley Company of America and subsequently Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corporation.