Sloppy reporting by the paper as they call the theater “Oakwood” in this story dated 10/27/60:
Fire Destroys Movie House
PONTIAC (UPI)â€"Fire destroyed the Oakwood Theater here Wednesday night and threatened an entire business block before it was brought under control. Several stores and professional offices next to the movie house were also demolished. Damage was estimated by Fire Chief James White at $300,000 to $500,000. Firemen from Pontiac, Waterford Township, Royal Oak, Birmingham and Ferndale battled the flames which shot 75 feet into the air and could be seen for miles. All 60 patrons of the theater were evacuated safely, but two firemen suffered minor injuries battling the blaze.
An estimated 4,000 spectators jammed the area although all streets leading to the downtown section were blocked off to prevent traffic congestion. A preliminary study showed the fire started from a short circuit n the projection booth, but further investigation disclosed it started in an adjoining drug store, of unknown causes.
Fire believed to have started in the projection booth early Sunday morning destroyed the Wisconsin Theatre at La Crosse. Firemen are shown pouring water on the $100,000 blaze after the roof and one wall had collapsed. The fire occurred in near-zero weather.
A fire that raged for more than two hours Sunday reduced the 43-year-old Wisconsin Theater in downtown La Crosse to a battered shell. The fire traveled from the rear of the theater to the front. Shortly after the blaze began, the theater’s rear wall collapsed, firemen ripped down the side walls which were tottering. All of the city’s fire fighting equipment was called out to control the blaze. Two firemen were overcome by smoke and were hospitalized.
Damage was estimated unofficially at more than $100,000. The theater was built in 1909 and was first known as the Majestic. It was converted from a vaudeville theater into a motion picture house recently and was renamed.
There is an article in the Nevada State Journal dated 1/23/53 which describes the total destruction of the Granada in a fire. Presumably the new Granada opened in 1954 as seen in the article above.
Here’s an interesting suit filed as a result of the theater’s construction in 1919. Scroll down past all the legal nonsense to get to the facts: http://tinyurl.com/38tefb
This lawsuit discusses the Broadway-Strand theater in Detroit in the late twenties. I imagine this is another theater, but I don’t have any additional information to rely on: http://tinyurl.com/37ojo3
Here is an article about asbestos problems during renovation of the Auditorium in 2003. As Jim points out, this is not the original Milwaukee, which has been demolished: http://tinyurl.com/2k2zdp
This article puts the Carolina in Virginia, but that’s wrong, obviously. There are references to some other theaters in the city as well: http://tinyurl.com/245hwk
The manager in the early 70s was one Herman Hall, if anyone is interested:
http://tinyurl.com/2jav7b
Here is a 1972 robbery case. Theater is spelled “Center”, but clearly is just a typo:
http://tinyurl.com/2ojsta
Sloppy reporting by the paper as they call the theater “Oakwood” in this story dated 10/27/60:
Fire Destroys Movie House
PONTIAC (UPI)â€"Fire destroyed the Oakwood Theater here Wednesday night and threatened an entire business block before it was brought under control. Several stores and professional offices next to the movie house were also demolished. Damage was estimated by Fire Chief James White at $300,000 to $500,000. Firemen from Pontiac, Waterford Township, Royal Oak, Birmingham and Ferndale battled the flames which shot 75 feet into the air and could be seen for miles. All 60 patrons of the theater were evacuated safely, but two firemen suffered minor injuries battling the blaze.
An estimated 4,000 spectators jammed the area although all streets leading to the downtown section were blocked off to prevent traffic congestion. A preliminary study showed the fire started from a short circuit n the projection booth, but further investigation disclosed it started in an adjoining drug store, of unknown causes.
This is a 1958 article from Time about an explosion at the Hereon theater in Famagusta, wherever that might be:
http://tinyurl.com/2cxovb
Was this the same Palace that collapsed in 1986?
http://tinyurl.com/2dgwqn
Here is an account of the fire on 12/29/52:
Blaze Ruins Old Theatre In LaCrosse
Fire believed to have started in the projection booth early Sunday morning destroyed the Wisconsin Theatre at La Crosse. Firemen are shown pouring water on the $100,000 blaze after the roof and one wall had collapsed. The fire occurred in near-zero weather.
A fire that raged for more than two hours Sunday reduced the 43-year-old Wisconsin Theater in downtown La Crosse to a battered shell. The fire traveled from the rear of the theater to the front. Shortly after the blaze began, the theater’s rear wall collapsed, firemen ripped down the side walls which were tottering. All of the city’s fire fighting equipment was called out to control the blaze. Two firemen were overcome by smoke and were hospitalized.
Damage was estimated unofficially at more than $100,000. The theater was built in 1909 and was first known as the Majestic. It was converted from a vaudeville theater into a motion picture house recently and was renamed.
There is an article in the Nevada State Journal dated 1/23/53 which describes the total destruction of the Granada in a fire. Presumably the new Granada opened in 1954 as seen in the article above.
This law suit references the demolition of the Mouse:
http://tinyurl.com/y5rptt
Here’s an interesting suit filed as a result of the theater’s construction in 1919. Scroll down past all the legal nonsense to get to the facts:
http://tinyurl.com/38tefb
This lawsuit discusses the Broadway-Strand theater in Detroit in the late twenties. I imagine this is another theater, but I don’t have any additional information to rely on:
http://tinyurl.com/37ojo3
Here is an article about asbestos problems during renovation of the Auditorium in 2003. As Jim points out, this is not the original Milwaukee, which has been demolished:
http://tinyurl.com/2k2zdp
So every payday the employee’s envelope says “Severance Pay”? Wouldn’t that be a little unsettling?
You have to buy the rest of the article if you want to read about Alvan Levenson’s legal woes:
http://tinyurl.com/2wag9b
Status should be closed/demolished. This May 2001 article discusses the UA and the decline of theater business in general:
http://tinyurl.com/2uyyb3
Costas Poulikidis bought the Gables in 1984 with redevelopment in mind:
http://tinyurl.com/22qtmv
Here is a re-post of Bryan’s 1928 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/2beu5z
Here are photos of the demolition:
http://tinyurl.com/38jzlb
There is a 1910 photo on this site of another Majestic Theater in Dallas, but that one may not have shown films:
http://tinyurl.com/2kjkg3
Preservation alert:
http://tinyurl.com/2juoar
Scroll down for before and after photos:
http://www.cajaeir.com/portfolio/photos.html
Here is TC’s photo as his link has failed:
http://www.builtstlouis.net/opos/townetheater.html
Here are additional photos of the Avalon:
http://www.builtstlouis.net/avalon.html
Here are photos of the demolition:
http://tinyurl.com/2umeby
Here is a photo currently being advertised on eBay:
http://tinyurl.com/229hsm
This article puts the Carolina in Virginia, but that’s wrong, obviously. There are references to some other theaters in the city as well:
http://tinyurl.com/245hwk