First Vitaphone anywhere???
Television has no future???
An article in the Rhode Islander section of the Providence Sunday Journal for April 20, 1947 wrote of Edward M. Fay, “the dean of R.I. showmen,” who owned the Majestic, Fays, the Rialto, the Carlton and other venues. The article asserts that Mr. Fay was the first in the nation to wire a theatre (the Majestic) for Vitaphone. Here follow excerpts:
“Mr. Fay was the first man in the country who mustered enough faith in the garrulous movies to have a theatre (the Majestic) wired for them. He offered the Vitaphone tio the world on Christmas Day in 1926, and everybody knows what happened since…”
And on the future of television the Journal quoted Mr. Fay as saying, “I think television has had the greatest promotion the country has ever seen…but I don’t think it will compete with movies or with radio in the home. Commercially I can’t see it at all. It’s all right for a championship prize fight or football game, but that’s about all. I can’t see it.”
I wonder if by the time Mr. Fay died in 1964 he had realized the enormous threat (among other threats) to movie theatres that television would represent over the coming decades, so much so that all the theatres he owned or ran in Providence would be demolished or gutted for other uses?
For a time in the early silent era there was another Gaiety called Keith’s Gaiety, which eventually became known as the Nickel. As Loew’s State replaced the Webosset Street Gaiety, the Albee would replace the Westminster Street Nickel/Keith’s Gaiety. They were exactly a block apart.
In the 1916 Westerly city directory there is listed a Princess Theatre at West Broad Street on the bridge. “On the bridge” was also given for references to the Lyric. The Lyric and Princess must have been the same place.
Ad from 1910: “Popular-priced vaudeville theatre of Providence. The home of everything that is god. First-class vaudeville and motion pictures. Three hours show without a repeat for 10 cents.”
The Bullock’s location was Richmond Street at Pine Street, a block from Weybosset Street and behind where Loew’s State Theatre (the future PPAC) would be built.
The Nickel was the last of several names for this “nickelodeon” before it was demolished. Its sequence of names was Dime (Providence Dime Museum) – Keith’s Gaiety – Lothrop’s – Olympic – Park – Nickel. The lobbies of the Albee Theatre, when that theatre was built, occupied the approximate space of the Nickel. I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society.
A Providence Journal ad from June 26, 1910 boasts “Positively coolest theatre in Providence. Six-foot fan drawing fresh air from the roof and forcing it into the auditorium, first passing through a large chamber filled with ice.”
The program for that day included a variety of stage acts as well as “New and up-to-date motion pictures.” Performance continuous from 12:00 to 10:30 P.M. Admission: 10 cents.
Before the theatre opened as Loew’s State in 1928, a smaller movie house, the Gaiety Theatre (later known as Conn’s City), had been there and was demolished to make way for the new movie palace and business block. After it was called Loew’s State and before it became Providence Performing Arts Center, it was the Palace, then the Ocean State. So the complete name sequence was Loew’s State, Palace, Ocean State, Providence Performing Arts Center or PPAC, commonly pronounced “P-Pack.”
All right. We can now straighten this out! First off, there were THREE theatres in Providence that were called “Empire” at different times.
This post should refer to the original Empire which was located at 410 Westminster Street (not 440, which was Modern – Playhouse – Victory and never an Empire.) Now, 410 Westminster Street was where Empire Street ended in the 1910s. The city wanted to extend Empire Street out a block further to Weybosset Street, and so the Empire had to be demolished to create the thoroughfare. This was the original Empire. It never had another name.
The address in the listing should be changed to 410 Westminster Street, which was the address for the first Empire and which I found in the 1913 Providence City Directory. This one had never been nor would ever become a Victory Theatre. It didn’t even survive World War I. So my previous entry is to be ignored.
(2) Lows – Keith’s – Victory – Empire. This was located on Westminster Street at Union Street. (Listed under “Victory.”)
