The architect was John Lyle, who also designed the great Toronto Union Station. The theatre was built for Cawthra Mulock and opened on August 26, 1907. It originally had 1525 seats. (This info is from THSA Marquee Magazine, 1994.) Around 1990, Ed Mirvish published a book about the theatre which was unique: it had 2 front covers and also featured the Old Vic Theatre in London. After reading the first half of the book, one turned it over and upside-down to read the second half !
The exterior of the State in Point Pleasant was seen several times in the background during an hour-long sequence of “Sci-Fi Investigates” when the investigative team visited Point Pleasant to explore the legend of the “Mothman”. (Sci-Fi Channel). The filming took place during the summer and the theatre looked very much as in Lost Memory’s photo above.
cagey- Howard Johnson was a Quincy resident. His first HoJo’s was in Quincy, near the Wollaston Theatre in the 1920s; also another location in the Granite Trust Bldg (still standing) across from the Strand Theatre in Quincy center.
I think that Jim L is correct— I have a very vague memory that there was a Brigham’s or a store very similar to Brigham’s near the Uptown entrance, perhaps to the left (west).
Does anyone know where the Aztec’s Wurlitzer came from? Several months ago I heard that the instrument originally was in the Paramount Theatre (still standing) in Boston MA. Anyone know for sure?
The Boston Globe of November 2, 2003 had a feature article with 2 color interior photos of the restoration project at the Fairmount. What has happened at this theatre in the 3 years since the article appeared? Nearby is another old theatre, French’s Opera House at 45 Fairmount Avenue, home of the Riverside Theatre Works. The Fairmount was included in the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project. There is an exterior photo taken in April 1941. The Report states that the theatre has been a MGM customer for over 10 years; that it’s over 15 years old and in Fair condition, and has 530 orchestra seats, 250 balcony seats and 16 loge seats, total: 796 seats. (This posting replaces info in postings to this page which were somehow deleted last month.)
On page 236 of the bio “Fred Stone” by Armond Fields (McFarland, 2002) there is a description of a ceremony which took place on August 25, 1927 at the foundation of the Keith Memorial Theatre. This was 14 months before the theatre opened. The description does not describe exactly where along the foundation site the ceremony took place. It was led by Malcolm Nichols, mayor of Boston. Other speakers included Henry Chesterfield of the National Vaudeville Association, noted show folk George M. Cohan, Julia Arthur and Raymond Hitchcock, followed by Ed Albee himself. Old vaudevillian and musical comedy star Fred Stone then spoke briefly. He handed a trowel to his daughter, actress Dorothy Stone, who then sealed a memorial stone and plaque. The ceremony was concluded by the Boston Meister Singers choir. Fred Stone performed many times at the old Keith’s Theatre (Normandie); he played 5 weeks at the old Boston Theatre in “The Wizard of Oz” (he originated the role of the Scarecrow) in Oct. 1904. He played the Old Howard in 1896, and many times at the Colonial in various musicals. He ended his long career playing small character parts in RKO movies in the 1930s. Some of those movies undoubtedly screened at the Keith Memorial/Opera House, as well as the RKO Boston.
There are some comments about the RKO Grand on pages 198-99, and 214 of “The National Trust Guide to Great Opera Houses in America” by Karyl Lynn Zietz published in 1996 by John Wiley & Sons. The one point I disagree with is that the author states that the Grand was demolished on March 31, 1958 which I believe was probably the closing date. The book contains a great deal of interesting information, and the author also wrote a guide to opera houses in western Europe. The Grand is also mentioned in the bio “Fred Stone” by Armond Fields (McFarland, 2002). The vaudeville and musical comedy star Fred Stone originated the role of the Scarecrow in the original stage version of “The Wizard of Oz” and the book details how he perfected the role while playing at the Grand in the summer of 1902. The book states that curious kids would gather outside his dressing room window at the Grand to watch him get into his Scarecrow makeup and costume.
