The obituaries section of today’s Quincy Patriot Ledger contains an obit for Harold E. Hunt Jr of Whitman, age 97. He was a retired electrical engineer, and an Army officer in Europe in WWII. He was also a “movie projectionist and former owner of the Whitman Theatre.” He played tennis until 4 years ago. He, obviously, was someone who could have told us a lot about movie theaters in Whitman and surrounding towns.
The Colonial has been closed and unused during the present 2011-2012 theater season. But that will change next season because at least 2 or 3 shows have been booked there.
There is an “Opera House” listed under Mauch Chunk in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. Robert Heberling was Mgr. Seating capacity not given. Tickets ranged from 25 cents to $1. The house had gas illumination. The proscenium opening was 28 feet wide X 20 feet high, and the stqge was 32 feet deep. It says that the theater was on the “first floor”. Since the building is on a slope, the stage may have been on the first floor in back, but the auditorium was on the second floor. There were 8 members of the house orchestra. There were 2 daily newspapers and 2 weeklies, and 5 hotels for show folk. The 1897 population of Mauch Chunk was 10,000.
More details about the Fox Theatre across from the Majestic. Its west wall was on Tremont Street, north wall on Boylston St., south wall on LaGrange St. Its east wall, the rear wall of its stage, would have been up against the rear stage wall of the Publix/Gayety Theatre on Washington St. Its main entrance would have been on Boylston near the corner of Tremont; the circular rotunda-style inner foyer would have had doors on Tremont Street, and also behind the grand staircase leading out to LaGrange Street. The Fox would have been the largest movie palace in Boston, with at least 600 more seats than the Met/Wang. Its west wall would have been located diagonally across from the front of the Cutler Majestic.
to dickneeds111- “Boston (Cinerama) is an empty parking lot”. No. The parking lot is next to the theater. The Boston Cinerama (ex- RKO Keith Boston Theatre) still exists in the rear of the large building at Washington & Essex streets. It’s been closed up for many years.
More details about the huge Fox Theatre that was to have been built in 1929-30 across from the Majestic. It was to have been built on the site of the Hotel Touraine on the southeast corner of Tremont & Boylston streets, including the alley along the east side of the hotel. It would have had over 5,000 seats and a grand foyer in the form of a circular rotunda. Large elevators would take patrons to the upper levels in addition to staircases. It was one of 7 or 8 new Fox theaters planned in various US cities. These plans were crushed by the stock market crash. “Someone Who Was There” thinks that plans for this theater might still exist somewhere. The Hotel Touraine building still stands today.
It’s a shame that this famous old theater/cinema was set on fire. Apparently it was burned out to the 4 walls. If you want to see what a radical/communist website looks like, the one Howard Haas has found above is a good place to start. Unite in solidarity, all you Cinema Treasures proles !!! (oh, wait – I got carried away from reading the site).
The Quincy Patriot Ledger yesterday ran one of its reader polls: “Do you think the Wolly will ever reopen as a movie house?” (voting is conducted on-line). The results: 350 responses- Yes- 16%, No- 83%.
The Kent Opera House is listed in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. J.L. Henff was Mgr. The house was on the first floor and had 800 seats, electric illumination, ticket prices from 25 cents to 50 cents, and 7 members in the house orchestra. The proscenium opening was 38 feet wide X 20 feet high, and the stage was 28 feet deep. There ws one weekly newspaper and one hotel for show folks. The 1897 population of Kent was 4,000.
The City Opera House is listed under Wooster in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. It was on the ground floor, had 1,000 seats, gas and electric illumination. Ticket prices ranged from 25 cents to $1. George Kettler was Mgr. There were 7 members of the house orchestra. The proscenium opening was 32 feet wide X 35 feet high, and the stage was 40 fet deep. There was one daily newspaper and 3 weeklies, and there were 3 hotels for show folk. The 1897 population of Wooster was 8,000. Interestingly, George Kettler was listed as the contact at the Wooster Daily Republican newspaper. Is it possible that he was both the Manager of the theater and the newspaper drama critic??
The Quincy Patriot Ledger of January 31 has a front page story about the sale. The sales price was only $600,000. The buyer is a business man from Weston who runs Asian supermarkets, the C-Mart chain. He’s been trying to open an outlet in North Quincy but has been thwarted by various zoning issues. He says he is not sure what he will do with the theater. The seller, Mrs. Yvonne Chandler, is quoted in the article as remarking that she would “rather forget the whole thing.” The article was written by reporter Jack Encarnacao.
