jeannecumby, It is a thrill to see the older picture of the Taylor with the marquee intact—did it just rust away? Sorry to hear about the situation it will certainly be a monumental task to raise money in today’s economic situation. Please take the time to post about the changes that were made by the twinning process. I read that the chandelier was removed and sold to a motel indicating construction of a center wall. Was the balcony lost to a wider projection booth? Were changes made to the stage/proscenium—or a wall built in front of the area? Was the ceiling “dropped”? Were the side walls changed? Does Bob own the theater? I saw info on the net that indicated that Mrs. Earnhardt had died but Mr. Earnhardt was still living and 100 yrs old.
NightHawk1, I don’t know about matinees—since I only attended with nighttime dates. The booth port windows were quite large and one could see the film threaded about the place and the projector in operation.
I do not know when the practice of co-showing XXX movies ended since by the early eighties my work and other social factors put the damper on my movie attendance. I would guess the availability of this type of movie at several video rental outlets took the profits away—also there was competition, eventually, from the South 17 Drive-In. The Gateway is now promoted as inexpensive family entertainment.
Just could not manipulate the street view to get a picture of the theater. I believe the GATEWAY TWIN is barely visible between the gray building on the left and the peaked sign.
NightHawk1 did you find an original source that said this theater was built as a single screen? I used to go there in the seventies when the new shine was still on and the place sparkled. At that time they booked adult XXX movies on the right side auditorium which was decorated in carnal pink/red.
It is rather odd to read the complaints on Yahoo since my memories involve a brand new theater. I came across some info that indicated there might have been a change of ownership in 94.
The students continue the operation of the Harlo Theater according to an informative article in The Great Falls Tribune of April 9, 2012. The profits of the operation provide scholarship money for the student workers.
I think it was run by Boykin for part of the 70s & 80s. At some point we stopped returning lobby materials from the Taylor to National Screen Service in Charlotte and forwarded them to the Starlite. I think that I read somewhere that there was a fire in the screen storage area that destroyed thousands of dollars worth of posters.
Kewpie raybradley’s Google map link above shows an image date of Nov. 2007, which is the image that I was referring. It shows the marquee but not clearly. Double clicking on the thumbnail will give you a blowup.
Sun March 25, 2012 Daily Advance headline states that the Carolina Theater Elizabeth City’s only downtown theater has a suitor. I don’t have a subscription so further info was unavailable. I would guess that the deal to reopen would be close to realization prior to tipping off any competition.
She looks so much better with Googles soft focus and lens flare of the street view than the closeups showing the old lady*s blemishes. Soft focus is much kinder to aging stars than the sharp focus of reality.
The brickwork is amazing! Contrast to the pseudo stucco. Too bad the marquee is too plastic.
An old style more simple marquee would be more fitting for the vintage of the building.
I think that the Cinema Centre is now closed. Their link on the Scobey Chamber of Commerce draws a blank and the movie playing sites bring up the theater but no films are listed. It is difficult to discern in this fuzzy Google street view but the the exterior sidewall has a regular pattern of protruding blocks—I am sure they just beg rock climbers and daredevils to scale me-I dare you to try
Just Googled to check out what law might be involved on the balcony usage. Nothing jumped out. Did find much info on the luxury seating and service in the balcony of the Warren Theater in Moore, a section of Oklahoma City. They charge a premium for oversize seating and table food service with alcoholic beverages—therefore no one under 21 y.o. is allowed in this seating area. So, maybe the Dunkin balcony is structurally deficient or fails to meet some public safety codes.
In response to kencmcintyre*s remark about graffiti. I am very near in favor of the return of the stocks and pillory as punishment for vandalism and graffiti. I think it would be especially effective if those involved were allowed to miss a couple of meals and bathroom breaks. Tagging and graffiti remind me of tomcats and he-dogs marking everything as their territory.
