The CL is one of the oldest operating movie theatres in the Cleeland area. Checking back issues of the Cleveland papers, maybe only the Parma is as old or older. Of course, neither of these two exist in their original form, both having been multiplexed.
I remember being in the original Cedar Lee. Believe it had stadium seating. I was told it was a Motiograph booth.
The Standard was rather small. I would guess about 800 seats. There was NO balcony. This was a very basic theatre. The operator could walk out of the booth and overlook the lobby. There was a large opening in the wall just outside the booth. During the latter X-rated days, there was only the barest of concessions. I believe popcorn was free! There was a double-bill with the bottom half usually being almost unwatchable. But, as far as I know, the Standard never resorted to “loops.” They were always real movies. Everything was 35mm.
to: TJ
I really don’t know about the stage, but I would guess that they had some backstage facilities. I don’t think very many alterations were made for 70mm. The booth was VERY cramped with it’s 3 Century 35/70mm projectors. As in most older houses, the projection angle was quite steep. It would have been preferable to build a mezzanine booth similar to the Palace. When the Palace ended their 3-strip Cinerama presentations, they could have installed 70mm machines in the upstairs booth, but chose to do the mezzanine job. The net result is a shorter throw and almost straight-on, reducing distortion quite a bit.
The Stillman didn’t seem part of the Playhouse Square scene due to its location. And, yes, there WAS a need for more parking in the area. I guess with three theatres in the area Loew’s had to choose and the Stillman was the loser.
The Hipp was in a different class. A much lower-class house. Size aside, it could not compete with the Playhouse Square theatres.
And, if you are going to close one theatre out of three, one of them has to be first!
It was the beginning of the end.
I liked the Stillman a lot, but Loew’s was already running roadshows at the Ohio and the State could handle regular first-run fare.
The way things look today, I think it was a big mistake to demolish the Stillman. And the same fate almost happened to the Allen (SW). It was the last theatre to be saved from the wreckers ball and it was in very sad shape.
I have never been in the Colony since it was “cut up.” Don’t want to. The only thing positive I can say is that it was dark as a single screen theatre and probably would have never opened again. This is the only way. Shaker Square is right on the border between Cleveland and Shaker Hts. A block away is a pretty seedy neighborhood in one direction and a not bad neighborhood in the other.
Yes, the theatres have to be pretty small. I’m not sure it can last, even it its present state. The Shaker Square Association wants it, of course, so they are very accommodating to the owners. I doubt if they are paying any rent (or very little).
I vaguely remember (in the 60s) that the Loew’s Regional Manager’s office was in Loew’s State.(and I believe it was on the mezz too)
I think his name was Frank Arena, but it has been a long time.
Before “roadshows” the Colony just played sub-run movies, but it was always a “class house.” When it was first “cut-up” the job was terrible. After a fire, a lot of the work was redone. Even so, it is nothing like it was. (what is?)
Yes, there WAS a balcony and it was converted into two of the “screens.” They preserved the full size of the main screen by paritioning off the first third of the main floor. The back half of the main floor was cut in two. That makes 5 screens.
Set on picturesque Shaker Square, the Colony was a work of art.
It remained dark for quite a while as a single screen house. It was only through financial incentives that it reopened at all.
Unfortunately, the neighborhood has deteriorated quite a bit.
Like most of the downtown theatres in most of the medium and large cities in America, the Stillman closed for lack of business. No convenient parking. Easy access to first-run movies at suburban theatres. Some of the other downtown theatres in Cleveland (Allen, Ohio, State, Palace) were saved from the wrecking ball and became live venues. The Stillman was not contiguous to these theatres, being about 5 blocks west on Euclid Ave.
The Stillman was a very nice theatre but not overly anything. Not overly fancy,or overly big.
I remember the booth being incredibly small and cramped.
With two operators most of the time, there was hardly space enough to breathe.
The presentation at the Stillman was always first-rate.
The floor layout was such that the concession stand was in the lobby before the ticket-taker. The usher taking tickets had to keep track of kids who had already paid their admission, but were out for a second stab at the concessions. They were pretty good at it!
The mens room was in the basement and you had to go down a couple flights of stairs to get to it. I remember the scale that gave you your weight and fortune for a penny!
The Ezella was the first place I ever had “Buttercup” popcorn. The cost was 25 cents a cup! A lot of money in the 50’s, especially when regular popcorn was just 10 cents a box.
Just inside the theatre there was a “pop” machine that served drinks in paper cups. A dime, I believe. Sometimes the machine malfunctioned and the cup would not drop. Your wonderful pop just squirted into the drain!
It was not unusual for the Ezella to have special kiddie matinees on weekends and an “adult” show at night. It was not unusual for me to go to the kids show on Saturday and back with my parents that night. If the show changed on Sunday maybe back for the Sunday show too!
Like many nabes during this period, the Ezella featured a Bingo night, live onstage. You got your bingo card from the ticket taker.
Prizes were often pots and pans. The cards were perforated…you just “pushed out and bent over” the tabs coresponding to your letters and numbers as they were called. Just one more incentive for you to go out to the movies!
