Miss O'Hara Takes Stand in LA. Trial
Not in Grauman’s Since ‘The Robe’ in 1953, Testifies
LOS ANGELES â€"Confidential magazine’s “petting” story about her was untrue, actress Maureen O'Hara testified here today. Moist-eyed and quietly indignant, Miss O'Hara said she attended the September 1953 premier of “The Robe,” but had not been in Grauman’s Chinese Theater anytime since in 1953 or 1954. The magazine, charged with criminal libel and obscenity, reported Miss O'Hara cuddled with a Latin lover in Grauman’s Row 35 in November 1953. Miss O'Hara, who gave her name in court as Maureen FitzSimons, entered the eighth-floor Superior courtroom at 11:15 a.m. She appeared as a voluntary witness for the prosecution. Her appearance followed a court and jury inspection of Grauman’s Theater at 10 a.m. today.
THE O'HARA cuddling story has become the cause celebre of the four-week-old trial. The prosecution apparently intends to use Miss O'Hara’s denial as a major weapon in proving that Confidential printed lies.
Dep. Dist. Atty. William Ritzi finished his questioning of the beautiful, hazel-eyed actress in about 15 minutes. The preliminary questioning dealt with Miss O'Hara’s passport which showed her to be on a filmmaking trip abroad during the time of the alleged theater petting incident. It showed she left Los Angeles Oct. 6, 1953, returning Jan. 12, 1954. Defense Atty. Arthur J. Crowley began his cross-examination shortly before the noon recess.
WEARING her red hair shoulder length and covered with a white hat, Miss O'Hara was attired in a blue and white striped cotton dress. She posed graciously for news photographers at the witness stand before court resumed after the theater field trip. She told the court her September 1953 visit to Grauman’s was in the company of her brother, Charles FitzSimons.
MISS O'HARA, a witness before the Grand Jury that indicted Confidential on charges of conspiracy to commit criminal libel and circulate obscene literature, produced passports, photos and other documents to prove she was out of the country in November 1953, the month Craig said the love scene was played. She has filed a five million dollar libel suit over the March 1957 story.
The jury spent 20 minutes in the theater, examining the aisles and the two rows of loges. Judge Walker acted as director of the prosecution, motioning the cast here and there and saying “now let us go out and take a look at the foyer.”
Firemen Fail To Find Fire at Theater Showing “Face of Fire”
Firemen were called to the Capitol Theater last night during a performance of “The Face of Fire.” The alarm was not for a fire, but for an unexplainable odor that was corning from the projection booth. Firemen quickly searched the building. They discovered that the mysterious odor was coming out of the kitchen exhaust duct of the China Clipper restaurant next door and was entering the projection booth through an open window Some sort of fish was cooking, they reported.
Here is a blurb in the Van Nuys News dated 3/16/50. There was also an ad for the Cracker Barrel supermarket on the corner of Van Nuys and Burbank. I drive past that intersection quite often, but I don’t think there’s a market on that corner now.
THEATER PARTY TO BENEFIT CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN ENCINO
A theater party to raise money for the building fund of the Encino Our Lady of Grace School will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the Encino Theatre, 16342 Ventura Blvd. Cowboy Slim, children’s television favorite, will be on hand to start off the program which will include a showing of cartoons and door prizes. The public, as well as school children, and their parents, is invited to attend. Tickets for the event will be on sale at the Encino Theatre. This is the first in a series of events held for the benefit of the school.
An ad in the Hardin County Index dated 8/28/53 touts the grand opening of the New Grand Theater, with a panoramic wide screen. Opening features were “Dangerous When Wet”, starring Esther Williams, “Arrowhead”, starring Charlton Heston and Jack Palance (as an Indian), “Stalag 17” and “Pickup on South Street”, a great Sam Fuller film.
TAFT, Feb. 22. The Hippodrome Theater, valued at $500,000, was destroyed by fire today along with five stores housed in the theater building. Flames were first discovered in the balcony at 2:40 a.m. and investigators theorized that a cigarette may have caused the fire. The 1800-seat theater was built 20 years ago.
Alden Brinham, a theater manager of 31 years experience, has become active head of the Reseda Theatre, 18445 Sherman Way, coming here from management of the 101 Drive-in Theater in Ventura. Owners Henry Kern and Bud Grensbach are suspending their active participation in the picture house, as Kern plans an extensive tour of Europe starting this month and Grensbach will be associated with a motion picture studio. Manager Brinham, who also has managed theaters in Santa Monica, Toledo, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pa,, and Massilon, Ohioâ€"where he was established for 16 yearsâ€"states that some of his plans for local operation already are in effect. He stressed particularly that a juvenile officer and policeman will be on duty as usher and ticket-taker. “We wish to assure parents of the absolute safety of their children from any harm while in Reseda Theater,” he emphasized.