Attractive simple deco but I could not tolerate the way that the titles are scrunched on the reader board—was almost to think that it was a limiting design fault except that there is a picture with proper spacing. Drivers should not have to try to decipher the marquee titles.
Just recently came across a statistic that indicated that 90 million admissions occurred in 1948—by 1951 attendance was 51 million. Sure is difficult to believe that primitive television was capable of chopping 40 percent off total ticket sales.
How many stabs in the back can theaters take from the studios? They are forcing the little guys out of business or near bankruptcy by the accelerated digital conversion. They chomp at the bit to rush out the DVDs of the current movies. I believe just recently the theaters won a battle against simultaneous streaming or Video On Demand before the films were in the first run houses for at least a couple of weeks. Why would anyone want to enter or stay in business as an exhibitor with this type of support?
This link leads to an unavailable 1969 article—to read two paragraphs of the article put Bing Crosby Theater in search on the article not available page.
While I was working at the Taylor Mr. Earnhardt offered me a management job at a Tarboro theater but my salary bid of $100 per week killed the offer—I did not feel disappointed since I was going to college for a different goal.
Well, Neal answers the question that I posed on the Tar Theater page on CT. However, I was never clear on the business connection between W.J.P.Earnhardt and Boykin. It seems that the Taylor may have booked films through Stewart-Everett and the SE bankruptcy ended that relationship—creating the need to form a new booking arrangement.
Wonder if this theater had any association with the Boykin operated theaters in
Wilson, NC or Earnhardt Enterprises of Edenton.
While I was working at the Taylor Mr. Earnhardt offered me a management job at a Tarboro theater but my salary bid of $100 per week killed the offer—I did not feel disappointed since I was going to school for a different goal.
Sorry to hear of the loss of any theater…This loss is especially cruel since it was about to get a new life.
jeannecumby, It is a thrill to see the older picture of the Taylor with the marquee intact—did it just rust away? Sorry to hear about the situation it will certainly be a monumental task to raise money in today’s economic situation. Please take the time to post about the changes that were made by the twinning process. I read that the chandelier was removed and sold to a motel indicating construction of a center wall. Was the balcony lost to a wider projection booth? Were changes made to the stage/proscenium—or a wall built in front of the area? Was the ceiling “dropped”? Were the side walls changed? Does Bob own the theater? I saw info on the net that indicated that Mrs. Earnhardt had died but Mr. Earnhardt was still living and 100 yrs old.
I believe that the Smith & Welton’s mentioned is a large department store rather than streets—though I could be wrong.
NightHawk1, I don’t know about matinees—since I only attended with nighttime dates. The booth port windows were quite large and one could see the film threaded about the place and the projector in operation.
I do not know when the practice of co-showing XXX movies ended since by the early eighties my work and other social factors put the damper on my movie attendance. I would guess the availability of this type of movie at several video rental outlets took the profits away—also there was competition, eventually, from the South 17 Drive-In. The Gateway is now promoted as inexpensive family entertainment.
Just could not manipulate the street view to get a picture of the theater. I believe the GATEWAY TWIN is barely visible between the gray building on the left and the peaked sign.
NightHawk1 did you find an original source that said this theater was built as a single screen? I used to go there in the seventies when the new shine was still on and the place sparkled. At that time they booked adult XXX movies on the right side auditorium which was decorated in carnal pink/red.
It is rather odd to read the complaints on Yahoo since my memories involve a brand new theater. I came across some info that indicated there might have been a change of ownership in 94.
The students continue the operation of the Harlo Theater according to an informative article in The Great Falls Tribune of April 9, 2012. The profits of the operation provide scholarship money for the student workers.
I think it was run by Boykin for part of the 70s & 80s. At some point we stopped returning lobby materials from the Taylor to National Screen Service in Charlotte and forwarded them to the Starlite. I think that I read somewhere that there was a fire in the screen storage area that destroyed thousands of dollars worth of posters.
