Brad, Pearl & Dean are probably located in London. I’m sure the fine chaps at the British Film Institute in Los Angeles can help with info and website. They’re in the British Embassy building.
Seven years? Congratulations! I am addicted to your website and view it everyday with my morning tea.
EVERY MEMBER SHOULD CONTRIBUTE NOW. Please post your bank and routing number for depositing… or an address where we can gladly send our TAX DEDUCTIBLE donations.
Artistic CT members need to design a “help wanted” poster (approved by CT) then send it to the movie palaces (on line) requesting them to display it in one of the movie poster cases.
When conditions get to the unacceptable point of presentation, don’t just sit there like a whimp… go and get a manager and SOUND OFF loud and clear for other patrons to hear and, possibly, join in with you.
Ask for a name and contact info at the theater’s H.Q. and tell them your are NOT returning because of the irritating situation. Also tell them to call/e-mail you when things are back to normal, otherwise “too-da-loo dudes!” I do this, and it works for me.
Sorry, sorry, sorry… my Sept 8th comments were uncalled for. I feel the facade should warrant a similar appearance as to the lobby and auditorium and not the plain looks it has now.
Inside is quite lovely and thanks to Howard B Hass for the excellent photos… I do hope they use the waterfall curtain! -Simon
How could such a significant name of ZIEGFELD, in the world of theater, have been allowed to its use on such a dumpy-looking boxy theater?
That “place” is typical of the countless dreary, unimaginative buildings churned out like shoe boxes of the ugly 1960’s period that needs to be forgotten!
Mark Campbell’s comment that “Mann’s are dying a slow death” is so true. They’ve had their fun and now it’s time for them to get out of Show Business and let some who loves it take over NOW.
I must add that giving tours of the Chineese Theatre auditorium WHILE a movie is running? I could hear the nattering guide better than the sound track, even after complaining twice.
This is no different a story than what transpired in San Francisco with the Blumenfeld Brothers. They also operated countless theaters and gave them up one by one, even the infamous Castro Theatre.
I tend to like L.A’s local, smaller and more personalized Krikorian theaters operation. As for AMC, Regal/UA, etc., I need to vomit!
Why not try the Theater Historical Society in Elmhurst, Illinois… if they don’t have info/pictures, perhaps they know of another connection; listed “Drive-In’s” maybe? Good Luck!
Why not try the single screen houses? They are much more receptive and less expensive to renting their theater for public/private screenings, especially privately owned ones.
The BIG chains are too cold and impersonal to deal with little people struggling to get on the “band wagon.” I found this out when I presented the British Film Festival in the San Francisco area.
Depending on which day(s) you need the cinema for, how many seats, possible insurance, publicity, projectionist needed & hours etc, need to be weighed at question time. GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING especially “move-in & out” times. Make notes/photos of any precious damage.
Ask about their publicity and will you be added to it: web/phone recordings, marquee, newspaper, hand bills. Good Luck chum, it’s a lot of hard, thankless work but a hell of a lot of fun when its “Show Time.”
A spokesperson needs to go on ALL of the radio and TV chat shows, especially the PBS stations; they have a different breed of viewers who enjoy helping the arts with donations.
Also suggested is that guests bring along their cameras and flashlight. Perhaps a local company will setup some floodlights by donation in exchange for publicity?!
My friend, JOSEPH MUSIL, of The American Museum of Theatrical Design in Santa Ana, Ca., 714-667-6959 was deeply involved with the design/restoration of the Egyptian style interior of the Alex Theatre in Glendale.
I seem to have bad luck in visiting these grand places… they’re closed on the day I choose to travel there: Fox/Copely Hall and Northpark Theatres in San Diego, Fox/Arlington in Santa Barbara, as well as the fabulous collection of theaters on Broadway in L.A.
My American organist friend, the late GENE GAYNOR of San Francisco, made some live and BBC radio recordings of the Gaumont State Wurlitzer of which I have on Reel-to-Reel tapes.
All are “historic,” many in stereo, boxed in excellent condition with title listings, some pictures and facts, etc., and are now
FOR SALE.