August 25, 1951 – Police yesterday raided a theater in the Pike amusement area and arrested the theater manager and projectionist on charges of exhibiting Immoral pictures, vagrancy and disorderly conduct. Booked were Chester E. Wind, 45, Los Angeles, theater manager, and James Solosky, 48, of 5442 Lemon Ave.
Det. Insp. E. H. Kennedy said he paid 50 cents to see films in the theater and that one of them, entitled “Tantalizing Teaseâ€, exhibited a comely young lady whose attire consisted mostly of a smile. The theater is at 207 E. Seaside Blvd. Kennedy was assisted by Officers F. L. Good and R.C. Deaton. Wind and Solosky were released on $300 bail each, pending court appearances.
This was the program for the grand opening in June 1950:
BRADDOCK DRIVE-IN THEATER
GRAND OPENING TONIGHT, 7 P. M.
PROGRAM
I
Cutting of Ribbon, officially opens Theater by Edwin F.
Nikirk, State’s Attorney.
II
First ticket purchased by Honorable Lloyd C. Culler, Mayor
of Frederick.
III
Band Concert by Frederick High School Band & Majorettes
Given in area in front of giant screen.
IV
Inspection of Theater and interviews by Staff Radio
Station WFMD.
V
Welcome by Harry C. Bondurant, Director of Theater.
VI
Screen Program: Color Cartoons and Feature Attraction,
Abbott and Costello in “Hold That Ghost"
Entire program recorded and broadcast by WFMD,
Tuesday, June 13, 6:30 P. M.
Drawings were released this week for the proposed 1,400-seat movie theater in the Golf-Rose Shopping Center in Hoffman Estates. Lowell Siff, vice president of F&S Construction Co., developer of the center, estimated that the theater should be open within six to nine months. He emphasized that the size of the movie house should assure
the showing of first run movies.
AT PRESENT THE nearest theater either in existence or under construction is a smaller theater in Rolling Meadows. The Golf-Rose theater will be built to the southeast of the Grant store and will face north toward the shopping center parking lot. The theater will be adjoined by 35,000 square feet of new space for new stores toward the east. Siff said that the commercial area is needed because all of the 81,000 square feet in Golf-Rose and the 42,500 square feet in the Plaza is now filled. There have been no commitments yet on the additional 35,000 square feet.
OPERATOR OF the theater will be Duncan Kennedy, described by Siff as a man with long experience in the field. Kennedy will continue to operate a movie house on Route 20 he now runs. Siff said the construction of a theater in a shopping center conforms with a country-wide trend. The parking space gets double use and many persons come to the center to shop who wouldn’t otherwise.
What was Hoffman Estates? A gated community? This article is dated 9/2/65. If the Golf-Rose theater is listed under another name, let me know:
Drawings were released this week for the proposed 1,400-seat movie theater in the Golf-Rose Shopping Center in Hoffman Estates. Lowell Siff, vice president of F&S Construction Co., developer of the center, estimated that the theater should be open within six to nine months. He emphasized that the size of the movie house should assure
the showing of first run movies.
AT PRESENT THE nearest theater either in existence or under construction is a smaller theater in Rolling Meadows. The Golf-Rose theater will be built to the southeast of the Grant store and will face north toward the shopping center parking lot. The theater will be adjoined by 35,000 square feet of new space for new stores toward the east. Siff said that the commercial area is needed because all of the 81,000 square feet in Golf-Rose and the 42,500 square feet in the Plaza is now filled. There have been no commitments yet on the additional 35,000 square feet.
OPERATOR OF the theater will be Duncan Kennedy, described by Siff as a man with long experience in the field. Kennedy will continue to operate a movie house on Route 20 he now runs. Siff said the construction of a theater in a shopping center conforms with a country-wide trend. The parking space gets double use and many persons come to the center to shop who wouldn’t otherwise.
The theater was put up for auction in November 1976:
AUCTION
MOVIE THEATER K/A CINEMA 1894
SEATS 384
FOR: ROBERT & JOAN IANNETTA
24 W. Temple Avenue
Sellersville, Pa.
FRI., NOV. 19,1976 2:00 P.M.