There was a Grand Opera House listed under Bellefontaine in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. Was that this theater? There are no street addresses in this Guide. The seating capacity was 956, it had both gas and electric illumination, was on the ground floor; ticket prices 25 cents to 75 cents; George Guy was Mgr. The proscenium opening was 26.5 feet wide X 24 feet high, and the stage was 26 feet deep. There were 6 musicians in the house orchestra. There were 2 daily newspapers, and 3 hotels for show folk. The 1897 population of Bellefontaine (which I believe is pronouced locally as “Bell-fon-tin”) was 7,000.
The Bayside in Hull is mentioned in the Introduction to a new book “Boston’s Downtown Movie Palaces” by Arthur Singer and Ron Goodman (Arcadia Publishing- Images of America, 2011). Author Singer grew up in Boston and spent summers in Hull. He was a frequent patron at the Bayside. He confirms that it was indeed only open in the summer. He says there was a refreshment stand on the sidewalk and that the theater was an “Upstairs House”: one walked up a flight of steps to a second-floor lobby where tickets were purchased. He said that the Bayside had only 150 seats which is less than what was listed on the 1941 MGM Theatre Report. There was a small projection booth presided over by “Meyer the Projectionist”. Twice a week the ushers changed the movie title lettering and the posters. They wore white shirts and blue pants. Later, at age 14, he became an usher there himself.
There are several old photos in which the Comique can be seen in the book “Scollay Square” by David Kruh published in 2004 by Arcadia Publishing – Images of America series. By studying the buildings on either side of the Comique, especially the building to the left, one can easily locate the site of the theater in photos of that block taken in the 1940s-1950s. Another spotting feature is the two dormer windows up on the roof line of the Comique. These were covered over with signs which advertised the admission price. But the two dormers, uncovered, are there in the later photos.
I attended the show at the Crane Library in Quincy MA on January 10th and was amazed at the public interest in it. The library had set out about 50 seats, but over 100 people showed up (on-time, too) filling the meeting room up to the walls. The presenters wisely provided for a great deal of audience participation and enthusiasm. The local newspaper even had a reporter there. It was a fun event.
There is an Opera House listed under Amsterdam NY in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. No address is given. George McClumpha was Mgr and it had 1,300 seats. The theatere was on the ground floor and had both gas and electric illumination. The proscenium opening was 36 feet wide X 29 feet high, and the stage was 40 feet deep. There were 7 in the house orchestra. There were 2 daily newspapers and 4 hotels for show folk. The 1897 population of Amsterdam was 25,000.
There is an Ilion Opera House listed under Ilion NY in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. Unfortunately, no address is given. The seating capacity was 1,000 and F.C. Blum was the Mgr. The proscenium opening was 30 feet wide X 18 feet high, and the stage was 25 feet deep. The auditorium was on the second floor. There were 2 weekly newspapers in Ilion, and 2 hotels for show folk. The 1897 population of Ilion was 5,000.
It’s nice to see the new sign and also the refurbished foyer. I was surprised when looking through the photos posted in the link above to see that the stage has some sort of fancy wood structures on it, something like the enclosed stage of Jordan Hall in Boston. I hope that this restoration project continues.
The new sign looks great- a copy of the 1915 sign for the Everett Square Theatre, complete with working light bulbs. It’s something like the lighted sign which was on the Exeter Street Theatre in the Back Bay. Thanks to Ed Findlay for finding this link.
I don’t know how the FDY defined a “portable theater” or what was meant by the term. One gets the impresson that it was a structure which could be dismantled in sections, transported elsewhere and re-erected. Looking at the (poor) photo of the Prospect Theatre on the MGM Theatre report, taken in June 1941, the building looks permanent. The front was on a rather steeply sloping street.
The 1927 Film Daily Yearbook’s list of movie theaters has two for Whitensville MA – the Star Theatre with 400 seats, open 3 days per week; and the Prospect Theatre with 792 seats, open 4 days per week.
The Star Theatre in Whitensville was included in the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project. It includes a photo of the theater taken in June 1941. It was a free-standing structure 2 stories high, with a center entrance and a boxy marquee above. The Report says that the Star was on North Main St., that it had been showing MGM product for 3 years, was built about 1930, was in Fair condition and had 344 seats, apparently all on one floor. A competing theater was the Prospect Th. in Whitensville. The patronage was described as “factory and mill help”. The 1941 population of Whitensville was 6,100.
The photo on the MGM Theatre Report, which was made in Sept 1946, shows the same theater sign and peaked-roof rain canopy which was on the theater when the photo posted above ( showing a stalled streetcar in front of the theater) was taken in Feb. 1914.
The Real Photo postcard is definitely the same building which was pictured in the 1941 MGM Report, but a much better photo.
