The besst of my knowledge there was not any damage to the Athens in Deland. There was plenty of destruction in Deland however but the Athens area was lucky.
I remember watching the conversion to Cinemrama in 1953. The three projection booths on the main floor were being constructed.
Attending the premiere of THIS IS CINERAMA was a real theatrical event.Klieg lights, Black and Yellow uniforms, doorman on the curb to assist patrons. All the inside carpets,cutains etc were bright red. A great era !!
This was one of the many Cape Cod theaters that had their own booking “plan” during the summer months in the 40’s.50’s,60’s.
The exchanges would send X amount of prints to the Cape and they would play for one – two days and then sent on to another theater. The management would be responsible for moving the prints from one location to another. Each theater would play a picture 10-15 times during a summer season. Worked well as the mostly tourist audience turned over all the time.The print would leave the exchange in June and they would never see it until October.
This theater was operated by Interstate Theaters during the 40’s 50’s 60’s and 70’s. There was another theater in North Plymouth during that time. They used to juggle a print between the two theaters.
It seems that you have searched out most of the info in the Idle Hour /Center . I was manager of the Center Theater in 1954 and projectionist in later years. It indeed was built as Idle Hour and changed to Center (Year unknown) It was operated by Interstate Theaters, Boston. The fire that demolished the theater in 71-71 is correct. Ir was burned once in 1971. Started by vagrants who had broken in and set fire to the stage area. And again burned before it was finally torn completely down. It has been a vacant lot for many years.
The Center theater was the drop off point for many cans of film destined for showing at the home of Joseph P. Kennedy. His home in Hyannisport included a theater.
The Center was a first run theater. I remember Sound of Music had an extensive run there.
I submitted this theater on Cinema Treasures under Center Hyannis.
November 17, 2005
Movie-goers are a little happier today with the reopening of Entertainment Cinemas in Patriot Square.
The opening adds back six screens, missing since June when Regal let the theater’s lease expire.
Bill Hanney, President of Entertainment Cinemas bought back the theater that he originally owned, built and sold in 1997.
Since June, he has gutted the building and added stadium seating and digital sound, according to an advertisment in today’s Cape Cod Times. As scheduled, the theater is opening in time for the holidays.
In the silent days the screen was on the back wall. When sound arrived they added a small addition to house the speakers, which of course were real large in those days. The accompaniment was piano and drums.
A small building in the rear of the theater housed a generator for electricity. A generator operator was on the payroll.
I went by the Athens the other day and the restoration in coming along fine, although slow. They rent out the marquee space for personal messages to birthday, anniversary etc.
I would there for a while in the early fifties. It was being run by Lockwood & Gordon Theater, Boston, Mass. (Bought out by SBC) .I do remember a grandstand where folks could walk in and be seated.
This was never a movie theater. Main Street had two theaters = Hyannis (Summer only) in the west end. – Center Theater (Formerly Idlehour) in the east end (Open all year) This theater was destroyed by fire.
I was there for a short time during my training of Lockwood & Gordon. I remeber large attendance for kid shows. The manager at the time, around 1954 was Joe Jarvis.
Does anyone remember an art house in downtown DC I used to attend showings quite frquently in the late fifties. I thought I remembered the name ‘Plaza" but I could be wrong.
I was manager for a year or so at the Braintree Theater in the Square around 1954. It was a typical suburban theater showing double features, one feature once and the other twice evenings and continuous on week-ends.It was a single screen before the days of General Cinema. At the time it was under the banner of Lockwood and Gordon.George Follis from Quincy, as mentioned in one of the earlier posts filled in a substitute projectionist once in a while.I haven’t been back in a long time..Think it is some kind of retail store now
The besst of my knowledge there was not any damage to the Athens in Deland. There was plenty of destruction in Deland however but the Athens area was lucky.
I remember watching the conversion to Cinemrama in 1953. The three projection booths on the main floor were being constructed.
Attending the premiere of THIS IS CINERAMA was a real theatrical event.Klieg lights, Black and Yellow uniforms, doorman on the curb to assist patrons. All the inside carpets,cutains etc were bright red. A great era !!
This was one of the many Cape Cod theaters that had their own booking “plan” during the summer months in the 40’s.50’s,60’s.