Kewpie raybradley’s Google map link above shows an image date of Nov. 2007, which is the image that I was referring. It shows the marquee but not clearly. Double clicking on the thumbnail will give you a blowup.
Sun March 25, 2012 Daily Advance headline states that the Carolina Theater Elizabeth City’s only downtown theater has a suitor. I don’t have a subscription so further info was unavailable. I would guess that the deal to reopen would be close to realization prior to tipping off any competition.
She looks so much better with Googles soft focus and lens flare of the street view than the closeups showing the old lady*s blemishes. Soft focus is much kinder to aging stars than the sharp focus of reality.
Oops, I meant to mention those cool lions holding the marquee brace chains
The brickwork is amazing! Contrast to the pseudo stucco. Too bad the marquee is too plastic. An old style more simple marquee would be more fitting for the vintage of the building.
I think that the Cinema Centre is now closed. Their link on the Scobey Chamber of Commerce draws a blank and the movie playing sites bring up the theater but no films are listed. It is difficult to discern in this fuzzy Google street view but the the exterior sidewall has a regular pattern of protruding blocks—I am sure they just beg rock climbers and daredevils to scale me-I dare you to try
Just Googled to check out what law might be involved on the balcony usage. Nothing jumped out. Did find much info on the luxury seating and service in the balcony of the Warren Theater in Moore, a section of Oklahoma City. They charge a premium for oversize seating and table food service with alcoholic beverages—therefore no one under 21 y.o. is allowed in this seating area. So, maybe the Dunkin balcony is structurally deficient or fails to meet some public safety codes.
In response to kencmcintyre*s remark about graffiti. I am very near in favor of the return of the stocks and pillory as punishment for vandalism and graffiti. I think it would be especially effective if those involved were allowed to miss a couple of meals and bathroom breaks. Tagging and graffiti remind me of tomcats and he-dogs marking everything as their territory.
Attractive simple deco but I could not tolerate the way that the titles are scrunched on the reader board—was almost to think that it was a limiting design fault except that there is a picture with proper spacing. Drivers should not have to try to decipher the marquee titles.
Wonder how the name of the building Baehr Bldg connects to the theater —
Eight blocks through the grain bins to what Google calls 553 Minnesota Ave to Legends. A nice looking theater facade and marquee.
Just recently came across a statistic that indicated that 90 million admissions occurred in 1948—by 1951 attendance was 51 million. Sure is difficult to believe that primitive television was capable of chopping 40 percent off total ticket sales.
How many stabs in the back can theaters take from the studios? They are forcing the little guys out of business or near bankruptcy by the accelerated digital conversion. They chomp at the bit to rush out the DVDs of the current movies. I believe just recently the theaters won a battle against simultaneous streaming or Video On Demand before the films were in the first run houses for at least a couple of weeks. Why would anyone want to enter or stay in business as an exhibitor with this type of support?
This link leads to an unavailable 1969 article—to read two paragraphs of the article put Bing Crosby Theater in search on the article not available page.
While I was working at the Taylor Mr. Earnhardt offered me a management job at a Tarboro theater but my salary bid of $100 per week killed the offer—I did not feel disappointed since I was going to college for a different goal.
Well, Neal answers the question that I posed on the Tar Theater page on CT. However, I was never clear on the business connection between W.J.P.Earnhardt and Boykin. It seems that the Taylor may have booked films through Stewart-Everett and the SE bankruptcy ended that relationship—creating the need to form a new booking arrangement.
Wonder if this theater had any association with the Boykin operated theaters in Wilson, NC or Earnhardt Enterprises of Edenton.
While I was working at the Taylor Mr. Earnhardt offered me a management job at a Tarboro theater but my salary bid of $100 per week killed the offer—I did not feel disappointed since I was going to school for a different goal.
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20111220/BUSINESS/112200306/-1/7daysarchives/Rocky-Mountain-building-nearing-rebirth