The Mohawk Theatre on Main St. in North Adams was included in the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project. There is an exterior photo dated April 1941. The exact same marquee was on the building in 1941 that is there in the photos posted above by Chuck1231, complete with the E.M. Loew logos. The Report states that the Mohawk is not a MGM customer; that it was over 10 years old in 1941; that it is in Fair condition, and has 850 seats on the main floor and 450 in the balcony, total: 1300 seats. The competing theatres in North Adams are listed as: Paramount and Richmond. (I have a seperate MGM Report for the Paramount, but not for the Richmond Theatre). The 1940 population at North Adams was shown as 12,600 on the Mohawk’s Report, and 22,200 on the Paramount’s Report, so take your pick.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project includes the Holyoke Theatre in Holyoke. There is an exterior photo taken in 1941. The brick building containing the entrance appears to sit on a slope running downhill from left to right. There was a flashy rectangular marquee. My Xerox copy is poor, so it’s difficult to read the marquee, but the attraction appears to be “Swanee River”. It also states “Low Prices, Mat. 10 cents, Eve. 20 cents.” The Report states that the theatre is on Main Street. And that the theatre has been a MGM customer for 5 years; it was built in 1890, is in Fair condition, and has 440 seats, all on one floor.
Back in the 1980s, the Orpheum interior was somewhat shabby in a quaintly funky sort of way which suited its role as a Rock concert hall. Today the place is a total dump inside – badly in need of some basic rehab work.
There is a MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the State Theatre in Dover NH. It includes an exterior shot dated April 1941. My copy is a washed-out Xerox, but it is the same building as in the photo link above. The entrance was at the right end of the building and there was a rectangular, rather nice, marquee. The movie playing was Charles Boyer in “Back Street”. The Report states that the theatre was on Mill Street, which is obviously wrong. The Report says that the theatre was not a MGM customer, that it was built about 1920, that it’s in Fair condition, and has about 450 seats, all on one floor. Competing theatres in Dover are listed as the Strand and the Broadway. The 1940 population of Dover was 13,500.
Yes, there were 3 or 4 theatres named Wallack’s in NY. And the Anco on W. 42nd St. was one of them. There was a Wallack’s on Broadway, on the east side, at the northeast corner of W. 30th St. This was a first-class legit house with both straight plays and musicals. It was located one block north of Weber’s Theatre, on the opposite side of Bway. There is a photo of it, plus some info, in Mary Henderson’s book “The City and the Theatre”. It was opened by Lester Wallack in 1882, was later operated as Palmer’s Theatre, before the original name was restored, and was razed in or after 1915. No mention if it was ever on movies.
Here are some demolition dates for the Pilgrim. I went there on May 10, 1996 and found that demo was almost complete on the entrance and lobby. On June 17, 1996, the entire theatre was gone except for the stage house, which came down a little later.
The Allen Theatre in Lowell was included in the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project, but unfortunately, no one filled out the form, not even the street address. There is a facade photo taken in June 1950. The building appears to have at least 4 stories and is brick. There is a 2-sided triangle marquee with black letters on white background. Movies playing are “T Men” and Red Skelton in “Merton of the Movies”. At the apex of the triangle there is an “A” in a circle, with the name “Allen” on the top edge of the marquee in big letters. Above the marquee on the 2nd floor is a row of windows; and above that on the 3rd floor is a large, wide window with an arch at the top. To the right of the theatre is a building with “Middlesex” in big letters; to the left is a shoe store. There is no MGM Report for the Crown or Allen in 1941, when most of the other Reports were made.
In 2000, to mark the Colonial’s 100th birthday, the theatre published a history book, complete with numerous high-quality color photos. This book was similar to the book about the New Amsterdam Theatre in NY. There were 2000 copies printed and the price was about $85. There is a copy in the THSA Archives/Library in Elmhurst IL, and I assume that a few libraries closer to home have it also.
Patriot Cinemas has just started a new admission policy at the Cameo in South Weymouth: $1.99 for all shows, Wed. – Mon.; while Tuesday is “Dollar Night”.
Thanks, Hank.Sykes, for answering my post of late-Sept. which somehow got deleted when this Page was updated. I wanted further details about Keith’s Theatre being one in the same as the previous Columbia/ Fountain Square theatres, although drastically remodeled and rebuilt.
Hank Sykes- Were all 3 theatres in the same structure?? I get the impression that the Fountain Square Theatre was remodeled into the Columbia Th., which was in turn remodeled into B.F. Keith’s. Is that correct? The same structure held all 3 theatres, drastically remodeled each time ?? Or, was the Fountain Sq. demolished and replaced by the Columbia, which was demolished and replaced by Keith’s Theatre ?? (in other words, 3 seperate theatres on the same site).
