From Boxoffice magazine, August 21, 1954:
“E.M. Loew’s Drive-In was the site of the New England premiere of "Three Forbidden Stories."
[This Italian film was being marketed for its frank depiction of sexual woes. It also played serious art houses in New York and elsewhere.]
Item in Boxoffice magazine, June 23, 1958:
“Stanley Warner booked Italian films into the Cameo, Bristol, and Embassy, New Britain at the regular price scale."
[For those of us interested in places of exhibition of Italian films to ethnic audiences in the U.S.]
“The Bay State Drive-In, just over the state line [Rhode Island/Massachusetts] in nearby Seekonk, recently highlighted the 12th anniversary with gift nights. Running four consecutive evenings, the anniversary featured the presentation of pearl necklaces to the first 100 feminine patrons; Elizabeth Arden perfume to the next 100 ladies; rain caps to all other females present; cigars to all men, and balloons, candy, and lollipops to the kiddies.”
[Note: this anniversary indicates that the theatre must have opened for business for the first time in 1946.]
Long run for Never on Sunday. Item in Boxoffice magazine, July 10, 1961:
“The Avon Cinema, which broke all boxoffice records when it showed "Never on Sunday” for the seventh straight week, did not quit there. It announced the movie was being carried for its eighth week."
Theatre for sale, item in Boxoffice magazine, July 10, 1961:
“The Paramount Theatre building in Newport went on the auction block July 8, when the movie house, described as fully equipped and ready to operate, was offered for sale. It has a seating capacity of 1,200. The 22,987 square-foot property also includes five income-producing stores in the building, located at 70-80 Broadway.”
Preference shown to Bijou over Metropolitan in in distributor bookings.
“Testimony on Providence Metropolitan is Taken"
Boxoffice magazine on June 10, 1939 ran this long piece on the Metropolitan Theatre, dealing with an anti-trust suit in film bookings, and preference shown to the nearby Bijou in the supplying of films by distributors. View link
“Testimony on Providence Metropolitan is Taken"
Boxoffice magazine on June 10, 1939 ran this long piece on the Metropolitan Theatre, dealing with an anti-trust suit in film bookings, and preference shown to the nearby Bijou in the supplying of films by distributors. View link
GENE AUTRY
Item in Boxoffice magazine, November 22, 1941:
“Gene Autry was guest of Edward M. Fay at a luncheon at the Shriners Club. Later he dropped in at Fay’s to say hello to manager Sam Kaufman, publicist Jack Carroll and others of the theatre’s staff.”
An item in the January 17, 1942 issue of Boxoffice magazine stated:
Parker into Chepachet, RI.
BOSTON – Fred Parker, operator of the Apollo in Boston, and owner of the Bellingham Auto Theatre in that town, has taken over the Chepachet in Chepachet, Rhode Island. Parker, who has acquired the former Grange Hall, has extensively renovated the house.
An item in the January 17, 1942 issue of Boxoffice magazine stated:
Parker into Chepachet, RI.
BOSTON – Fred Parker, operator of the Apollo in Boston, and owner of the Bellingham Auto Theatre in that town, has taken over the Chepachet in Chepachet, Rhode Island. Parker, who has acquired the former Grange Hall, has extensively renovated the house.
An item in the January 17, 1942 issue of Boxoffice magazine stated:
Parker into Chepachet, RI.
BOSTON – Fred Parker, operator of the Apollo in Boston, and owner of the Bellingham Auto Theatre in that town, has taken over the Chepachet in Chepachet, Rhode Island. Parker, who has acquired the former Grange Hall, has extensively renovated the house.
“Manager Jerry Wagner of the Paramount, Newport, took Lester the Great’s magic show to the naval training base for a special show armistice eve. The mysteryman did big business with his 11 p.m. performance at the Paramount the following night, a blindfold drive through Newport streets at noon that day proving an effective publicity stunt.”
The Bijou, Woonsocket, put on an 11:30 p.m. defense workers show during the run of “Crash Dive” last week. Newspaper ads invited workers to “Come as you are—-Don’t Change Yur Clothes.” Stunt brought out a good-sized audience.
HOLYOKE, MASS. — The old Holyoke, for many years he center of lavish stage attractions, is soon to be reopened as a motion picture theatre. Taken over last November by E.M. Loew’s Theatres, the building is to be opened as soon as possible, according to Edward Harrison of Springfield, manager for the Loew organization in western Massachusetts.
A new marquee is to be put up and new display windows added to the front of the building, and as soon as these repairs are completed, an opening date will be scheduled.
