Boston film pioneer Joe Cifre, in his lengthy undated essay “Saga of the Movie Industry in Boston” says that Mitch and Moe Mark of Lynn MA opened the Theatre Comique on Tremont Row on August 30, 1906. He says that it did “a stand-out business at a dime a throw”. Later, he says, Mitch and Moe Mark joined with Joe and Max Levinson to open the famous Strand Theatre on Broadway in NY.
Boston film pioneer Joe Cifre, in his long article “Saga of the Movie Industry in Boston” says that the Apollo was one of Boston’s early film venues in the post-1906 era.
In his long, undated essay “Saga of the Movie Industry in Boston”, Joe Cifre says that the Cobb Theatre was one of the very early film houses in Boston and was originally called the Dreamland Theatre. He defines “early” as 1906 and earlier.
There was a good-quality exterior photo of the Liberty Theatre in the souvenir booklet for the 1983 convention of the Theatre Historical Society in Boston. The photo came from the collection of Earl Stanley “Charlie” Stewart and is undated. At the time, the Liberty had a rectangular marquee with “Liberty Theatre” in bulbed letters on the front. Above was a very fancy vertical blade sign. Under the marquee was a small sign with the NETOCO logo. Attractions posted are Greta Garbo in “Wild Orchids” plus a Tom Mix movie. To the left is the same apartment house which shows in the 1941 MGM photo; to the right is a Pharmacy. There is a notation that the Liberty is “presently a warehouse” (in 1983).
The Boston Post for Feb. 25, 1931 has a listing of Paramount-Publix theatres on its entertainment page. The entry for the Central Square Theatre in Cambridge lists two current films, “Royal Family of Broadway” and “Under Suspicion” plus Jimmy Gallagher on stage.
In the Boston Post theatre pages for November 1951, there is a listing of American Theatres Corp (ATC) theatres. (ATC was a spin-off from the breakup of the old M&P Theatres circuit). Under “Roxbury Crossing” is listed a Plaza Theatre. I am assuming that “Plaza” was a renaming of the old Criterion Theatre ??
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Monson Theatre has an exterior photo dated April 1941. The theatre was a 2-story free-standing building with a handsome, exuberant facade. There were 2 pairs of double doors in the center, with a small marquee and an arch above. A huge poster case was on either side of the doors and there were 4 pilasters across the front. The marquee says “Monson” on its front, and there is a poster below for “Big Cash Award” game. The Report states that the Monson is on Main St. in Monson, that it has been a MGM customer for 5 years; was built in 1925 and is in Poor condition (but the facade looks great), and has 330 seats on the main floor and 45 in the balcony. But someone messed with those figures so it’s hard to tell what the seating capacity was. There were no competing theatres, and the 1940 population was 5,600.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Grand in West Warren has an exterior photo dated March 1941. The theatre was within a large wood-frame building at least 2 stories high. The entrance consisted of 2 pairs of double doors above which was a small marquee. Portable poster boards were placed on the sidewalk outside. The Report states that the Grand was on Main St. in West Warren, that it was not presenting MGM product, that it was opened about 1935, was in Fair condition, and had 450 seats, all on one floor. There were no competing theatres in town, and the 1940 population was 1,500. In the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook there is a Grand Theatre listed for Warren with 310 seats.
There is a MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Park Theatre in Worcester. There is an exterior photo dated May 1941. The building and marquee are definitely the same as in the photos posted by Lost on Oct 26 2006. The photo posted by Gerry DeLuca on April 17 2005 appears to be the same building, modernized by demolition of the front portion and saving the rear portion with its peaked roof; then building a big new entrance. The Report states that the Park is on Mill Street, that it has been showing MGM films for 4 years; that it was built in 1937 and is in Good condition, and has 785 seats.
The MGM theatre Photograph and Report form for Sanford Hall in Medway has an exterior photo dated May 1941. The cinema was located in a large, rectangular brick building set back from the street. The second floor of the facade has 5 big Palladian-style windows in a row, with a fancy cornice above. On the ground floor there are 4 bays and it’s not clear which one contains the entrance to the theatre. There is no marquee. The Report states that the theatre is on Village St., that it has been showing MGM product for 2 years, that it’s over 15 years old and in Fair condition, and has 300 seats on the main floor and 40 in the balcony. There are no competing theatres in town and the 1940 population of Medway was 3,200.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Pepperell Theatre has an exterior photo dated May 1941. The theatre was in a large wood-frame building 4 stories high with a peaked roof. There are stores on the ground floor and it’s difficult to see where the theatre entrance is – probably in the center. The Report states that the theatre is on Main St. in E. Pepperell, that it has been a MGM customer for 2 years; that it was built about 1930, is in Good condition, and has 400 seats on the main floor and 124 in the balcony. There are no competing theatres in town, and the 1940 population of Pepperell was 2,700. In the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook there was a Community Theatre listed for Pepperell.