(3) Westminster – Empire – Bijou. This one was on Westminster Street at Snow Street. (Listed under “Bijou.”)
Clear?
I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me.
Somebody please update the address to 410 Westminster Street.
I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me on several theatres.
The Scenic had been the old Westminster Congregational Unitarian Church before its life as a theatre. It didn’t BECOME a church, as I wrote above; it HAD BEEN one. I misread my earlier notes.
CORRECTION. Fays was never known as the Hippodrome. Union yes. Hippodrome, no. The Hippodrome was located on Fountain Street between Mathewson and Union and was a large theatre used for grandiose theatrics and later for films during the silent era. The Providence Journal building now occupies the space that used to be the Hippodrome. The Hippodrome needs to be posted on Cinema Treasures, and I’ll add it. I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me.
Also, it seems that Fays was not generally written with an apostrophe before the “s.”
In fact before the Capitol was the Colonial, it had been the Imperial and the Shubert. The sequence was Imperial – Shubert – Colonial – Capitol. I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me.
The Rialto was on the west side of Mathewson Street between Washington and Westminster, exactly one block from the Emery/Carlton. It was formerly known as the Scenic…and I believe the “Scenic Temple” if I remember old newspaper ads correctly. This was not the same as the Casino as I had hypothesized above, which was in fact diagonally across the street. The façade of the Rialto is still there, and if one looks at the top, one can make out the outline caused by removed lettering. It is very faint but I believe it does say Rialto Theatre.
I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me. I also took this photo of what is left of the Scenic/Rialto.
Roger Katz, there were TWO theatres named Victory at different times. (1) Low’s – Keith’s – Victory – Empire. This was located at 260 Westminster Street at Union Street and is the theatre in this posting. (2) Modern -Playhouse – Victory. This is the theatre at 440 Westminster Street. I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me. There were also THREE Empire Theatres at different times.
This theatre also became known as the Victory. There were two theatres named the Victory at different times. (1) Low’s – Keith’s -Victory – Empire. This was located on Westminster Street at Union Street. (2) Modern -Playhouse – Victory. This is the theatre of this posting at 440 Westminster Street. I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me.
I have a copy of that same Showbill too! It’s in my “Rocco” file. It remains one of the towering masterpieces of world cinema. Unfortunately it was severely shortened for U.S. release. It has since been redistributed, uncut. When Visconti attended an event in his honor in New York a few decades ago and they showed “Rocco,” he was (justifiably) pissed that it was the mutilated version on display.
The 1925 Providence Journal Almanac gave the seating capacity as 980 and listed Peter E. Murphy as the then manager.
Error noted: this theatre was NOT in Cranston but in Providence, just on the Providence side of the city line with Cranston. The PJ Almanac lists it under Providence and 1526 Broad Street comes out as Providence when you map it. So the city should be changed to Providence.
A 1925 PJ Almanac gives these dimensions for the Modern: seating capacity, 1400; proscenium opening, 38x28 feet; footlights to back wall, 31 feet; between side walls, 110 feet, height to gridioron, 57 feet.
The theatre was previously known (circa the 1920s) as Emery’s Majestic. Down on Mathewson Street was the Emery Theatre which later became the Carlton. Emery’s Majestic is listed in the 1925 Providence Journal Almanac as having a seating capacity of 2500. Other data: proscenium opening, 40x36 feet; footlights to back wall, 33 feet; between side walls, 80 feet; height to gridiron, 60 feet.
First Vitaphone anywhere???
Television has no future???
