Janice- I see that you have added a photo of the “Comedy” wall hanging. What is its approximate size? (impossible to gauge from the photo). Do you know what museum the other hanging is displayed, and what they have to say about it?
The business section of today’s Boston Herald has a short item reporting that today there will be a ground-breaking ceremony hosted by Berklee at 160 Massachusetts Avenue, just a few steps from the Berklee Performance Center. The new building will be a 16-floor dorm with a “performing arts facility”, and will cost $65M. Will the auditorium in this new building replace the Berklee theater???
The Academy of Music in Roanoke is listed in the Virginia section of the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. J.L. Hooper was Mgr. Admission prices 25 cents to $1. The theater was on the ground floor and had both gas and electric lighting. There were 6 in the house orchestra. The proscenium opening was 36 feet wide, and the stage was 48 feet deep. There were 2 newspapers and 4 hotels for show folk. The 1897 population of Roanoke was 25,000.
It was not that long ago that when the boys at Cinema Treasures wished everyone a “Happy holiday” of some kind there would be 10, 20 or more responses. Now there is just one, from Mr. Overton. What has happened to all the well-wishers from the past??
Mike L. from Abington told me that when he left Massachusetts in 1954, the Strand was still operating. He’s not sure if it was still open when it was destroyed by fire in 1956; it may have been. When he started working at the Strand when he was about 12 years old, the weekly poster cards were produced locally. Lloyd the mgr, driving his big Packard, would go around to all the locations where they were allowed to display the posters. Mike would run inside each store, remove the old poster and set up the new one. From the driver’s seat, Lloyd would give him the “thumbs up” when he set the new poster up correctly. This was in the 1940s.
The business news of the Quincy Patriot Ledger of Sat Nov. 26, 2011 carried a long article about this theater “Group Seeks reprise of Orpheum Theater – Nonprofit plans to restore Chatham movie house”.This group has energy, ideas, plans, drawings, specs, etc. Missing is $2.7M needed for the project. They would restore the facade to something like original. There would be a 30-seat cafe in front and 2 screens, one with 50 seats and one with 160 seats; the latter would have a stage. (the article points out that live performances were given here in the few years leading up to the 1990 take-over by CVS.) They give the dates of movie operation as 1915-1988. CVS moved out in Oct to a new store down the street. At the same time, according to the article, Regal cinemas closed their operation in Harwich. The group wants to buy the Orpheum building. The Patriot Ledger article is by Doreen Leggett, Wicked Local Cape Cod.
According to the Theatre Historical Society “readerboard” newsline today, the State has managed to raise $280,000 of $500,000 needed, and has begun repair work.
I have poor hearing and subscribe to a monthly magazine for hearing-impaired. Editorally, they are very hot for compliance with ADA rules- no exceptions. It’s almost an annoying attitude. Myself, I do not expect or want any theater or other business to accomodate my “needs”.
I agree with KenLayton- Moore is wealthy and can afford to fix up the theater himself. He downplays how much money he has so that he can pretend to be part of the “99%”. The theater apparently has lost many of its subscribers, also.
In the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook the Bates Opera House is listed under Weymouth MA instead of Braintree where it belongs. It had 800 seats and was open one day per week (probably Sundays).
I walked by the site of the Publix yesterday and there finally is some activity there. Looks like site prep for a foundation. They have fenced off the alley which ran along the theater’s right (north) side so that it’s not part of the construction activity.
I was downtown yesterday and noticed a crew and crane working at the front of the Shubert Theatre directly across from the Wang. Looks like they have torn down the top half of the Shubert’s facade. What’s that all about??? The Shubert will be 102 years old in January and is in very good condition. Unfortunately, it’s dark most of the time due to lack of product.
TonyPan- your description makes sense. Usually in theaters like this, there was a slight incline from the sidewalk up to the back of the seating, and then there was a downward slope to the screen. The only stairs were the staircases to the balcony. When you moved away in 1970 do you recall if the Lincoln was still open, or had it closed by then?
Janice- OK, thanks. Does the article mention what street it was on? Or anything about being named “Warren Theatre”? The Film Daily Yearbooks say that it was at 35 Temple St., and that Empire and Warren were the same theater. I have also seen a reference to the Empire being located at “750 Main St.” but I don’t know how accurate that is. There is not much about this theater here in Cinema Treasures and the person who set the page up never came back with any additional info.
The map and the Google Street View are incorrect; the theater was located a few hundred yards away from the location shown. There is a pub and a pizza place on the site today (west side of Weymouth Landing).
I have not been able to find this theater listed in the Julius Cahn guides which means it was not a first-string roadshow house. The nearest theater listed in the Cahn guides was the Rockland Opera House, a short distance to the south in Rockland. That theater also later became a local cinema.
Maybelle Barcelo Drown (1905-2011), who was a “song & dance” girl in vaudeville, was involved in presenting dance shows at the Fogg Opera House around 1930.
The Bates Opera House in Braintree was on a long list of theaters in Massachusetts which received state licenses for the period ending Oct 31, 1914. Its condition was “Good”, and Louis F. Bates was Manager.
The Bates Opera House was located right in Weymouth Landing, on the west side of the business district. It was 4 stories high. In the 1920s and perhaps earlier it had a verticle sign which spelled out “Bates Opera House” in white or light letters on a black or dark background. The verticle was attached to the center of the facade. But looking at old photos, it’s difficult to determine where the theater entrance was in relation to the verticle sign above.
Janice- I see that you have added a photo of the “Comedy” wall hanging. What is its approximate size? (impossible to gauge from the photo). Do you know what museum the other hanging is displayed, and what they have to say about it?
