Various editions of Film Daily Yearbook give the Victory Theatre differing seating capacities: in 1941 = 2,067, in 1943 = 2,296, in 1950 = 1,680.
The Victory Theatre was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary N. Goldstein in 1941 and 1943. By 1950 the company was known as United Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary Western Massachusetts Theaters Inc (Samuel Goldstein).
The architects for the Lyric Theater were George W. Backoff and T. Cecil Hughes. It is mentioned in the Architects' and Builders Magazine in December 1908, so that could be around the time it opened.
Come and went so quick, even I missed this one! lol I was in West Hollywood when this was posted as a ‘newest theatre’ and didn’t have internet access, wish I had, as I could have checked out the current status.
Seriously though, doing a web search on this address comes up with a Thai restaurant called The Flowering Tree…selected extract from a web review of the restaurant:
‘…The Flowering Tree will delight your senses….Put on your comfiest brown corduroys and tattered sweater and enjoy a scrumptious earthy…..’
The Odeon was operating a split week Bingo/Cinema operation from 27th March 1974 and closed for films on 22nd August 1985 to become a full time Bingo Club operated by Jasmine.
It is now a pub in the Weatherspoon chain called ‘The Full House’ which opened on 21st July 1998.
stevebob;
There is currently no signage on the building that has the name ‘Million Dollar’. There is a small display mounted on a post located on the pavement outside the theatre, that gives details of the theatre (provided by the LA Conservancy I believe?). Hopefully with the planned re-opening of the Million Dollar Theatre, the name will come back to the actual building again.
I believe that the false ceilings and walls in the lobby only ‘cover over’ the original decoration which is still in place underneath.
You are correct to say that the Eastern Columbia Building has been totally gutted internally (the public lobby and the office spaces) and is currently being converted into loft appartments. The exterior remains intact.
The lobby of the Pellissier Office Building that houses the Wiltern Theatre remains intact.
Variety theatres in the UK also presented films as part of the programme. At the time, in the early days of cinema, they were the only opportunity for the population to experience this new form of entertainment.
When stores/shops and roller skating rinks were being converted into cinemas they initially would only be screening shorts and newsreels. The same in the USA with Nickelodeon’s, which begs the question are these cinemas?
Theatres such as the Hammerstein’s Victoria should be listed on Cinema Treasures as they are an important and a least documented part of the history and evolution of cinema presentation. According to Damien Farley’s posting on Sept 10th, the Victoria was screening ‘motion picture dramas’ in 1914.
Opened on 12th October 1936 with Sir Cedric Hardwick starring in “Tudor Rose” + a variety show ‘Bric-a-Brac’, Universal Talking News and a Walt Disney cartoon short “Cock O' the Walk”.
Two other pieces of information:
The architect Henry F. Elder was aged 27 when he designed this ‘super cinema’.
During the war, after the bombing of the free trade Hall in Manchester city centre, the Halle Orchestra appeared at the Longford Theatre.
I have information that the Curzon Cinema opened in December 1936. It had a 20feet deep stage, a proscenium opening of 45 feet and 3 dressing rooms. Operated as an independent it was taken over by G.B. Snape Circuit in the mid-1950’s.
In the 1960’s it was altered to become a twin screen cinema and a Bingo Hall. The two screens were name Major (400 seats) and Minor (134 seats).
Various editions of Film Daily Yearbook give the Victory Theatre differing seating capacities: in 1941 = 2,067, in 1943 = 2,296, in 1950 = 1,680.
The Victory Theatre was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary N. Goldstein in 1941 and 1943. By 1950 the company was known as United Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary Western Massachusetts Theaters Inc (Samuel Goldstein).
The architects for the Lyric Theater were George W. Backoff and T. Cecil Hughes. It is mentioned in the Architects' and Builders Magazine in December 1908, so that could be around the time it opened.
The Film Daily Yearbook;1950 edition gives a seating capacity for the Palace as 589.
Come and went so quick, even I missed this one! lol I was in West Hollywood when this was posted as a ‘newest theatre’ and didn’t have internet access, wish I had, as I could have checked out the current status.
