It looks like the Vagabond was in trouble for showing obscene films in the late fifties. I wonder what the standard for obscenity was back then: http://tinyurl.com/yzoxvq
This gentlemen was walking in front of the Strand in 1933 when he was hit by a car. Defendants claimed that the car slowed down but the plaintiff “continued walking and walked into the car’s left fender”. Defendants lost. http://tinyurl.com/y7flss
There was a premiere at the Ritz on April 17, 1940. Other theaters advertised that day were the Lyric, Roxy, Dixie in Coalport and Rex in Curwensville.
Everything Ready For Big Premiere Tonight
Everything is in readiness for the presentation of the Hollywood Premiere and Clearfleld Follies at the Ritz Theatre tonight. Promptly at seven o'clock, the first car will arrive at the theatre entrance, where under batteries of flood and studio lights, the stars will be greeted and introduced to the theatre going throngs. Then the stars will be escorted to seats reserved for them in the audience until they are called to the stage to do their bit in the Follies.
There will be two complete shows with the stars arriving at 7, the stage show starting at 7:15 and the feature at 7:55. The second show will begin at 9:15. There will be a special matinee for children only at 4 o'clock and no children will be admitted for the evening
performance without their parents. The theatre will close at 6 o'clock to permit the staff of the theatre to make the theatre ready for the Premiere. The box-office will reopen at 6:45.
All the marvelous coiffures worn by the stars tonight will be the creations of the expert operators at the Prave Beauty Salon whose advertisement will be found in this issue. Due to an oversight the ad was not included in yesterday’s paper.
There may have been another Circle Theater in Dallas, or the 1947 opening date is incorrect:
CIRCLE THEATRE, Inc., v. GRANT et al.
This appeal is from a judgment rendered against appellant Circle Theatre, Inc. in favor of appellee Eula Mae Grant for $200 as damages for personal injuries. It appears from the record that in May, 1930, the appellant was operating a picture show in the city of Dallas which was attended by a large number of people. The appellee alleges that she attended the show and took her seat somewhere near the center of the building, that during the performance some one down near the front of the building yelled “Fire!” and that, while people were attempting to make their exit from the building, she was knocked down and trampled upon. She charged negligence on the part of the appellant in permitting large numbers of people to stand in the aisles of the theater during the performances. In answer to special issues submitted, the jury found that the appellant was guilty of negligence in permitting the aisles of the building to be crowded, and that such negligence was the proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injuries.
Defendant City of St. John appeals from a judgment for plaintiff St. John Bank & Trust Co. in an action for damage to property caused by a fire. The fire was intentionally set by a member of the St. John Police Department. The fire giving rise to this suit occurred during the early morning hours of April 30, 1979. It is undisputed that the fire was set by Sgt. Dunn, a member of the St. John Police Department, while he was on duty. Plaintiff contends that the fire was the last of a series of events which constituted harassment of the theater operators.
From the evidence presented the jury reasonably could have found that the operator of the theater had been subjected to a pattern of harassment by members of St. John Police Department prior to April 30, 1979. The police made a practice of interfering with the theater’s customers, refusing to allow them to wait outside the theater before entering, and taking down license plate numbers of customers' cars. There were two instances where the police stopped movies in the middle of shows to conduct searches of the theater; once allegedly to look for minors consuming alcoholic beverages, the other to look for unaccompanied minors watching an “R-rated” movie. There was also an incident involving a 16-year old girl employed by the theater who was told by one officer to “open her blouse or he would blow her head off.” There was also evidence showing that those acts which were arguably proper police work were completely groundless and unwarranted.
On Sunday, April 29, the night before the fire, there was no incident at the theater. The evidence did reveal, however, a serious breach of proper police conduct by a number of officers. That night, as the shifts were changing, Sgt. Dunn arrived for work with a quantity of beer. He and three other officers stayed in the station for a time drinking beer. While there, Sgt. Dunn took out a gun and began firing shots into the wall of the police station. Then the four went to an unmarked police car and began driving around the city. During this drive Officer Dunn fired shots at a black man who was walking down a street, and also shot at a cat, a car, and the door to the movie theater. The four then returned to the police station. Later the next morning, Dunn set fire to the theater.
Here is an artice about the opening dated 8/12/37:
Departing from tradition, the lavish new Woodlawn theater at 63rd St. and Kenwood Ave., will include a “daylight picture effect” among its many up-to-date innovations when it opens Saturday. This announcement, was made recently by George N. Gollos, who with his brother Harold M. Gollos, manages and owns the string of South side theaters which consist of the Ray, Midway and the latest $100,000 Woodlawn theater. “As far as I know,” Mr.Gollos states, “we are the originators of this idea in Chicago. We began to brighten up our theaters when we considered the many advantages that a lighter room brings.”
