Hello Mark. The thanks all go to you for the time trip! Anyone who has never experienced the sights and sounds of “real” projection room have really missed out. Do you happen to have any photos pertaining to the theater?
Hello Alex, I had missed the Capitan at the end of this excerpt from Bobs posting myself and he said “that is all he knows about it except for personal encounters and a gentleman never tells.”
“The most interesting movie theatre in town was the El Capitan (named for a nearby mountain peak), across the street from the Pecos. Independently-owned by a very stern-looking matron, it was obviously an un-remodeled silent theatre, with speakers hanging on each side of the screen rather than behind it. Also, the owner had never bothered to spruce up the front or add a marquee. Movies were advertised with posters in standup frames such as one sees in photos of silent movie houses. This theatre survived by showing, for instance, the Disney movies, whose high rental the main chain refused to pay, and questionable movies like “The Outlaw” with Jane Russell and “Stromboli” with Ingrid Bergman, which the main chain wouldn’t show because Ingrid Bergman had gotten pregnant out of wedlock. Although ticket-selling was definitely considered “women’s work,†The El Capitan owner hired moonlighting young men from the local Air Force base as ticket-sellers, and had no ushers and sold no popcorn or candy. These deviations from the norm made the place vaguely “suspect†and “weird†in the 1950s, when ANY deviation from the norm freaked people out. But El Capitan also showed the few re-runs which the studios released back then, a blessing for young movie-buffs like me. None of my friends would attend it with me. However, it prospered. All five of these theatres, within a four-block radius, played two bills of movies a week (the Pecos, Chief and Capitan double-bills), at least twice a day.â€
A 1987 view of the Cinema Twin (Criterion / Chief) in Enid.
From 2008 a front and side view of the original Morgan Theater structure.
A 1940s postcard street scene with the Granada Theatre visible on the right side.
Postcard courtesy of TXGenWEB / Texas Postcard site.
Hello Mark. The thanks all go to you for the time trip! Anyone who has never experienced the sights and sounds of “real” projection room have really missed out. Do you happen to have any photos pertaining to the theater?
Thanks again
Don Lewis….
Three views of the Royal George Theater from 2008 1/3 – 2/3 and 3/3.
You are welcome…and from what I have seen of your writing, that “someone” could only be you.
Don…
Hello Alex, I had missed the Capitan at the end of this excerpt from Bobs posting myself and he said “that is all he knows about it except for personal encounters and a gentleman never tells.”
“The most interesting movie theatre in town was the El Capitan (named for a nearby mountain peak), across the street from the Pecos. Independently-owned by a very stern-looking matron, it was obviously an un-remodeled silent theatre, with speakers hanging on each side of the screen rather than behind it. Also, the owner had never bothered to spruce up the front or add a marquee. Movies were advertised with posters in standup frames such as one sees in photos of silent movie houses. This theatre survived by showing, for instance, the Disney movies, whose high rental the main chain refused to pay, and questionable movies like “The Outlaw” with Jane Russell and “Stromboli” with Ingrid Bergman, which the main chain wouldn’t show because Ingrid Bergman had gotten pregnant out of wedlock. Although ticket-selling was definitely considered “women’s work,†The El Capitan owner hired moonlighting young men from the local Air Force base as ticket-sellers, and had no ushers and sold no popcorn or candy. These deviations from the norm made the place vaguely “suspect†and “weird†in the 1950s, when ANY deviation from the norm freaked people out. But El Capitan also showed the few re-runs which the studios released back then, a blessing for young movie-buffs like me. None of my friends would attend it with me. However, it prospered. All five of these theatres, within a four-block radius, played two bills of movies a week (the Pecos, Chief and Capitan double-bills), at least twice a day.â€
Bob of Roswell
A bleak 2008 view of the Park Theater building in Welland here and here.
Don…
Hello Alex. If anyone knows anything about the Capitan or (El Capitan?) I suspect it will be Bob. I have contacted him to ask about it.
Here is a link from Cinematour that lists an “El Capitan” in Roswell
http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=25605
Don…
A 2005 view of the Park Theater in Vancouver can really be seen here.
A good view of the Bibb Theatre from 1986 in Macon.
A 1986 view of the Georgia Theater in Athens here and here.
Some very good photos of the Lone Star Drive-In, addtional theaters and photos with thanks to SouthEast Dallas Photograper’s flickr site.
A view of the Lucas Theatre in Savannah.
A 1986 view of the Blakely Theater in Blakely.
A forlorn view of the closed Albany Theater in Albany from 1986. (Notice the great bas relief artwork).
If there is only one vehicle within a mile of an old theater…..guess where it will be parked?
The Venus Theater had a previous address in Shreveport which was 2434 Fetzer.
By 1935 the Gem address had become the home of the old Phoenix Hotel.
By 1935 the Crystal address had become the home of Sheffield Jewelery.
By 1935 the Grand address had become the home of the H.L. Green Company.
By 1935 the Bijou address had become the home of Phelps Shoes.
A 2008 view of the Keystone Theater in Towanda Here and Here along with the Red Rose Diner which is a short walk from the Keystone.
A photo of the First National Bank in Shreveport referenced in the above comment. With thanks to mikerosebery’s flickr site.
The Caddo was a pre 1920s theater that been replaced by a Montgomery Ward store by 1935.
The Mussee was a pre 1920s theater that was located across the street from the Capri Theater.