The business section of today’s Boston Herald has a short item reporting that today there will be a ground-breaking ceremony hosted by Berklee at 160 Massachusetts Avenue, just a few steps from the Berklee Performance Center. The new building will be a 16-floor dorm with a “performing arts facility”, and will cost $65M. Will the auditorium in this new building replace the Berklee theater???
The Academy of Music in Roanoke is listed in the Virginia section of the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. J.L. Hooper was Mgr. Admission prices 25 cents to $1. The theater was on the ground floor and had both gas and electric lighting. There were 6 in the house orchestra. The proscenium opening was 36 feet wide, and the stage was 48 feet deep. There were 2 newspapers and 4 hotels for show folk. The 1897 population of Roanoke was 25,000.
It was not that long ago that when the boys at Cinema Treasures wished everyone a “Happy holiday” of some kind there would be 10, 20 or more responses. Now there is just one, from Mr. Overton. What has happened to all the well-wishers from the past??
Mike L. from Abington told me that when he left Massachusetts in 1954, the Strand was still operating. He’s not sure if it was still open when it was destroyed by fire in 1956; it may have been. When he started working at the Strand when he was about 12 years old, the weekly poster cards were produced locally. Lloyd the mgr, driving his big Packard, would go around to all the locations where they were allowed to display the posters. Mike would run inside each store, remove the old poster and set up the new one. From the driver’s seat, Lloyd would give him the “thumbs up” when he set the new poster up correctly. This was in the 1940s.
The business news of the Quincy Patriot Ledger of Sat Nov. 26, 2011 carried a long article about this theater “Group Seeks reprise of Orpheum Theater – Nonprofit plans to restore Chatham movie house”.This group has energy, ideas, plans, drawings, specs, etc. Missing is $2.7M needed for the project. They would restore the facade to something like original. There would be a 30-seat cafe in front and 2 screens, one with 50 seats and one with 160 seats; the latter would have a stage. (the article points out that live performances were given here in the few years leading up to the 1990 take-over by CVS.) They give the dates of movie operation as 1915-1988. CVS moved out in Oct to a new store down the street. At the same time, according to the article, Regal cinemas closed their operation in Harwich. The group wants to buy the Orpheum building. The Patriot Ledger article is by Doreen Leggett, Wicked Local Cape Cod.
Janice- Thanks; more pieces of the puzzle. It’s tough finding info on some theaters, like this one.
That info agrees with the JP Historical Society info posted above which says it closed in April 1961.
But sometimes, after going to the considerable expense to be ADA-compliant, no one shows up to use the new features! That’s happened more than once.
According to the Theatre Historical Society “readerboard” newsline today, the State has managed to raise $280,000 of $500,000 needed, and has begun repair work.
I have poor hearing and subscribe to a monthly magazine for hearing-impaired. Editorally, they are very hot for compliance with ADA rules- no exceptions. It’s almost an annoying attitude. Myself, I do not expect or want any theater or other business to accomodate my “needs”.
Why have 60% of the State’s local membership left? That’s a huge drop in local support.
dickneeds111- There is an “Egleston” Theatre, with one “g”, listed here in Cinema Treasure; theater # 18829, in Egleston Square, Jamaica Plain.
I agree with KenLayton- Moore is wealthy and can afford to fix up the theater himself. He downplays how much money he has so that he can pretend to be part of the “99%”. The theater apparently has lost many of its subscribers, also.
In the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook the Bates Opera House is listed under Weymouth MA instead of Braintree where it belongs. It had 800 seats and was open one day per week (probably Sundays).
I walked by the Colonial yesterday and it’s totally dead and dark with posters for shows at the Boston Opera House in its poster frames.
I walked by the site of the Publix yesterday and there finally is some activity there. Looks like site prep for a foundation. They have fenced off the alley which ran along the theater’s right (north) side so that it’s not part of the construction activity.
I was downtown yesterday and noticed a crew and crane working at the front of the Shubert Theatre directly across from the Wang. Looks like they have torn down the top half of the Shubert’s facade. What’s that all about??? The Shubert will be 102 years old in January and is in very good condition. Unfortunately, it’s dark most of the time due to lack of product.
TonyPan- your description makes sense. Usually in theaters like this, there was a slight incline from the sidewalk up to the back of the seating, and then there was a downward slope to the screen. The only stairs were the staircases to the balcony. When you moved away in 1970 do you recall if the Lincoln was still open, or had it closed by then?
Janice- OK, thanks. Does the article mention what street it was on? Or anything about being named “Warren Theatre”? The Film Daily Yearbooks say that it was at 35 Temple St., and that Empire and Warren were the same theater. I have also seen a reference to the Empire being located at “750 Main St.” but I don’t know how accurate that is. There is not much about this theater here in Cinema Treasures and the person who set the page up never came back with any additional info.
The map and the Google Street View are incorrect; the theater was located a few hundred yards away from the location shown. There is a pub and a pizza place on the site today (west side of Weymouth Landing).
I have not been able to find this theater listed in the Julius Cahn guides which means it was not a first-string roadshow house. The nearest theater listed in the Cahn guides was the Rockland Opera House, a short distance to the south in Rockland. That theater also later became a local cinema.
Maybelle Barcelo Drown (1905-2011), who was a “song & dance” girl in vaudeville, was involved in presenting dance shows at the Fogg Opera House around 1930.
The Bates Opera House in Braintree was on a long list of theaters in Massachusetts which received state licenses for the period ending Oct 31, 1914. Its condition was “Good”, and Louis F. Bates was Manager.
The Bates Opera House was located right in Weymouth Landing, on the west side of the business district. It was 4 stories high. In the 1920s and perhaps earlier it had a verticle sign which spelled out “Bates Opera House” in white or light letters on a black or dark background. The verticle was attached to the center of the facade. But looking at old photos, it’s difficult to determine where the theater entrance was in relation to the verticle sign above.