I once saw an old photo which showed the entrance of the Olympic on the left side of the photo and the facade of the Bowdoin Square Theatre on the right side, with a hotel seperating them. The Olympic had an arch over the entrance just like the Bowdoin Square. The Boston theatres history book written by Donald King states that the Olympic opened about 1905 and may have been called the Theatre Joliette for a short while around 1907. It was an early movie house.
Correcton to the corrections, re: Mary Henderson’s book. The map shows Miner’s at the SOUTHeast corner of Eighth Ave and W. 27th St. The text in the book says the theatre was located between W. 26th and W. 27th streets, on Eighth Ave. I assume that the street numbers are Even on the east side of the Avenue?? It seems likely that Miner’s Eighth Ave. Theatre and the Chelsea Th. are the same. BTW, the map in the Henderson book shows another theatre, the Grand Opera House, originally Pike’s Th. of 1868, in a large building at the northwest corner of Eighth Ave. and W. 23rd St. The author says that it became a RKO movie house which lasted until 1960. What was its name?
Correction to the above posting: although the map in the Mary Henderson book shows the theatre at the northeast corner of the intersection, the text indicates the theatre was on the east side of Eighth Ave between W. 26th and W. 27th streets. The author does not indicate what happened to the theatre after the 1902 reopening.
According to the Mary Henderson book, “City and the Theatre”, Miner’s Eighth Avenue Theatre was located at the northeast corner of Eighth Ave and W. 27th St. The old photo shows its facade as being 4 stories high. It was built by Harry Miner as a variety house in 1881.His sons ran it after his death in 1900, and it was rebuilt in 1902 after a fire damaged it. It played burlesque on stage and films; then films only.
I agree with Life’s Too Short. Not only did the building managment turn down the 2 individuals who asked to view the theatre, they twice refused the organizers of the THSA convention last June permission to take the group of 150 inside for a brief look. Meanwhile, maintenance staff go in and out of the theatre all the time. There’s little doubt that they don’t want a Gayety-type movement to “Save the RKO Boston!”
The architect was John Lyle, who also designed the great Toronto Union Station. The theatre was built for Cawthra Mulock and opened on August 26, 1907. It originally had 1525 seats. (This info is from THSA Marquee Magazine, 1994.) Around 1990, Ed Mirvish published a book about the theatre which was unique: it had 2 front covers and also featured the Old Vic Theatre in London. After reading the first half of the book, one turned it over and upside-down to read the second half !
The exterior of the State in Point Pleasant was seen several times in the background during an hour-long sequence of “Sci-Fi Investigates” when the investigative team visited Point Pleasant to explore the legend of the “Mothman”. (Sci-Fi Channel). The filming took place during the summer and the theatre looked very much as in Lost Memory’s photo above.
cagey- Howard Johnson was a Quincy resident. His first HoJo’s was in Quincy, near the Wollaston Theatre in the 1920s; also another location in the Granite Trust Bldg (still standing) across from the Strand Theatre in Quincy center.
I think that Jim L is correct— I have a very vague memory that there was a Brigham’s or a store very similar to Brigham’s near the Uptown entrance, perhaps to the left (west).
Does anyone know where the Aztec’s Wurlitzer came from? Several months ago I heard that the instrument originally was in the Paramount Theatre (still standing) in Boston MA. Anyone know for sure?
The Boston Globe of November 2, 2003 had a feature article with 2 color interior photos of the restoration project at the Fairmount. What has happened at this theatre in the 3 years since the article appeared? Nearby is another old theatre, French’s Opera House at 45 Fairmount Avenue, home of the Riverside Theatre Works. The Fairmount was included in the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project. There is an exterior photo taken in April 1941. The Report states that the theatre has been a MGM customer for over 10 years; that it’s over 15 years old and in Fair condition, and has 530 orchestra seats, 250 balcony seats and 16 loge seats, total: 796 seats. (This posting replaces info in postings to this page which were somehow deleted last month.)
