WILLOUGHBY, Ohio (UPI)-It was Paris, 1922, when James Joyce first unleashed the “Ulysses" controversy and now it’s cropped up here. Police impounded the film version of the controversial novel Friday night, closed the Vine Theater and charged the manager and projectionist with showing a lewd and obscene film.
The film, with a liberal dose of four letter words, was playing at three other Cleveland area theaters, but there were no complaints. “If a guy said some of those things on a street corner and anyone heard him, he’d be arrested,” said Willoughby Law Director Lewis Turl Jr.
Here is a story about the long-time manager of the Tivoli from the Frederick News dated 4/30/52:
‘Jack’ Forney To Leave Here
Louis C. “Jack' Forney, for the past 14 years manager of the Tivoli Theater here, will leave Warner Brothers employ Thursday to take a position at Harrisonburg, Va. His successor here has not yet been named. Well-known in civic, fraternal and the entertainment business, Mr. Forney will be associated with the Roth chain of theaters having its home offices in Washington and operating moving-picture enterprises in the District of Columbia and Virginia. Mr. Forney will be employed in a supervisory capacity for a group of more than a half-dozen theaters including two drive-ins. His headquarters will be in Harrisonburg.
A native of Winchester. Va., where his father, mother and sister still reside, the 43-year old Forney has been associated with the motion-picture business since he was a student at Handley High School in Winchester. He started as an assistant projectionist for L. Marshall Baker in the Empire Theater, Winchester, went to Staunton as a projectionist and assistant manager of the Strand and New theaters until 1931 when le was appointed manager of the Strand Theater at Staunton.
Mr. Forney came to the Tivoli as manager, May 19, 1938 after having been with Warner Bros, in Virginia for eight and a-half years. He succeeded C. O. Clark as manager here and is the fifth manager of the local show house. Since 1938, except for 23 months service in the Navy during World War II, he has been continuously occupied handling the Tivoli until October 1, 1950 when the renovated Frederick Theater was also added to his management. He tendered his resignation to Warner Bros., March 15, to take effect May 1 this year.
Here is an article about the long-time projectionist dated 2/28/54:
Gene Sherman Notes Another Milestone In Theater Career
“The Robe,” the new CinemaScope production to be shown at the Marlow for a full week beginning Wednesday, will be one of many milestones passed by Gene Sherman, the theater projectionist. Sherman has been projectionist at the Marlow for the past 20 years of the 47-year career. He began as a trouper in a stock company operated by Lulu Sutton, daughter of Montana’s famous Uncle Dick Sutton, who built the Empress theaters in Helena and Butte, the Broadway (now the Montana) in Butte, and other theaters, and who presented scores of shows when no other producer would venture into the backwoods that was then Montana.
In the winter of 1907-1908 Sherman deserted the stage for the projection booth, and from there he has seen such innovations as a one reel version of the opera “Carmen” (1908), the first movie made in California; D. W. Griffith’s “The Birth of a Nation” (1915), the forerunner of the feature picture as we have come to know it, and “Lights of New York” (1928), the first all-talking picture. His earliest work was with the Vitagraph company and later for General Programs, produced by Lubin-Selig-Essanay. He has been a Fox Intermountain Amusement projectionist for 28 yearsâ€"eight years in Lewistown and 20 years in Helena. Looking at the plans for CinemaScope, and working on them, he asks, “What next?” A faithful patron suggests noiseless popcorn.
There was a full page ad in the 6-28-52 edition of the Humboldt Standard celebrating George Mann week for his 35 years in Eureka. Full staff lists are given for the Eureka, State, Rialto, Midway Drive-In, Fortuna and Arcata. I won’t copy all the names here, but if someone is looking for an usher or candy girl around that time, let me know and I will look it up.
There was a full page ad in the 6-28-52 edition of the Humboldt Standard celebrating George Mann week for his 35 years in Eureka. Full staff lists are given for the Eureka, State, Rialto, Midway Drive-In, Fortuna and Arcata. I won’t copy all the names here, but if someone is looking for an usher or candy girl around that time, let me know and I will look it up.
Sometime between midnight Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday, October 22, burglars entered the Des Plaines theater manager’s office and removed a small safe containing $200 cash, tickets and valuable papers. They then dragged or carried the safe to the first exit door on the east wall of the theater and left the building. The safe was transported to a waiting automobile in the parking lot to the rear and east of the building in which the burglars fled the scene.
A Grand Island theater being built in December 1936 almost died before it was born. The theater isn’t identified, but the Grand is a good bet:
GRAND ISLAND FIRE CAUSES $40,000 LOSS
Nearly New Theater Building and Two Stores Set Ablaze
by Heat Pots
GRAND ISLAND – Fire which broke out in the partially completed theater building shortly before 6 o'clock Tuesday morning, did damage estimated in the neighborhood of $40,000 to the theater and to adjoining business houses. While the fire was confined to the theater, the O'Loughlin furniture company, located to the west side of the theater, suffered heavy smoke and some water damage. The Kaufman store, on the east side, escaped with little smoke damage.
