Check out this blurb from Time in September 1950. Any ideas as to the identity of this unique theater?
The Abundant Life. Near Washington, Pa., there was a grand opening of “The Only Drive-In Theatre in the World That Offers Lake Fishing” (“You Can Fish and Watch the Movies at the Same Time”).
A closed television circuit carrying the Rocky Marciano-Ezzard Charles heavyweight championship fight blacked out because of technical difficulties in several cities Friday night and in some cases theater managers were forced to make refunds. Theatre Television Network, Inc. carried the fight to 70 theaters in 50 cities.
At Chester. Pa., some 3,000 patrons of the Stanley Theatre were on the verge of rioting, police said, when the TV screen blacked out in the second round and the telecast was not resumed. Some irate patrons began to tear up seats. Forty policemen were rushed to the scene and the crowd was herded to the outside where they
milled around until theatre manager J.M. Feldhun promised refunds of $3.60 to ticket stub holders.
Here is a short article from November 1971 re adult films at the Rustic:
Theater license up; bid to halt X-films
NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I.â€" The Town Council has taken a step toward eliminating X-rated movies from the town’s only theater: It upped the license fee from $160 to $18,000 per year. Councilman Robert E. Mowry proposed the motion to charge Rustic Drive-In movie theater $50 per day in fees so it “can no longer operate profitably.” Residents have objected to the theater’s policy of showing two X-rated.movies nightly.
No surfing in Bell, apparently, even on Christmas Eve:
Theater fight Ends In Death Of Two Youths
12/24/64 – BELL, Los Angeles Co.â€"The police reported today a boy fighting with other teenagers in a theater after drinking beer and whisky stabbed two youths to death. The fight in a washroom and lobby of the Alcazar Theater last night also left two other teenagers with knife wounds. George Escobedo, 15, of nearby Huntington Park, was booked on suspicion of murder. The dead youths: Robert Haney, 17, Cudahy, and Billie Bogard, 17, Bell Gardens. The injured: Mike Goodwin, 14, and Patrick Clarkson, 17, both of Bell.
Police Lieutenant George Wagner gave this account of the bloody melee: Escobedo said he and a 15 year old companion got some beer and a half pint of whisky, then went to an alley, where he found a butcher type knife. He then went to the movie with it. As they went into a washroom during an intermission, four other teenagers including Haney and Bogard blocked the door, said “we don’t like surfers around here” and the fight started, Escobedo pulling out the knife. Bogard and Haney were knifed in the washroom, the others in the lobby as Escobedo ran through it. Spectators finally subdued Escobedo, threw him to the floor and held him until the police arrived.
Here is a 1958 article which mentions the Liberty and many other local theaters:
Movie attendance is picking up in the Mon Valley. But not nearly enough to reopen any of the theatres darkened several years ago by the advent of television. That seems to be the opinion of district theatre men. According to a survey by The Daily Independent, there was pretty general agreement that movie attendance is “considerably better” than a year ago. However movie crowds are still much smaller than in the Hollywood heyday during the forties. Frank Bugala, of the Manos Theatre chain, said he attributes the recent increase in attendance to two factors, better films and a tendency on the part of the public to tire of television.
“We are booking some excellent movies into our Manos Theatre in Monessen and State Theatre in Charleroi,” Bugala points but. He added that both “Old Yeller” and “Sayonara†played to good houses. Bugala said district movie-goers can expect these highly touted films in the weeks ahead: Peyton Dlace, Farewell to Arms, Raintree
County, and Witness for the Prosecution. Despite improving attendance, Bugala said the Manos company had no immediate plans to reopen he darkened Star Theatre.
In Donora, Mrs. Mary Davis, manager of the Harris Theatre, agreed that attendance is picking up. However the theatre, operated by Warner Brothers, is open only four days a week. On both Thursday and Friday, the Harris is open in the evening only. Two other Donora theatres â€"Liberty and Princess â€" have been closed for about eight years. There are no plans at present to open either, it was learned.
The only valley community which still has more than one movie house is Charleroi. Three theatres are still operating daily, the Coyle, Palace and State. All three reported “improved” attendance. Only one Charleroi theatre â€"the Menlo â€" has closed in recent years. In North Belle Vernon, the Verdi Theatre operates four days a
week, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. In Belle Vernon, the Flitz Theatre has been closed for good and is now a school for bricklayers. The Bell Theatre in Fayette City is open on weekends. Attendance is about “50 per cent of what it used to be,” according to the manager.