There is a MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Mansfield Theatre with an exterior photo dated May 1941. The theatre was a 2-story building with shingle siding on the sides. The facade was either brick, or faux-brick tarpaper. There was a center entrance with 3 doorways and large poster cases on each side. Above were 4 windows on the second floor. There was no marquee. The Report states that the Mansfield is on South Main St., that it has been presenting MGM product for over 10 years; that it’s less than 15 years old and in Fair condition; and has 418 seats on the main floor and 117 in the balcony; total: 535 seats. Competing theatre is the Orpheum in Foxboro, and the 1940 population of Mansfield was 6,500.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Elizabeth Theatre has an exterior photo dated April 1941. The theatre had an attractive 2-story facade with stucco finish and a heavy cornice above. There was a square marquee with the name in big letters on the front. There were a couple steps up from the sidewalk and 2 large poster cases on each side of the center entrance. The Report states that the theatre is on Main St., that it has been showing MGM films for 10 years and is over 15 years old and in Good condition. There were 585 seats on the main floor and 311 in the balcony. Total: 896 seats. The Report says that there are no competing theatres in Falmouth and the 1940 population was 6,800. In the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac, the Elizabeth and the Falmouth Theatre are listed as part of M&P Theatres. In the summer of 1983, I attended a musical play at the Highfield Theatre in Falmouth and killed some time walking around downtown. I was surprised to find a movie theatre there, with people rushing in to make the 7PM show. It was located at the north end of the main street, on the east side. I don’t remember the name. Looking at the MGM photo, I am 90% sure that it’s the same theatre. When I returned in 1984, the movie theatre had been closed and the building converted to other uses.
According to the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Strand Theatre on Maple St. in Palmer, “Five Star” was the new name of the old Palmer Theatre. The Report was written in 1941. Both the Strand and the Palmer theatres were once part of the Ralph Snider circuit of Boston. Or, another way to interpert the MGM Report is that the Palmer Theatre was closed in 1941 and the new Five Star Theatre opened. The Report is not clear on the matter- either the Palmer Theatre was renamed, or it was replaced by the new Five Star Theatre.
There is a MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Strand in Palmer, with an exterior photo dated 1941. The theatre was at least 2 stories high and had a big marquee that jutted out almost to the street with support posts on its front corners. There are huge poster boards next to the doors. There was a grassy lawn next to the walkway leading to the front doors. The Report states that the theatre is “Closed”, but the entire front is full of movie posters and lobby stills. The Report says that the Strand has been a MGM customer for 15 years; that it was built in 1920 and has 476 seats. A competing theatre is listed as the Palmer Theatre, but someone crossed that out and wrote in “Five Star”. (Was that the new name for the Palmer Theatre?) The 1940 population of Palmer was 9,100. In the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac, the Strand and the Palmer theatres are both listed as part of the Ralph Snider theatre circuit of Boston.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Orpheum has an exterior photo dated 1941. The theatre had a narrow entrance in a commericial building at least 3 stories high. There was a small but attractive rectangular marquee with a vertical blade sign above. Attractions posted are “That Night in Rio” and “The Man Who Lost Himself”. To the right of the entrance is Student Brothers Shoes. The Report says that the Orpheum is on Parker St., that it has been showing MGM movies for over 15 years and is over 15 yers old and in Good condition. There are 702 orchestra seats, 416 balcony seats, and 40 seats in the loges; total: 1,158 seats. In the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac, the Orpheum, along with the Uptown Theatre in Gardner, was listed as part of the George Giles circuit of Cambridge.
The Ansonia Opera House is listed in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. The seating capacity was given as 900; ticket prices were 25 cents to 75 cents. Illumination was by gas; the proscenium opening was 30 feet wide X 14 feet high, and the stage was 30 feet deep. The Guide says that the auditorium was on the 3rd floor. Dana Bartholomew was the Mgr. Nearby hotels were the Dayton House and the Arlington; newspaper was the Ansonia Sentinel.
