Italian films shown at the Rialto, item in Boxoffice magazine, August 28, 1948:
The Rialto, Woonsocket, R.I., will reopen September 20 with its regular policy of re-issues and first run foreign films. The house is owned by Maurice Safner but is the “baby” of his son Melvin, who is manager. The foreign element of Woonsocket is predominantly French (about 30,000) but the theatre has a large followig of Italians from surrounding cities and towns. Thus, such films as “Shoe-Shine,” “Panic” and “Open City” have been a good draw at the Rialto, which was closed for the summer months.
[Note: of the three titles mentioned, “Panic” is a French film, the other two are Italian. In Woonsocket, the Laurier often showed French films over the decades.]
20th Anniversary!
Item in Boxoffice Magazine, April 14, 1951:
“The Hollywood in East Providence recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. It opened in 1931 with "Cimarron.”"
[So the theatre existed as a functioning venue for less than 30 years, having ceased regular operation around the end of 1960. Nor was it around during the silent era, as I had thought.]
Sellout Audience at Opening of Cinerama in Providence
PROVIDENCE, RI – A sellout audience, together with a number of dignitaries, attended the gala opening of the new Cinerama Theatre, formerly the Hope Theatre, on the night of August 9, when the Lowell Thomas-Merian C. Cooper release “This is Cinerama,” was presented.
Among the first-nighters were Gov. and Mrs. John A. Notte, Jr., Catholic Bishop McVinney and Joan Zeller, “Miss Rhode Island,” who was official hostess for the occasion.
Two bands provided music for the program, searchlights probed the sky and radio and television personalities were on hand to give added importance to the event.
The new Cinerama Theatre here is the second of its kind in New England, the other one being located in Boston. A third is scheduled to be opened in Hartford, Conn., according to reports here.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, May 5, 1962:
“Rhode Islanders of Italian descent were particularly interested in recent programs at the Johnston Theatre, Thornton, where "The Ten Commandments” was presented with all-Italian dialog, and at the Leroy in Pawtucket, where “Buongiorno Primo Amore” and “Guai ai Vinti” were shown for a single night.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, May 5, 1962:
“Rhode Islanders of Italian descent were particularly interested in recent programs at the Johnston Theatre, Thornton, where "The Ten Commandments” was presented with all-Italian dialog, and at the Leroy in Pawtucket, where “Buongiorno Primo Amore” and “Guai ai Vinti” were shown for a single night.
That no-splice caveat is for archival film prints and certain distributors, such as Rialto. This is a good move.
Let’s hope they get correct screen masking, aperture plates, lenses to show 35mmm films in the various aspect ratios correctly and un-cropped CinemamScope.
“The Royal at Olneyville, R.I. has been reopened after a long shutdown. Foreign films will be shown on Saturday and Sunday of each week, with the house remaining dark the rest of the time."
—-iten in Boxoffice magazine, November 11, 1939
Report on the opening of Conn’s Metropolitan Theatre on August 25, 1932 at 10 a.m., in Boxoffice magazine, September 1, 1932: http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/090132/3
The Pawtucket Strand, closed by an 11-week strike of projectionists, reopened Christmas Day, using independent operators, with “The Last Time I Saw Paris.” Harold Lancaster is manager. The Strand, Pawtucket’s most popular house, has long been ranked as Blackstone Valley’s leading theatre.
“Henry Tobin, resident manager of the Olympia, Olneyville, has leased the Casino in Johnston from Nicolina Ferri, rechristened it the New Johnston and is operating it five nights a week."
—-from Boxoffice magazine, September 20, 1941.
Looks like a garage next to a residence. You can use Google Maps, type in the address, take it to street level, swivel, and see images of all that is around. Can’t pinpoint where the theatre was.
“Melvin Safner of the Safner circuit has taken over the Bellevue Theatre, Central Falls, R.I. on a long term lease. This theatre has been operated for many years by the late Phil Marget and now makes the second house in that city to be operated by the Safners, who have the Lafayette Theatre there.”
“Melvin Safner of the Safner circuit has taken over the Bellevue Theatre, Central Falls, R.I. on a long term lease. This theatre has been operated for many years by the late Phil Marget and now makes the second house in that city to be operated by the Safners, who have the Lafayette Theatre there.”