REAL ESTATE – MOVIE THEATER
An Old Landmark, Completely rebuilt in 1972, Cement Block Construction, 36 x 132, Seats 384 in pushback seats, 15 x 31 Technikote XR 171 Gain Screen, 2 Simplex 35 Projectors, 2 Christie Xenon Console Systems, Simplex 35 Optical bound System, All in Like New Condition. Lg. Lobby, 2 Lavatories, ticket office, 2nd flr. office & partial basement, 3 phase elec.– 1,000 Amps, W.A. Heat Oil Fired, Air Conditioned by York, fully carpeted, in operation showing A GOOD NET INCOME. Situated on a Corner Lot 56.50 x 160, ample parking in the area.
Inspection – Fri., Nov. 12th, 2-4 P.M. or by appt. & day of sale after 1 P.M. Sale Subject to Confirmation Terms -10% down day of sale; settlement within 60 days. SANFORD A. ALDERFER, INC, Real Estate Brokers And Auctioneers Harleysville, Pa.
ROXY THEATRE BUILDING-600 Seats
IN A 100% RETAIL LOCATION
11-15 E. Main Street, Maple Shade, N.J.
Motion Picture Equipment, Projection Booth,
Seats to be Sold Separately or As An Entirety
with Real Estate, Excellent as Operating Theater or other
Commercial Purpose!
INSPECT.: WED., MAR. 27-2 to 4 P.M.
SALE on Premises: TUES., APRIL 2, it 3:30 P.M.
There are two parts to the restaurant. The northern part was the theater. The high ceilings are original, I believe. The southern part was an adjacent building with low ceilings that was added on after the restaurant opened. I couldn’t tell you if the walls are original or not.
No, the Imperial is the only theater listed in Pocahontas, AR. I try not to add too many drive-ins as management prefers an emphasis on indoor theaters.
This article was in a Long Beach paper on 9/3/57:
PETTING LIE, MAUREEN TELLS JURY
Miss O'Hara Takes Stand in LA. Trial
Not in Grauman’s Since ‘The Robe’ in 1953, Testifies
LOS ANGELES â€"Confidential magazine’s “petting” story about her was untrue, actress Maureen O'Hara testified here today. Moist-eyed and quietly indignant, Miss O'Hara said she attended the September 1953 premier of “The Robe,” but had not been in Grauman’s Chinese Theater anytime since in 1953 or 1954. The magazine, charged with criminal libel and obscenity, reported Miss O'Hara cuddled with a Latin lover in Grauman’s Row 35 in November 1953. Miss O'Hara, who gave her name in court as Maureen FitzSimons, entered the eighth-floor Superior courtroom at 11:15 a.m. She appeared as a voluntary witness for the prosecution. Her appearance followed a court and jury inspection of Grauman’s Theater at 10 a.m. today.
THE O'HARA cuddling story has become the cause celebre of the four-week-old trial. The prosecution apparently intends to use Miss O'Hara’s denial as a major weapon in proving that Confidential printed lies.
Dep. Dist. Atty. William Ritzi finished his questioning of the beautiful, hazel-eyed actress in about 15 minutes. The preliminary questioning dealt with Miss O'Hara’s passport which showed her to be on a filmmaking trip abroad during the time of the alleged theater petting incident. It showed she left Los Angeles Oct. 6, 1953, returning Jan. 12, 1954. Defense Atty. Arthur J. Crowley began his cross-examination shortly before the noon recess.
WEARING her red hair shoulder length and covered with a white hat, Miss O'Hara was attired in a blue and white striped cotton dress. She posed graciously for news photographers at the witness stand before court resumed after the theater field trip. She told the court her September 1953 visit to Grauman’s was in the company of her brother, Charles FitzSimons.
MISS O'HARA, a witness before the Grand Jury that indicted Confidential on charges of conspiracy to commit criminal libel and circulate obscene literature, produced passports, photos and other documents to prove she was out of the country in November 1953, the month Craig said the love scene was played. She has filed a five million dollar libel suit over the March 1957 story.
The jury spent 20 minutes in the theater, examining the aisles and the two rows of loges. Judge Walker acted as director of the prosecution, motioning the cast here and there and saying “now let us go out and take a look at the foyer.”
This is from the Berkshire Eagle, 10/9/59:
Firemen Fail To Find Fire at Theater Showing “Face of Fire”
Firemen were called to the Capitol Theater last night during a performance of “The Face of Fire.” The alarm was not for a fire, but for an unexplainable odor that was corning from the projection booth. Firemen quickly searched the building. They discovered that the mysterious odor was coming out of the kitchen exhaust duct of the China Clipper restaurant next door and was entering the projection booth through an open window Some sort of fish was cooking, they reported.
Unacceptable behavior:
http://tinyurl.com/2cskbv
There is another Carmike 16 in Wilmington, according to this document:
http://tinyurl.com/2yfv9e
Here is a blurb in the Van Nuys News dated 3/16/50. There was also an ad for the Cracker Barrel supermarket on the corner of Van Nuys and Burbank. I drive past that intersection quite often, but I don’t think there’s a market on that corner now.
