Lupe Vélez appeared here in person in March 1929 along with the film she starred in, D.W. Griffith’s last silent film which was also a part-talkie, Lady of the Pavements. NEWSPAPER AD from March 30, 1929.
Last week, on July 13, I attended a concert at the Casino Theatre, part of the Newport Music Festival dedicated to chamber music events each year. The concert, entitled “Notturno,” was well-attended. The opportunity to see close-up again this beautiful music box of a theatre was very much appreciated by all those present. The last time I had been inside was in the early 1980s.
The Holman Theatre becomes the System Theatre: this ad in The Canadian Jewish Chronicle from January 13, 1922 gives the owner’s promise and pledge. NEWSPAPER AD
The 1953 British film The Kidnappers, also called The Little Kidnappers (in the U.S.)ran for 20 weeks here in 1954. That must have been some sort of record at a time when movies rarely played more than one to three weeks. The film featured Duncan Macrae, Jon Whiteley, Vincent Winter.
The Orpheum has some claim to fame for admirers of Vittorio De Sica’s Italian neo-realist classic The Bicycle Thief/Ladri di biciclette, which played here at the Orpheum in May 1952 for two weeks only. A review appeared in the Montreal Gazette on May 20, 1952.
In Providence News, July 22, 1924, there appeared a full-page column by columnist “Sally.” In “Seeing the Shops With Sally” she discusses a day in the city of Providence, places to shop, things to do…and much more. Yesterday, she writes, after buying some candy at the Arcade, she headed to a movie program at the Modern. Her words:
“There is nothing like a good picture to break the monotony of a week’s housework. Consequently the Modern Theatre is the selected place for the one day vacation.
"Sally stole a few hours from her work yesterday and went to see the picture ‘Recoil,’ that is playing there now. This Rex Beach production is entertaining to the extreme and when shown with the comedies ‘Wedding Showers’ and ‘Powder Marks,’ it makes a very interesting bill.”
For the complete article, with lots of nostalgic material on the city of Providence and other places in Rhode Island, go to this DIRECT LINK to the entire page.
From The (Providence) Evening Tribune, September 8, 1916:
“Narragansett’s season is rapidly nearing its end, and departures are now the rule rather than arrivals. Social events are few and far between, and for lack of these, society here has taken to the ‘movies.’ The attractive new moving picture house at the Pier fills a long-felt want and the patronage from the cottage colony and hotels has been so large that practically every seat has been taken for the evening performances. Indeed, if one wishes to meet friends just now one needs only to go to the ‘movies’ at any time between 8 and 10 o'clock.”
Here is a NEWSPAPER AD from August 4, 1896. It shows the Forest Casino open for entertainment events and also points out the showings of Edison Vitascope films at probably a separate building at the park. Vitascope shorts had been shown two months earlier in Providence. Movies were just coming into existence and considered a side-show novelty.
In the October 30, 1961 issue of Boxoffice Magazine, an ad was run showing how many mainstream theatres were showing Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, a subtitled Italian movie. This theatre was one of those in Rhode Island. LINK
In the October 30, 1961 issue of Boxoffice Magazine, an ad was run showing how many mainstream theatres were showing Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, a subtitled Italian movie. This theatre was one of those in Rhode Island. LINK
In the October 30, 1961 issue of Boxoffice Magazine, an ad was run showing how many mainstream theatres were showing Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, a subtitled Italian movie. This theatre was one of those in Rhode Island. LINK
“The Three X Club of Wakefield will hold a week end hop in the Wakefield Opera House tonight, which will be preceded by moving pictures featuring Bebe Daniels in ‘Nancy from Nowhere’ and Conway Tearle in ‘Marooned Hearts.’ Miller’s new jazz orchestra will furnish music for the pictures and dancing. The hall has been tastefully decorated with tri-colored garlands and fancy Japanese lanterns for the occasion, and many electric fans are to be in operation around the hall.”
Last April the theatre was open to the public briefly, as reported in this article in The Westerly Sun, which includes a photo of the interior. ARTICLE
EARLY 20TH CENTURY PHOTO of Rocky Point Park. Forest Casino was located within the amusement park. Many area residents flocked to this park during the warm months. Ferries and direct trolleys could bring them in. They could picnic or have a RI shore dinner, visit the amusements and rides, go to a dance hall, attend a vaudeville and movie program before returning home. I don’t believe any actual photos of the Forest Casino survive, and I believe that it may have been destroyed in a fire that leveled some of the park early on.
From The (Providence)Evening News, August 7, 1909: “A new vaudeville show and new sets of moving pictures are offered in the Forest casino and the bill is one that cannot fail to please.”
From Providence News, June 1, 1920: “Forest Casino offered an extra good bill of pictures and vaudeville and was well patronized.”
A Providence Journal item on May 19 indicated that there would be a fundraiser on June 3 to benefit the Greenwich Odeum Theatre. The venue has been closed for several years because it could not meet new stricter fire codes in the wake of the 2003 Station Night Club fire in West Warwick.
“Elysee to Intensify Quality Film Plan” Article in Boxoffice magazine, November 18, 1963: CLICK HERE
Ad from Newburgh News, April 29, 1929, in connection with the opening of Lady of the Pavements with Lupe Vélez, directed by D. W. Griffith.
Lupe Vélez appeared here in person in March 1929 along with the film she starred in, D.W. Griffith’s last silent film which was also a part-talkie, Lady of the Pavements. NEWSPAPER AD from March 30, 1929.