In pointing out the advantages Mr. Gollos enumerated first the elimination of eye strain â€" no flicker or contrast between a dark room and a bright screen â€" and, second, the important factor of convenience. “The beauty of the decoration in the theater may be seen also,” Mr. Gollos asserted. “It will be so light in the building that a newspaper may almost be read. The latest and most superior scientific improvements will convey a pleasant and beautiful glow of brightness. This, with the newest and best projection and screen equipment, will make the Woodlawn theater the finest in the city.”
Some 30 years ago the “gay white way” of moviedom on the far South side was 55th St., with its three three-reel theaters. Authority for this statement is George N. Gollos, who, with his brother, Harold, will open the new luxurious $100,000 Woodlawn theater. 63rd St. and Kenwood Ave., Saturday morning at 10:30 o'clock. Among the first “reel” pioneers in the community, the Gollos brothers owned and operated a “nickel show” called the Jefferson theater on 55th St. and Harper Ave. at the birth of the then-struggling industry. Three decades ago there were no movie houses on 63rd St. A “western” and an exciting slapstick comedy usually comprised the evening program at the infant shows, and the piano player improvised between the features. A few years later the organ took the place of straight piano music. More than $100.000, the amount spent on the new Woodlawn theater, would have been considered a sum beyond comprehension in this early period of movie history. During that time, however, eight-reel talking features would not have been dreamed of either.
If you want to know why Mrs. Legler was awarded $254, you’re going to have to pony up the five bucks for the rest of the article: http://tinyurl.com/yhuvmv
I can’t figure out which Liberty was run by Warner Brothers in the 1930s. Any ideas? By the way, I thought people only slipped on banana peels in the movies: http://tinyurl.com/yexfu8
The Royal owners installed a marquee in 1932, which displeased the shoe store adjacent:
http://tinyurl.com/yhlxdg
It looks like the Vagabond was in trouble for showing obscene films in the late fifties. I wonder what the standard for obscenity was back then:
http://tinyurl.com/yzoxvq
Stay in the car if you don’t want to be run over:
http://tinyurl.com/yahvmj
The Boulevard was built in 1949 and accommodated 900 cars, according to this lawsuit:
http://tinyurl.com/yl392x
Rat attack in 1946:
http://tinyurl.com/yjbrcu
Here is another preservation website:
http://www.centertheater.org/
Here is a lawsuit which discusses the family owners of the theater in the 1950s:
http://tinyurl.com/vllfc
Bal sued a much larger theater group in 1962 for anti-trust:
http://tinyurl.com/sfq3s
According to this suit, Fox Midwest Amusements owned the Strand and the Roxy in West Frankfort in the mid fifties:
http://tinyurl.com/y72tk9
This gentlemen was walking in front of the Strand in 1933 when he was hit by a car. Defendants claimed that the car slowed down but the plaintiff “continued walking and walked into the car’s left fender”. Defendants lost.
http://tinyurl.com/y7flss
This lawsuit discusses some of the parties involved in ownership of the Wenonah in 1930:
http://tinyurl.com/uf48b
The function should be changed from gym to live performance.
There was a premiere at the Ritz on April 17, 1940. Other theaters advertised that day were the Lyric, Roxy, Dixie in Coalport and Rex in Curwensville.
Everything Ready For Big Premiere Tonight
Everything is in readiness for the presentation of the Hollywood Premiere and Clearfleld Follies at the Ritz Theatre tonight. Promptly at seven o'clock, the first car will arrive at the theatre entrance, where under batteries of flood and studio lights, the stars will be greeted and introduced to the theatre going throngs. Then the stars will be escorted to seats reserved for them in the audience until they are called to the stage to do their bit in the Follies.
There will be two complete shows with the stars arriving at 7, the stage show starting at 7:15 and the feature at 7:55. The second show will begin at 9:15. There will be a special matinee for children only at 4 o'clock and no children will be admitted for the evening
performance without their parents. The theatre will close at 6 o'clock to permit the staff of the theatre to make the theatre ready for the Premiere. The box-office will reopen at 6:45.
All the marvelous coiffures worn by the stars tonight will be the creations of the expert operators at the Prave Beauty Salon whose advertisement will be found in this issue. Due to an oversight the ad was not included in yesterday’s paper.
Here are two more photos from 1925:
http://tinyurl.com/ykyuwg
http://tinyurl.com/yhddbd
This should probably be closed/demolished. I doubt if the building is still standing as there isn’t much left on the Boardwalk other than casinos.
There may have been another Circle Theater in Dallas, or the 1947 opening date is incorrect:
CIRCLE THEATRE, Inc., v. GRANT et al.
This appeal is from a judgment rendered against appellant Circle Theatre, Inc. in favor of appellee Eula Mae Grant for $200 as damages for personal injuries. It appears from the record that in May, 1930, the appellant was operating a picture show in the city of Dallas which was attended by a large number of people. The appellee alleges that she attended the show and took her seat somewhere near the center of the building, that during the performance some one down near the front of the building yelled “Fire!” and that, while people were attempting to make their exit from the building, she was knocked down and trampled upon. She charged negligence on the part of the appellant in permitting large numbers of people to stand in the aisles of the theater during the performances. In answer to special issues submitted, the jury found that the appellant was guilty of negligence in permitting the aisles of the building to be crowded, and that such negligence was the proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injuries.
