Further details that I forgot to mention in my opening text:-
The Ritz Cinema opened on 9th April 1938.
The final programme as a full time Classic Cinema on 8th December 1968 was Terence Morgan in “The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb” and Koreya Senda “The H Man”(Bijo to Ekitainingen). Bingo then took over Mondays to Fridays, with films on a weekend.
When it became a Tatler Film Club the first programme was “Sex Serum of Doctor Blake” and Janet Banzet in “Professor Lust”. I have no record of the final depravity or the Bollywood films shown when it became the Paradise Cinema, as they were only advertised locally.
I believe the Castle Theatre opened with a seating capacity of 1,000. Through the 1940’s it is listed as being an 889 seat theatre operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidairy John Balaban. The 1950 edition of Film Daily Yearbook lists it with a seating capacity of 893.
In the 1941 edition of Film Daily Yearbook this is listed as the 500 seat Capitol Theater. The 1943 edition lists a seating capacity of 370 and in the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. the Capitol Theater is listed with 400 seats (located at 412 Main Street back then).
Could this have been the previous name for the Fifth Avenue Theatre which was located at 218 Fifth Avenue North? The Fifth Avenue Theatre is already listed on Cinema Treasures.
I have 3 editions of Film DailY Yearbook and in the 1941 & 1943 editions there is no Varsity Theatre listed, but there is a Princess Theatre with 750 seats (Closed in both editions).
In the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. the Princess has gone from listings, but there is still no Varsity Theatre, however, the Park Theatre is listed at 524 Central Avenue (it is also listed in 1941 & 1943)
The great joy of reading Jim Rankin’s postings on Cinema Treasures was the depth of knowledge he shared with us on the subject of theatres. Most importantly was the accuracy of his remarks, there was never any need to doubt.
A great loss to historic theatre research and to Cinema Treasures.
The 1950 edition of Film Daily Yearbook gives the address of the Denver Theatre, 510 16th Street and the address of the Paramount Theatre, 519 16th Street (across the road).
Well not a forecourt, but the Music Box Theatre did have (still does have) an open air foyer/bar above the main entrance. The back of the bar is actually the upper section of the facade and is a small covered area, but the remainder of the area is open.
I am re-posting the link which johngleeson posted above on May 26, 2006. Scroll down towards the bottom for 3 photographs of the Henry Fonda Theatre: View link
Later editions of Film Daily Yearbooks (late 1960’s onwards) lacked the information that was included in earlier editions. If you look in editions of F.D.Y. pre-1955 you will find seating capacities given (plus in some editions the full addresses for theatres in major towns and cities).
However, you say you are looking for seating capacities for the 1970’s (presumably for newly built theatres at the time?). Your best bet would be to search records in local town/city council’s planning departments & licencing departments
cjc;The ‘Dress Circle’ you refer to in your Jan 20, 2006 posting was actually a Mezzanine with only three rows of seats. The Balcony above it (currently screen 1) was the main circle.
The Mezzanine was located at street level and its entrance was straight off the main foyer. I presume this area is used for storage or staff rooms etc?
Architect Temple H Buell is credited for the Facade and entry on Glenarm Place. It is in a mix of Gothic Revival & Art Deco styles carried out in white terra cotta.
The remainder of the building was by Chicago based architects Rapp & Rapp. Styled in a mix of Art Deco & French Renaissance which is similar to the treatment they applied to the Paramount Aurora, IL the following year (1931).
Joe, I would come to the same conclusion regarding the Hitching Post becoming the Paris. However in the Film Daily Yearbooks for both 1950 and 1952 edition the Hitching Post Theatre is listed but there is no Paris Theatre. So…is there anyone out there who can remember the southeast side of Hollywood & Vine back in the early 1950’s?
A night view in 2003:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjwillow/283436072/
Further details that I forgot to mention in my opening text:-
The Ritz Cinema opened on 9th April 1938.
The final programme as a full time Classic Cinema on 8th December 1968 was Terence Morgan in “The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb” and Koreya Senda “The H Man”(Bijo to Ekitainingen). Bingo then took over Mondays to Fridays, with films on a weekend.
When it became a Tatler Film Club the first programme was “Sex Serum of Doctor Blake” and Janet Banzet in “Professor Lust”. I have no record of the final depravity or the Bollywood films shown when it became the Paradise Cinema, as they were only advertised locally.
