‘BABE RUTH’ PREMIERE SET; Film Story of Famed Bambino Opens at Astor July 26
“The Babe Ruth Story” will have its world premiere at the Astor Theatre on Monday, July 26, with all proceeds from the initial showing going to the Babe Ruth Foundation, recently formed to aid under-privileged children throughout the country.
PITTSBURGH-The Echo Drive-In here has been purchased by Morris Finkel, indoor exhibitor, and Associated Theaters. Recently it was known that Finkel had closed negotiations for the largest ozoner in the Pittsburgh area from builder Al Kurtak, and now officially the Echo Drive-In on Route 51 at Large is in the joint hands of Associated Theaters and Finkel. The Echo, built and opened last year, is about one-half mile from Associated’s Colonial Drive-In on Route 51.
ALBANY-Bernard “Barney” Vane, 59, who had served for 24 years as a projectionist at the Leland, died Saturday at his home. He lived in Albany for 46 years.
Here is an item from Boxoffice magazine, June 1962:
LOS ANGELES-The downtown United Artists Theater has been closed by UA and turned back to Joseph Schenck Productions, owner of the building. The house, closed for several years, was reopened last October by UA.
O.K. Leonard was the owner/operator of the Apache in the early 1960s. There was a story in Boxoffice magazine in June 1962 that reported O.K.’s wife had fallen and broken her hip. Nothing got by those intrepid reporters, to be sure.
Here is an item from Boxoffice magazine, June 1962:
Brothers Jake and Ike Silverman, both in their 80s, reopened their Logan Theater in Altoona with Ike’s son as manager. On the screen was “The Gold Rush”, a Charlie Chaplin silent film with sound and music added. The Logan had been dark for a decade until last year when it was leased for art policy operation, but this failed.
Here is an item from Boxoffice magazine in June 1962:
THOMAS, W. VA.-Mrs. Cathryn Sutton, for many years operator of the Sutton Theater here, has leased the theater to Roger Bonner, current theater projectionist, effective August 1. Mrs. Sutton is moving to California.
I would be curious to know if this theater is still standing. If you look at the Google view, assuming they are at the correct address (it says address is approximate), the small building that is visible looks like the building to the left of the theater in the Cinematour photos. If that is the same building, then the vacant lot next to it would have been the Rig. Any further information would be welcome.
Here is an ad that was in Boxoffice magazine back in April 1962:
FOR SALE: “Rig Theater” Premont Texas. Now operating and in excellent condition. Original cost over $50,000. Will sell whole building and equipment for $25,000. Includes ground floor office or store (street front) and upstairs apartment, all air-conditioned. Write Dr. R.N. Smith, Jr. 513 Lake Drive, Harlingen, Texas.
The Senate Theater in Chicago made front page headlines when a lion refused to carry out his feature role in a stage show which had the house filled to capacity. The lion, named Hank, had been trained to do a disappearing act in a magician program. To get the lion, Charles Gomez, owner of the Senate, had to buy him from the Animal Kingdom pet shop. When he steadfastly refused to perform, Gomez decided to raffle him off. He was won by a couple who didn’t know how to handle him and Hank was returned to the pet shop-but no refund to Gomez.
There is an exterior photo here:
http://tinyurl.com/9b67wf
This is from the Ellensburg Daily Record on July 27, 1948:
http://tinyurl.com/9kvxum
From the NYT, 7/8/48:
‘BABE RUTH’ PREMIERE SET; Film Story of Famed Bambino Opens at Astor July 26
“The Babe Ruth Story” will have its world premiere at the Astor Theatre on Monday, July 26, with all proceeds from the initial showing going to the Babe Ruth Foundation, recently formed to aid under-privileged children throughout the country.
This 1972 photo is from drive-ins.com:
http://tinyurl.com/7wp277
From Boxoffice magazine, March 1956:
PITTSBURGH-The Echo Drive-In here has been purchased by Morris Finkel, indoor exhibitor, and Associated Theaters. Recently it was known that Finkel had closed negotiations for the largest ozoner in the Pittsburgh area from builder Al Kurtak, and now officially the Echo Drive-In on Route 51 at Large is in the joint hands of Associated Theaters and Finkel. The Echo, built and opened last year, is about one-half mile from Associated’s Colonial Drive-In on Route 51.
If the Google view is showing the correct address, the theater is gone. Perhaps someone local can confirm this.
From Boxoffice magazine, March 1956:
ALBANY-Bernard “Barney” Vane, 59, who had served for 24 years as a projectionist at the Leland, died Saturday at his home. He lived in Albany for 46 years.
Here is a promotional article from a company that makes theater speakers:
http://tinyurl.com/27hefr
If the last incarnation was the Chief, that should be the name, with Perris Theater as an aka.
It maps correctly when you use S. D Street, as opposed to just D Street.
Here is an item from Boxoffice magazine, June 1962:
LOS ANGELES-The downtown United Artists Theater has been closed by UA and turned back to Joseph Schenck Productions, owner of the building. The house, closed for several years, was reopened last October by UA.
O.K. Leonard was the owner/operator of the Apache in the early 1960s. There was a story in Boxoffice magazine in June 1962 that reported O.K.’s wife had fallen and broken her hip. Nothing got by those intrepid reporters, to be sure.
Here is an item from Boxoffice magazine, June 1962:
Brothers Jake and Ike Silverman, both in their 80s, reopened their Logan Theater in Altoona with Ike’s son as manager. On the screen was “The Gold Rush”, a Charlie Chaplin silent film with sound and music added. The Logan had been dark for a decade until last year when it was leased for art policy operation, but this failed.
Here is an item from Boxoffice magazine in June 1962:
THOMAS, W. VA.-Mrs. Cathryn Sutton, for many years operator of the Sutton Theater here, has leased the theater to Roger Bonner, current theater projectionist, effective August 1. Mrs. Sutton is moving to California.
It opened in 1958.
I’m going to add the Parker Square, since it doesn’t seem to be an aka for any of the theaters in Ken Roe’s list of 9/21/07.
The marquee has been removed.
At least that address gets you in the neighborhood when you map it out. I would agree with that.
But not 2410 24th Avenue East, which is further down the road.
So what is the correct address of the theater?
I question the 2410 address. Salon Blast next door is at 2306 24th. If you put 2310 in Google maps, it takes you to the correct location.
Don’t forget Grand Central Station was on the chopping block as well, in the 1970s.
I would be curious to know if this theater is still standing. If you look at the Google view, assuming they are at the correct address (it says address is approximate), the small building that is visible looks like the building to the left of the theater in the Cinematour photos. If that is the same building, then the vacant lot next to it would have been the Rig. Any further information would be welcome.
Here is an ad that was in Boxoffice magazine back in April 1962:
FOR SALE: “Rig Theater” Premont Texas. Now operating and in excellent condition. Original cost over $50,000. Will sell whole building and equipment for $25,000. Includes ground floor office or store (street front) and upstairs apartment, all air-conditioned. Write Dr. R.N. Smith, Jr. 513 Lake Drive, Harlingen, Texas.
This is from Boxoffice magazine in April 1962:
The Senate Theater in Chicago made front page headlines when a lion refused to carry out his feature role in a stage show which had the house filled to capacity. The lion, named Hank, had been trained to do a disappearing act in a magician program. To get the lion, Charles Gomez, owner of the Senate, had to buy him from the Animal Kingdom pet shop. When he steadfastly refused to perform, Gomez decided to raffle him off. He was won by a couple who didn’t know how to handle him and Hank was returned to the pet shop-but no refund to Gomez.