Thanks Joe Vogel. My mother and her 1st cousin – both Chacos, were born in the later 1920’s, so they remember the Pastime to be mostly as it looks today (of course the Marquee is gone now). There were three Brothers – Chris, Pete and Ted. Greeks who left a Village called Nestani (aka Chipiana) and went to Utah before going across the country with black sheets, white sheets, a projector and record player. They went around to cities renting vacant store fronts and put the black sheet against the window to block the light and the white sheet up on the back to project silent movies. I still have a couple silent movie records.
The story goes that Coshocton was the Boom Town – with the canals crossing there, and they settled there to build a real Theater. And another and another… Plus a bowling alley.
I read an article I found in the Tribune about 10 years ago that mentioned that the brothers bought the Pastime as an existing Theater and that soon after it burned down and they rebuilt the larger, nicer building. Of course, the surviving Chacos were all born after when that would have happened and don’t remember ever hearing that.
They built and started other Theaters / Vaudeville Houses in town prior to The Pastime. I have photos and information… One was the Utahna.
I promise to put those photos here soon.
My memories were of spending time with my grandparents Ted Chacos and Joanna starting in the early 1960’s, and “going to work” with Ted.
I remember being in the Theater and seeing the original working mechanisms of The Wurlitzer and the gas fed projector in the booth above (I remember it being very hot).
There were stained glass doors on the Wurlitzer, but they had long been removed in the 1960’s, as one pair was made into a china cabinet that was in Ted’s home and is now on display at his son Chris Chacos' Restaurant The Village Smithy, outside of Aspen in Carbondale Colorado. The other remaining stained glass Wurlitzer panel is in my possession in Cincinnati.
We sold the Theater and building in the 1970’s… Ted was the last surviving brother and past away in 1974.
It is true that it was a Warner Brothers Theater… They signed a “50 year deal” with Warner Brothers before the depression that apparently was lucrative… And WB tried repeatedly to get out of.
Last time I was in the Theater was in the later 1970’s.
The power was off and the theater was long closed, but the store fronts in the building were open and one. had a secret door into the Theater and the shop keeper let us all in through there. We used a flashlight and a flash camera to capture the damage caused by pipes above that broke during a winter freeze, flooding the theater completely.
The floor boards were all warped and the seats were raised and twisted. I remember going down towards the stage and pulling on wood to expose the Wurlitzer mechanics – but the wood was so rotten by the flood waters, that it just came off in my hands. The Pastime was forever gone.
Wow Thanks rivest226 !
Great info. I didn’t realize the brothers had the Pastime that early.
I have a copy of the architect drawings for the current building that I will dig out.
I THINK this 1911 Theater in the article isn’t the present building.
Joe Vogel and cath61 – I have photo copies of a few pages of the architects drawings. Will comment later.
The original theater was purchase in the 1920’s by Chacos Brothers.
I understand it burned down and a new Office building was built and the new Pastime circa 1925.
Yes, it had a Wurlitzer!
I believe it was damaged in a flood in the 1970’s. The family still has 3 of the stained glass Wurlitzer doors.
More to share later, including a photo in its prime.
Chris Dalambakis (a Chacos Brother Grandson of Theodore)
513 479 3068
I’m sorry – typo. I’m the grandson of one or the Chacos brothers – Ted Chacos.
Thanks Joe Blatz!!! Never knew exactly where this was. This was my Grandfather’s theater!
I don’t believe that is of the Pastime in Coshocton. It never looked like that.
Thanks Joe Vogel. My mother and her 1st cousin – both Chacos, were born in the later 1920’s, so they remember the Pastime to be mostly as it looks today (of course the Marquee is gone now). There were three Brothers – Chris, Pete and Ted. Greeks who left a Village called Nestani (aka Chipiana) and went to Utah before going across the country with black sheets, white sheets, a projector and record player. They went around to cities renting vacant store fronts and put the black sheet against the window to block the light and the white sheet up on the back to project silent movies. I still have a couple silent movie records.
The story goes that Coshocton was the Boom Town – with the canals crossing there, and they settled there to build a real Theater. And another and another… Plus a bowling alley. I read an article I found in the Tribune about 10 years ago that mentioned that the brothers bought the Pastime as an existing Theater and that soon after it burned down and they rebuilt the larger, nicer building. Of course, the surviving Chacos were all born after when that would have happened and don’t remember ever hearing that.
They built and started other Theaters / Vaudeville Houses in town prior to The Pastime. I have photos and information… One was the Utahna.
I promise to put those photos here soon. My memories were of spending time with my grandparents Ted Chacos and Joanna starting in the early 1960’s, and “going to work” with Ted. I remember being in the Theater and seeing the original working mechanisms of The Wurlitzer and the gas fed projector in the booth above (I remember it being very hot). There were stained glass doors on the Wurlitzer, but they had long been removed in the 1960’s, as one pair was made into a china cabinet that was in Ted’s home and is now on display at his son Chris Chacos' Restaurant The Village Smithy, outside of Aspen in Carbondale Colorado. The other remaining stained glass Wurlitzer panel is in my possession in Cincinnati. We sold the Theater and building in the 1970’s… Ted was the last surviving brother and past away in 1974.
It is true that it was a Warner Brothers Theater… They signed a “50 year deal” with Warner Brothers before the depression that apparently was lucrative… And WB tried repeatedly to get out of. Last time I was in the Theater was in the later 1970’s.
The power was off and the theater was long closed, but the store fronts in the building were open and one. had a secret door into the Theater and the shop keeper let us all in through there. We used a flashlight and a flash camera to capture the damage caused by pipes above that broke during a winter freeze, flooding the theater completely.
The floor boards were all warped and the seats were raised and twisted. I remember going down towards the stage and pulling on wood to expose the Wurlitzer mechanics – but the wood was so rotten by the flood waters, that it just came off in my hands. The Pastime was forever gone.
Wow Thanks rivest226 !
Great info. I didn’t realize the brothers had the Pastime that early.
I have a copy of the architect drawings for the current building that I will dig out. I THINK this 1911 Theater in the article isn’t the present building.
Joe Vogel and cath61 – I have photo copies of a few pages of the architects drawings. Will comment later. The original theater was purchase in the 1920’s by Chacos Brothers. I understand it burned down and a new Office building was built and the new Pastime circa 1925. Yes, it had a Wurlitzer! I believe it was damaged in a flood in the 1970’s. The family still has 3 of the stained glass Wurlitzer doors. More to share later, including a photo in its prime.
Chris Dalambakis (a Chacos Brother Grandson of Theodore) 513 479 3068