As a tribute to veterans of all wars, the management of the Hollywood Theatre in East Providence invited all veterans to be their guests at a special showing of “When Willie Comes Marching Home” and “Captain Carey, U.S.A.”
From Boxoffice magazine, March 14, 1953:
“Uptown, oldest theatre in Gardner, has closed after 56 years of operation. It opened with a policy of traveling roadshows and converted to films long ago. The Smith Management Co., owners, will continue operation of the Orpheum, with Joseph Bresnahan in charge.”
“In the most extensive cooperation promotion ever seen in this area, 14 Providence and nearby houses used record-breaking newspaper advertising space in heralding the joint premiere of "The Day the World Ended” and “Phantom from 10,000 Leagues.” Virtually taking over the amusement pages of the local press for several days, the following houses united in the ad: Elmwood, Hope, Uptown, Liberty, Castle, all in this city; Community, Centredale; Strand, Pawtucket; Union, Attleboro; Hollywood, East Providence; Palace, Cranston; Community, Wakefield; Park, Auburn; Palace, Arctic and Stadium, Woonsocket. A brief checkup of local houses indicated that opening days were solid."
“In the most extensive cooperation promotion ever seen in this area, 14 Providence and nearby houses used record-breaking newspaper advertising space in heralding the joint premiere of "The Day the World Ended” and “Phantom from 10,000 Leagues.” Virtually taking over the amusement pages of the local press for several days, the following houses united in the ad: Elmwood, Hope, Uptown, Liberty, Castle, all in this city; Community, Centredale; Strand, Pawtucket; Union, Attleboro; Hollywood, East Providence; Palace, Cranston; Community, Wakefield; Park, Auburn; Palace, Arctic and Stadium, Woonsocket. A brief checkup of local houses indicated that opening days were solid."
Photo in Boxoffice magazine, September 30, 1950. Front of theatre during showing of Walt Disney’s Treasure Island.
View link
From Boxoffice magazine, August 21, 1954:
“E.M. Loew’s Drive-In was the site of the New England premiere of "Three Forbidden Stories."
[This Italian film was being marketed for its frank depiction of sexual woes. It also played serious art houses in New York and elsewhere.]
Item in Boxoffice magazine, June 23, 1958:
“Stanley Warner booked Italian films into the Cameo, Bristol, and Embassy, New Britain at the regular price scale."
[For those of us interested in places of exhibition of Italian films to ethnic audiences in the U.S.]
Item in Boxoffice magazine, June 23, 1958:
“The Bay State Drive-In, just over the state line [Rhode Island/Massachusetts] in nearby Seekonk, recently highlighted the 12th anniversary with gift nights. Running four consecutive evenings, the anniversary featured the presentation of pearl necklaces to the first 100 feminine patrons; Elizabeth Arden perfume to the next 100 ladies; rain caps to all other females present; cigars to all men, and balloons, candy, and lollipops to the kiddies.”
[Note: this anniversary indicates that the theatre must have opened for business for the first time in 1946.]
Long run for Never on Sunday. Item in Boxoffice magazine, July 10, 1961:
“The Avon Cinema, which broke all boxoffice records when it showed "Never on Sunday” for the seventh straight week, did not quit there. It announced the movie was being carried for its eighth week."
Theatre for sale, item in Boxoffice magazine, July 10, 1961:
“The Paramount Theatre building in Newport went on the auction block July 8, when the movie house, described as fully equipped and ready to operate, was offered for sale. It has a seating capacity of 1,200. The 22,987 square-foot property also includes five income-producing stores in the building, located at 70-80 Broadway.”
Preference shown to Bijou over Metropolitan in in distributor bookings.
“Testimony on Providence Metropolitan is Taken"
Boxoffice magazine on June 10, 1939 ran this long piece on the Metropolitan Theatre, dealing with an anti-trust suit in film bookings, and preference shown to the nearby Bijou in the supplying of films by distributors.
View link
“Testimony on Providence Metropolitan is Taken"
Boxoffice magazine on June 10, 1939 ran this long piece on the Metropolitan Theatre, dealing with an anti-trust suit in film bookings, and preference shown to the nearby Bijou in the supplying of films by distributors.
View link
Estott,
Columbus wasn’t born in “Colon” Italy. There is no such place. He was born in Genoa (Genova).
Earlier article of the rebuilding of the Star after an earlier fire in 1937. From Boxoffice magazine, February 1, 1937:
View link
Front of Granada Theatre decorated. Item with photo in Boxoffice magazine, October 29, 1938:
View link
GENE AUTRY
Item in Boxoffice magazine, November 22, 1941:
“Gene Autry was guest of Edward M. Fay at a luncheon at the Shriners Club. Later he dropped in at Fay’s to say hello to manager Sam Kaufman, publicist Jack Carroll and others of the theatre’s staff.”