Start of the Johnston Theatre in 1941, as reported in Boxoffice magazine, June 7, 1941:
Boroff and Tobin Take Casino in Thornton
BOSTON – George Boroff, local book distributor, and Henry Tobin, manager for E.M. Loew in Olneyville, R.I., have taken over Ferris' Casino in Thornton, R.I. The house is now undergoing renovations.
[Note: Ferri’s Casino was located in Ferri’s Block. It became the Johnston Theatre in 1941. Before that it was referred to as Ferri’s Theatre or the Casino. Thornton is a village in Johnston at the Cranston border.]
An unusual movie treat for the younger generation, particularly, was presented at the Uptown Theatre, where Rudolph Valentino was shown in “The Eagle,” modernized with music and sound. The movie house is located in a section where thusands of Providence residents of Italian descent have homes and business establishments.
“The freak hurricane damaged the screen of the Open Air Theatre in Bellingham so badly that Fred Parker has had to close the spot indefinitely. As he had just closed the Columbia, Providence, for lack of business, it appears that Parker will be out of the industry for a time. He had opened the Open Air late in May.”
“The State, Peacedale, which the Stanzlers took over on lease last summer, will open within the next few days. Considerable improvements have been made to the house by the new lessees.”
“The Gem, Arctic, reopened September 5
under management of the West Warwick Theatre Co. Frank O'Neil of Riverpoint is house manager and duals will be the policy.”
Italian films shown at the Rialto, item in Boxoffice magazine, August 28, 1948:
The Rialto, Woonsocket, R.I., will reopen September 20 with its regular policy of re-issues and first run foreign films. The house is owned by Maurice Safner but is the “baby” of his son Melvin, who is manager. The foreign element of Woonsocket is predominantly French (about 30,000) but the theatre has a large followig of Italians from surrounding cities and towns. Thus, such films as “Shoe-Shine,” “Panic” and “Open City” have been a good draw at the Rialto, which was closed for the summer months.
[Note: of the three titles mentioned, “Panic” is a French film, the other two are Italian. In Woonsocket, the Laurier often showed French films over the decades.]
20th Anniversary!
Item in Boxoffice Magazine, April 14, 1951:
“The Hollywood in East Providence recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. It opened in 1931 with "Cimarron.”"
[So the theatre existed as a functioning venue for less than 30 years, having ceased regular operation around the end of 1960. Nor was it around during the silent era, as I had thought.]
From Boxoffice magazine, August 21, 1961:
Sellout Audience at Opening of Cinerama in Providence
PROVIDENCE, RI – A sellout audience, together with a number of dignitaries, attended the gala opening of the new Cinerama Theatre, formerly the Hope Theatre, on the night of August 9, when the Lowell Thomas-Merian C. Cooper release “This is Cinerama,” was presented.
Among the first-nighters were Gov. and Mrs. John A. Notte, Jr., Catholic Bishop McVinney and Joan Zeller, “Miss Rhode Island,” who was official hostess for the occasion.
Two bands provided music for the program, searchlights probed the sky and radio and television personalities were on hand to give added importance to the event.
The new Cinerama Theatre here is the second of its kind in New England, the other one being located in Boston. A third is scheduled to be opened in Hartford, Conn., according to reports here.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, May 5, 1962:
“Rhode Islanders of Italian descent were particularly interested in recent programs at the Johnston Theatre, Thornton, where "The Ten Commandments” was presented with all-Italian dialog, and at the Leroy in Pawtucket, where “Buongiorno Primo Amore” and “Guai ai Vinti” were shown for a single night.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, May 5, 1962:
“Rhode Islanders of Italian descent were particularly interested in recent programs at the Johnston Theatre, Thornton, where "The Ten Commandments” was presented with all-Italian dialog, and at the Leroy in Pawtucket, where “Buongiorno Primo Amore” and “Guai ai Vinti” were shown for a single night.
Plans for the creation of this cinema in 1976, as reported in Boxoffice magazine, March 8, 1976:
View link
That no-splice caveat is for archival film prints and certain distributors, such as Rialto. This is a good move.
Let’s hope they get correct screen masking, aperture plates, lenses to show 35mmm films in the various aspect ratios correctly and un-cropped CinemamScope.
The Royal as foreign film venue???
“The Royal at Olneyville, R.I. has been reopened after a long shutdown. Foreign films will be shown on Saturday and Sunday of each week, with the house remaining dark the rest of the time."