The 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac lists the Latchis circuit as being run by Peter D. Latchis at Flat St. in Brattleboro. The Latchis theatres are: VERMONT: Brattleboro: Auditorium, Latchis; Windsor: Strand, Windsor; Woodstock: Community, Woodstock. NEW HAMPSHIRE: Claremont: Latchis; Keene: Colonial, Latchis; Milford: Latchis, Strand. MASS.: Greenfield: Lawler; Leominster: Plymouth, Rialto. Total: 14 theatres in 1941.
Congratulations to Michael Hauser for his work on this exhibit, and a word of appreciation to Arcadia Press for publishing his new book on Detroit theatres as well as other modestly-priced theatre history books.
“Someone Who Was There” informs me that the Brookline Theatre and the Plaza/ Cinema Brookline are not one-in-the-same, although located very close to one another. The Plaza was the newer operation. The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Brookline Theatre has an exterior photo dated April 1941. The entrance was at the right end of a commercial building at least 3 stories high. There was a rectangular marquee with “Brookline” at the top. Attractions were “Hudson’s Bay” and “Jennie”. Nearby was “Boylston Candy Kitchen” store which suggests that the building was near the intersection with Boylston St. (Route 9). The Report states that the Brookline had been a MGM customer for 2 years; that it was built in 1939, was in Excellent condition, and had 800 seats on the main floor and 400 in the balcony. In the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac, the Brookline and the Coolidge Corner theatres are both listed as part of the Levinson circuit, also known as Strand Theatres.
The Star in North Brookfield was included in the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project. There is an exterior photo dated May 1941. The building had a distinctive facade like a Greek temple, with 4 columns across the front and a triangular pediment above. There were 3 tall entry doors. There was no marquee but there were poster cases on each side of the center entrance, plus very large portable poster boards set out on each corner of the front. A couple of steps led up from the sidewalk to the front doors. This facade suggests a building designed for other purposes and then adapted as a local movie theatre. The Report states that the Star is not a MGM customer, that it’s overe 15 years old, and in Fir condition, and has 680 seats. There were no other movies in town, and the 1940 population of N. Brookfield was 3,300.
Boston film pioneer Joe Cifre, in his lengthy undated essay “Saga of the Movie Industry in Boston” says that Mitch and Moe Mark of Lynn MA opened the Theatre Comique on Tremont Row on August 30, 1906. He says that it did “a stand-out business at a dime a throw”. Later, he says, Mitch and Moe Mark joined with Joe and Max Levinson to open the famous Strand Theatre on Broadway in NY.
Boston film pioneer Joe Cifre, in his long article “Saga of the Movie Industry in Boston” says that the Apollo was one of Boston’s early film venues in the post-1906 era.
In his long, undated essay “Saga of the Movie Industry in Boston”, Joe Cifre says that the Cobb Theatre was one of the very early film houses in Boston and was originally called the Dreamland Theatre. He defines “early” as 1906 and earlier.
There was a good-quality exterior photo of the Liberty Theatre in the souvenir booklet for the 1983 convention of the Theatre Historical Society in Boston. The photo came from the collection of Earl Stanley “Charlie” Stewart and is undated. At the time, the Liberty had a rectangular marquee with “Liberty Theatre” in bulbed letters on the front. Above was a very fancy vertical blade sign. Under the marquee was a small sign with the NETOCO logo. Attractions posted are Greta Garbo in “Wild Orchids” plus a Tom Mix movie. To the left is the same apartment house which shows in the 1941 MGM photo; to the right is a Pharmacy. There is a notation that the Liberty is “presently a warehouse” (in 1983).
The Boston Post for Feb. 25, 1931 has a listing of Paramount-Publix theatres on its entertainment page. The entry for the Central Square Theatre in Cambridge lists two current films, “Royal Family of Broadway” and “Under Suspicion” plus Jimmy Gallagher on stage.
In the Boston Post theatre pages for November 1951, there is a listing of American Theatres Corp (ATC) theatres. (ATC was a spin-off from the breakup of the old M&P Theatres circuit). Under “Roxbury Crossing” is listed a Plaza Theatre. I am assuming that “Plaza” was a renaming of the old Criterion Theatre ??