I remember the big “Bingo Board” on stage and the “machine” that spit out the numbers. Always seemed magical to me.
I would love to hear all your stories about the Ezella Theatre. Here is a current picture of the marquee (taken just last week). www.maxxgen.org/ezella/ezella.JPG
Jack Silverthorne, the manager of the Hipp, had a rep for being difficult. I remember that his office door was often open and visible from the lobby. The walls were plastered with celebrity pictures.
I had to beg and beg to get into the booth. After a while it became a real challenge.
The Hipp was an amazing theatre. I never got into either of the two balconies. I understand that there was an elevator to the second balcony.
Actually, I think the projectionist at the Ezella was ROY Fitzgerald (Gail’s father). Emerson was also in the union (and was Roy’s brother), but I think he worked mostly for the Cleveland Public School System. It’s been a long time.
When I was in the University booth in the 60s, I found Motiograph AA projectors and Motiograph sound. The theatre was on its last legs and was then called the “Scrumph Dump.”
When I was in the Loew’s State booth in the 60s they were still just 35mm. I found 3 Simplex X-L projectors, Simplex X-L stereo sound system, RCA Photophone mono optical sound system (with ancient power amps) and Peerless HyCandescent lamps.
I remember this house had a HUGE screen at this time.
When I visited the Colony in the 60s it was still single screen and a very pretty house. They had 2 Super Simplex projectors and RCA photophone sound. I believe the lamps were Ashcraft.
Later, they replaced the Supers with Norelco/Philips 35mm/70mm machines.
When I visited the Palace in the 60s I found two booths. The downstairs booth had 3 Philips/Norelco 35/70mm projectors, Ashcraft Super Cinex lamps, and Ampex stereo sound (with RCA tube-type power amps).
The upstairs booth has 3 Super Simplex projectors, RCA Photophone Sound but I can’t remember the lamps.
When I visited the Mapletown booth in the 60s, I found a typical Nabe booth of the era: 2 Simplex E-7 projectors, Simplex 4-star sound and Peerless MagnArc lamps.
This was a HUGE theatre and was later cut into a triplex before it closed.
The CL is one of the oldest operating movie theatres in the Cleeland area. Checking back issues of the Cleveland papers, maybe only the Parma is as old or older. Of course, neither of these two exist in their original form, both having been multiplexed.
I remember being in the original Cedar Lee. Believe it had stadium seating. I was told it was a Motiograph booth.
The Standard was rather small. I would guess about 800 seats. There was NO balcony. This was a very basic theatre. The operator could walk out of the booth and overlook the lobby. There was a large opening in the wall just outside the booth. During the latter X-rated days, there was only the barest of concessions. I believe popcorn was free! There was a double-bill with the bottom half usually being almost unwatchable. But, as far as I know, the Standard never resorted to “loops.” They were always real movies. Everything was 35mm.
to: TJ
I really don’t know about the stage, but I would guess that they had some backstage facilities. I don’t think very many alterations were made for 70mm. The booth was VERY cramped with it’s 3 Century 35/70mm projectors. As in most older houses, the projection angle was quite steep. It would have been preferable to build a mezzanine booth similar to the Palace. When the Palace ended their 3-strip Cinerama presentations, they could have installed 70mm machines in the upstairs booth, but chose to do the mezzanine job. The net result is a shorter throw and almost straight-on, reducing distortion quite a bit.
Laserium
Very interesting. What I might have seen was a report that the Allen was, by far, in the worst condition before restoration.
I believe it was in the Allen lobby before they re-opened the theatre. The Allen is the oldest of all the restored theatres.
The Stillman didn’t seem part of the Playhouse Square scene due to its location. And, yes, there WAS a need for more parking in the area. I guess with three theatres in the area Loew’s had to choose and the Stillman was the loser.
The Hipp was in a different class. A much lower-class house. Size aside, it could not compete with the Playhouse Square theatres.
And, if you are going to close one theatre out of three, one of them has to be first!
It was the beginning of the end.
I liked the Stillman a lot, but Loew’s was already running roadshows at the Ohio and the State could handle regular first-run fare.
The way things look today, I think it was a big mistake to demolish the Stillman. And the same fate almost happened to the Allen (SW). It was the last theatre to be saved from the wreckers ball and it was in very sad shape.
I have never been in the Colony since it was “cut up.” Don’t want to. The only thing positive I can say is that it was dark as a single screen theatre and probably would have never opened again. This is the only way. Shaker Square is right on the border between Cleveland and Shaker Hts. A block away is a pretty seedy neighborhood in one direction and a not bad neighborhood in the other.
Yes, the theatres have to be pretty small. I’m not sure it can last, even it its present state. The Shaker Square Association wants it, of course, so they are very accommodating to the owners. I doubt if they are paying any rent (or very little).
I think this was pre-Rabakopf…maybe around 1958-59.
I vaguely remember (in the 60s) that the Loew’s Regional Manager’s office was in Loew’s State.(and I believe it was on the mezz too)
I think his name was Frank Arena, but it has been a long time.