I also have numerous other Reel-to-Reel & Cassette archive recordings of British cinema-theater organs!
If interested, please write to my personal e-mail address for further info-to-know:
Simon Overton:
What a beautiful theater and memorable Compton organ… all gone!
As a boy living in Southampton, I fondly remember listening to the BBC radio morning broadcasts of “As Prescribed” featuring none other than the memorable Dudley Savage.
How he managed to create all of the console’s different sound settings, play the tunes, announce listeners requests and keep a cool head was truly remarkable AND fit everything into a professionally timed and presented programme!
And now the cinema is all but a memory. I recall seeing “Network” there in the mid 70’s. Excellent film but the volume?…I think the audience at the ABC Cinema could have heard it too.
For Pete’s sake, why didn’t they save the structure and build over it, there by saving a piece of Plymouth’s history which survived WW2? Every hotel needs a ballroom and the Drake’s auditorium was perfect for needs such as this. D.U.M.B.!!!
This theater is an absolute “gem” from ones moment of arrival to departure. Their manager is a complete showman and knows how to work the crowds at the Box Office to presenting a speech of welcome prior to the curtain going up. Interestingly, he assured us that they would hold the film until everyone was in!
We saw the Edith Piaf story (with tears) “La Vien Rose” which was thoroughly entertaining. Projection and audio were outstanding -just like their delicious popcorn and coffee.
It’s well worth going slightly early to obtain parking but also to admire the beautiful blacklight decorative theme and original Art-Deco surroundings… and remember to take your camera!
72 is still too cool. Don’t forget that sitting still for a few hours slows down ones blood, especially the older one is, and the body temp drops.
Across the “pond” merry old England was not noted for being air conditioning fanatics like we are here in the U.S!. I can only speak on this subject as to when I was a projectionist there in the mid-50’s to late 60’s.
We often left a couple of stage house windows open to let the place blow through to get the cigarette smoke out!
Of course, the warmer temperatures kept the drinks and ice cream sales ladies quite busy and that was good for the bank account and kept HQ happy and quiet.
Notably, Disney’s EL CAPITAN THEATRE in Hollywood seem to enjoy freezing your twig & berries off, as management don’t give a damn. They claim it’s because the Wurlitzer organ is sensitive -oh please.
My wife uses a wheelchair, and as a guest, was forced to sit under a huge a/c grill. This resulted in her coming down with a severe cold.
Good bye El Cap!
Hi Terry… your “lighting” comments are so true in every aspect and YES, blue lamps should be used during screening times. Lighting in theaters is so very important. READ ON…
When I was co-doorman with the infamous Jim Lewallen from 1994-2001, I was part of a crew who replaced ALL of the multi-colored bulbs in the massive chandelier. This was a huge task resulting in a two-hour lowering session. We found various old and dated notes from earlier employees who had performed this exciting task and I added my name!
We often experienced electrical shorting-out problems with the original footlights because of the huge overload of pink/red -mostly 45watt floods. So I was asked to work all night until noon the next day by disconnecting the system and boxing them in to never be used again. I wonder how many stars and curtain calls they had seen?
I also replaced the rotten lower masking (rags) with 24" high black painted plywood and was later asked to (reluctantly) board-over the oh-so beautiful original Parquet tiled stage with ugly black painted plywood.
Another Castro lighting project I personally triumphed, over was the completely forgotten lights framing the interior of the great arched window of the facade;
Entry was gained from the projection booth. I carried a large sack of new 60watt yellow bulbs and literally crawled up and over the 24" clearance between the wall and the towering window. Gingerly removing each burned out lamp they fell to their “death” at the base of the window, joining hundreds from the past years.
I also noticed small screw-in clips with wire and remnants of what looked like broken Neon tubing. These were located up, down and across the wooden square frames of the numerous small glass windows.
Owner, Ted Nasser, exclaimed to me that he had forgotten about this yellow illumination and had not seen it since his youth.
On a “wet” note; I was urgently called to the Castro one rainy night after the theater had been repainted. The drain plug in the marquee was blocked from a slew of trash and old scraped-off paint.