THEATER PARTY TO BENEFIT CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN ENCINO
A theater party to raise money for the building fund of the Encino Our Lady of Grace School will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the Encino Theatre, 16342 Ventura Blvd. Cowboy Slim, children’s television favorite, will be on hand to start off the program which will include a showing of cartoons and door prizes. The public, as well as school children, and their parents, is invited to attend. Tickets for the event will be on sale at the Encino Theatre. This is the first in a series of events held for the benefit of the school.
An ad in the Hardin County Index dated 8/28/53 touts the grand opening of the New Grand Theater, with a panoramic wide screen. Opening features were “Dangerous When Wet”, starring Esther Williams, “Arrowhead”, starring Charlton Heston and Jack Palance (as an Indian), “Stalag 17” and “Pickup on South Street”, a great Sam Fuller film.
The fire was on 2/22/50:
Fire Razes $500,000 Theater at Taft
TAFT, Feb. 22. The Hippodrome Theater, valued at $500,000, was destroyed by fire today along with five stores housed in the theater building. Flames were first discovered in the balcony at 2:40 a.m. and investigators theorized that a cigarette may have caused the fire. The 1800-seat theater was built 20 years ago.
From the Valley News, June 21, 1951:
Alden Brinham, a theater manager of 31 years experience, has become active head of the Reseda Theatre, 18445 Sherman Way, coming here from management of the 101 Drive-in Theater in Ventura. Owners Henry Kern and Bud Grensbach are suspending their active participation in the picture house, as Kern plans an extensive tour of Europe starting this month and Grensbach will be associated with a motion picture studio. Manager Brinham, who also has managed theaters in Santa Monica, Toledo, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pa,, and Massilon, Ohioâ€"where he was established for 16 yearsâ€"states that some of his plans for local operation already are in effect. He stressed particularly that a juvenile officer and policeman will be on duty as usher and ticket-taker. “We wish to assure parents of the absolute safety of their children from any harm while in Reseda Theater,” he emphasized.
O tempores, o mores…
Theater Manager Held on Immoral Picture Charge
August 25, 1951 – Police yesterday raided a theater in the Pike amusement area and arrested the theater manager and projectionist on charges of exhibiting Immoral pictures, vagrancy and disorderly conduct. Booked were Chester E. Wind, 45, Los Angeles, theater manager, and James Solosky, 48, of 5442 Lemon Ave.
Det. Insp. E. H. Kennedy said he paid 50 cents to see films in the theater and that one of them, entitled “Tantalizing Teaseâ€, exhibited a comely young lady whose attire consisted mostly of a smile. The theater is at 207 E. Seaside Blvd. Kennedy was assisted by Officers F. L. Good and R.C. Deaton. Wind and Solosky were released on $300 bail each, pending court appearances.
Couldn’t it be entercation instead of edutainment? What’s the difference? Civilization is crumbling.
This was the program for the grand opening in June 1950:
BRADDOCK DRIVE-IN THEATER
GRAND OPENING TONIGHT, 7 P. M.
PROGRAM
I
Cutting of Ribbon, officially opens Theater by Edwin F.
Nikirk, State’s Attorney.
II
First ticket purchased by Honorable Lloyd C. Culler, Mayor
of Frederick.
III
Band Concert by Frederick High School Band & Majorettes
Given in area in front of giant screen.
IV
Inspection of Theater and interviews by Staff Radio
Station WFMD.
V
Welcome by Harry C. Bondurant, Director of Theater.
VI
Screen Program: Color Cartoons and Feature Attraction,
Abbott and Costello in “Hold That Ghost"
Entire program recorded and broadcast by WFMD,
Tuesday, June 13, 6:30 P. M.
The Wisconsin opened on October 29, 1943, with a double feature of “My Friend Flicka” and “It Comes Up Love”.
Newspaper article dated 9/2/65:
Drawings were released this week for the proposed 1,400-seat movie theater in the Golf-Rose Shopping Center in Hoffman Estates. Lowell Siff, vice president of F&S Construction Co., developer of the center, estimated that the theater should be open within six to nine months. He emphasized that the size of the movie house should assure
the showing of first run movies.
AT PRESENT THE nearest theater either in existence or under construction is a smaller theater in Rolling Meadows. The Golf-Rose theater will be built to the southeast of the Grant store and will face north toward the shopping center parking lot. The theater will be adjoined by 35,000 square feet of new space for new stores toward the east. Siff said that the commercial area is needed because all of the 81,000 square feet in Golf-Rose and the 42,500 square feet in the Plaza is now filled. There have been no commitments yet on the additional 35,000 square feet.
