Have a news tip for us?
Just email . Ideas for stories, links to interesting articles, and press releases are welcome.
Wanted: Paramount/Publix Usher Uniform Photo
posted by
adkemp
on
December 6, 2007 at 9:44 am
I am looking to re-create an usher uniform in the style used by Paramount/Publix theatres from the late 1920s/early 1930s. Does anyone have a photo of such a uniform? If you are willing to sell an actual period uniform or part thereof from any theatre(not limited to Paramount), I would be interested in that as well. Thanks!
Comments (5)
I found one picture of 1930s theatre ushers, but you gave no email address to forward the picture to.
Philbert Gray
When my dad was in high school in the early 1930s, he worked as an usher at the Paramount Theatre (originally Publix)in Salem, MA, designed by Rapp & Rapp of Chicago with 2,187 seats. I believe that the uniform there in his time was black pants, red jacket and red cap, quite similar to hotel bellhop garb of the era. I once saw a picture of the ushers at the Salem Paramount c. 1930 (there were a considerable number in the photo), but being in the Salem Evening News, it was a black and white picture. As I think back to the 1950s when I used to see movies there, the uniform seemed the same.
There’s a gentleman by the name of Miles Krueger. He is founder of the Institute of the American Musical in Los Angeles. I visited his museum about 20 years ago, and he has an original usher (or doorman) coat from the Times Square Paramount. I don’t recall the colors, but it was VERY heavy!
adkemp: If nothing else works for you I would recommend contacting the Theatre Historical Society in Elmhurst, Illinois. They would almost certainly have photos of what you’re looking for. They also have a museum that, if memory serves, has one or two uniforms. Anyway, if you contact them I’m pretty sure they can help you. Here is their info:
Theatre Historical Society of America
York Theatre Building
152 N. York Street, 2nd floor
Elmhurst, IL 60126-2806
Ph. (630) 782-1800
http://www.historictheatres.org/
e-mail:
i am looking for those old theatre sound equipment like speaker cabinet drivers amplifier i will paid good money and come to pick them up.773-339-9035