On page 236 of the bio “Fred Stone” by Armond Fields (McFarland, 2002) there is a description of a ceremony which took place on August 25, 1927 at the foundation of the Keith Memorial Theatre. This was 14 months before the theatre opened. The description does not describe exactly where along the foundation site the ceremony took place. It was led by Malcolm Nichols, mayor of Boston. Other speakers included Henry Chesterfield of the National Vaudeville Association, noted show folk George M. Cohan, Julia Arthur and Raymond Hitchcock, followed by Ed Albee himself. Old vaudevillian and musical comedy star Fred Stone then spoke briefly. He handed a trowel to his daughter, actress Dorothy Stone, who then sealed a memorial stone and plaque. The ceremony was concluded by the Boston Meister Singers choir. Fred Stone performed many times at the old Keith’s Theatre (Normandie); he played 5 weeks at the old Boston Theatre in “The Wizard of Oz” (he originated the role of the Scarecrow) in Oct. 1904. He played the Old Howard in 1896, and many times at the Colonial in various musicals. He ended his long career playing small character parts in RKO movies in the 1930s. Some of those movies undoubtedly screened at the Keith Memorial/Opera House, as well as the RKO Boston.
There are some comments about the RKO Grand on pages 198-99, and 214 of “The National Trust Guide to Great Opera Houses in America” by Karyl Lynn Zietz published in 1996 by John Wiley & Sons. The one point I disagree with is that the author states that the Grand was demolished on March 31, 1958 which I believe was probably the closing date. The book contains a great deal of interesting information, and the author also wrote a guide to opera houses in western Europe. The Grand is also mentioned in the bio “Fred Stone” by Armond Fields (McFarland, 2002). The vaudeville and musical comedy star Fred Stone originated the role of the Scarecrow in the original stage version of “The Wizard of Oz” and the book details how he perfected the role while playing at the Grand in the summer of 1902. The book states that curious kids would gather outside his dressing room window at the Grand to watch him get into his Scarecrow makeup and costume.
The Mohawk Theatre on Main St. in North Adams was included in the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project. There is an exterior photo dated April 1941. The exact same marquee was on the building in 1941 that is there in the photos posted above by Chuck1231, complete with the E.M. Loew logos. The Report states that the Mohawk is not a MGM customer; that it was over 10 years old in 1941; that it is in Fair condition, and has 850 seats on the main floor and 450 in the balcony, total: 1300 seats. The competing theatres in North Adams are listed as: Paramount and Richmond. (I have a seperate MGM Report for the Paramount, but not for the Richmond Theatre). The 1940 population at North Adams was shown as 12,600 on the Mohawk’s Report, and 22,200 on the Paramount’s Report, so take your pick.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project includes the Holyoke Theatre in Holyoke. There is an exterior photo taken in 1941. The brick building containing the entrance appears to sit on a slope running downhill from left to right. There was a flashy rectangular marquee. My Xerox copy is poor, so it’s difficult to read the marquee, but the attraction appears to be “Swanee River”. It also states “Low Prices, Mat. 10 cents, Eve. 20 cents.” The Report states that the theatre is on Main Street. And that the theatre has been a MGM customer for 5 years; it was built in 1890, is in Fair condition, and has 440 seats, all on one floor.
Back in the 1980s, the Orpheum interior was somewhat shabby in a quaintly funky sort of way which suited its role as a Rock concert hall. Today the place is a total dump inside – badly in need of some basic rehab work.
There is a MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the State Theatre in Dover NH. It includes an exterior shot dated April 1941. My copy is a washed-out Xerox, but it is the same building as in the photo link above. The entrance was at the right end of the building and there was a rectangular, rather nice, marquee. The movie playing was Charles Boyer in “Back Street”. The Report states that the theatre was on Mill Street, which is obviously wrong. The Report says that the theatre was not a MGM customer, that it was built about 1920, that it’s in Fair condition, and has about 450 seats, all on one floor. Competing theatres in Dover are listed as the Strand and the Broadway. The 1940 population of Dover was 13,500.
Al Alvarez – I just looked at your photo link above, and this is the same building as the photo in Mary Henderson’s book.
Yes, there were 3 or 4 theatres named Wallack’s in NY. And the Anco on W. 42nd St. was one of them. There was a Wallack’s on Broadway, on the east side, at the northeast corner of W. 30th St. This was a first-class legit house with both straight plays and musicals. It was located one block north of Weber’s Theatre, on the opposite side of Bway. There is a photo of it, plus some info, in Mary Henderson’s book “The City and the Theatre”. It was opened by Lester Wallack in 1882, was later operated as Palmer’s Theatre, before the original name was restored, and was razed in or after 1915. No mention if it was ever on movies.