Mon Valley Theatres Fighting TV; Attendance Is Picking Up
Movie attendance is picking up in the Mon Valley. But not nearly enough to reopen any of the theatres darkened several years ago by the advent of television. That seems to be the opinion of district theatre men. According to a survey by The Daily Independent, there was pretty general agreement that movie attendance is “considerably better” than a year ago. However movie crowds are still much smaller than in the Hollywood heyday during the forties. Frank Bugala, of the Manos Theatre chain, said he attributes the recent increase in attendance to two factors, better films and a tendency on the part of the public to tire of television.
“We are booking some excellent movies into our Manos Theatre in Monessen and State Theatre in Charleroi,” Bugala points but. He added that both “Old Yeller” and “Sayonara†played to good houses. Bugala said district movie-goers can expect these highly touted films in the weeks ahead: Peyton Dlace, Farewell to Arms,
Raintree County, and Witness for the Prosecution. Despite improving attendance, Bugala said the Manos company had no immediate plans to reopen he darkened Star Theatre.
In Donora, Mrs. Mary Davis, manager of the Harris Theatre, agreed that attendance is picking up. However the theatre, operated by Warner Brothers, is open only four days a week. On both Thursday and Friday, the Harris is open in the evening only. Two other Donora theatres â€"Liberty and Princess â€" have been closed for about eight years. There are no plans at present to open either, it was learned.
The only valley community which still has more than one movie house is Charleroi. Three theatres are still operating daily, the Coyle, Palace and State. All three reported “improved” attendance. Only one Charleroi theatre â€"the Menlo â€" has closed in recent years. In North Belle Vernon, the Verdi Theatre operates four days a week, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. In Belle Vernon, the Flitz Theatre has been closed for good and is now a school for bricklayers. The Bell Theatre in Fayette City is open on weekends. Attendance is about “50 per cent of what it used to be,” according to the manager.
This is an interesting lawsuit. It looks like Hollingshead shut down the drive-in in 1936 alleging that Paramount was trying to force him out of business. Perhaps the studios felt that outdoor theaters were a threat to their existing indoor business. Richardson Dilworth, plaintiff’s attorney, later became mayor of Philadelphia: http://tinyurl.com/25523v
On 1/6/73, the Odessa American was advertising the following films:
Scott: “Tales from the Crypt”, starring Peter Cushing and Joan Collins
Rio: “The Virgin Witch”
Ector: “Death Master” and “The Incredible Two Headed Transplant”, starring Ray Milland and Rosey Grier
Grandview: “Thoroughly Modern Millie”
Holiday Drive-In: “Fillmore” (the sixties concert hall, not the president)
Twin Terrace: “The Other” and “Ben”
On a side note, there was also an ad for Burger Chef in the paper that day. We had one of those in South Jersey, but it sadly morphed into a Burger King when I was a teenager. The Super Chefs were tasty.
Here is an article dated 4/10/73 about the re-opening of the Brunswick:
Trenton’s RKO Brunswick Theater, which has been dark since October, will start showing movies again tomorrow night. Formerly known as an “art house” that specialized in foreign and avant-garde films, the new Brunswick will screen movies for all audience tastes, according to Marty Perlberg, the new owner. General audience films had become Brunswick fare by the time the theater closed on Oct. 24-two weeks after the RKO Trent and Lincoln Theaters had closed in downtown Trenton. “Fiddler on the Roof” was the closing movie.
The new opener will be “Class of "44,” a sequel to “Summer of ‘42.” which also stars Gary Grimes and Jerry Houser. The movie also will open tomorrow at the Fox Theater in Levittown.Other new policies will include weekend and holiday matinees, special rates for students and senior citizens, and a candy counter. Perlberg lives in New York. Bob Barker will move from Maplewood to Trenton to manage the theater, which is located at the end of Brunswick Ave. in north Trenton near the U.S. Route 1 circle.
This article describes the sale of a Princess theater in 1915. The location is in southern Iowa, but as my Iowa geography is subpar perhaps someone else can weigh on where this theater may have been:
Princess Theatre Sold
C. F. Schnee becomes owner and manager of the Princess Theatre, one of the best equipped and most attractive movie playhouses in southern Iowa, next week. A.L. Barker, owner and manager of the theatre, closed a deal Monday for the sale of the equipment of the house. The building, which was erected by L. M. Stanton, is owned by S. Varga of Leon. Mr. Schnee has owned a number of movies and is an experienced theatrical man. He expects to keep the house up to the high standard maintained by Mr. Barker.