An article in the Rhode Islander section of the Providence Sunday Journal for April 20, 1947 wrote of Edward M. Fay, “the dean of R.I. showmen,” who owned the Majestic, Fays, the Rialto, the Carlton and other venues. The article asserts that Mr. Fay was the first in the nation to wire a theatre (the Majestic) for Vitaphone. Here follow excerpts:
“Mr. Fay was the first man in the country who mustered enough faith in the garrulous movies to have a theatre (the Majestic) wired for them. He offered the Vitaphone tio the world on Christmas Day in 1926, and everybody knows what happened since…”
And on the future of television the Journal quoted Mr. Fay as saying, “I think television has had the greatest promotion the country has ever seen…but I don’t think it will compete with movies or with radio in the home. Commercially I can’t see it at all. It’s all right for a championship prize fight or football game, but that’s about all. I can’t see it.”
I wonder if by the time Mr. Fay died in 1964 he had realized the enormous threat (among other threats) to movie theatres that television would represent over the coming decades, so much so that all the theatres he owned or ran in Providence would be demolished or gutted for other uses?
For a time in the early silent era there was another Gaiety called Keith’s Gaiety, which eventually became known as the Nickel. As Loew’s State replaced the Webosset Street Gaiety, the Albee would replace the Westminster Street Nickel/Keith’s Gaiety. They were exactly a block apart.
The Union opened in May of 1913.
In the 1916 Westerly city directory there is listed a Princess Theatre at West Broad Street on the bridge. “On the bridge” was also given for references to the Lyric. The Lyric and Princess must have been the same place.
Ad from 1910: “Popular-priced vaudeville theatre of Providence. The home of everything that is god. First-class vaudeville and motion pictures. Three hours show without a repeat for 10 cents.”
The Bullock’s location was Richmond Street at Pine Street, a block from Weybosset Street and behind where Loew’s State Theatre (the future PPAC) would be built.
Ads indicate the theatre had a balcony.
The Nickel was the last of several names for this “nickelodeon” before it was demolished. Its sequence of names was Dime (Providence Dime Museum) – Keith’s Gaiety – Lothrop’s – Olympic – Park – Nickel. The lobbies of the Albee Theatre, when that theatre was built, occupied the approximate space of the Nickel. I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society.
A Providence Journal ad from June 26, 1910 boasts “Positively coolest theatre in Providence. Six-foot fan drawing fresh air from the roof and forcing it into the auditorium, first passing through a large chamber filled with ice.”
The program for that day included a variety of stage acts as well as “New and up-to-date motion pictures.” Performance continuous from 12:00 to 10:30 P.M. Admission: 10 cents.
The Casino Theatre opened in 1907.
Before the theatre opened as Loew’s State in 1928, a smaller movie house, the Gaiety Theatre (later known as Conn’s City), had been there and was demolished to make way for the new movie palace and business block. After it was called Loew’s State and before it became Providence Performing Arts Center, it was the Palace, then the Ocean State. So the complete name sequence was Loew’s State, Palace, Ocean State, Providence Performing Arts Center or PPAC, commonly pronounced “P-Pack.”
Before it was demolished in the 1920s to make way for the Loew’s State Theatre and building, the Gaiety was for a time known as “Conn’s City.”
All right. We can now straighten this out! First off, there were THREE theatres in Providence that were called “Empire” at different times.
This post should refer to the original Empire which was located at 410 Westminster Street (not 440, which was Modern – Playhouse – Victory and never an Empire.) Now, 410 Westminster Street was where Empire Street ended in the 1910s. The city wanted to extend Empire Street out a block further to Weybosset Street, and so the Empire had to be demolished to create the thoroughfare. This was the original Empire. It never had another name.
The address in the listing should be changed to 410 Westminster Street, which was the address for the first Empire and which I found in the 1913 Providence City Directory. This one had never been nor would ever become a Victory Theatre. It didn’t even survive World War I. So my previous entry is to be ignored.
(2) Lows – Keith’s – Victory – Empire. This was located on Westminster Street at Union Street. (Listed under “Victory.”)
(3) Westminster – Empire – Bijou. This one was on Westminster Street at Snow Street. (Listed under “Bijou.”)
Clear?
I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me.
Somebody please update the address to 410 Westminster Street.
