Its still amazing to me that a theatre built new in 1990 is already gone.I can see that the theatre might not make it,but it seems a building that new could have been used for something else.
VENDING MACHINES AND PINBALL.I went to open this theatre one day as the Relief Manager,and to my surprise they had installed 2 bumper pinball machines and a couple of video games in the lobby.I realise they had them installed for extra income,but the biggest problem was they made so much noise you could hear them in the theatre while the movie was showing,and of course people would complain.Luckily they had them removed after only about 3 weeks.Our division manager said they took them out because they did not take in much money after spliting the income with the owners of the machines. Also after having to give a few refunds because of them I thought it was a good idea to get rid of them too.
Nice Web Site,I think they have a good idea of using the theatre as a multi-purpose theatre and with added retail business, you have the building already, with a small staff you can get more income than just ticket and concession sales,would like to drive down there and check them out.
Thanks again Mike,about the Ice thing at times where we would run out of ice before we had the back-up machine we would have ice delivered from a local ice house I believe it cost $10.00 a 100 pound bag.Of course this was large chunk ice and not the cruched ice our regular machine would make.
Thanks Mike,It is interesting that in my history of this theatre as I know or remember it that there was a Rest Room next to the office that even had a shower in it,this room was “Off Limits” I only saw it maybe 2 or 3 times. No one was allowed to use it,this is where Mr.Bowen did himself in as the story goes.
Another thought I just had,this theatre has a stage house and loading dock in the back but never had a stage,they may have changed the plans after starting the building,as it was built in 1951 and stage shows were all but gone by then.Behind the screen was used for storage,and later on we had an ice maker installed back there for back up for our ice machine that was under the concessions stand could not keep up.
I do not think we ran an ad on this movie,because we just had the premier and it was a private invitation event.I do not even remember where this movie played afterwards.
Decor of the Crescent.The box office was enclosed on the left hand side of the theatre the entrance had brown marble on the walls. Of course we had three attraction cases on the right side, the first for Now Showing the second for Next Attraction and the third held the one sheet advertising the Now Showing at Loews Melrose and Madison. At times in the comming attractions case we would have a 1-sheet promoting a Loews Hotel,I still have some of those 1-sheets.The entrance had 3 sets of glass double door.The lobby had Red and Black patterned carpet. There were two attraction cases that were on the right side of the lobby which mirrors had been installed.They still opened and locked like an attraction case but had hooks mounted on the wall inside which we would hang out old ticket stubs.We would string up our tickets,as Loews tickets had holes in them that would slide on a rod in the doormans stand a latter could be threaded to string them.We were to string the tickets dailey,but this hardly ever happened.We could audit these tickets to make sure all tickets sold had been torn.The concession stand was on the left side of the lobby and the popcorn machine and warmer were right near the front doors. On nice days we would pop the corn and leave one of the front doors open to let the smell out,folks would come in just to buy popcorn.The restrooms were at the back of the small lobby the Womens next to the concessions and the Mens on the right.I small closet in the Mens room was used as a doormans usher room.3 Double wood finished door lead to the theatre itself,which had door closers on top that could be locked open between movies.After entering the theatre there was about 15 feet of open space which a half wall behind the seats with a short curtain hanging on it.The walls were draped with red drapes as was the screen,which opened and closed between shows ran by a motor controled from the booth.The seats were also red 415 on each side.Two exit doors were to the left and one on the right which lead to the back of the theatre to the alley.You could not get to the booth or other offices from the theatre,they had there own entrance to the right of the theatre by the bookstore.The floor sloped down of course but first few rows sloped upward toward the screen.
ANOTHER GHOST STORY. Its seems many old theatres are haunted,this one included.It even had a name “Mr. Bowen” Story has it the he was an old time manager there who had a drinking problem,and one night after closing he killed himself in the theatre.Several older employees told me of strange sites and noises when they in in the theatre after hours, I was there many times alone after of before hours but never saw anything myself,but several of the cleaning folks who worked there over the years would swear the the house was haunted.One of these guys even played me an audio tape of strange sounds he said he recorded in the theatre while cleaning up one night, I admit it was a strange tape,but knowing this guy I think the he was just pulling my leg,but you never know.
The audiotorium had blue drapes on the walls and had blue seats also.Blue carpet covered the lobby and ailses.The box office was at the front or course but was not enclosed from the lobby.It ony had about a 4 foot wall around the area the cashier sat in.The manager was to stand behind the box office during peak ticket sales to make sure no one could get to the cashier,the entrance was right left of the boxoffice with the doormans stand.The office was to the left of the entrance and has a glass wall in front that you could see the boxoffice and doormans stand from.Of course there were drapes in front of the glass wall of the office that we would close while counting the money and checking out.The concessions stand was at the back of the looby and the movie house itself was to the left of the lobby with a hallway that had the restrooms and of course the projection booth.This was the only theatre I worked which had Xenon lamps in the booth.We always ran one hour reels there. The booth also had a roof hatch and ladder mounted on the wall.Johnny Cash would bring his kids to the movies most every Saturday when he was in town and no one noticed of bothered him.
Thanks for the photos KenRoe.
Nice website,nice photos of the Victoria.
Its still amazing to me that a theatre built new in 1990 is already gone.I can see that the theatre might not make it,but it seems a building that new could have been used for something else.