Mr. Barker and J.L. Taylor started the first picture theatre in the town about seven years ago, and since that time the former has been actively engaged in the business. He thoroughly understands every detail of the show business and is a very popular manager. He has a wide acquaintance with theatrical people, and the Princess has prospered under his able management. Mr. Barker has not definitely decided as to his future business plans but will likely locate in a large town. He has two or three propositions under consideration at the present time.
This article shows the Crystal closing in 1956, but presumably it re-opened at a later date:
“Larceny” Faces Manning Resident
A charge of grand larceny was filed in justice court at Carroll on Monday against Roger V. Anderson, 34, Manning. The charge is in connection with alleged thefts of money from the Crystal Theater in Manning, which closed last week. Anderson has been a projectionist at the theater for several years. A preliminary hearing will be held later in the week. He is being held in custody pending the hearing. J. Fred Dethlefs, manager of the theater, closed the Crystal because of poor health.
This article dated ½/74 notes that Mann Theaters of Los Angeles renown was the last owner:
Council Bluffs' Strand Theater Closes Doors
(AP)â€"The western Iowa city of Council Bluffs now is without a standard movie house. The Strand Theater closed down after its last performance Monday night. The only other theaters in the city of 60.000 persons are the Crest Art Theater and a drive-in theater. Though the closing was news to most Bluffs moviegoers, Manager Shelby Doty of the Fox Theater in Omaha, Nebraska said it had been planned for six months. He said Mann Theaters of Los Angeles, which also operates the Fox Theater, gave six months notice last July it was dropping its lease of the Strand.
Doty said he had seen no revenue figures on the Strand, but he “would assume” the lease was dropped because the theater was not making money. The theater’s final program was a double feature, “Play It Again, Sam.” and “Paper Moonâ€.
Check out this blurb from Time in September 1950. Any ideas as to the identity of this unique theater?
The Abundant Life. Near Washington, Pa., there was a grand opening of “The Only Drive-In Theatre in the World That Offers Lake Fishing” (“You Can Fish and Watch the Movies at the Same Time”).
Riot in September 1954:
A closed television circuit carrying the Rocky Marciano-Ezzard Charles heavyweight championship fight blacked out because of technical difficulties in several cities Friday night and in some cases theater managers were forced to make refunds. Theatre Television Network, Inc. carried the fight to 70 theaters in 50 cities.
At Chester. Pa., some 3,000 patrons of the Stanley Theatre were on the verge of rioting, police said, when the TV screen blacked out in the second round and the telecast was not resumed. Some irate patrons began to tear up seats. Forty policemen were rushed to the scene and the crowd was herded to the outside where they
milled around until theatre manager J.M. Feldhun promised refunds of $3.60 to ticket stub holders.
Warners acquired the Liberty via sublease in 1930:
http://tinyurl.com/2s5v4a
Obscenity problems in 1972:
http://tinyurl.com/2a7ugf
Here is a short article from November 1971 re adult films at the Rustic:
Theater license up; bid to halt X-films
NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I.â€" The Town Council has taken a step toward eliminating X-rated movies from the town’s only theater: It upped the license fee from $160 to $18,000 per year. Councilman Robert E. Mowry proposed the motion to charge Rustic Drive-In movie theater $50 per day in fees so it “can no longer operate profitably.” Residents have objected to the theater’s policy of showing two X-rated.movies nightly.
No surfing in Bell, apparently, even on Christmas Eve:
Theater fight Ends In Death Of Two Youths
12/24/64 – BELL, Los Angeles Co.â€"The police reported today a boy fighting with other teenagers in a theater after drinking beer and whisky stabbed two youths to death. The fight in a washroom and lobby of the Alcazar Theater last night also left two other teenagers with knife wounds. George Escobedo, 15, of nearby Huntington Park, was booked on suspicion of murder. The dead youths: Robert Haney, 17, Cudahy, and Billie Bogard, 17, Bell Gardens. The injured: Mike Goodwin, 14, and Patrick Clarkson, 17, both of Bell.
Police Lieutenant George Wagner gave this account of the bloody melee: Escobedo said he and a 15 year old companion got some beer and a half pint of whisky, then went to an alley, where he found a butcher type knife. He then went to the movie with it. As they went into a washroom during an intermission, four other teenagers including Haney and Bogard blocked the door, said “we don’t like surfers around here” and the fight started, Escobedo pulling out the knife. Bogard and Haney were knifed in the washroom, the others in the lobby as Escobedo ran through it. Spectators finally subdued Escobedo, threw him to the floor and held him until the police arrived.