Harry Schiller, manager of the theater, estimated the actual fire loss in the neighborhood of $20,000 and while officials of the O'Loughlin company declined to make an estimate of damage to their store and stock, it was believed it would run to a considerable figure. All loss, it was understood, was covered by insurance.
Fire started on the east side, midway in the theatre, from an overheated open “heat pot.” Several of the pots had been placed in the theater for the night to keep freshly poured cement from freezing. Mr. Schiller said a watchman was supposed to have been on duty just to watch these heat pots. By the time firemen arrived, the flames were spreading to scaffolding. Firemen laid 12 lines of hose and poured water into the building from all angles for nearly four hours before the flames could be extinguished.
$400,000 Loss At Fortuna As Fire Razes Business Block
Fortunans today looked over the smoldering embers of the most disastrous blaze in the history of the Eel River Valley community, a fire that last night burned almost an entire block of business houses and caused an estimated $100,000 damages. But for assistance from every fire department in the radius of thirty miles, including equipment from Loleta, Ferndale, Scotia, Eureka, Arcata and Humboldt District No. 1, the flames could easily have wiped out most of the Fortuna business district. Biggest loss was the Fortuna Construction Company owned by Robert and James Loudon. Other business houses destroyed was the Wyckoff Plumbing Company, the Stewart and Cloney public accountants firm owned by Arthur Stewart and Frank Cloney and the Harbers Insurance Company offices operated by Otto and Gerald Harbers. Loss in buildings amounted to an estimated $100,000. Loss of stock in buildings was put at $300,000.
The Fortuna Theater, in the same block, was saved from the flames by brilliant work. A crew worked continually on the roof of the theater. About 100 patrons of the theater filed out in an orderly manner at the first alarm. The front of the theater and walls were scorched. The theater is built with concrete walls.
Trouble in 1967:
‘Ulysses,'The Movie, Is Banned
WILLOUGHBY, Ohio (UPI)-It was Paris, 1922, when James Joyce first unleashed the “Ulysses" controversy and now it’s cropped up here. Police impounded the film version of the controversial novel Friday night, closed the Vine Theater and charged the manager and projectionist with showing a lewd and obscene film.
The film, with a liberal dose of four letter words, was playing at three other Cleveland area theaters, but there were no complaints. “If a guy said some of those things on a street corner and anyone heard him, he’d be arrested,” said Willoughby Law Director Lewis Turl Jr.
Here is a story about the long-time manager of the Tivoli from the Frederick News dated 4/30/52:
‘Jack’ Forney To Leave Here
Louis C. “Jack' Forney, for the past 14 years manager of the Tivoli Theater here, will leave Warner Brothers employ Thursday to take a position at Harrisonburg, Va. His successor here has not yet been named. Well-known in civic, fraternal and the entertainment business, Mr. Forney will be associated with the Roth chain of theaters having its home offices in Washington and operating moving-picture enterprises in the District of Columbia and Virginia. Mr. Forney will be employed in a supervisory capacity for a group of more than a half-dozen theaters including two drive-ins. His headquarters will be in Harrisonburg.
A native of Winchester. Va., where his father, mother and sister still reside, the 43-year old Forney has been associated with the motion-picture business since he was a student at Handley High School in Winchester. He started as an assistant projectionist for L. Marshall Baker in the Empire Theater, Winchester, went to Staunton as a projectionist and assistant manager of the Strand and New theaters until 1931 when le was appointed manager of the Strand Theater at Staunton.
Mr. Forney came to the Tivoli as manager, May 19, 1938 after having been with Warner Bros, in Virginia for eight and a-half years. He succeeded C. O. Clark as manager here and is the fifth manager of the local show house. Since 1938, except for 23 months service in the Navy during World War II, he has been continuously occupied handling the Tivoli until October 1, 1950 when the renovated Frederick Theater was also added to his management. He tendered his resignation to Warner Bros., March 15, to take effect May 1 this year.
At least they weren’t running with scissors:
http://tinyurl.com/2mpj7t
Interesting case from 1955 involving 3-D pictures:
http://tinyurl.com/2wrfws
Here is an article about the long-time projectionist dated 2/28/54:
Gene Sherman Notes Another Milestone In Theater Career
“The Robe,” the new CinemaScope production to be shown at the Marlow for a full week beginning Wednesday, will be one of many milestones passed by Gene Sherman, the theater projectionist. Sherman has been projectionist at the Marlow for the past 20 years of the 47-year career. He began as a trouper in a stock company operated by Lulu Sutton, daughter of Montana’s famous Uncle Dick Sutton, who built the Empress theaters in Helena and Butte, the Broadway (now the Montana) in Butte, and other theaters, and who presented scores of shows when no other producer would venture into the backwoods that was then Montana.
In the winter of 1907-1908 Sherman deserted the stage for the projection booth, and from there he has seen such innovations as a one reel version of the opera “Carmen” (1908), the first movie made in California; D. W. Griffith’s “The Birth of a Nation” (1915), the forerunner of the feature picture as we have come to know it, and “Lights of New York” (1928), the first all-talking picture. His earliest work was with the Vitagraph company and later for General Programs, produced by Lubin-Selig-Essanay. He has been a Fox Intermountain Amusement projectionist for 28 yearsâ€"eight years in Lewistown and 20 years in Helena. Looking at the plans for CinemaScope, and working on them, he asks, “What next?” A faithful patron suggests noiseless popcorn.