The irreplaceable framed structure had begun to seriously bow under the tremendous weight of the rain water and would nhave collapsed onto the sidewalk.
After “snaking” the badly clogged drain, water shot out of the sidewalk exit pipe like a Geyser gone crazy.
Ah the happy times memories associated with such a fabulous theater!
In the late 1990’s, while I was a doorman at the CASTRO, my son Richard worked the Concession Stand at the ALHAMBRA until the theater closed for good.
He, like everyone else before him, really loved the whole atmosphere of being there as worker or movie-goer.
Yes, now it’s full of sweaty jocks but at least this historic registered movie palace has been saved… until the next bunch of money-hungry clowns enter the scene with a demolition attitude.
Hi Ken mc: Your July 7, 2007 second down photo of the U.A. Theatre looks very much like the U.A. on Pico Blvd -near the Big Boy Burger joint.
Perhaps they had a similar vertical blade?
To save the Rialto as a movie theater, a similar program to that of San Francisco’s historic www.castrotheatre.com would suffice. Even sharing the same excellent program would reduce costs, possibly for both venues.
And no, (straight) people… the Castro’s screenings are NOT all gay… but that classification of film kept the lights on there!
Hello Sam:
Regretfully there is NO budget. We do not make enough for the crippling rent let alone other needed items. We all donate our time as well as certain funding to keep this place alive, but enough is enough.
It is estimated that needed equipment is $600 bottom line. I’ve tried fund raisers, phone calls to local lighting places and begging from friends… but the batteries in their hearing aids have run down. Friends? what a bunch of jokers! Need I say more?
Brad, Pearl & Dean are probably located in London. I’m sure the fine chaps at the British Film Institute in Los Angeles can help with info and website. They’re in the British Embassy building.
As a point of interest…the Associated British Cinema circuit always used Pearl & Dean for their intermission advertising.
Seven years? Congratulations! I am addicted to your website and view it everyday with my morning tea.
EVERY MEMBER SHOULD CONTRIBUTE NOW. Please post your bank and routing number for depositing… or an address where we can gladly send our TAX DEDUCTIBLE donations.
Artistic CT members need to design a “help wanted” poster (approved by CT) then send it to the movie palaces (on line) requesting them to display it in one of the movie poster cases.
When conditions get to the unacceptable point of presentation, don’t just sit there like a whimp… go and get a manager and SOUND OFF loud and clear for other patrons to hear and, possibly, join in with you.
Ask for a name and contact info at the theater’s H.Q. and tell them your are NOT returning because of the irritating situation. Also tell them to call/e-mail you when things are back to normal, otherwise “too-da-loo dudes!” I do this, and it works for me.
Enough of the repetitious facade shots… some auditorium pictures PLEASE and thank you.
Sorry, sorry, sorry… my Sept 8th comments were uncalled for. I feel the facade should warrant a similar appearance as to the lobby and auditorium and not the plain looks it has now.
Inside is quite lovely and thanks to Howard B Hass for the excellent photos… I do hope they use the waterfall curtain! -Simon
The timing of this article is most interesting! I have just received a ton of facts and listings of cinemas in my former home town of SOUTHAMPTON.
As soon as I have finished editing, I’ll update CT’s list of British cinema/theaters. Many have fascinating anecdotes and pictures.
How could such a significant name of ZIEGFELD, in the world of theater, have been allowed to its use on such a dumpy-looking boxy theater?
That “place” is typical of the countless dreary, unimaginative buildings churned out like shoe boxes of the ugly 1960’s period that needs to be forgotten!
Mark Campbell’s comment that “Mann’s are dying a slow death” is so true. They’ve had their fun and now it’s time for them to get out of Show Business and let some who loves it take over NOW.
I must add that giving tours of the Chineese Theatre auditorium WHILE a movie is running? I could hear the nattering guide better than the sound track, even after complaining twice.
This is no different a story than what transpired in San Francisco with the Blumenfeld Brothers. They also operated countless theaters and gave them up one by one, even the infamous Castro Theatre.