Here is a 1958 article which mentions the Liberty and many other local theaters:
Movie attendance is picking up in the Mon Valley. But not nearly enough to reopen any of the theatres darkened several years ago by the advent of television. That seems to be the opinion of district theatre men. According to a survey by The Daily Independent, there was pretty general agreement that movie attendance is “considerably better” than a year ago. However movie crowds are still much smaller than in the Hollywood heyday during the forties. Frank Bugala, of the Manos Theatre chain, said he attributes the recent increase in attendance to two factors, better films and a tendency on the part of the public to tire of television.
“We are booking some excellent movies into our Manos Theatre in Monessen and State Theatre in Charleroi,” Bugala points but. He added that both “Old Yeller” and “Sayonara†played to good houses. Bugala said district movie-goers can expect these highly touted films in the weeks ahead: Peyton Dlace, Farewell to Arms, Raintree
County, and Witness for the Prosecution. Despite improving attendance, Bugala said the Manos company had no immediate plans to reopen he darkened Star Theatre.
In Donora, Mrs. Mary Davis, manager of the Harris Theatre, agreed that attendance is picking up. However the theatre, operated by Warner Brothers, is open only four days a week. On both Thursday and Friday, the Harris is open in the evening only. Two other Donora theatres â€"Liberty and Princess â€" have been closed for about eight years. There are no plans at present to open either, it was learned.
The only valley community which still has more than one movie house is Charleroi. Three theatres are still operating daily, the Coyle, Palace and State. All three reported “improved” attendance. Only one Charleroi theatre â€"the Menlo â€" has closed in recent years. In North Belle Vernon, the Verdi Theatre operates four days a
week, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. In Belle Vernon, the Flitz Theatre has been closed for good and is now a school for bricklayers. The Bell Theatre in Fayette City is open on weekends. Attendance is about “50 per cent of what it used to be,” according to the manager.
Tough times for theaters in 1958:
Mon Valley Theatres Fighting TV; Attendance Is Picking Up
Movie attendance is picking up in the Mon Valley. But not nearly enough to reopen any of the theatres darkened several years ago by the advent of television. That seems to be the opinion of district theatre men. According to a survey by The Daily Independent, there was pretty general agreement that movie attendance is “considerably better” than a year ago. However movie crowds are still much smaller than in the Hollywood heyday during the forties. Frank Bugala, of the Manos Theatre chain, said he attributes the recent increase in attendance to two factors, better films and a tendency on the part of the public to tire of television.
“We are booking some excellent movies into our Manos Theatre in Monessen and State Theatre in Charleroi,” Bugala points but. He added that both “Old Yeller” and “Sayonara†played to good houses. Bugala said district movie-goers can expect these highly touted films in the weeks ahead: Peyton Dlace, Farewell to Arms,
Raintree County, and Witness for the Prosecution. Despite improving attendance, Bugala said the Manos company had no immediate plans to reopen he darkened Star Theatre.
In Donora, Mrs. Mary Davis, manager of the Harris Theatre, agreed that attendance is picking up. However the theatre, operated by Warner Brothers, is open only four days a week. On both Thursday and Friday, the Harris is open in the evening only. Two other Donora theatres â€"Liberty and Princess â€" have been closed for about eight years. There are no plans at present to open either, it was learned.
The only valley community which still has more than one movie house is Charleroi. Three theatres are still operating daily, the Coyle, Palace and State. All three reported “improved” attendance. Only one Charleroi theatre â€"the Menlo â€" has closed in recent years. In North Belle Vernon, the Verdi Theatre operates four days a week, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. In Belle Vernon, the Flitz Theatre has been closed for good and is now a school for bricklayers. The Bell Theatre in Fayette City is open on weekends. Attendance is about “50 per cent of what it used to be,” according to the manager.
The Panorama opened on 12/22/49. The telephone number was EM 2-1167.
This is an interesting lawsuit. It looks like Hollingshead shut down the drive-in in 1936 alleging that Paramount was trying to force him out of business. Perhaps the studios felt that outdoor theaters were a threat to their existing indoor business. Richardson Dilworth, plaintiff’s attorney, later became mayor of Philadelphia:
http://tinyurl.com/25523v
I am not the webmaster, but thanks for the plug. If you want to know how Screeno is played, read this lawsuit:
http://tinyurl.com/2zqgzw
Rowley United Theatres owned the Jefferson and some other local drive-ins in the sixties, according to this lawsuit:
http://tinyurl.com/2a8opb
The Seekonk opened in 1958 (and had some labor trouble as well) according to this lawsuit:
http://tinyurl.com/2rffz3
The drive-in was built near a sewage plant. Apparently the smell didn’t jibe with popcorn and jujubes:
http://tinyurl.com/2g52nx
Here is a 1969 lawsuit regarding the adult films:
http://tinyurl.com/yvxn4l
Status should be closed/demolished.