The 1941 and 1943 editions of Film Daily Yearbook list a 165 seat Lakewood Theatre (no address given).
In the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. the Lakewood Theatre is listed with 625 seats and is located at 1723 Lakewood Avenue SE, Atlanta GA 30315.
The Rogers Theatre was demolished a few years ago.
I believe the Castle Theatre opened with a seating capacity of 1,000. Through the 1940’s it is listed as being an 889 seat theatre operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidairy John Balaban. The 1950 edition of Film Daily Yearbook lists it with a seating capacity of 893.
The Odeon Hounslow photographed in August 1949:
View link
A closer view of the entrance as seen in March 1961:
View link
In the 1941 edition of Film Daily Yearbook this is listed as the 500 seat Capitol Theater. The 1943 edition lists a seating capacity of 370 and in the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. the Capitol Theater is listed with 400 seats (located at 412 Main Street back then).
Listed in the 1941 & 1943 editions of Film Daily Yearbook as the Sharon Theater, with a seating capacity of 300.
Could this have been the previous name for the Fifth Avenue Theatre which was located at 218 Fifth Avenue North? The Fifth Avenue Theatre is already listed on Cinema Treasures.
I have 3 editions of Film DailY Yearbook and in the 1941 & 1943 editions there is no Varsity Theatre listed, but there is a Princess Theatre with 750 seats (Closed in both editions).
In the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. the Princess has gone from listings, but there is still no Varsity Theatre, however, the Park Theatre is listed at 524 Central Avenue (it is also listed in 1941 & 1943)
The great joy of reading Jim Rankin’s postings on Cinema Treasures was the depth of knowledge he shared with us on the subject of theatres. Most importantly was the accuracy of his remarks, there was never any need to doubt.
A great loss to historic theatre research and to Cinema Treasures.
The 1950 edition of Film Daily Yearbook gives the address of the Denver Theatre, 510 16th Street and the address of the Paramount Theatre, 519 16th Street (across the road).
Well not a forecourt, but the Music Box Theatre did have (still does have) an open air foyer/bar above the main entrance. The back of the bar is actually the upper section of the facade and is a small covered area, but the remainder of the area is open.
I am re-posting the link which johngleeson posted above on May 26, 2006. Scroll down towards the bottom for 3 photographs of the Henry Fonda Theatre:
View link
Another pre-demolition view from a different angle:
http://flickr.com/photos/jonfry/119533433/
A pre-demolition photograph:
http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/40180367/
The 1950 edition of Film Daily Yearbook gives a seating capacity of 841.
Later editions of Film Daily Yearbooks (late 1960’s onwards) lacked the information that was included in earlier editions. If you look in editions of F.D.Y. pre-1955 you will find seating capacities given (plus in some editions the full addresses for theatres in major towns and cities).
However, you say you are looking for seating capacities for the 1970’s (presumably for newly built theatres at the time?). Your best bet would be to search records in local town/city council’s planning departments & licencing departments
cjc;The ‘Dress Circle’ you refer to in your Jan 20, 2006 posting was actually a Mezzanine with only three rows of seats. The Balcony above it (currently screen 1) was the main circle.
The Mezzanine was located at street level and its entrance was straight off the main foyer. I presume this area is used for storage or staff rooms etc?
Architect Temple H Buell is credited for the Facade and entry on Glenarm Place. It is in a mix of Gothic Revival & Art Deco styles carried out in white terra cotta.
The remainder of the building was by Chicago based architects Rapp & Rapp. Styled in a mix of Art Deco & French Renaissance which is similar to the treatment they applied to the Paramount Aurora, IL the following year (1931).
Joe, I would come to the same conclusion regarding the Hitching Post becoming the Paris. However in the Film Daily Yearbooks for both 1950 and 1952 edition the Hitching Post Theatre is listed but there is no Paris Theatre. So…is there anyone out there who can remember the southeast side of Hollywood & Vine back in the early 1950’s?
Entrance to the Star Cineplex:
http://flickr.com/photos/jollybengali/304671373/
For reasons unknown, this seems to be the least documented (photographically) of the ‘Wonder’ theatres.
Now demolished and a Lidl Supermarket built on the site.
The ‘extensive renovations’ which were carried out in July 1935 were to the design of architectural firm Blackmore & Sykes.