I tend to like L.A’s local, smaller and more personalized Krikorian theaters operation. As for AMC, Regal/UA, etc., I need to vomit!
Why not try the Theater Historical Society in Elmhurst, Illinois… if they don’t have info/pictures, perhaps they know of another connection; listed “Drive-In’s” maybe? Good Luck!
Why not try the single screen houses? They are much more receptive and less expensive to renting their theater for public/private screenings, especially privately owned ones.
The BIG chains are too cold and impersonal to deal with little people struggling to get on the “band wagon.” I found this out when I presented the British Film Festival in the San Francisco area.
Depending on which day(s) you need the cinema for, how many seats, possible insurance, publicity, projectionist needed & hours etc, need to be weighed at question time. GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING especially “move-in & out” times. Make notes/photos of any precious damage.
Ask about their publicity and will you be added to it: web/phone recordings, marquee, newspaper, hand bills. Good Luck chum, it’s a lot of hard, thankless work but a hell of a lot of fun when its “Show Time.”
I see the Broadway is listed as “triplex” but wonder if the main auditorium is still in tact and the balcony was twinned?
A spokesperson needs to go on ALL of the radio and TV chat shows, especially the PBS stations; they have a different breed of viewers who enjoy helping the arts with donations.
Also suggested is that guests bring along their cameras and flashlight. Perhaps a local company will setup some floodlights by donation in exchange for publicity?!
My friend, JOSEPH MUSIL, of The American Museum of Theatrical Design in Santa Ana, Ca., 714-667-6959 was deeply involved with the design/restoration of the Egyptian style interior of the Alex Theatre in Glendale.
I seem to have bad luck in visiting these grand places… they’re closed on the day I choose to travel there: Fox/Copely Hall and Northpark Theatres in San Diego, Fox/Arlington in Santa Barbara, as well as the fabulous collection of theaters on Broadway in L.A.
My American organist friend, the late GENE GAYNOR of San Francisco, made some live and BBC radio recordings of the Gaumont State Wurlitzer of which I have on Reel-to-Reel tapes.
All are “historic,” many in stereo, boxed in excellent condition with title listings, some pictures and facts, etc., and are now
FOR SALE.
I also have numerous other Reel-to-Reel & Cassette archive recordings of British cinema-theater organs!
If interested, please write to my personal e-mail address for further info-to-know:
Simon Overton:
What a beautiful theater and memorable Compton organ… all gone!
As a boy living in Southampton, I fondly remember listening to the BBC radio morning broadcasts of “As Prescribed” featuring none other than the memorable Dudley Savage.
How he managed to create all of the console’s different sound settings, play the tunes, announce listeners requests and keep a cool head was truly remarkable AND fit everything into a professionally timed and presented programme!
And now the cinema is all but a memory. I recall seeing “Network” there in the mid 70’s. Excellent film but the volume?…I think the audience at the ABC Cinema could have heard it too.
For Pete’s sake, why didn’t they save the structure and build over it, there by saving a piece of Plymouth’s history which survived WW2? Every hotel needs a ballroom and the Drake’s auditorium was perfect for needs such as this. D.U.M.B.!!!
This theater is an absolute “gem” from ones moment of arrival to departure. Their manager is a complete showman and knows how to work the crowds at the Box Office to presenting a speech of welcome prior to the curtain going up. Interestingly, he assured us that they would hold the film until everyone was in!
We saw the Edith Piaf story (with tears) “La Vien Rose” which was thoroughly entertaining. Projection and audio were outstanding -just like their delicious popcorn and coffee.
It’s well worth going slightly early to obtain parking but also to admire the beautiful blacklight decorative theme and original Art-Deco surroundings… and remember to take your camera!
72 is still too cool. Don’t forget that sitting still for a few hours slows down ones blood, especially the older one is, and the body temp drops.
Across the “pond” merry old England was not noted for being air conditioning fanatics like we are here in the U.S!. I can only speak on this subject as to when I was a projectionist there in the mid-50’s to late 60’s.
We often left a couple of stage house windows open to let the place blow through to get the cigarette smoke out!