There was a full page ad in the 6-28-52 edition of the Humboldt Standard celebrating George Mann week for his 35 years in Eureka. Full staff lists are given for the Eureka, State, Rialto, Midway Drive-In, Fortuna and Arcata. I won’t copy all the names here, but if someone is looking for an usher or candy girl around that time, let me know and I will look it up.
There was a full page ad in the 6-28-52 edition of the Humboldt Standard celebrating George Mann week for his 35 years in Eureka. Full staff lists are given for the Eureka, State, Rialto, Midway Drive-In, Fortuna and Arcata. I won’t copy all the names here, but if someone is looking for an usher or candy girl around that time, let me know and I will look it up.
Remember all the fuss about “The Exorcist” in 1974?
http://tinyurl.com/yvbp6u
Here is an older photo from the LAPL:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028662.jpg
Here is an uncropped version of the photo at the top of the page:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028700.jpg
Sorry about that:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028703.jpg
From the LAPL:
/theaters/1161/
Art and commerce:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028714.jpg
I think that should be 18, not 13. Bad cutting and pasting on my part, especially if it was an adult theater.
Here is a 1973 ad from the Valley News. The theater would have been across the street, more or less, from the Canoga:
PROJECTIONIST. Will train. Minimum 13 yrs. old. Contact:
Mr. L. Lindell, mgr., First Run Theatre. 21605 Sherman Way. C.P. 9:30
a.m. No phone calls.
Here is a circa 1970s photo from the LAPL:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028740.jpg
True crime, October 1950:
Des Plaines theater safe with $200 taken
Sometime between midnight Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday, October 22, burglars entered the Des Plaines theater manager’s office and removed a small safe containing $200 cash, tickets and valuable papers. They then dragged or carried the safe to the first exit door on the east wall of the theater and left the building. The safe was transported to a waiting automobile in the parking lot to the rear and east of the building in which the burglars fled the scene.
A Grand Island theater being built in December 1936 almost died before it was born. The theater isn’t identified, but the Grand is a good bet:
GRAND ISLAND FIRE CAUSES $40,000 LOSS
Nearly New Theater Building and Two Stores Set Ablaze
by Heat Pots
GRAND ISLAND – Fire which broke out in the partially completed theater building shortly before 6 o'clock Tuesday morning, did damage estimated in the neighborhood of $40,000 to the theater and to adjoining business houses. While the fire was confined to the theater, the O'Loughlin furniture company, located to the west side of the theater, suffered heavy smoke and some water damage. The Kaufman store, on the east side, escaped with little smoke damage.
Harry Schiller, manager of the theater, estimated the actual fire loss in the neighborhood of $20,000 and while officials of the O'Loughlin company declined to make an estimate of damage to their store and stock, it was believed it would run to a considerable figure. All loss, it was understood, was covered by insurance.
Fire started on the east side, midway in the theatre, from an overheated open “heat pot.” Several of the pots had been placed in the theater for the night to keep freshly poured cement from freezing. Mr. Schiller said a watchman was supposed to have been on duty just to watch these heat pots. By the time firemen arrived, the flames were spreading to scaffolding. Firemen laid 12 lines of hose and poured water into the building from all angles for nearly four hours before the flames could be extinguished.
Close call in September 1952:
$400,000 Loss At Fortuna As Fire Razes Business Block
Fortunans today looked over the smoldering embers of the most disastrous blaze in the history of the Eel River Valley community, a fire that last night burned almost an entire block of business houses and caused an estimated $100,000 damages. But for assistance from every fire department in the radius of thirty miles, including equipment from Loleta, Ferndale, Scotia, Eureka, Arcata and Humboldt District No. 1, the flames could easily have wiped out most of the Fortuna business district. Biggest loss was the Fortuna Construction Company owned by Robert and James Loudon. Other business houses destroyed was the Wyckoff Plumbing Company, the Stewart and Cloney public accountants firm owned by Arthur Stewart and Frank Cloney and the Harbers Insurance Company offices operated by Otto and Gerald Harbers. Loss in buildings amounted to an estimated $100,000. Loss of stock in buildings was put at $300,000.
The Fortuna Theater, in the same block, was saved from the flames by brilliant work. A crew worked continually on the roof of the theater. About 100 patrons of the theater filed out in an orderly manner at the first alarm. The front of the theater and walls were scorched. The theater is built with concrete walls.
Trouble in 1967:
http://tinyurl.com/33rlyh
Re “Vixen”, as discussed above:
http://tinyurl.com/2wgfu9
Kudos to the open-minded Mrs. Horne:
http://tinyurl.com/27n44w
$2? I can’t even buy popcorn for $2 in Los Angeles.
Trouble in 1957:
http://tinyurl.com/25zx4b
Trouble in 1970:
http://tinyurl.com/23qzf8