Seriously though, doing a web search on this address comes up with a Thai restaurant called The Flowering Tree…selected extract from a web review of the restaurant:
‘…The Flowering Tree will delight your senses….Put on your comfiest brown corduroys and tattered sweater and enjoy a scrumptious earthy…..’
Well!
A 1949 exterior photograph of the Odeon here:
View link
A 1971 exterior photograph here:
View link
A vintage 1949 exterior photograph of the Walpole Theatre here:
View link
A close up of the entrance in about 1971, the end is near…
View link
Chuck,
Go to the CinemaTour link that lostmemory gave above on Nov 1. You can then click on photos in the gallery I posted.
A close up photograph of the entrance in 1962 here:
View link
J.D. Weatherspoon’s chain opened it as the ‘Coronet’ pub on 14th March 1996.
The Odeon was operating a split week Bingo/Cinema operation from 27th March 1974 and closed for films on 22nd August 1985 to become a full time Bingo Club operated by Jasmine.
It is now a pub in the Weatherspoon chain called ‘The Full House’ which opened on 21st July 1998.
The Orpheum Theatre is listed in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914 – 1915.
In the Film Daily Yearbook;1926 edition is is listed with a seating capacity of 596.
stevebob;
There is currently no signage on the building that has the name ‘Million Dollar’. There is a small display mounted on a post located on the pavement outside the theatre, that gives details of the theatre (provided by the LA Conservancy I believe?). Hopefully with the planned re-opening of the Million Dollar Theatre, the name will come back to the actual building again.
I believe that the false ceilings and walls in the lobby only ‘cover over’ the original decoration which is still in place underneath.
You are correct to say that the Eastern Columbia Building has been totally gutted internally (the public lobby and the office spaces) and is currently being converted into loft appartments. The exterior remains intact.
The lobby of the Pellissier Office Building that houses the Wiltern Theatre remains intact.
The auditorium of the New Victoria Theatre from the circle in 1973 here:
View link
A vintage 1949 photograph of the Wilton Road entrance to the New Victoria Theatre here:
View link
A 1971 exterior photograph of the Odeon Twickenham here:
View link
The ‘modernised’ facade of the Odeon Nottingham in 1971 here:
View link
A 1961 exterior photograph of the Odeon Hemel Hempstead here:
View link
And a full view of the Odeon in 1968 here:
View link
A 1970’s exterior view of the Odeon Biship Auckland here:
View link
A Christmas 1970 exterior photograph of the Odeon Barnsley here:
View link
Variety theatres in the UK also presented films as part of the programme. At the time, in the early days of cinema, they were the only opportunity for the population to experience this new form of entertainment.
When stores/shops and roller skating rinks were being converted into cinemas they initially would only be screening shorts and newsreels. The same in the USA with Nickelodeon’s, which begs the question are these cinemas?
Theatres such as the Hammerstein’s Victoria should be listed on Cinema Treasures as they are an important and a least documented part of the history and evolution of cinema presentation. According to Damien Farley’s posting on Sept 10th, the Victoria was screening ‘motion picture dramas’ in 1914.
Opened on 12th October 1936 with Sir Cedric Hardwick starring in “Tudor Rose” + a variety show ‘Bric-a-Brac’, Universal Talking News and a Walt Disney cartoon short “Cock O' the Walk”.
Two other pieces of information:
The architect Henry F. Elder was aged 27 when he designed this ‘super cinema’.
During the war, after the bombing of the free trade Hall in Manchester city centre, the Halle Orchestra appeared at the Longford Theatre.
Some small exterior photo’s and details here:
http://www.johnryan.org.uk/Essoldo.html
A larger, more recent photo of the Chester Road entrance here:
http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ewm/ic8/15.jpg
The building is Listed Grade II.
A Winter 1987 exterior photograph (leaves on the trees obscure the view for 5 months of the year).
View link
I have information that the Curzon Cinema opened in December 1936. It had a 20feet deep stage, a proscenium opening of 45 feet and 3 dressing rooms. Operated as an independent it was taken over by G.B. Snape Circuit in the mid-1950’s.
In the 1960’s it was altered to become a twin screen cinema and a Bingo Hall. The two screens were name Major (400 seats) and Minor (134 seats).