Here is an item from the Fergus Falls (MN) Daily Journal dated 8/27/58:
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) â€" Radio City Theater has been sold to WCCO-TV and radio and will close as a loop movie showhouse Oct. 15. It is the largest theater in Minnesota with 4,000 seating capacity. The sale was announced Tuesday night by Minnesota Amusement Co., the owner of the building, and Midwest Radio-Television, operator of WCCO. Price was not disclosed.
Here is an item in the Winona (MN) Republican-Herald dated 1/22/48:
Blair, Wis, â€"(Special)â€" In a deal completed last week the Century theater was sold to Frank Lesmeister, Martin, N.D., who purchased equipment, business and building from Ralph Andrews and George Johnson. The new owner, who has been in business for several years, will be assisted by his wife and son, who will come here as soon as living quarters are available.
Johnson and Andrews purchased the theater about a year and a half ago from La Vern Kostner, Arcadia. Andrews has been located here as manager for the past year. Johnson recently purchased a theater at Braham, Minn., and Mr. and Mrs. Andrews expect to go to Mission, Texas, to visit her parents and may eventually settle in that state.
Here is an October 1935 item from the Galveston Daily News:
Alvin, Tex., Oct. 6.â€"A new theater building is in sight for Alvin with the selection of a lot on Sealy Street and the beginning of clearing the space last week. J.G. Long of Bay City, owner of a chain of 14 theaters in 12 gulf coast towns including the present Alvin theater, will build the new picture house. He states that the project will be open for bids this week.
The new building on Sealy Street will adjoin the Dixie service station and cafe. Old buildings on the property have practically been cleared away and Mr. Long says that the new structure will be an attractive building of modernistic architectural lines. The building will have a 75-foot front and will be 125 feet deep and about 30 feet high.
The theater will be treated with an acoustical board for sound effects and lighting fixtures will be in the latest design. Seating capacity will be between 700 and 800 and cushion scats will be used. The theater will be air conditioned. In addition to the theater, the new building will include space for three small stores on its front. Although construction has not started, Mr. Long hopes that the building and the new theater may be opened shortly after the first of the year.
Here is a July 1923 item that was in the Fresno Bee:
Adolph Ramish of the West Coast Theater Company, Inc., a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures Corporation, announced in Los Angeles to-day that he expects to close a lease on the Hippodrome Theater property in Fresno within a week or ten days. The deal, which Ramish says is virtually closed, will give the West Coast Company a lease which is to be followed by the expenditure of a large sum in remodeling and refitting the theater, converting it into a modern, attractive theater.
Following the announcement from Bakersfield that the Hippodrome in Fresno had been purchased came the statement from Ramish that the deal only contemplates a lease, not a sale of the property. The West Coast Theater Company now has control of 210 theaters on the Pacific Coast, its operations including the California Theater in Bakersfield, Loew’s Warfield in San Francisco, Loew’s State in Los Angeles, Tivoli in San Francisco, T & D Theaters in Oakland and Berkeley, and formerly affiliated theaters in Sacramento, Stockton and Watsonville.
Here is an item from the Fresno Bee in December 1946:
All estimates were exceeded by the crowds of smiling, carefree children who filled theaters in Kingsburg, Orange Cove and Orosi Wednesday at the last of a series of 28 free Christmas theater parties in 17 San Joaquin Valley communities.
“Amazingly well behaved” was the tribute earned from Manager William George of the American Theater in Kingsburg by the crowd of 800 (200 more than was expected) at the final theater party Wednesday afternoon. The party was given by the theater manager, Kingsburg Post No. 191 of the American Legion and the Fresno Bee.
KERMAN (Fresno Co.), Dec. 12.â€"Four hundred Kerman children will be guests tomorrow at the first of a series of happy Christmas theater parties in 16 valley communities. The party will start at 1:30 p.m. in Kerman’s new California Theater. The hosts will be Jack Rahl, the owner, and the Fresno Bee.
The California was opened last August as the community’s first modern theater building. The cost was approximately $35,000. The theater is fully air conditioned. It has new motion picture and sound equipment, including a 14 by 18 foot sound screen. The seating capacity is 491.