Of course, the warmer temperatures kept the drinks and ice cream sales ladies quite busy and that was good for the bank account and kept HQ happy and quiet.
Notably, Disney’s EL CAPITAN THEATRE in Hollywood seem to enjoy freezing your twig & berries off, as management don’t give a damn. They claim it’s because the Wurlitzer organ is sensitive -oh please.
My wife uses a wheelchair, and as a guest, was forced to sit under a huge a/c grill. This resulted in her coming down with a severe cold.
Good bye El Cap!
It all depends on the theaters programmer. Do they just runs films or are there various types of film festivals.
If it’s the latter of the two, I’d keep the reel-to-reel system as platter would not be the best way to go.
Also, distributors are not too happy at their prized “vault” prints being spliced or hacked to death.
Look back at your past history but also think ahead… way ahead!
Hi Terry… your “lighting” comments are so true in every aspect and YES, blue lamps should be used during screening times. Lighting in theaters is so very important. READ ON…
When I was co-doorman with the infamous Jim Lewallen from 1994-2001, I was part of a crew who replaced ALL of the multi-colored bulbs in the massive chandelier. This was a huge task resulting in a two-hour lowering session. We found various old and dated notes from earlier employees who had performed this exciting task and I added my name!
We often experienced electrical shorting-out problems with the original footlights because of the huge overload of pink/red -mostly 45watt floods. So I was asked to work all night until noon the next day by disconnecting the system and boxing them in to never be used again. I wonder how many stars and curtain calls they had seen?
I also replaced the rotten lower masking (rags) with 24" high black painted plywood and was later asked to (reluctantly) board-over the oh-so beautiful original Parquet tiled stage with ugly black painted plywood.
Another Castro lighting project I personally triumphed, over was the completely forgotten lights framing the interior of the great arched window of the facade;
Entry was gained from the projection booth. I carried a large sack of new 60watt yellow bulbs and literally crawled up and over the 24" clearance between the wall and the towering window. Gingerly removing each burned out lamp they fell to their “death” at the base of the window, joining hundreds from the past years.
I also noticed small screw-in clips with wire and remnants of what looked like broken Neon tubing. These were located up, down and across the wooden square frames of the numerous small glass windows.
Owner, Ted Nasser, exclaimed to me that he had forgotten about this yellow illumination and had not seen it since his youth.
On a “wet” note; I was urgently called to the Castro one rainy night after the theater had been repainted. The drain plug in the marquee was blocked from a slew of trash and old scraped-off paint.
The irreplaceable framed structure had begun to seriously bow under the tremendous weight of the rain water and would nhave collapsed onto the sidewalk.
After “snaking” the badly clogged drain, water shot out of the sidewalk exit pipe like a Geyser gone crazy.
Ah the happy times memories associated with such a fabulous theater!
In the late 1990’s, while I was a doorman at the CASTRO, my son Richard worked the Concession Stand at the ALHAMBRA until the theater closed for good.
He, like everyone else before him, really loved the whole atmosphere of being there as worker or movie-goer.
Yes, now it’s full of sweaty jocks but at least this historic registered movie palace has been saved… until the next bunch of money-hungry clowns enter the scene with a demolition attitude.
Hi Ken mc: Your July 7, 2007 second down photo of the U.A. Theatre looks very much like the U.A. on Pico Blvd -near the Big Boy Burger joint.
Perhaps they had a similar vertical blade?
There are no pictures available, as of today.
To save the Rialto as a movie theater, a similar program to that of San Francisco’s historic www.castrotheatre.com would suffice. Even sharing the same excellent program would reduce costs, possibly for both venues.
And no, (straight) people… the Castro’s screenings are NOT all gay… but that classification of film kept the lights on there!
Hello Sam:
Regretfully there is NO budget. We do not make enough for the crippling rent let alone other needed items. We all donate our time as well as certain funding to keep this place alive, but enough is enough.
It is estimated that needed equipment is $600 bottom line. I’ve tried fund raisers, phone calls to local lighting places and begging from friends… but the batteries in their hearing aids have run down. Friends? what a bunch of jokers! Need I say more?