I have located the Brookline Theatre, 34 Brookline Blvd, Havertown, PA listed on the Cinematour.com website. It is listed as closed. Strange that it doesn’t show up in any of my Film Daily Yearbooks? eh.
GlennM;
Looking through the Film Daily Yearbook, 1941 for all of PA theatres, the only Brookline Theatre that comes up is for Pittsburgh, located at 1734 Brookline Blvd with a 300 seat capacity.
Opened in the 1920’s, the Film Daily Yearbook, 1941 gives a seating capacity of 980. It was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc under their subsidiary Will Horwitz.
There seems to be a premier event happening about once a week in Leicester Squar, either at this main Odeon Theatre or occasionally at the Odeon West End Theatre or Empire Theatre. Living here in London we tend to hear about them on the day on local news broadcasts on tv.
Fans tend to gather outside the theatre from around mid-day and wait behind the temporary barriers until the ‘stars’ start to arrive in the early evening.
I would recommend that you go along to the Odeon and ask one of the front of house staff to enqure about the date of the next premier. Hope you are lucky enough to catch one on your visit to London. Have a great time while you are here.
The address of the Electric Cinema is 47 Station Street. It opened on 27th December 1909, the architect was well known theatre architect Bertie Crewe. It was a conversion of premises that had been used as a hansom cab depot and at the time it was described as ‘attractive and cosy’. Red plush tip-up seats were provided for 376 patrons on a single sloping floor.
When Jacey Cinemas took control in 1936 they re-built the Station Street facade. The architect was Cecil E.M. Fillmore and the scheme included the installation of a balcony and the re-positioning of the projection box into the balcony level. It re-opened on 20th March 1937 as the Tatler News Theatre and had a seating capacity of 399. The style had been changed from Edwardian to Art Deco.
It was in 1980 when Classic Cinemas were operating the building that they gutted and split the auditorium, creating a twin cinema seating 242 and 105. Nothing remains inside of any of the decorative features of the building.
Robt;
Many thanks for your description and observations. This makes me even more determined to visit this theatre on my next visit to NYC. The manager sounds like he’s a helpful and friendly guy?. I will purchase my admission ticket, then chat to him and he may allow me access to the balcony area? I hope so, this really sounds like it’s my kinda theatre!
The Sausalito history link given above by MagicLantern gives an opening date of 1915 as the Princess Theatre with a street address of 668 Bridgeway Ave, Sausalito,CA. It was re-named the Gate Theatre in the 1930’s (in honour of the newly built Golden Gate Bridge).
It is still listed as the Gate in 1952, but in both the 1950 and 1952 Film Daily Yearbook’s there is a larger 604 seat Marin Theatre also listed. The address of the Marin is given as Pine and Caledonia Street’s
Film Daily Yearbook’s give a seating capacity for the Gate as 325.
The Harris Theatre opened in the late 1920’s. It is listed in the Film Daily Yearbook 1941 with a seating capacity of 1,010 and the operator was Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp. In the 1943 edition the listing shows 1,000 seats and by 1950 it has a seating capacity of 850 given, still under the Warner Bros. Theatre’s operation.
The Harris Theatre was demolished in the late 1970’s.
The 1930 Film Daily Yearbook has this listed as the Windsor Theatre, 823 Third Ave, with 455 seats.
F.D.Y.B. editions for 1941 and 1943 have the Beverly Theater listed at 523 Third Ave (obviously a misprint) as by the 1950 edition it is back up at # 823 Third Ave again.
According to a website on the history of Passaic, NJ http://www.tccweb.org/passiac.htm (article by City Historian; Mark S. Auerbach), the original Montauk (vaudeville) Theatre located on the corner of Madison St and Main Ave was replaced by the current Montauk Theatre which was built in 1924.
Thanks Dave, It will have to be the bus, being I don’t drive (no need for a car here in London).
When the Montauk was on vaudeville, did it belong to a major circuit? If it was it could have been designed by a major architect! Therefore it could be a candidate for historic listing?
