Fort Plain Theatre

The December 9, 1911 issue of Variety reported that the new Fort Plain Theatre had opened November 27 with “A Gentleman of Leisure” starring Cyril Scott. The play was based on an early novel by P. G. Wodehouse, and had premiered at The Playhouse in New York City on August 24. The box office receipts for the Fort Plain’s opening night were $1,800.

The Fort Plain Standard of Thursday, January 13, 1927, published the obituary of Dr. Charles Jackson. One paragraph concerns the Fort Plain Theatre:

“Dr. Jackson is mainly responsible for Fort Plain’s present theatre. The Fritcher opera house burned on May 4, 1911, which event left Fort Plain without a theatre. The Brunswick hotel, opposite the Jackson home, was burned about 1910. Dr. Jackson’s keen mind at once sensed the availability of the site of the hotel as a location for a theatre. He interested a number of business men and a stock company was formed and the construction of the present theatre was started in the fall of 1911. Dr. Jackson subsequently bought a controlling interest in the company and made his son, Harvey H. Jackson, the manager of the theatre. Later managers were Gros & Zielley, Saxton & Lombard, Saxton & Rickard and V.F. Saxton. The theatre was sold to W.C. Smalley in 1921. Dr. Jackson always maintained a great interest in the theatre. Dr. and Mrs. Jackson nursed the beautiful Boston ivy, which overspreads the northern wall and which is the finest example of this handsome vine in this section.”

An item in a 1958 issue of Motion Picture Herald reported that Michael F. Cory, operator of the Strand Theatre in Canajoharie, New York, had purchased the Fort Plain Theatre from a subsidiary of Smalley Theatres.

Is this the place that became “Ernie’s Pussycat Theatre” in the 70’s?