Right. It was known as the RKO Palace. Part of the RKO-Keith-Albee chain. (As I remember)Also, there was the Loew’s Stillman at 11th and Euclid.
Before “roadshows” the Colony just played sub-run movies, but it was always a “class house.” When it was first “cut-up” the job was terrible. After a fire, a lot of the work was redone. Even so, it is nothing like it was. (what is?)
Yes, there WAS a balcony and it was converted into two of the “screens.” They preserved the full size of the main screen by paritioning off the first third of the main floor. The back half of the main floor was cut in two. That makes 5 screens.
Set on picturesque Shaker Square, the Colony was a work of art.
It remained dark for quite a while as a single screen house. It was only through financial incentives that it reopened at all.
Unfortunately, the neighborhood has deteriorated quite a bit.
Like most of the downtown theatres in most of the medium and large cities in America, the Stillman closed for lack of business. No convenient parking. Easy access to first-run movies at suburban theatres. Some of the other downtown theatres in Cleveland (Allen, Ohio, State, Palace) were saved from the wrecking ball and became live venues. The Stillman was not contiguous to these theatres, being about 5 blocks west on Euclid Ave.
The Stillman was a very nice theatre but not overly anything. Not overly fancy,or overly big.
I remember the booth being incredibly small and cramped.
With two operators most of the time, there was hardly space enough to breathe.
The presentation at the Stillman was always first-rate.
Here’s an interesting Ezella anecdote:
The floor layout was such that the concession stand was in the lobby before the ticket-taker. The usher taking tickets had to keep track of kids who had already paid their admission, but were out for a second stab at the concessions. They were pretty good at it!
The mens room was in the basement and you had to go down a couple flights of stairs to get to it. I remember the scale that gave you your weight and fortune for a penny!
The Ezella was the first place I ever had “Buttercup” popcorn. The cost was 25 cents a cup! A lot of money in the 50’s, especially when regular popcorn was just 10 cents a box.
Just inside the theatre there was a “pop” machine that served drinks in paper cups. A dime, I believe. Sometimes the machine malfunctioned and the cup would not drop. Your wonderful pop just squirted into the drain!
It was not unusual for the Ezella to have special kiddie matinees on weekends and an “adult” show at night. It was not unusual for me to go to the kids show on Saturday and back with my parents that night. If the show changed on Sunday maybe back for the Sunday show too!
Like many nabes during this period, the Ezella featured a Bingo night, live onstage. You got your bingo card from the ticket taker.
Prizes were often pots and pans. The cards were perforated…you just “pushed out and bent over” the tabs coresponding to your letters and numbers as they were called. Just one more incentive for you to go out to the movies!
I remember the big “Bingo Board” on stage and the “machine” that spit out the numbers. Always seemed magical to me.
I would love to hear all your stories about the Ezella Theatre. Here is a current picture of the marquee (taken just last week).
www.maxxgen.org/ezella/ezella.JPG
Jack Silverthorne, the manager of the Hipp, had a rep for being difficult. I remember that his office door was often open and visible from the lobby. The walls were plastered with celebrity pictures.
I had to beg and beg to get into the booth. After a while it became a real challenge.
The Hipp was an amazing theatre. I never got into either of the two balconies. I understand that there was an elevator to the second balcony.
Actually, I think the projectionist at the Ezella was ROY Fitzgerald (Gail’s father). Emerson was also in the union (and was Roy’s brother), but I think he worked mostly for the Cleveland Public School System. It’s been a long time.
The Circle was West of the University on the same side (so.) of Euclid Avenue. It was at about E102nd St. The University was at about E107th St.
When I was in the University booth in the 60s, I found Motiograph AA projectors and Motiograph sound. The theatre was on its last legs and was then called the “Scrumph Dump.”
When I was in the Loew’s State booth in the 60s they were still just 35mm. I found 3 Simplex X-L projectors, Simplex X-L stereo sound system, RCA Photophone mono optical sound system (with ancient power amps) and Peerless HyCandescent lamps.
I remember this house had a HUGE screen at this time.
When I was in the Standard booth in the 60s, they had 2 Motiograph AA projectors and Motiograph Sound.
When I visited the Colony in the 60s it was still single screen and a very pretty house. They had 2 Super Simplex projectors and RCA photophone sound. I believe the lamps were Ashcraft.
Later, they replaced the Supers with Norelco/Philips 35mm/70mm machines.
When I visited the Palace in the 60s I found two booths. The downstairs booth had 3 Philips/Norelco 35/70mm projectors, Ashcraft Super Cinex lamps, and Ampex stereo sound (with RCA tube-type power amps).
The upstairs booth has 3 Super Simplex projectors, RCA Photophone Sound but I can’t remember the lamps.
When I visited the Loew’s Ohio booth in the 60s I found 3 Philips/Norelco 35/70mm projectors, Peerless Hycandescent lamps, and Simplex Sound.
This was a “roadshow house” at this time.
When I visited the Mapletown booth in the 60s, I found a typical Nabe booth of the era: 2 Simplex E-7 projectors, Simplex 4-star sound and Peerless MagnArc lamps.
This was a HUGE theatre and was later cut into a triplex before it closed.