Believe theatre was managed by Jed Prouty in 1950 or thereabouts.Gave out dishes on Wednesday night and also had an occasional old vaudeville act to try to sell tickets. Not much helped as this was the start of the television era and the closing of the small town theatres.
One more comment about the above post,the manager at that time of the Boston Uptown was Harold Hall, who took over from Jed Prouty, and the district manager of the George S. Giles circuit was Alden Peterson. Hall became district manager when Peterson retired.
As previousely stated in my posts on the Uptown theatre in Boston, the owner was a man named George S. Giles. He also owned the Uptown in Gardner and its sister theatre, the Orpheum also in Gardner.The chain also had theatres in Laconia N.H,Norwood Ma.and a few more I can’t recall.
I was promoted from Chief Of Service at the Uptown in Boston, to Asst. Manager at the Uptown in Gardner. This was around 1950 or so. The manager of the Orpheum, a man by the name of Ray Beaugois (sp) actually was manager of both. Can’t recall too much about either theatre, I guess typical small town theatres. I didn’t stay in Gardner too long as the next year I joined the army.
Ron, I think is was a very small stage compared to the other theaters of that era, but then it wasn’t a big theater to begin with.
As you may have noted, I also worked at the Uptown, at Huntington and Mass ave. for about three years. That stage was big by comparison but I understand that it was used for vaudeville many many years ago.
As an aside and apropos of nothing, let me add this bit of nostalgia. As stated in a previous post, I worked at the Kenmore in 1950 or thereabouts as an asst. mgr.before going into the Army in 1951.
One day as the opening credits were being shown prior to the movie starting, the curtains refused to open. As the Kenmore had no stage hands, as other theatres did in that era, and the curtain being controlled by the projectionists in the booth, I wondered how to open them before the picture actually started. Putting embarrassment aside I ran down the aisle, jumped up on the stage, and with the help of a patron, dragged the curtains open. The few customers in the audience gave me and my helper a round of applause.
First and last time I was ever on stage.
Ok, let’s put it this way. I know for a fact there was a Brighams to the left of the Uptown (facing the Uptown) because I worked at that theatre for 3 years in the late 40’s and many a time I would go next door for a milk shake or a frappe.As far as a Howard Johnson being there at that time, like I said in my previous post, I don’t think there was, not in that time frame anyway.
Re: the pic.of the building that replaced the Uptown. I believe that’s St Stephens Street, looking toward Mass. Ave. That would have been the back of the theatre. I had a room on St. Stephen’s street in the late 40’s and could walk to work in a matter of minutes.
Ron, thanks for posting the pictures of that area. I haven’t been back there for about 50 years but those old buildings are still fresh in my memory.
As previously stated I worked at the Uptown theatre from 1947 to 1950. I can remember some of the stores and shops in that area.
Diagonally across Symphony Hall was a cigar shop called Schultes. And a few feet away a bar called “The Arcade”. Directly across Mass. Ave. was Liggetts and another bar called “The Blue Moon.
On St Botolph St. was the old Boston Arena where they had pro wrestling on Thursday nights. Another bar-deli on the corner of St. Botolph was The Fensmere, great hot pastrami on a roll.
Up a little way on Mass. Ave was “Steve ‘Crusher’ Caseys” a bar owned by the popular wrestler at that time.
There are other rembrances I have of that long ago era but I wont bore anyone reading this post by mentioning them.
Since I now live in NY and have for fifty years it gives me great pleasure to see posts and articles about that time frame where I spent part of my youth.
Around 1950 I was the assistant manager for a little while at the Kenmore Theatre in Kenmore Square. It was an art house and one picture I remember playing there was “The Red Shoes” This theatre was owned the Richmond Stern Company which had a few other theatres in their chain around greater Boston, one of which I remember was the Mattapan in Mattapan which was later closed and turned into a Chinese resturant.
Just let me add one note. In the late 40’s and 50’s the Uptown was condidered a family theatre. It’s shows ran from Thursday till Wednesday and usually drew a SRO audience whenever there were major pictures on the bill. I know because on those nights, usually Friday Saturday or Sunday I would be the ‘barker’ out in front of the theatre announcing “STANDING ROOM ONLY”
One other feature that made this theatre unique was the fact that all the seats in the house were the same price. No diffence for balcony, loge, or orchestra. Not many theatres in that era had that policy.
Many many years ago, in 1947, I got my first job as an usher at the Uptown theatre on Huntington Ave.I worked there for about three years before going into the Army in 1951.
The Uptown showed ‘2nd run’ Boston pictures which means we were the first theatre to show a picture after the 1st run Boston movie houses. The prices were about forty to fifty cents admission with the top price at fifty five cents on Sunday.
The theatre was owned by George S. Giles associates which had some other movies houses in the chain. Some of the towns I remember where they were located are Norwood, Gardner and Laconia New Hampshire.
I had been back stage at the Uptown many times and yes it was used for vaudville. I also have a picture of me inside the theatre probably taken in 1948 or 1949.
I wish that there were some pictures of the theatre itself out there. If anyone has any information regarding this great old theatre where I spent part of my youth, please email me at
Believe theatre was managed by Jed Prouty in 1950 or thereabouts.Gave out dishes on Wednesday night and also had an occasional old vaudeville act to try to sell tickets. Not much helped as this was the start of the television era and the closing of the small town theatres.