OPERATOR OF the theater will be Duncan Kennedy, described by Siff as a man with long experience in the field. Kennedy will continue to operate a movie house on Route 20 he now runs. Siff said the construction of a theater in a shopping center conforms with a country-wide trend. The parking space gets double use and many persons come to the center to shop who wouldn’t otherwise.
Thanks. I reposted the article on the correct page.
Here is an ad from July 1949. Note the alternate spelling for Ruth Horne:
EVERGREEN DRIVE-IN THEATER
2 Miles South of Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant-Connellsville Road
(Formerly Ruthorn Drive-In Theatre)
TONIGHT and TOMORROW
“THE OTHER LOVE"
With Barbara Stanwyck and David Niven
CARTOON AND SHORT
Kind of an unfortunate name for the Candy Lady, don’t you think?
What was Hoffman Estates? A gated community? This article is dated 9/2/65. If the Golf-Rose theater is listed under another name, let me know:
Drawings were released this week for the proposed 1,400-seat movie theater in the Golf-Rose Shopping Center in Hoffman Estates. Lowell Siff, vice president of F&S Construction Co., developer of the center, estimated that the theater should be open within six to nine months. He emphasized that the size of the movie house should assure
the showing of first run movies.
AT PRESENT THE nearest theater either in existence or under construction is a smaller theater in Rolling Meadows. The Golf-Rose theater will be built to the southeast of the Grant store and will face north toward the shopping center parking lot. The theater will be adjoined by 35,000 square feet of new space for new stores toward the east. Siff said that the commercial area is needed because all of the 81,000 square feet in Golf-Rose and the 42,500 square feet in the Plaza is now filled. There have been no commitments yet on the additional 35,000 square feet.
OPERATOR OF the theater will be Duncan Kennedy, described by Siff as a man with long experience in the field. Kennedy will continue to operate a movie house on Route 20 he now runs. Siff said the construction of a theater in a shopping center conforms with a country-wide trend. The parking space gets double use and many persons come to the center to shop who wouldn’t otherwise.
The theater was put up for auction in November 1976:
AUCTION
MOVIE THEATER K/A CINEMA 1894
SEATS 384
FOR: ROBERT & JOAN IANNETTA
24 W. Temple Avenue
Sellersville, Pa.
FRI., NOV. 19,1976 2:00 P.M.
REAL ESTATE – MOVIE THEATER
An Old Landmark, Completely rebuilt in 1972, Cement Block Construction, 36 x 132, Seats 384 in pushback seats, 15 x 31 Technikote XR 171 Gain Screen, 2 Simplex 35 Projectors, 2 Christie Xenon Console Systems, Simplex 35 Optical bound System, All in Like New Condition. Lg. Lobby, 2 Lavatories, ticket office, 2nd flr. office & partial basement, 3 phase elec.– 1,000 Amps, W.A. Heat Oil Fired, Air Conditioned by York, fully carpeted, in operation showing A GOOD NET INCOME. Situated on a Corner Lot 56.50 x 160, ample parking in the area.
Inspection – Fri., Nov. 12th, 2-4 P.M. or by appt. & day of sale after 1 P.M. Sale Subject to Confirmation Terms -10% down day of sale; settlement within 60 days. SANFORD A. ALDERFER, INC, Real Estate Brokers And Auctioneers Harleysville, Pa.
The theater was sold to the Vineyard Church in November 2005:
http://tinyurl.com/37ofl2
The property was auctioned off in April 1963:
ROXY THEATRE BUILDING-600 Seats
IN A 100% RETAIL LOCATION
11-15 E. Main Street, Maple Shade, N.J.
Motion Picture Equipment, Projection Booth,
Seats to be Sold Separately or As An Entirety
with Real Estate, Excellent as Operating Theater or other
Commercial Purpose!
INSPECT.: WED., MAR. 27-2 to 4 P.M.
SALE on Premises: TUES., APRIL 2, it 3:30 P.M.
There are two parts to the restaurant. The northern part was the theater. The high ceilings are original, I believe. The southern part was an adjacent building with low ceilings that was added on after the restaurant opened. I couldn’t tell you if the walls are original or not.
Bring along some brownies for later.
No, the Imperial is the only theater listed in Pocahontas, AR. I try not to add too many drive-ins as management prefers an emphasis on indoor theaters.
I think you’re pointing out the misspelling at the top of the page. I concur.
I figured the town, just not the name of the theater. You may have answered the question.