Here is some more information about the fire:
Defendant City of St. John appeals from a judgment for plaintiff St. John Bank & Trust Co. in an action for damage to property caused by a fire. The fire was intentionally set by a member of the St. John Police Department. The fire giving rise to this suit occurred during the early morning hours of April 30, 1979. It is undisputed that the fire was set by Sgt. Dunn, a member of the St. John Police Department, while he was on duty. Plaintiff contends that the fire was the last of a series of events which constituted harassment of the theater operators.
From the evidence presented the jury reasonably could have found that the operator of the theater had been subjected to a pattern of harassment by members of St. John Police Department prior to April 30, 1979. The police made a practice of interfering with the theater’s customers, refusing to allow them to wait outside the theater before entering, and taking down license plate numbers of customers' cars. There were two instances where the police stopped movies in the middle of shows to conduct searches of the theater; once allegedly to look for minors consuming alcoholic beverages, the other to look for unaccompanied minors watching an “R-rated” movie. There was also an incident involving a 16-year old girl employed by the theater who was told by one officer to “open her blouse or he would blow her head off.” There was also evidence showing that those acts which were arguably proper police work were completely groundless and unwarranted.
On Sunday, April 29, the night before the fire, there was no incident at the theater. The evidence did reveal, however, a serious breach of proper police conduct by a number of officers. That night, as the shifts were changing, Sgt. Dunn arrived for work with a quantity of beer. He and three other officers stayed in the station for a time drinking beer. While there, Sgt. Dunn took out a gun and began firing shots into the wall of the police station. Then the four went to an unmarked police car and began driving around the city. During this drive Officer Dunn fired shots at a black man who was walking down a street, and also shot at a cat, a car, and the door to the movie theater. The four then returned to the police station. Later the next morning, Dunn set fire to the theater.
In 1937, Jefferson Amusements owned the Rio Theater in Beaumont. I’m not sure if this was a predecessor of the Jefferson or a separate theater.
Here are two photos without the marquee from the Library of Congress:
http://tinyurl.com/y6lyrc
http://tinyurl.com/y275e7
Here is an artice about the opening dated 8/12/37:
Departing from tradition, the lavish new Woodlawn theater at 63rd St. and Kenwood Ave., will include a “daylight picture effect” among its many up-to-date innovations when it opens Saturday. This announcement, was made recently by George N. Gollos, who with his brother Harold M. Gollos, manages and owns the string of South side theaters which consist of the Ray, Midway and the latest $100,000 Woodlawn theater. “As far as I know,” Mr.Gollos states, “we are the originators of this idea in Chicago. We began to brighten up our theaters when we considered the many advantages that a lighter room brings.”
In pointing out the advantages Mr. Gollos enumerated first the elimination of eye strain â€" no flicker or contrast between a dark room and a bright screen â€" and, second, the important factor of convenience. “The beauty of the decoration in the theater may be seen also,” Mr. Gollos asserted. “It will be so light in the building that a newspaper may almost be read. The latest and most superior scientific improvements will convey a pleasant and beautiful glow of brightness. This, with the newest and best projection and screen equipment, will make the Woodlawn theater the finest in the city.”
Some 30 years ago the “gay white way” of moviedom on the far South side was 55th St., with its three three-reel theaters. Authority for this statement is George N. Gollos, who, with his brother, Harold, will open the new luxurious $100,000 Woodlawn theater. 63rd St. and Kenwood Ave., Saturday morning at 10:30 o'clock. Among the first “reel” pioneers in the community, the Gollos brothers owned and operated a “nickel show” called the Jefferson theater on 55th St. and Harper Ave. at the birth of the then-struggling industry. Three decades ago there were no movie houses on 63rd St. A “western” and an exciting slapstick comedy usually comprised the evening program at the infant shows, and the piano player improvised between the features. A few years later the organ took the place of straight piano music. More than $100.000, the amount spent on the new Woodlawn theater, would have been considered a sum beyond comprehension in this early period of movie history. During that time, however, eight-reel talking features would not have been dreamed of either.
The Larchmont opened in 1922:
http://tinyurl.com/y6pfj2
Here is a 1950 article from Time magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/ujon4
That must have hurt:
http://tinyurl.com/sbajw
I like the little plea at the bottom of the photo. My gym used to be the Mann 9 at the Del Amo mall in Torrance CA. No trace of the theater now.
If you want to know why Mrs. Legler was awarded $254, you’re going to have to pony up the five bucks for the rest of the article:
http://tinyurl.com/yhuvmv
I can’t figure out which Liberty was run by Warner Brothers in the 1930s. Any ideas? By the way, I thought people only slipped on banana peels in the movies:
http://tinyurl.com/yexfu8