The exchanges would send X amount of prints to the Cape and they would play for one – two days and then sent on to another theater. The management would be responsible for moving the prints from one location to another. Each theater would play a picture 10-15 times during a summer season. Worked well as the mostly tourist audience turned over all the time.The print would leave the exchange in June and they would never see it until October.
This theater was operated by Interstate Theaters during the 40’s 50’s 60’s and 70’s. There was another theater in North Plymouth during that time. They used to juggle a print between the two theaters.
It seems that you have searched out most of the info in the Idle Hour /Center . I was manager of the Center Theater in 1954 and projectionist in later years. It indeed was built as Idle Hour and changed to Center (Year unknown) It was operated by Interstate Theaters, Boston. The fire that demolished the theater in 71-71 is correct. Ir was burned once in 1971. Started by vagrants who had broken in and set fire to the stage area. And again burned before it was finally torn completely down. It has been a vacant lot for many years.
The Center theater was the drop off point for many cans of film destined for showing at the home of Joseph P. Kennedy. His home in Hyannisport included a theater.
The Center was a first run theater. I remember Sound of Music had an extensive run there.
I submitted this theater on Cinema Treasures under Center Hyannis.
November 17, 2005
Movie-goers are a little happier today with the reopening of Entertainment Cinemas in Patriot Square.
The opening adds back six screens, missing since June when Regal let the theater’s lease expire.
Bill Hanney, President of Entertainment Cinemas bought back the theater that he originally owned, built and sold in 1997.
Since June, he has gutted the building and added stadium seating and digital sound, according to an advertisment in today’s Cape Cod Times. As scheduled, the theater is opening in time for the holidays.
In the silent days the screen was on the back wall. When sound arrived they added a small addition to house the speakers, which of course were real large in those days. The accompaniment was piano and drums.
A small building in the rear of the theater housed a generator for electricity. A generator operator was on the payroll.
The Castle was operated by Lockwood & Gordon , Boston during the fifties.
I went by the Athens the other day and the restoration in coming along fine, although slow. They rent out the marquee space for personal messages to birthday, anniversary etc.
It was operated by Interstate Theaters out of Boston in the fifties
This Drive-Inn was operated by Interstate Theaters out of Boston, Mass. in the fifties.
It was operated by Interstate Theater Boston, Mass. during the fifties.
I would there for a while in the early fifties. It was being run by Lockwood & Gordon Theater, Boston, Mass. (Bought out by SBC) .I do remember a grandstand where folks could walk in and be seated.
This was never a movie theater. Main Street had two theaters = Hyannis (Summer only) in the west end. – Center Theater (Formerly Idlehour) in the east end (Open all year) This theater was destroyed by fire.
Interstate Theaters of Boston ran this one for many years until bought out by Hoyts.
Gerald: Was Lou Boas in your June post any relation to Herman Boas who was manager of the Hope in Providence in the fifties ??
I was there for a short time during my training of Lockwood & Gordon. I remeber large attendance for kid shows. The manager at the time, around 1954 was Joe Jarvis.
Went by this theater during JUly 2005 and it had “For Rent” on the marquee
Interstate Theaters ran this one for many years in the 50'60's
George Bailey was manager
I believe Interstate Theaters out of Boston operated the Scenic for many years. in the 50's60’s & 70’s.
I worked at this site in 1953. Managers name was McDermott. Nice neighborhood theater. I think it was an ATC house.
Thanks tom N ..If you think the matinee was bad you should have seen Friday nights.
Does anyone remember an art house in downtown DC I used to attend showings quite frquently in the late fifties. I thought I remembered the name ‘Plaza" but I could be wrong.
Interstate did have a theater in milford. They had theaters in Mass.Vermont,New Hampshire and Connecticut.
I was manager for a year or so at the Braintree Theater in the Square around 1954. It was a typical suburban theater showing double features, one feature once and the other twice evenings and continuous on week-ends.It was a single screen before the days of General Cinema. At the time it was under the banner of Lockwood and Gordon.George Follis from Quincy, as mentioned in one of the earlier posts filled in a substitute projectionist once in a while.I haven’t been back in a long time..Think it is some kind of retail store now