On 1/6/73, the Odessa American was advertising the following films:
Scott: “Tales from the Crypt”, starring Peter Cushing and Joan Collins
Rio: “The Virgin Witch”
Ector: “Death Master” and “The Incredible Two Headed Transplant”, starring Ray Milland and Rosey Grier
Grandview: “Thoroughly Modern Millie”
Holiday Drive-In: “Fillmore” (the sixties concert hall, not the president)
Twin Terrace: “The Other” and “Ben”
On a side note, there was also an ad for Burger Chef in the paper that day. We had one of those in South Jersey, but it sadly morphed into a Burger King when I was a teenager. The Super Chefs were tasty.
You’re right. I looked under Chester but not under Manor. This should be deleted as a duplicate entry.
Here is an article dated 4/10/73 about the re-opening of the Brunswick:
Trenton’s RKO Brunswick Theater, which has been dark since October, will start showing movies again tomorrow night. Formerly known as an “art house” that specialized in foreign and avant-garde films, the new Brunswick will screen movies for all audience tastes, according to Marty Perlberg, the new owner. General audience films had become Brunswick fare by the time the theater closed on Oct. 24-two weeks after the RKO Trent and Lincoln Theaters had closed in downtown Trenton. “Fiddler on the Roof” was the closing movie.
The new opener will be “Class of "44,” a sequel to “Summer of ‘42.” which also stars Gary Grimes and Jerry Houser. The movie also will open tomorrow at the Fox Theater in Levittown.Other new policies will include weekend and holiday matinees, special rates for students and senior citizens, and a candy counter. Perlberg lives in New York. Bob Barker will move from Maplewood to Trenton to manage the theater, which is located at the end of Brunswick Ave. in north Trenton near the U.S. Route 1 circle.
This article describes the sale of a Princess theater in 1915. The location is in southern Iowa, but as my Iowa geography is subpar perhaps someone else can weigh on where this theater may have been:
Princess Theatre Sold
C. F. Schnee becomes owner and manager of the Princess Theatre, one of the best equipped and most attractive movie playhouses in southern Iowa, next week. A.L. Barker, owner and manager of the theatre, closed a deal Monday for the sale of the equipment of the house. The building, which was erected by L. M. Stanton, is owned by S. Varga of Leon. Mr. Schnee has owned a number of movies and is an experienced theatrical man. He expects to keep the house up to the high standard maintained by Mr. Barker.
Mr. Barker and J.L. Taylor started the first picture theatre in the town about seven years ago, and since that time the former has been actively engaged in the business. He thoroughly understands every detail of the show business and is a very popular manager. He has a wide acquaintance with theatrical people, and the Princess has prospered under his able management. Mr. Barker has not definitely decided as to his future business plans but will likely locate in a large town. He has two or three propositions under consideration at the present time.
This article shows the Crystal closing in 1956, but presumably it re-opened at a later date:
“Larceny” Faces Manning Resident
A charge of grand larceny was filed in justice court at Carroll on Monday against Roger V. Anderson, 34, Manning. The charge is in connection with alleged thefts of money from the Crystal Theater in Manning, which closed last week. Anderson has been a projectionist at the theater for several years. A preliminary hearing will be held later in the week. He is being held in custody pending the hearing. J. Fred Dethlefs, manager of the theater, closed the Crystal because of poor health.
Here is the rest of LM’s article from March 2006:
http://tinyurl.com/2x9t8w
Atlantic City, NJ. There is a page on this site for the Tumbleweed, with some photos.
This article dated ½/74 notes that Mann Theaters of Los Angeles renown was the last owner:
Council Bluffs' Strand Theater Closes Doors
(AP)â€"The western Iowa city of Council Bluffs now is without a standard movie house. The Strand Theater closed down after its last performance Monday night. The only other theaters in the city of 60.000 persons are the Crest Art Theater and a drive-in theater. Though the closing was news to most Bluffs moviegoers, Manager Shelby Doty of the Fox Theater in Omaha, Nebraska said it had been planned for six months. He said Mann Theaters of Los Angeles, which also operates the Fox Theater, gave six months notice last July it was dropping its lease of the Strand.
Doty said he had seen no revenue figures on the Strand, but he “would assume” the lease was dropped because the theater was not making money. The theater’s final program was a double feature, “Play It Again, Sam.” and “Paper Moonâ€.
Is the Wometco a different theater?
http://tinyurl.com/2bokwn