I will be over in New York City in June and hope to go along to the Montauk Theatre. Not knowing the area, can anyone tell me please if it is far to travel to Passaic from NYC? and is it accessable by public transport by train or bus? I hope it is still open so I can get inside.
Anyone know who the architect was? It sounds like its a most interesting building.
lostmemory;
This is it. Paramount Pictures took over the 4 Astoria Theatre’s soon after they opened and they in turn were taken over by the Odeon Theatre chain in November 1939.
The Astoria Theatre, Streatham, London was one of four Astoria Theatre’s built in the inner London suburbs by exhibitor A. Segal. The other 3 Astoria Theatre’s were at Finsbury Park (Spanish atmospheric now a church), Brixton (Italian atmospheric now a rock concert venue) and Old Kent Road (Art Deco now demolished).
This is the only one to be still screening movies (albeit now mutilated as an 8-screen Odeon Cinema complex.
The New Ventura Theatre was built and operated by Principle Theaters and American Amusement Co. of Ventura. Construction began in December 1927 and it opened in August 1928. It was equipped with a Wurlitzer 2Manual/6Rank organ.
It remained an independently operated theatre most of it life closing in January 1965 by its then owner Gertrude Clark, due to lack of business.
By 1970 it was open again, now operated by Metropolitan Theatres. I don’t know how long their tenure lasted.
Since April 1997, the current operators Backstreet have used the building as a concert venue, having spent about $1 million to reopen the theatre.
Thanks for that location info Mikeoaklandpark.
I have located the Brookline Theatre, 34 Brookline Blvd, Havertown, PA listed on the Cinematour.com website. It is listed as closed. Strange that it doesn’t show up in any of my Film Daily Yearbooks? eh.
Film Daily Yearbooks, from 1941, 1943 and 1950 give seating capacities ranging from 400, 500 and 498 respectively.
GlennM;
Looking through the Film Daily Yearbook, 1941 for all of PA theatres, the only Brookline Theatre that comes up is for Pittsburgh, located at 1734 Brookline Blvd with a 300 seat capacity.
Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook, 1941 as having 1,000 seats. It was operated by Fox Intermountain Theaters Inc.
The street address is 111 W. 1st Avenue. In the Film Daily Yearbook, 1941 when it was the Rialto, a seating capacity of 300 is given.
Opened in the 1920’s, the Film Daily Yearbook, 1941 gives a seating capacity of 980. It was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc under their subsidiary Will Horwitz.
Further details and photos can be seen here>>> http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=au&id=30
Hello Tanja;
There seems to be a premier event happening about once a week in Leicester Squar, either at this main Odeon Theatre or occasionally at the Odeon West End Theatre or Empire Theatre. Living here in London we tend to hear about them on the day on local news broadcasts on tv.
Fans tend to gather outside the theatre from around mid-day and wait behind the temporary barriers until the ‘stars’ start to arrive in the early evening.
I would recommend that you go along to the Odeon and ask one of the front of house staff to enqure about the date of the next premier. Hope you are lucky enough to catch one on your visit to London. Have a great time while you are here.
CConnolly;
Thanks for that advise. Looks like I will be taking dave-bronx advise and take the #190 NJ Transit bus from Port Terminal
The address of the Electric Cinema is 47 Station Street. It opened on 27th December 1909, the architect was well known theatre architect Bertie Crewe. It was a conversion of premises that had been used as a hansom cab depot and at the time it was described as ‘attractive and cosy’. Red plush tip-up seats were provided for 376 patrons on a single sloping floor.
When Jacey Cinemas took control in 1936 they re-built the Station Street facade. The architect was Cecil E.M. Fillmore and the scheme included the installation of a balcony and the re-positioning of the projection box into the balcony level. It re-opened on 20th March 1937 as the Tatler News Theatre and had a seating capacity of 399. The style had been changed from Edwardian to Art Deco.