The obituaries section of today’s Quincy Patriot Ledger contains an obit for Harold E. Hunt Jr of Whitman, age 97. He was a retired electrical engineer, and an Army officer in Europe in WWII. He was also a “movie projectionist and former owner of the Whitman Theatre.” He played tennis until 4 years ago. He, obviously, was someone who could have told us a lot about movie theaters in Whitman and surrounding towns.
The Colonial has been closed and unused during the present 2011-2012 theater season. But that will change next season because at least 2 or 3 shows have been booked there.
There is an “Opera House” listed under Mauch Chunk in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. Robert Heberling was Mgr. Seating capacity not given. Tickets ranged from 25 cents to $1. The house had gas illumination. The proscenium opening was 28 feet wide X 20 feet high, and the stqge was 32 feet deep. It says that the theater was on the “first floor”. Since the building is on a slope, the stage may have been on the first floor in back, but the auditorium was on the second floor. There were 8 members of the house orchestra. There were 2 daily newspapers and 2 weeklies, and 5 hotels for show folk. The 1897 population of Mauch Chunk was 10,000.
More details about the Fox Theatre across from the Majestic. Its west wall was on Tremont Street, north wall on Boylston St., south wall on LaGrange St. Its east wall, the rear wall of its stage, would have been up against the rear stage wall of the Publix/Gayety Theatre on Washington St. Its main entrance would have been on Boylston near the corner of Tremont; the circular rotunda-style inner foyer would have had doors on Tremont Street, and also behind the grand staircase leading out to LaGrange Street. The Fox would have been the largest movie palace in Boston, with at least 600 more seats than the Met/Wang. Its west wall would have been located diagonally across from the front of the Cutler Majestic.
to dickneeds111- “Boston (Cinerama) is an empty parking lot”. No. The parking lot is next to the theater. The Boston Cinerama (ex- RKO Keith Boston Theatre) still exists in the rear of the large building at Washington & Essex streets. It’s been closed up for many years.
More details about the huge Fox Theatre that was to have been built in 1929-30 across from the Majestic. It was to have been built on the site of the Hotel Touraine on the southeast corner of Tremont & Boylston streets, including the alley along the east side of the hotel. It would have had over 5,000 seats and a grand foyer in the form of a circular rotunda. Large elevators would take patrons to the upper levels in addition to staircases. It was one of 7 or 8 new Fox theaters planned in various US cities. These plans were crushed by the stock market crash. “Someone Who Was There” thinks that plans for this theater might still exist somewhere. The Hotel Touraine building still stands today.
It’s a shame that this famous old theater/cinema was set on fire. Apparently it was burned out to the 4 walls. If you want to see what a radical/communist website looks like, the one Howard Haas has found above is a good place to start. Unite in solidarity, all you Cinema Treasures proles !!! (oh, wait – I got carried away from reading the site).
The Quincy Patriot Ledger yesterday ran one of its reader polls: “Do you think the Wolly will ever reopen as a movie house?” (voting is conducted on-line). The results: 350 responses- Yes- 16%, No- 83%.
The Kent Opera House is listed in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. J.L. Henff was Mgr. The house was on the first floor and had 800 seats, electric illumination, ticket prices from 25 cents to 50 cents, and 7 members in the house orchestra. The proscenium opening was 38 feet wide X 20 feet high, and the stage was 28 feet deep. There ws one weekly newspaper and one hotel for show folks. The 1897 population of Kent was 4,000.
The City Opera House is listed under Wooster in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. It was on the ground floor, had 1,000 seats, gas and electric illumination. Ticket prices ranged from 25 cents to $1. George Kettler was Mgr. There were 7 members of the house orchestra. The proscenium opening was 32 feet wide X 35 feet high, and the stage was 40 fet deep. There was one daily newspaper and 3 weeklies, and there were 3 hotels for show folk. The 1897 population of Wooster was 8,000. Interestingly, George Kettler was listed as the contact at the Wooster Daily Republican newspaper. Is it possible that he was both the Manager of the theater and the newspaper drama critic??
The Quincy Patriot Ledger of January 31 has a front page story about the sale. The sales price was only $600,000. The buyer is a business man from Weston who runs Asian supermarkets, the C-Mart chain. He’s been trying to open an outlet in North Quincy but has been thwarted by various zoning issues. He says he is not sure what he will do with the theater. The seller, Mrs. Yvonne Chandler, is quoted in the article as remarking that she would “rather forget the whole thing.” The article was written by reporter Jack Encarnacao.