Here is a photo of the Orpheum in the 1960s.
Here is a postcard showing an early 1900s view of the Français.
Direct link to image of the Dante Theatre in Boxoffice magazine, April 30, 1938: VIEW LINK
Last week, on July 13, I attended a concert at the Casino Theatre, part of the Newport Music Festival dedicated to chamber music events each year. The concert, entitled “Notturno,” was well-attended. The opportunity to see close-up again this beautiful music box of a theatre was very much appreciated by all those present. The last time I had been inside was in the early 1980s.
The Holman Theatre becomes the System Theatre: this ad in The Canadian Jewish Chronicle from January 13, 1922 gives the owner’s promise and pledge. NEWSPAPER AD
The 1953 British film The Kidnappers, also called The Little Kidnappers (in the U.S.)ran for 20 weeks here in 1954. That must have been some sort of record at a time when movies rarely played more than one to three weeks. The film featured Duncan Macrae, Jon Whiteley, Vincent Winter.
The Orpheum has some claim to fame for admirers of Vittorio De Sica’s Italian neo-realist classic The Bicycle Thief/Ladri di biciclette, which played here at the Orpheum in May 1952 for two weeks only. A review appeared in the Montreal Gazette on May 20, 1952.
The image in that photo looks like Cine 539, elsewhere on Cinema Treasures.
Here is a better link to that March 3, 1945 BOXOFFICE ARTICLE by Helen Kent, with photos of the Kent Theatre.
In Providence News, July 22, 1924, there appeared a full-page column by columnist “Sally.” In “Seeing the Shops With Sally” she discusses a day in the city of Providence, places to shop, things to do…and much more. Yesterday, she writes, after buying some candy at the Arcade, she headed to a movie program at the Modern. Her words:
“There is nothing like a good picture to break the monotony of a week’s housework. Consequently the Modern Theatre is the selected place for the one day vacation. "Sally stole a few hours from her work yesterday and went to see the picture ‘Recoil,’ that is playing there now. This Rex Beach production is entertaining to the extreme and when shown with the comedies ‘Wedding Showers’ and ‘Powder Marks,’ it makes a very interesting bill.”
For the complete article, with lots of nostalgic material on the city of Providence and other places in Rhode Island, go to this DIRECT LINK to the entire page.
From The (Providence) Evening Tribune, September 8, 1916: “Narragansett’s season is rapidly nearing its end, and departures are now the rule rather than arrivals. Social events are few and far between, and for lack of these, society here has taken to the ‘movies.’ The attractive new moving picture house at the Pier fills a long-felt want and the patronage from the cottage colony and hotels has been so large that practically every seat has been taken for the evening performances. Indeed, if one wishes to meet friends just now one needs only to go to the ‘movies’ at any time between 8 and 10 o'clock.”
Here is a NEWSPAPER AD from August 4, 1896. It shows the Forest Casino open for entertainment events and also points out the showings of Edison Vitascope films at probably a separate building at the park. Vitascope shorts had been shown two months earlier in Providence. Movies were just coming into existence and considered a side-show novelty.
In the October 30, 1961 issue of Boxoffice Magazine, an ad was run showing how many mainstream theatres were showing Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, a subtitled Italian movie. This theatre was one of those in Rhode Island. LINK
In the October 30, 1961 issue of Boxoffice Magazine, an ad was run showing how many mainstream theatres were showing Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, a subtitled Italian movie. This theatre was one of those in Rhode Island. LINK
In the October 30, 1961 issue of Boxoffice Magazine, an ad was run showing how many mainstream theatres were showing Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, a subtitled Italian movie. This theatre was one of those in Rhode Island. LINK
Item in Providence News, July 22, 1922:
“The Three X Club of Wakefield will hold a week end hop in the Wakefield Opera House tonight, which will be preceded by moving pictures featuring Bebe Daniels in ‘Nancy from Nowhere’ and Conway Tearle in ‘Marooned Hearts.’ Miller’s new jazz orchestra will furnish music for the pictures and dancing. The hall has been tastefully decorated with tri-colored garlands and fancy Japanese lanterns for the occasion, and many electric fans are to be in operation around the hall.”
This drive-in opened in 1948 and closed in 1987.
Last April the theatre was open to the public briefly, as reported in this article in The Westerly Sun, which includes a photo of the interior. ARTICLE
EARLY 20TH CENTURY PHOTO of Rocky Point Park. Forest Casino was located within the amusement park. Many area residents flocked to this park during the warm months. Ferries and direct trolleys could bring them in. They could picnic or have a RI shore dinner, visit the amusements and rides, go to a dance hall, attend a vaudeville and movie program before returning home. I don’t believe any actual photos of the Forest Casino survive, and I believe that it may have been destroyed in a fire that leveled some of the park early on.
SEPTEMBER 1914 AD
From The (Providence)Evening News, August 7, 1909: “A new vaudeville show and new sets of moving pictures are offered in the Forest casino and the bill is one that cannot fail to please.”
From Providence News, June 1, 1920: “Forest Casino offered an extra good bill of pictures and vaudeville and was well patronized.”
A Providence Journal item on May 19 indicated that there would be a fundraiser on June 3 to benefit the Greenwich Odeum Theatre. The venue has been closed for several years because it could not meet new stricter fire codes in the wake of the 2003 Station Night Club fire in West Warwick.