An item in the January 17, 1942 issue of Boxoffice magazine stated:
Parker into Chepachet, RI.
BOSTON – Fred Parker, operator of the Apollo in Boston, and owner of the Bellingham Auto Theatre in that town, has taken over the Chepachet in Chepachet, Rhode Island. Parker, who has acquired the former Grange Hall, has extensively renovated the house.
An item in the January 17, 1942 issue of Boxoffice magazine stated:
Parker into Chepachet, RI.
BOSTON – Fred Parker, operator of the Apollo in Boston, and owner of the Bellingham Auto Theatre in that town, has taken over the Chepachet in Chepachet, Rhode Island. Parker, who has acquired the former Grange Hall, has extensively renovated the house.
An item in the January 17, 1942 issue of Boxoffice magazine stated:
Parker into Chepachet, RI.
BOSTON – Fred Parker, operator of the Apollo in Boston, and owner of the Bellingham Auto Theatre in that town, has taken over the Chepachet in Chepachet, Rhode Island. Parker, who has acquired the former Grange Hall, has extensively renovated the house.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, November 28, 1942:
“Manager Jerry Wagner of the Paramount, Newport, took Lester the Great’s magic show to the naval training base for a special show armistice eve. The mysteryman did big business with his 11 p.m. performance at the Paramount the following night, a blindfold drive through Newport streets at noon that day proving an effective publicity stunt.”
Item in Boxoffice magazine, August 21, 1943:
The Bijou, Woonsocket, put on an 11:30 p.m. defense workers show during the run of “Crash Dive” last week. Newspaper ads invited workers to “Come as you are—-Don’t Change Yur Clothes.” Stunt brought out a good-sized audience.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, September 28, 1946:
To Revamp Old Holyoke Into a Regular Cinema
HOLYOKE, MASS. — The old Holyoke, for many years he center of lavish stage attractions, is soon to be reopened as a motion picture theatre. Taken over last November by E.M. Loew’s Theatres, the building is to be opened as soon as possible, according to Edward Harrison of Springfield, manager for the Loew organization in western Massachusetts.
A new marquee is to be put up and new display windows added to the front of the building, and as soon as these repairs are completed, an opening date will be scheduled.
The Rialto Theatre, later known as the Center, was rehabilitated in 1949 according to an item in Boxoffice magazine, February 26, 1949:
View link
Item in Boxoffice magazine, June 10, 1950:
As a tribute to veterans of all wars, the management of the Hollywood Theatre in East Providence invited all veterans to be their guests at a special showing of “When Willie Comes Marching Home” and “Captain Carey, U.S.A.”
The Craterian is the subject of an article and photos in the issue of Boxoffice magazine for October 4, 1952:
View link
From Boxoffice magazine, March 14, 1953:
“Uptown, oldest theatre in Gardner, has closed after 56 years of operation. It opened with a policy of traveling roadshows and converted to films long ago. The Smith Management Co., owners, will continue operation of the Orpheum, with Joseph Bresnahan in charge.”
Here is a Boxoffice magazine spread on the theatre, with eight photos, from the issue of February 4, 1956:
View link
From Boxoffice magazine, February 4, 1956:
“In the most extensive cooperation promotion ever seen in this area, 14 Providence and nearby houses used record-breaking newspaper advertising space in heralding the joint premiere of "The Day the World Ended” and “Phantom from 10,000 Leagues.” Virtually taking over the amusement pages of the local press for several days, the following houses united in the ad: Elmwood, Hope, Uptown, Liberty, Castle, all in this city; Community, Centredale; Strand, Pawtucket; Union, Attleboro; Hollywood, East Providence; Palace, Cranston; Community, Wakefield; Park, Auburn; Palace, Arctic and Stadium, Woonsocket. A brief checkup of local houses indicated that opening days were solid."
From Boxoffice magazine, February 4, 1956:
“In the most extensive cooperation promotion ever seen in this area, 14 Providence and nearby houses used record-breaking newspaper advertising space in heralding the joint premiere of "The Day the World Ended” and “Phantom from 10,000 Leagues.” Virtually taking over the amusement pages of the local press for several days, the following houses united in the ad: Elmwood, Hope, Uptown, Liberty, Castle, all in this city; Community, Centredale; Strand, Pawtucket; Union, Attleboro; Hollywood, East Providence; Palace, Cranston; Community, Wakefield; Park, Auburn; Palace, Arctic and Stadium, Woonsocket. A brief checkup of local houses indicated that opening days were solid."