I have an error above. The notorious theater in Washington.PA, confused with Monessen and Charleroi was the Lyric, not the Star. Area papers covered a story in February, 1907.
The COYLE and STATE were both managed by Lou Gadetti until the first (1981) closing. I talked to him shortly before his death. I was asking if he knew anything about the Charleroi STAR, LYRIC, or STRAND. He thought the STAR was on Washington. I know one of them was in the extant building at the alley between McKean and Fallowfield on 5th. It is triple wide, now three separate storerooms. My comment above on COYLE air conditioning should read 1937.
There are pixes of Jack Kennedy campaigning. The STAR building is visible in the background. I believe that the GRAND was the original MANOS renamed when the new MANOS was built. I have searched for info on the STAR in Charleroi, not much luck. I believe it was on Washington Avenue. There was a notorious (prostitution) STAR in Washington, that seems to get confused with Monessen and Charleroi.
The Manos chain was pretty big in Western PA. The Palace in Greensburg has been beautifully restored and has frequent shows. We recently saw Patti Page there. I have a half decent xerox pix of the Manos in Monessen (rebuilt 1948// demolished a few years ago)
This theater was originally the Majestic. I am assumming it became the Menlo when the Moody-Dickinson chain bought it. I am interested in scale modelling the Charleroi Theaters. If anyone has a pix of the Menlo, State, or last version Palace, I would appreciate it in an email (any quality fine).
The Menlo building still has the marquee anchors in place. The first floor theater was totally ripped out to make storerooms. It had a rising floor (the screen backwards on the front of the room).
The local kids nick-named it the “Ranch House”. It largely showed B movies, serials, etc.
The architect was Victor Rigaumont, The builder of the current 1927-28 version (see above picture) was my father, Walter S. Rockwell (b. 1886). The owners were Robert Swan Coyle and sister Carrie B. Coyle. No chains involved. There were 999 seats, 1000 would have required aisles 2X wide, thus impossible. In 1939 an elaborate gas tube lighting of the marquee was added (more than half gone now). Also carrier air conditioning was added. This theater is 50% wider than the old 1891 creation. Robert Roy Rockwell ,
I have an error above. The notorious theater in Washington.PA, confused with Monessen and Charleroi was the Lyric, not the Star. Area papers covered a story in February, 1907.
The COYLE and STATE were both managed by Lou Gadetti until the first (1981) closing. I talked to him shortly before his death. I was asking if he knew anything about the Charleroi STAR, LYRIC, or STRAND. He thought the STAR was on Washington. I know one of them was in the extant building at the alley between McKean and Fallowfield on 5th. It is triple wide, now three separate storerooms. My comment above on COYLE air conditioning should read 1937.
There are pixes of Jack Kennedy campaigning. The STAR building is visible in the background. I believe that the GRAND was the original MANOS renamed when the new MANOS was built. I have searched for info on the STAR in Charleroi, not much luck. I believe it was on Washington Avenue. There was a notorious (prostitution) STAR in Washington, that seems to get confused with Monessen and Charleroi.
This architect Victor Rigaumont is the same person as Victor A.Rigaumont. The Coyle should be moved to the Victor A. list.
The Manos chain was pretty big in Western PA. The Palace in Greensburg has been beautifully restored and has frequent shows. We recently saw Patti Page there. I have a half decent xerox pix of the Manos in Monessen (rebuilt 1948// demolished a few years ago)
This theater was originally the Majestic. I am assumming it became the Menlo when the Moody-Dickinson chain bought it. I am interested in scale modelling the Charleroi Theaters. If anyone has a pix of the Menlo, State, or last version Palace, I would appreciate it in an email (any quality fine).
The Menlo building still has the marquee anchors in place. The first floor theater was totally ripped out to make storerooms. It had a rising floor (the screen backwards on the front of the room).
The local kids nick-named it the “Ranch House”. It largely showed B movies, serials, etc.
The architect was Victor Rigaumont, The builder of the current 1927-28 version (see above picture) was my father, Walter S. Rockwell (b. 1886). The owners were Robert Swan Coyle and sister Carrie B. Coyle. No chains involved. There were 999 seats, 1000 would have required aisles 2X wide, thus impossible. In 1939 an elaborate gas tube lighting of the marquee was added (more than half gone now). Also carrier air conditioning was added. This theater is 50% wider than the old 1891 creation. Robert Roy Rockwell ,