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Monson Theatre has an exterior photo dated April 1941. The theatre was a 2-story free-standing building with a handsome, exuberant facade. There were 2 pairs of double doors in the center, with a small marquee and an arch above. A huge poster case was on either side of the doors and there were 4 pilasters across the front. The marquee says “Monson” on its front, and there is a poster below for “Big Cash Award” game. The Report states that the Monson is on Main St. in Monson, that it has been a MGM customer for 5 years; was built in 1925 and is in Poor condition (but the facade looks great), and has 330 seats on the main floor and 45 in the balcony. But someone messed with those figures so it’s hard to tell what the seating capacity was. There were no competing theatres, and the 1940 population was 5,600.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Grand in West Warren has an exterior photo dated March 1941. The theatre was within a large wood-frame building at least 2 stories high. The entrance consisted of 2 pairs of double doors above which was a small marquee. Portable poster boards were placed on the sidewalk outside. The Report states that the Grand was on Main St. in West Warren, that it was not presenting MGM product, that it was opened about 1935, was in Fair condition, and had 450 seats, all on one floor. There were no competing theatres in town, and the 1940 population was 1,500. In the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook there is a Grand Theatre listed for Warren with 310 seats.
There is a MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Park Theatre in Worcester. There is an exterior photo dated May 1941. The building and marquee are definitely the same as in the photos posted by Lost on Oct 26 2006. The photo posted by Gerry DeLuca on April 17 2005 appears to be the same building, modernized by demolition of the front portion and saving the rear portion with its peaked roof; then building a big new entrance. The Report states that the Park is on Mill Street, that it has been showing MGM films for 4 years; that it was built in 1937 and is in Good condition, and has 785 seats.
The MGM theatre Photograph and Report form for Sanford Hall in Medway has an exterior photo dated May 1941. The cinema was located in a large, rectangular brick building set back from the street. The second floor of the facade has 5 big Palladian-style windows in a row, with a fancy cornice above. On the ground floor there are 4 bays and it’s not clear which one contains the entrance to the theatre. There is no marquee. The Report states that the theatre is on Village St., that it has been showing MGM product for 2 years, that it’s over 15 years old and in Fair condition, and has 300 seats on the main floor and 40 in the balcony. There are no competing theatres in town and the 1940 population of Medway was 3,200.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Pepperell Theatre has an exterior photo dated May 1941. The theatre was in a large wood-frame building 4 stories high with a peaked roof. There are stores on the ground floor and it’s difficult to see where the theatre entrance is – probably in the center. The Report states that the theatre is on Main St. in E. Pepperell, that it has been a MGM customer for 2 years; that it was built about 1930, is in Good condition, and has 400 seats on the main floor and 124 in the balcony. There are no competing theatres in town, and the 1940 population of Pepperell was 2,700. In the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook there was a Community Theatre listed for Pepperell.
There is a MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Mansfield Theatre with an exterior photo dated May 1941. The theatre was a 2-story building with shingle siding on the sides. The facade was either brick, or faux-brick tarpaper. There was a center entrance with 3 doorways and large poster cases on each side. Above were 4 windows on the second floor. There was no marquee. The Report states that the Mansfield is on South Main St., that it has been presenting MGM product for over 10 years; that it’s less than 15 years old and in Fair condition; and has 418 seats on the main floor and 117 in the balcony; total: 535 seats. Competing theatre is the Orpheum in Foxboro, and the 1940 population of Mansfield was 6,500.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Elizabeth Theatre has an exterior photo dated April 1941. The theatre had an attractive 2-story facade with stucco finish and a heavy cornice above. There was a square marquee with the name in big letters on the front. There were a couple steps up from the sidewalk and 2 large poster cases on each side of the center entrance. The Report states that the theatre is on Main St., that it has been showing MGM films for 10 years and is over 15 years old and in Good condition. There were 585 seats on the main floor and 311 in the balcony. Total: 896 seats. The Report says that there are no competing theatres in Falmouth and the 1940 population was 6,800. In the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac, the Elizabeth and the Falmouth Theatre are listed as part of M&P Theatres. In the summer of 1983, I attended a musical play at the Highfield Theatre in Falmouth and killed some time walking around downtown. I was surprised to find a movie theatre there, with people rushing in to make the 7PM show. It was located at the north end of the main street, on the east side. I don’t remember the name. Looking at the MGM photo, I am 90% sure that it’s the same theatre. When I returned in 1984, the movie theatre had been closed and the building converted to other uses.
According to the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Strand Theatre on Maple St. in Palmer, “Five Star” was the new name of the old Palmer Theatre. The Report was written in 1941. Both the Strand and the Palmer theatres were once part of the Ralph Snider circuit of Boston. Or, another way to interpert the MGM Report is that the Palmer Theatre was closed in 1941 and the new Five Star Theatre opened. The Report is not clear on the matter- either the Palmer Theatre was renamed, or it was replaced by the new Five Star Theatre.