There was a Grand Opera House listed under Bellefontaine in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. Was that this theater? There are no street addresses in this Guide. The seating capacity was 956, it had both gas and electric illumination, was on the ground floor; ticket prices 25 cents to 75 cents; George Guy was Mgr. The proscenium opening was 26.5 feet wide X 24 feet high, and the stage was 26 feet deep. There were 6 musicians in the house orchestra. There were 2 daily newspapers, and 3 hotels for show folk. The 1897 population of Bellefontaine (which I believe is pronouced locally as “Bell-fon-tin”) was 7,000.
The Bayside in Hull is mentioned in the Introduction to a new book “Boston’s Downtown Movie Palaces” by Arthur Singer and Ron Goodman (Arcadia Publishing- Images of America, 2011). Author Singer grew up in Boston and spent summers in Hull. He was a frequent patron at the Bayside. He confirms that it was indeed only open in the summer. He says there was a refreshment stand on the sidewalk and that the theater was an “Upstairs House”: one walked up a flight of steps to a second-floor lobby where tickets were purchased. He said that the Bayside had only 150 seats which is less than what was listed on the 1941 MGM Theatre Report. There was a small projection booth presided over by “Meyer the Projectionist”. Twice a week the ushers changed the movie title lettering and the posters. They wore white shirts and blue pants. Later, at age 14, he became an usher there himself.
There are several old photos in which the Comique can be seen in the book “Scollay Square” by David Kruh published in 2004 by Arcadia Publishing – Images of America series. By studying the buildings on either side of the Comique, especially the building to the left, one can easily locate the site of the theater in photos of that block taken in the 1940s-1950s. Another spotting feature is the two dormer windows up on the roof line of the Comique. These were covered over with signs which advertised the admission price. But the two dormers, uncovered, are there in the later photos.
I attended the show at the Crane Library in Quincy MA on January 10th and was amazed at the public interest in it. The library had set out about 50 seats, but over 100 people showed up (on-time, too) filling the meeting room up to the walls. The presenters wisely provided for a great deal of audience participation and enthusiasm. The local newspaper even had a reporter there. It was a fun event.
There is an Opera House listed under Amsterdam NY in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. No address is given. George McClumpha was Mgr and it had 1,300 seats. The theatere was on the ground floor and had both gas and electric illumination. The proscenium opening was 36 feet wide X 29 feet high, and the stage was 40 feet deep. There were 7 in the house orchestra. There were 2 daily newspapers and 4 hotels for show folk. The 1897 population of Amsterdam was 25,000.
There is an Ilion Opera House listed under Ilion NY in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. Unfortunately, no address is given. The seating capacity was 1,000 and F.C. Blum was the Mgr. The proscenium opening was 30 feet wide X 18 feet high, and the stage was 25 feet deep. The auditorium was on the second floor. There were 2 weekly newspapers in Ilion, and 2 hotels for show folk. The 1897 population of Ilion was 5,000.
It’s nice to see the new sign and also the refurbished foyer. I was surprised when looking through the photos posted in the link above to see that the stage has some sort of fancy wood structures on it, something like the enclosed stage of Jordan Hall in Boston. I hope that this restoration project continues.
The new sign looks great- a copy of the 1915 sign for the Everett Square Theatre, complete with working light bulbs. It’s something like the lighted sign which was on the Exeter Street Theatre in the Back Bay. Thanks to Ed Findlay for finding this link.
I don’t know how the FDY defined a “portable theater” or what was meant by the term. One gets the impresson that it was a structure which could be dismantled in sections, transported elsewhere and re-erected. Looking at the (poor) photo of the Prospect Theatre on the MGM Theatre report, taken in June 1941, the building looks permanent. The front was on a rather steeply sloping street.
The 1927 Film Daily Yearbook’s list of movie theaters has two for Whitensville MA – the Star Theatre with 400 seats, open 3 days per week; and the Prospect Theatre with 792 seats, open 4 days per week.
The Star Theatre in Whitensville was included in the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project. It includes a photo of the theater taken in June 1941. It was a free-standing structure 2 stories high, with a center entrance and a boxy marquee above. The Report says that the Star was on North Main St., that it had been showing MGM product for 3 years, was built about 1930, was in Fair condition and had 344 seats, apparently all on one floor. A competing theater was the Prospect Th. in Whitensville. The patronage was described as “factory and mill help”. The 1941 population of Whitensville was 6,100.
Yes, it apparently closed in October. See comment dated Nov 26 2011 on the page for the Chatham Theatre, CT #13574.
The photo on the MGM Theatre Report, which was made in Sept 1946, shows the same theater sign and peaked-roof rain canopy which was on the theater when the photo posted above ( showing a stalled streetcar in front of the theater) was taken in Feb. 1914.