Here are some demolition dates for the Pilgrim. I went there on May 10, 1996 and found that demo was almost complete on the entrance and lobby. On June 17, 1996, the entire theatre was gone except for the stage house, which came down a little later.
The Allen Theatre in Lowell was included in the MGM Theatre Photograph and Report project, but unfortunately, no one filled out the form, not even the street address. There is a facade photo taken in June 1950. The building appears to have at least 4 stories and is brick. There is a 2-sided triangle marquee with black letters on white background. Movies playing are “T Men” and Red Skelton in “Merton of the Movies”. At the apex of the triangle there is an “A” in a circle, with the name “Allen” on the top edge of the marquee in big letters. Above the marquee on the 2nd floor is a row of windows; and above that on the 3rd floor is a large, wide window with an arch at the top. To the right of the theatre is a building with “Middlesex” in big letters; to the left is a shoe store. There is no MGM Report for the Crown or Allen in 1941, when most of the other Reports were made.
In 2000, to mark the Colonial’s 100th birthday, the theatre published a history book, complete with numerous high-quality color photos. This book was similar to the book about the New Amsterdam Theatre in NY. There were 2000 copies printed and the price was about $85. There is a copy in the THSA Archives/Library in Elmhurst IL, and I assume that a few libraries closer to home have it also.
Patriot Cinemas has just started a new admission policy at the Cameo in South Weymouth: $1.99 for all shows, Wed. – Mon.; while Tuesday is “Dollar Night”.
Thanks, Hank.Sykes, for answering my post of late-Sept. which somehow got deleted when this Page was updated. I wanted further details about Keith’s Theatre being one in the same as the previous Columbia/ Fountain Square theatres, although drastically remodeled and rebuilt.
Hank Sykes- Were all 3 theatres in the same structure?? I get the impression that the Fountain Square Theatre was remodeled into the Columbia Th., which was in turn remodeled into B.F. Keith’s. Is that correct? The same structure held all 3 theatres, drastically remodeled each time ?? Or, was the Fountain Sq. demolished and replaced by the Columbia, which was demolished and replaced by Keith’s Theatre ?? (in other words, 3 seperate theatres on the same site).
I once saw an old photo which showed the entrance of the Olympic on the left side of the photo and the facade of the Bowdoin Square Theatre on the right side, with a hotel seperating them. The Olympic had an arch over the entrance just like the Bowdoin Square. The Boston theatres history book written by Donald King states that the Olympic opened about 1905 and may have been called the Theatre Joliette for a short while around 1907. It was an early movie house.
Correcton to the corrections, re: Mary Henderson’s book. The map shows Miner’s at the SOUTHeast corner of Eighth Ave and W. 27th St. The text in the book says the theatre was located between W. 26th and W. 27th streets, on Eighth Ave. I assume that the street numbers are Even on the east side of the Avenue?? It seems likely that Miner’s Eighth Ave. Theatre and the Chelsea Th. are the same. BTW, the map in the Henderson book shows another theatre, the Grand Opera House, originally Pike’s Th. of 1868, in a large building at the northwest corner of Eighth Ave. and W. 23rd St. The author says that it became a RKO movie house which lasted until 1960. What was its name?
Correction to the above posting: although the map in the Mary Henderson book shows the theatre at the northeast corner of the intersection, the text indicates the theatre was on the east side of Eighth Ave between W. 26th and W. 27th streets. The author does not indicate what happened to the theatre after the 1902 reopening.
According to the Mary Henderson book, “City and the Theatre”, Miner’s Eighth Avenue Theatre was located at the northeast corner of Eighth Ave and W. 27th St. The old photo shows its facade as being 4 stories high. It was built by Harry Miner as a variety house in 1881.His sons ran it after his death in 1900, and it was rebuilt in 1902 after a fire damaged it. It played burlesque on stage and films; then films only.
I agree with Life’s Too Short. Not only did the building managment turn down the 2 individuals who asked to view the theatre, they twice refused the organizers of the THSA convention last June permission to take the group of 150 inside for a brief look. Meanwhile, maintenance staff go in and out of the theatre all the time. There’s little doubt that they don’t want a Gayety-type movement to “Save the RKO Boston!”