There is a MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Strand in Palmer, with an exterior photo dated 1941. The theatre was at least 2 stories high and had a big marquee that jutted out almost to the street with support posts on its front corners. There are huge poster boards next to the doors. There was a grassy lawn next to the walkway leading to the front doors. The Report states that the theatre is “Closed”, but the entire front is full of movie posters and lobby stills. The Report says that the Strand has been a MGM customer for 15 years; that it was built in 1920 and has 476 seats. A competing theatre is listed as the Palmer Theatre, but someone crossed that out and wrote in “Five Star”. (Was that the new name for the Palmer Theatre?) The 1940 population of Palmer was 9,100. In the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac, the Strand and the Palmer theatres are both listed as part of the Ralph Snider theatre circuit of Boston.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Orpheum has an exterior photo dated 1941. The theatre had a narrow entrance in a commericial building at least 3 stories high. There was a small but attractive rectangular marquee with a vertical blade sign above. Attractions posted are “That Night in Rio” and “The Man Who Lost Himself”. To the right of the entrance is Student Brothers Shoes. The Report says that the Orpheum is on Parker St., that it has been showing MGM movies for over 15 years and is over 15 yers old and in Good condition. There are 702 orchestra seats, 416 balcony seats, and 40 seats in the loges; total: 1,158 seats. In the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac, the Orpheum, along with the Uptown Theatre in Gardner, was listed as part of the George Giles circuit of Cambridge.
The Ansonia Opera House is listed in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. The seating capacity was given as 900; ticket prices were 25 cents to 75 cents. Illumination was by gas; the proscenium opening was 30 feet wide X 14 feet high, and the stage was 30 feet deep. The Guide says that the auditorium was on the 3rd floor. Dana Bartholomew was the Mgr. Nearby hotels were the Dayton House and the Arlington; newspaper was the Ansonia Sentinel.
The 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac lists the Latchis circuit as being run by Peter D. Latchis at Flat St. in Brattleboro. The Latchis theatres are: VERMONT: Brattleboro: Auditorium, Latchis; Windsor: Strand, Windsor; Woodstock: Community, Woodstock. NEW HAMPSHIRE: Claremont: Latchis; Keene: Colonial, Latchis; Milford: Latchis, Strand. MASS.: Greenfield: Lawler; Leominster: Plymouth, Rialto. Total: 14 theatres in 1941.
In the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac, the Buzzards Bay Theatre is listed as being operated by Buzzard Bay Theatres/ Clarence Robbins.
Congratulations to Michael Hauser for his work on this exhibit, and a word of appreciation to Arcadia Press for publishing his new book on Detroit theatres as well as other modestly-priced theatre history books.
“Someone Who Was There” informs me that the Brookline Theatre and the Plaza/ Cinema Brookline are not one-in-the-same, although located very close to one another. The Plaza was the newer operation. The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Brookline Theatre has an exterior photo dated April 1941. The entrance was at the right end of a commercial building at least 3 stories high. There was a rectangular marquee with “Brookline” at the top. Attractions were “Hudson’s Bay” and “Jennie”. Nearby was “Boylston Candy Kitchen” store which suggests that the building was near the intersection with Boylston St. (Route 9). The Report states that the Brookline had been a MGM customer for 2 years; that it was built in 1939, was in Excellent condition, and had 800 seats on the main floor and 400 in the balcony. In the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac, the Brookline and the Coolidge Corner theatres are both listed as part of the Levinson circuit, also known as Strand Theatres.
The Modern Theatre in Harwichport is listed in the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac as being run by the Philip Smith theatre company of Boston.
That’s “Fair” condition !
The Star in North Brookfield was included in the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project. There is an exterior photo dated May 1941. The building had a distinctive facade like a Greek temple, with 4 columns across the front and a triangular pediment above. There were 3 tall entry doors. There was no marquee but there were poster cases on each side of the center entrance, plus very large portable poster boards set out on each corner of the front. A couple of steps led up from the sidewalk to the front doors. This facade suggests a building designed for other purposes and then adapted as a local movie theatre. The Report states that the Star is not a MGM customer, that it’s overe 15 years old, and in Fir condition, and has 680 seats. There were no other movies in town, and the 1940 population of N. Brookfield was 3,300.
It could be very possible that the name was changed slightly from “Brookline Theatre” to “Cinema Brookline”.