Here is part of a 1932 Michigan suit involving the Dexter Theater:
The officer testified that he went to the Dexter Theatre to serve the process, found the office on the second floor closed, and went to the box office where tickets were sold, and asked the cashier if there was anybody in charge of the office that could receive process, and the cashier asked, “What have you got?” and he said “I have a garnishee summons,” and was informed that “Mr. Miller is here and he is the manager — he may accept service,” and the cashier sent a man to find Mr. Miller, and when Mr. Miller came the officer asked him if he was manager, and received the reply that he was, and then stated to Mr. Miller, “I have a garnishee to serve upon the corporation,” and handed him the paper and gave him 50 cents; that Mr. Miller read the paper, did not like it, and started to call the officer names and said he did not want it, and the witness just left it with him and walked away.
Plaintiff claims that Miller was in charge of the ushers and was not manager. John L. Brown, vice-president of the corporation, testified that Mr. Miller was in the employ of the company as head usher, and was asked: “In case anything came up, your father or brother wasn’t there, would he be the person in charge at that time?” and answered, “Well, if neither of them were there I would assume so.”
Whether Harry Brown, general manager of the company, was at the place of business at the time of the service of the process is not made certain by plaintiff’s evidence. It is unnecessary to review the testimony at length. It is sufficient to say that, under the testimony, the service was upon a proper person.
Plaintiff also contends that the service was bad because the fee tendered was insufficient. Having made no objection to the mileage fee at the time of service, defendant (plaintiff herein) may not, after judgment, urge the point. The decree is affirmed, with costs to defendant.
Here is an item from the Fergus Falls (MN) Daily Journal dated 8/27/58:
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) â€" Radio City Theater has been sold to WCCO-TV and radio and will close as a loop movie showhouse Oct. 15. It is the largest theater in Minnesota with 4,000 seating capacity. The sale was announced Tuesday night by Minnesota Amusement Co., the owner of the building, and Midwest Radio-Television, operator of WCCO. Price was not disclosed.
Here is an item in the Winona (MN) Republican-Herald dated 1/22/48:
Blair, Wis, â€"(Special)â€" In a deal completed last week the Century theater was sold to Frank Lesmeister, Martin, N.D., who purchased equipment, business and building from Ralph Andrews and George Johnson. The new owner, who has been in business for several years, will be assisted by his wife and son, who will come here as soon as living quarters are available.
Johnson and Andrews purchased the theater about a year and a half ago from La Vern Kostner, Arcadia. Andrews has been located here as manager for the past year. Johnson recently purchased a theater at Braham, Minn., and Mr. and Mrs. Andrews expect to go to Mission, Texas, to visit her parents and may eventually settle in that state.
Here is an October 1935 item from the Galveston Daily News:
Alvin, Tex., Oct. 6.â€"A new theater building is in sight for Alvin with the selection of a lot on Sealy Street and the beginning of clearing the space last week. J.G. Long of Bay City, owner of a chain of 14 theaters in 12 gulf coast towns including the present Alvin theater, will build the new picture house. He states that the project will be open for bids this week.
The new building on Sealy Street will adjoin the Dixie service station and cafe. Old buildings on the property have practically been cleared away and Mr. Long says that the new structure will be an attractive building of modernistic architectural lines. The building will have a 75-foot front and will be 125 feet deep and about 30 feet high.
The theater will be treated with an acoustical board for sound effects and lighting fixtures will be in the latest design. Seating capacity will be between 700 and 800 and cushion scats will be used. The theater will be air conditioned. In addition to the theater, the new building will include space for three small stores on its front. Although construction has not started, Mr. Long hopes that the building and the new theater may be opened shortly after the first of the year.
Here is the Atlas as seen on Google:
http://tinyurl.com/ckv58r
Here is another exterior view:
http://tinyurl.com/d5pnt8
Here is a more recent view from Google maps:
http://tinyurl.com/c795nf
Here is a 1977 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/cxz3y5
Here are photos from 1974, 1977 and 1983:
http://tinyurl.com/dkq96t
http://tinyurl.com/d4jycm
http://tinyurl.com/dfhfay
Here is a 1958 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/dm3rfn
Here is a 1959 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/c7nwaj
Here is another Christmas photo from 1945:
http://tinyurl.com/d2wlkf
Tower is the Newsreel in this 1958 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/c2v5sp
This is supposed to be the Boston Saxon in 1980. The photo may be miscaptioned.