—-iten in Boxoffice magazine, November 11, 1939
Three months later Conn filed for bankruptcy. Item in Boxoffice magazine, November 3, 1932:
http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/110332/3
Report on the opening of Conn’s Metropolitan Theatre on August 25, 1932 at 10 a.m., in Boxoffice magazine, September 1, 1932:
http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/090132/3
Item in Boxoffice magazine, January 15, 1955:
The Pawtucket Strand, closed by an 11-week strike of projectionists, reopened Christmas Day, using independent operators, with “The Last Time I Saw Paris.” Harold Lancaster is manager. The Strand, Pawtucket’s most popular house, has long been ranked as Blackstone Valley’s leading theatre.
CinemaScope capability comes to Olympia. Item in Boxoffice magazine, January 15, 1955:
“E. M. Loew’s Olympia, Olneyville neighborhood house, will soon reopen, completely redecorated and equipped with CinemaScope.”
More of same (see above entry.)
“Henry Tobin, resident manager of the Olympia, Olneyville, has leased the Casino in Johnston from Nicolina Ferri, rechristened it the New Johnston and is operating it five nights a week."
—-from Boxoffice magazine, September 20, 1941.
Looks like a garage next to a residence. You can use Google Maps, type in the address, take it to street level, swivel, and see images of all that is around. Can’t pinpoint where the theatre was.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, October 9, 1954:
“Melvin Safner of the Safner circuit has taken over the Bellevue Theatre, Central Falls, R.I. on a long term lease. This theatre has been operated for many years by the late Phil Marget and now makes the second house in that city to be operated by the Safners, who have the Lafayette Theatre there.”
Item in Boxoffice magazine, October 9, 1954:
“Melvin Safner of the Safner circuit has taken over the Bellevue Theatre, Central Falls, R.I. on a long term lease. This theatre has been operated for many years by the late Phil Marget and now makes the second house in that city to be operated by the Safners, who have the Lafayette Theatre there.”
Item in Boxoffice magazine, June 7, 1941, page 75. Hardly earth-shattering, but it gives us the name of the manager at the time:
“Al Ward of the Broadway in Pawtucket has had new lamps installed at the house.”
Start of the Johnston Theatre in 1941, as reported in Boxoffice magazine, June 7, 1941:
Boroff and Tobin Take Casino in Thornton
BOSTON – George Boroff, local book distributor, and Henry Tobin, manager for E.M. Loew in Olneyville, R.I., have taken over Ferris' Casino in Thornton, R.I. The house is now undergoing renovations.
[Note: Ferri’s Casino was located in Ferri’s Block. It became the Johnston Theatre in 1941. Before that it was referred to as Ferri’s Theatre or the Casino. Thornton is a village in Johnston at the Cranston border.]
Item in Boxoffice magazine, April 3, 1961:
An unusual movie treat for the younger generation, particularly, was presented at the Uptown Theatre, where Rudolph Valentino was shown in “The Eagle,” modernized with music and sound. The movie house is located in a section where thusands of Providence residents of Italian descent have homes and business establishments.
Item in Boxoffice magazine, June 22 1946:
“The freak hurricane damaged the screen of the Open Air Theatre in Bellingham so badly that Fred Parker has had to close the spot indefinitely. As he had just closed the Columbia, Providence, for lack of business, it appears that Parker will be out of the industry for a time. He had opened the Open Air late in May.”
Item in Boxoffice magazine, March 17, 1951:
“Louis Vuona, Westerly Drive-In, Westerly, R.I., has set March 21 as his opening date.”
Opening night at the Ritz (Three Guys Named Mike) with photos, plus article on the theatre from Boxoffice magazine, March 19, 1951:
View link
Item in Boxoffice magazine, June 22, 1935, regarding transfer of ownewrship.
“Myrtle, Thornton, from A. Votolato to Francis Renzi.”
Item in Boxoffice magazine, September 25, 1937:
“The State, Peacedale, which the Stanzlers took over on lease last summer, will open within the next few days. Considerable improvements have been made to the house by the new lessees.”
Item in Boxoffice magazine, September 18, 1937:
“The Gem, Arctic, reopened September 5
under management of the West Warwick Theatre Co. Frank O'Neil of Riverpoint is house manager and duals will be the policy.”