VENDING MACHINES AND PINBALL.I went to open this theatre one day as the Relief Manager,and to my surprise they had installed 2 bumper pinball machines and a couple of video games in the lobby.I realise they had them installed for extra income,but the biggest problem was they made so much noise you could hear them in the theatre while the movie was showing,and of course people would complain.Luckily they had them removed after only about 3 weeks.Our division manager said they took them out because they did not take in much money after spliting the income with the owners of the machines. Also after having to give a few refunds because of them I thought it was a good idea to get rid of them too.
Nice Web Site,I think they have a good idea of using the theatre as a multi-purpose theatre and with added retail business, you have the building already, with a small staff you can get more income than just ticket and concession sales,would like to drive down there and check them out.
The Luna Lounge is listed at this address now.Is this the old theatre building?
Very nice marquee on the Regent.
1700 cars? Thats a pretty big drive-in.
Remember I was a Manager,whatever that means!
I bet you remember some more!
Wheres all the off-topic stuff? See no one is posting now!Have a great day or night Mike.
You are so right.
I just did.I took all the AMC LOEWS off to make room.
Thanks again Mike,about the Ice thing at times where we would run out of ice before we had the back-up machine we would have ice delivered from a local ice house I believe it cost $10.00 a 100 pound bag.Of course this was large chunk ice and not the cruched ice our regular machine would make.
Thanks Mike,It is interesting that in my history of this theatre as I know or remember it that there was a Rest Room next to the office that even had a shower in it,this room was “Off Limits” I only saw it maybe 2 or 3 times. No one was allowed to use it,this is where Mr.Bowen did himself in as the story goes.
Too bad none of the photo links work anymore.
R.I.P Sam.
According to the header on this theatre it would have opened in 1931.
What a great marquee and rooftop sign.
Another thought I just had,this theatre has a stage house and loading dock in the back but never had a stage,they may have changed the plans after starting the building,as it was built in 1951 and stage shows were all but gone by then.Behind the screen was used for storage,and later on we had an ice maker installed back there for back up for our ice machine that was under the concessions stand could not keep up.
I do not think we ran an ad on this movie,because we just had the premier and it was a private invitation event.I do not even remember where this movie played afterwards.
Decor of the Crescent.The box office was enclosed on the left hand side of the theatre the entrance had brown marble on the walls. Of course we had three attraction cases on the right side, the first for Now Showing the second for Next Attraction and the third held the one sheet advertising the Now Showing at Loews Melrose and Madison. At times in the comming attractions case we would have a 1-sheet promoting a Loews Hotel,I still have some of those 1-sheets.The entrance had 3 sets of glass double door.The lobby had Red and Black patterned carpet. There were two attraction cases that were on the right side of the lobby which mirrors had been installed.They still opened and locked like an attraction case but had hooks mounted on the wall inside which we would hang out old ticket stubs.We would string up our tickets,as Loews tickets had holes in them that would slide on a rod in the doormans stand a latter could be threaded to string them.We were to string the tickets dailey,but this hardly ever happened.We could audit these tickets to make sure all tickets sold had been torn.The concession stand was on the left side of the lobby and the popcorn machine and warmer were right near the front doors. On nice days we would pop the corn and leave one of the front doors open to let the smell out,folks would come in just to buy popcorn.The restrooms were at the back of the small lobby the Womens next to the concessions and the Mens on the right.I small closet in the Mens room was used as a doormans usher room.3 Double wood finished door lead to the theatre itself,which had door closers on top that could be locked open between movies.After entering the theatre there was about 15 feet of open space which a half wall behind the seats with a short curtain hanging on it.The walls were draped with red drapes as was the screen,which opened and closed between shows ran by a motor controled from the booth.The seats were also red 415 on each side.Two exit doors were to the left and one on the right which lead to the back of the theatre to the alley.You could not get to the booth or other offices from the theatre,they had there own entrance to the right of the theatre by the bookstore.The floor sloped down of course but first few rows sloped upward toward the screen.
ANOTHER GHOST STORY. Its seems many old theatres are haunted,this one included.It even had a name “Mr. Bowen” Story has it the he was an old time manager there who had a drinking problem,and one night after closing he killed himself in the theatre.Several older employees told me of strange sites and noises when they in in the theatre after hours, I was there many times alone after of before hours but never saw anything myself,but several of the cleaning folks who worked there over the years would swear the the house was haunted.One of these guys even played me an audio tape of strange sounds he said he recorded in the theatre while cleaning up one night, I admit it was a strange tape,but knowing this guy I think the he was just pulling my leg,but you never know.
The audiotorium had blue drapes on the walls and had blue seats also.Blue carpet covered the lobby and ailses.The box office was at the front or course but was not enclosed from the lobby.It ony had about a 4 foot wall around the area the cashier sat in.The manager was to stand behind the box office during peak ticket sales to make sure no one could get to the cashier,the entrance was right left of the boxoffice with the doormans stand.The office was to the left of the entrance and has a glass wall in front that you could see the boxoffice and doormans stand from.Of course there were drapes in front of the glass wall of the office that we would close while counting the money and checking out.The concessions stand was at the back of the looby and the movie house itself was to the left of the lobby with a hallway that had the restrooms and of course the projection booth.This was the only theatre I worked which had Xenon lamps in the booth.We always ran one hour reels there. The booth also had a roof hatch and ladder mounted on the wall.Johnny Cash would bring his kids to the movies most every Saturday when he was in town and no one noticed of bothered him.
R.I.P. Dave.