This theatre had been originally built in 1888 as a dime museum called Westminster Mus̩e. The theatre had three names: Westminster РEmpire РBijou. Its address was 368 Westminster Street.
I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me on several theatres.
Bullock’s Theatre opened in 1909. It had been the old Richmond Street Congregational Church. It was later renamed the Globe.
The Scenic had been the old Westminster Congregational Unitarian Church before its life as a theatre. It didn’t BECOME a church, as I wrote above; it HAD BEEN one. I misread my earlier notes.
The Strand opened as the Strand (1915) before becoming the Paramount and then reverting to Strand again. Strand – Paramount – Strand.
The Emery Theatre, which became the Carlton, opened in 1914.
The exact address for the Rialto/Scenic was 121 Mathewson Street.
CORRECTION. Fays was never known as the Hippodrome. Union yes. Hippodrome, no. The Hippodrome was located on Fountain Street between Mathewson and Union and was a large theatre used for grandiose theatrics and later for films during the silent era. The Providence Journal building now occupies the space that used to be the Hippodrome. The Hippodrome needs to be posted on Cinema Treasures, and I’ll add it. I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me.
Also, it seems that Fays was not generally written with an apostrophe before the “s.”
In fact before the Capitol was the Colonial, it had been the Imperial and the Shubert. The sequence was Imperial – Shubert – Colonial – Capitol. I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me.
The Rialto was on the west side of Mathewson Street between Washington and Westminster, exactly one block from the Emery/Carlton. It was formerly known as the Scenic…and I believe the “Scenic Temple” if I remember old newspaper ads correctly. This was not the same as the Casino as I had hypothesized above, which was in fact diagonally across the street. The façade of the Rialto is still there, and if one looks at the top, one can make out the outline caused by removed lettering. It is very faint but I believe it does say Rialto Theatre.
I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me. I also took this photo of what is left of the Scenic/Rialto.
Roger Katz, there were TWO theatres named Victory at different times. (1) Low’s – Keith’s – Victory – Empire. This was located at 260 Westminster Street at Union Street and is the theatre in this posting. (2) Modern -Playhouse – Victory. This is the theatre at 440 Westminster Street. I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me. There were also THREE Empire Theatres at different times.
This theatre also became known as the Victory. There were two theatres named the Victory at different times. (1) Low’s – Keith’s -Victory – Empire. This was located on Westminster Street at Union Street. (2) Modern -Playhouse – Victory. This is the theatre of this posting at 440 Westminster Street. I found a map of downtown Providence theatres (1871-1950) and their name changes in the files of the Rhode Island Historical Society. That clears up a great deal of confusion for me.
I have a copy of that same Showbill too! It’s in my “Rocco” file. It remains one of the towering masterpieces of world cinema. Unfortunately it was severely shortened for U.S. release. It has since been redistributed, uncut. When Visconti attended an event in his honor in New York a few decades ago and they showed “Rocco,” he was (justifiably) pissed that it was the mutilated version on display.
The 1925 Providence Journal Almanac gave the seating capacity as 980 and listed Peter E. Murphy as the then manager.
Error noted: this theatre was NOT in Cranston but in Providence, just on the Providence side of the city line with Cranston. The PJ Almanac lists it under Providence and 1526 Broad Street comes out as Providence when you map it. So the city should be changed to Providence.
A 1925 PJ Almanac gives these dimensions for the Modern: seating capacity, 1400; proscenium opening, 38x28 feet; footlights to back wall, 31 feet; between side walls, 110 feet, height to gridioron, 57 feet.
The theatre was previously known (circa the 1920s) as Emery’s Majestic. Down on Mathewson Street was the Emery Theatre which later became the Carlton. Emery’s Majestic is listed in the 1925 Providence Journal Almanac as having a seating capacity of 2500. Other data: proscenium opening, 40x36 feet; footlights to back wall, 33 feet; between side walls, 80 feet; height to gridiron, 60 feet.