http://tinyurl.com/cqmqb6
In December 1938 they were staging basketball games on the theater stage, according to this LA Times ad:
http://tinyurl.com/dzjzv4
Here is a December 1958 ad for some horror movies at the Rio:
http://tinyurl.com/ct6u7j
Here is a July 1923 item that was in the Fresno Bee:
Adolph Ramish of the West Coast Theater Company, Inc., a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures Corporation, announced in Los Angeles to-day that he expects to close a lease on the Hippodrome Theater property in Fresno within a week or ten days. The deal, which Ramish says is virtually closed, will give the West Coast Company a lease which is to be followed by the expenditure of a large sum in remodeling and refitting the theater, converting it into a modern, attractive theater.
Following the announcement from Bakersfield that the Hippodrome in Fresno had been purchased came the statement from Ramish that the deal only contemplates a lease, not a sale of the property. The West Coast Theater Company now has control of 210 theaters on the Pacific Coast, its operations including the California Theater in Bakersfield, Loew’s Warfield in San Francisco, Loew’s State in Los Angeles, Tivoli in San Francisco, T & D Theaters in Oakland and Berkeley, and formerly affiliated theaters in Sacramento, Stockton and Watsonville.
Here is a December 1951 ad from the Oakland Tribune:
http://tinyurl.com/cqhhcj
Here is a 1986 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/c6uqbz
Here is a 1980 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/c5o4ec
Here is a 1981 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/c9mhay
Here is a 2006 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/c3rcd4
Here is an item from the Fresno Bee in December 1946:
All estimates were exceeded by the crowds of smiling, carefree children who filled theaters in Kingsburg, Orange Cove and Orosi Wednesday at the last of a series of 28 free Christmas theater parties in 17 San Joaquin Valley communities.
“Amazingly well behaved” was the tribute earned from Manager William George of the American Theater in Kingsburg by the crowd of 800 (200 more than was expected) at the final theater party Wednesday afternoon. The party was given by the theater manager, Kingsburg Post No. 191 of the American Legion and the Fresno Bee.
This is from the Fresno Bee in December 1946:
KERMAN (Fresno Co.), Dec. 12.â€"Four hundred Kerman children will be guests tomorrow at the first of a series of happy Christmas theater parties in 16 valley communities. The party will start at 1:30 p.m. in Kerman’s new California Theater. The hosts will be Jack Rahl, the owner, and the Fresno Bee.
The California was opened last August as the community’s first modern theater building. The cost was approximately $35,000. The theater is fully air conditioned. It has new motion picture and sound equipment, including a 14 by 18 foot sound screen. The seating capacity is 491.
Here is part of a 1932 Michigan suit involving the Dexter Theater:
The officer testified that he went to the Dexter Theatre to serve the process, found the office on the second floor closed, and went to the box office where tickets were sold, and asked the cashier if there was anybody in charge of the office that could receive process, and the cashier asked, “What have you got?” and he said “I have a garnishee summons,” and was informed that “Mr. Miller is here and he is the manager — he may accept service,” and the cashier sent a man to find Mr. Miller, and when Mr. Miller came the officer asked him if he was manager, and received the reply that he was, and then stated to Mr. Miller, “I have a garnishee to serve upon the corporation,” and handed him the paper and gave him 50 cents; that Mr. Miller read the paper, did not like it, and started to call the officer names and said he did not want it, and the witness just left it with him and walked away.
Plaintiff claims that Miller was in charge of the ushers and was not manager. John L. Brown, vice-president of the corporation, testified that Mr. Miller was in the employ of the company as head usher, and was asked: “In case anything came up, your father or brother wasn’t there, would he be the person in charge at that time?” and answered, “Well, if neither of them were there I would assume so.”
Whether Harry Brown, general manager of the company, was at the place of business at the time of the service of the process is not made certain by plaintiff’s evidence. It is unnecessary to review the testimony at length. It is sufficient to say that, under the testimony, the service was upon a proper person.
Plaintiff also contends that the service was bad because the fee tendered was insufficient. Having made no objection to the mileage fee at the time of service, defendant (plaintiff herein) may not, after judgment, urge the point. The decree is affirmed, with costs to defendant.
Advertised as Encel’s Theater in a 1923 Paramount ad.