It was in 1980 when Classic Cinemas were operating the building that they gutted and split the auditorium, creating a twin cinema seating 242 and 105. Nothing remains inside of any of the decorative features of the building.
lostmemory;
It’s listed as X 1 & 2, Hollywood, CA.
/theaters/8436/
Robt;
Many thanks for your description and observations. This makes me even more determined to visit this theatre on my next visit to NYC. The manager sounds like he’s a helpful and friendly guy?. I will purchase my admission ticket, then chat to him and he may allow me access to the balcony area? I hope so, this really sounds like it’s my kinda theatre!
lostmemory;
Yet another one added to the list!
I have just added it, so it should be on-site soon. It is also listed with some pics here… http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=3009
The Sausalito history link given above by MagicLantern gives an opening date of 1915 as the Princess Theatre with a street address of 668 Bridgeway Ave, Sausalito,CA. It was re-named the Gate Theatre in the 1930’s (in honour of the newly built Golden Gate Bridge).
It is still listed as the Gate in 1952, but in both the 1950 and 1952 Film Daily Yearbook’s there is a larger 604 seat Marin Theatre also listed. The address of the Marin is given as Pine and Caledonia Street’s
Film Daily Yearbook’s give a seating capacity for the Gate as 325.
The Harris Theatre opened in the late 1920’s. It is listed in the Film Daily Yearbook 1941 with a seating capacity of 1,010 and the operator was Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp. In the 1943 edition the listing shows 1,000 seats and by 1950 it has a seating capacity of 850 given, still under the Warner Bros. Theatre’s operation.
The Harris Theatre was demolished in the late 1970’s.
The 1930 Film Daily Yearbook has this listed as the Windsor Theatre, 823 Third Ave, with 455 seats.
F.D.Y.B. editions for 1941 and 1943 have the Beverly Theater listed at 523 Third Ave (obviously a misprint) as by the 1950 edition it is back up at # 823 Third Ave again.
According to a website on the history of Passaic, NJ http://www.tccweb.org/passiac.htm (article by City Historian; Mark S. Auerbach), the original Montauk (vaudeville) Theatre located on the corner of Madison St and Main Ave was replaced by the current Montauk Theatre which was built in 1924.
Thanks Dave, It will have to be the bus, being I don’t drive (no need for a car here in London).
When the Montauk was on vaudeville, did it belong to a major circuit? If it was it could have been designed by a major architect! Therefore it could be a candidate for historic listing?
I will be over in New York City in June and hope to go along to the Montauk Theatre. Not knowing the area, can anyone tell me please if it is far to travel to Passaic from NYC? and is it accessable by public transport by train or bus? I hope it is still open so I can get inside.
Anyone know who the architect was? It sounds like its a most interesting building.
The 1930 edition of F.D.Y. still has it listed as the Tuxedo Theatre with 617 seats.
lostmemory;
This is it. Paramount Pictures took over the 4 Astoria Theatre’s soon after they opened and they in turn were taken over by the Odeon Theatre chain in November 1939.
Thanks for the update on the exact address.
The Astoria Theatre, Streatham, London was one of four Astoria Theatre’s built in the inner London suburbs by exhibitor A. Segal. The other 3 Astoria Theatre’s were at Finsbury Park (Spanish atmospheric now a church), Brixton (Italian atmospheric now a rock concert venue) and Old Kent Road (Art Deco now demolished).
This is the only one to be still screening movies (albeit now mutilated as an 8-screen Odeon Cinema complex.
View link
The New Ventura Theatre was built and operated by Principle Theaters and American Amusement Co. of Ventura. Construction began in December 1927 and it opened in August 1928. It was equipped with a Wurlitzer 2Manual/6Rank organ.
It remained an independently operated theatre most of it life closing in January 1965 by its then owner Gertrude Clark, due to lack of business.
By 1970 it was open again, now operated by Metropolitan Theatres. I don’t know how long their tenure lasted.
Since April 1997, the current operators Backstreet have used the building as a concert venue, having spent about $1 million to reopen the theatre.