One more comment about the above post,the manager at that time of the Boston Uptown was Harold Hall, who took over from Jed Prouty, and the district manager of the George S. Giles circuit was Alden Peterson. Hall became district manager when Peterson retired.
As previousely stated in my posts on the Uptown theatre in Boston, the owner was a man named George S. Giles. He also owned the Uptown in Gardner and its sister theatre, the Orpheum also in Gardner.The chain also had theatres in Laconia N.H,Norwood Ma.and a few more I can’t recall.
I was promoted from Chief Of Service at the Uptown in Boston, to Asst. Manager at the Uptown in Gardner. This was around 1950 or so. The manager of the Orpheum, a man by the name of Ray Beaugois (sp) actually was manager of both. Can’t recall too much about either theatre, I guess typical small town theatres. I didn’t stay in Gardner too long as the next year I joined the army.
Ron, I think is was a very small stage compared to the other theaters of that era, but then it wasn’t a big theater to begin with.
As you may have noted, I also worked at the Uptown, at Huntington and Mass ave. for about three years. That stage was big by comparison but I understand that it was used for vaudeville many many years ago.
As an aside and apropos of nothing, let me add this bit of nostalgia. As stated in a previous post, I worked at the Kenmore in 1950 or thereabouts as an asst. mgr.before going into the Army in 1951.
One day as the opening credits were being shown prior to the movie starting, the curtains refused to open. As the Kenmore had no stage hands, as other theatres did in that era, and the curtain being controlled by the projectionists in the booth, I wondered how to open them before the picture actually started. Putting embarrassment aside I ran down the aisle, jumped up on the stage, and with the help of a patron, dragged the curtains open. The few customers in the audience gave me and my helper a round of applause.
First and last time I was ever on stage.
Ok, let’s put it this way. I know for a fact there was a Brighams to the left of the Uptown (facing the Uptown) because I worked at that theatre for 3 years in the late 40’s and many a time I would go next door for a milk shake or a frappe.As far as a Howard Johnson being there at that time, like I said in my previous post, I don’t think there was, not in that time frame anyway.
No Howard Johnsons in my recollection but there was a Brighams right along side of the Uptown that sold ice cream, milkshakes, frappes, etc.
This was around the late 40’s, early 50’s.
Re: the pic.of the building that replaced the Uptown. I believe that’s St Stephens Street, looking toward Mass. Ave. That would have been the back of the theatre. I had a room on St. Stephen’s street in the late 40’s and could walk to work in a matter of minutes.
Ron, thanks for posting the pictures of that area. I haven’t been back there for about 50 years but those old buildings are still fresh in my memory.
The district manager of the Richmond Stern circuit which included the Kenmore,around 1950 or so was a man named Joe Sandler.
I left Boston for good in 1951 to go into the Army.
As previously stated I worked at the Uptown theatre from 1947 to 1950. I can remember some of the stores and shops in that area.
Diagonally across Symphony Hall was a cigar shop called Schultes. And a few feet away a bar called “The Arcade”. Directly across Mass. Ave. was Liggetts and another bar called “The Blue Moon.
On St Botolph St. was the old Boston Arena where they had pro wrestling on Thursday nights. Another bar-deli on the corner of St. Botolph was The Fensmere, great hot pastrami on a roll.
Up a little way on Mass. Ave was “Steve ‘Crusher’ Caseys” a bar owned by the popular wrestler at that time.
There are other rembrances I have of that long ago era but I wont bore anyone reading this post by mentioning them.
Since I now live in NY and have for fifty years it gives me great pleasure to see posts and articles about that time frame where I spent part of my youth.
Around 1950 I was the assistant manager for a little while at the Kenmore Theatre in Kenmore Square. It was an art house and one picture I remember playing there was “The Red Shoes” This theatre was owned the Richmond Stern Company which had a few other theatres in their chain around greater Boston, one of which I remember was the Mattapan in Mattapan which was later closed and turned into a Chinese resturant.
Jim L
Just let me add one note. In the late 40’s and 50’s the Uptown was condidered a family theatre. It’s shows ran from Thursday till Wednesday and usually drew a SRO audience whenever there were major pictures on the bill. I know because on those nights, usually Friday Saturday or Sunday I would be the ‘barker’ out in front of the theatre announcing “STANDING ROOM ONLY”
One other feature that made this theatre unique was the fact that all the seats in the house were the same price. No diffence for balcony, loge, or orchestra. Not many theatres in that era had that policy.
Jim L
Many many years ago, in 1947, I got my first job as an usher at the Uptown theatre on Huntington Ave.I worked there for about three years before going into the Army in 1951.
The Uptown showed ‘2nd run’ Boston pictures which means we were the first theatre to show a picture after the 1st run Boston movie houses. The prices were about forty to fifty cents admission with the top price at fifty five cents on Sunday.
The theatre was owned by George S. Giles associates which had some other movies houses in the chain. Some of the towns I remember where they were located are Norwood, Gardner and Laconia New Hampshire.
I had been back stage at the Uptown many times and yes it was used for vaudville. I also have a picture of me inside the theatre probably taken in 1948 or 1949.
I wish that there were some pictures of the theatre itself out there. If anyone has any information regarding this great old theatre where I spent part of my youth, please email me at
Thanks in advance.
Jim L