The Boxoffice item didn’t give the names of the theaters, only their locations. In addition to the $50,000 job at Sag Harbor, Prudential had remodeled houses at Amityville ($50,000), Patchogue ($28,000), Babylon ($14,000), and Bay Shore ($8,000.)
To amend my most recent comment, I should say the spreadsheet has all those of their projects that are represented in the Wolfsonian’s archive collection. You can see from the spreadsheet’s “job number” column that many of their projects didn’t make it into the archive.
I forgot to mention the Project Index at the Wolfsonian. It’s an Excel spreadsheet program, and contains the names and locations of all their projects, including work other than theaters.
The Ebersons were based in New York, and the majority of their work was in the east, but they designed theaters as far away as South America and Australia. Their papers are in the Wolfsonian collection in Florida. Click this link to see the basic information about the collection, and from that page you can download the PDF file of the Finding Aid for a list of their work. It includes biographical information.
The original owner of the Marianne Theatre was Pete Smith. In the January 24, 1942, issue of Boxoffice he reported that his new theater in Bellevue would be ready by March 1. Smith was also operator of the Sylvia Theatre in Bellevue.
The Park Theatre was expected to open in about thirty days when Boxoffice Magazine’s issue of April 24, 1948, published a rendering of the proposed house drawn by its architect, Erwin G. Frederick. Owners K&S Theatres already operated the Sheridan Theatre nearby. The new Park Theatre, designed in the moderne style, was to seat 750. The principals of K&S Theatres were Joseph R. Klein and Sidney Schatz.
The seating capacity of the Park was given as only 700 in a later announcement of its opening, in Boxoffice of August 14, 1948. This item said that the new house was a replacement for the K&S circuit’s Sheridan Theatre. The Sheridan is not yet listed at Cinema Treasures.
Boxoffice gave the location of the Park Theatre as Sheridan Road at Foss Park Avenue. Google Maps says that’s the 1600 block of Sheridan, in both directions from the intersection. A business called General Insurance can be identified in Street View, and is located at 1632 Sheridan. The intersection was “T”-shaped, and judging from the 1982 photo the theater probably occupied the northeast corner, now a vacant lot which would have an address of approximately 1635 Sheridan. It’s almost directly across the street from the General Insurance office.
As JerryD pointed out a couple of years ago, contrary to the current introduction above the Woods Theatre never had a balcony. Boxoffice of April 24, 1948, ran an article about the Woods with several photos and a floor plan.
Boxoffice of March 28, 1936, has an item datelined Sag Harbor reading: “A new theatre will rise on the site of an old building in the Prudential Playhouses chain here. John Eberson is the architect.”
Another Boxoffice item, from October 17, 1936, says that Prudential Playhouses had spent $148,000 remodeling five theaters on Long Island, and the Sag Harbor house was listed among them, being one of two on which the largest amount, $50,000, had been expended. So the project was either a new building or an extensive remodeling of an existing theatre, depending on which Boxoffice report was accurate.
I can’t find anything in any issue of Boxoffice about there being a second theater at Sag Harbor during this period, so it’s probably safe to assume that this house is the one designed by John Eberson.
The recent opening of the Riverdale Theatre was announced in Boxoffice of August 9, 1965. A single-screen house of 610 seats, it was designed by architect Drew Eberson for the regional circuit Gordon Enterprises, operated by brothers Julian, Jerome, and Leonard Gordon.
A single-line item in Boxoffice of September 17, 1938, datelined Chapel Hill, reads: “The Pickwick Theatre is being remodeled.” Could the Pick be the same theater, wick-less?
Boxoffice of May 19, 1956, announced the intention of West Side Theatres to build what became the Vine Theatre in Livermore. The item said that the new house would replace the chain’s State Theatre. The Vine opened in late 1956. I’ve been unable to find any Boxoffice item specifically announcing the closure of the State, but I haven’t found the house mentioned in the magazine after 1956, so it probably was closed as soon as the Vine opened.
The Vine Theatre was built in 1956, according to the October 6 issue of Boxoffice which said that it would be opened in November by the Roy Cooper circuit, and would have “…about 800 seats.” But the opening was delayed, and Boxoffice of November 10 said that Ampex sound equipment had been installed in the house, which was now expected to be opened in December.
An earlier Boxoffice item about the planned theater said that West Side Theatres intended it to replace their State Theatre at Livermore.
The January 12, 1957, issue of Boxoffice said that the Vine, now open, was “…designed in the modern California style.” No photograph was provided to illustrate the “modern California style,” but Boxoffice often used the term to describe midcentury modern theaters in California that had exposed redwood and/or rough stone elements in place of the steel, concrete, or plaster characteristic of the midcentury style in other parts of the country.
The Broadway, then operated by J.J. Parker Theatres, was renovated in 1956 and equipped to show movies in the Todd-AO process. After a ten-day closure, the house reopened with the Portland premier of “Oklahoma” in its road show run. The lobby and mezzanine lounge had been redecorated, with new carpeting, furniture, and lighting.
I think the first line of the introductory paragraph for the page is supposed to read “The Columbia Theatre stands as a testament to America’s love for the movies and theatre in the 1920’s and 1930’s.” It’s part of the text of the PDF Proposal for renovation of the Columbia and Arcade theaters, available at Paducah Main Street. (The PDF is essentially the same content as the web page, but of course you can make the photos a bit bigger.)
I’ve tried to find the year of the Art Moderne renovation but the closest I can come is an item in the June 21, 1952, issue of Boxoffice that said “The Columbia Amusement Company, Paducah, is doing extensive remodeling at its Columbia Theatre.” 1952 seems a bit late for the Skouras-esque swoops and swirls that were apparently appliqued to the original, restrained interior style (which looks Adamesque to my eye.) There might have been an earlier renovation, but if so Boxoffice isn’t telling me about it.
What I have found in Boxoffice is a few references to the Keiler family’s Columbia Amusement Company operating not only the Columbia, the Arcade, and the Kentucky Theatre, but also a house called the Rialto, currently not listed at Cinema Treasures. There was also one reference to an Orpheum Theatre operated by the Keilers at Paducah, but that might have been an aka for the missing Rialto.
Boxoffice of December 24, 1955, said “The Kentucky Theatre, 1200-seater at Paducah, Ky., shuttered recently….” The house had long been run by the Keilor family’s Columbia Amusement Company.
The March 2, 1959, issue of Boxoffice reported that the Kentucky Theatre and the adjacent Palmer Hotel were slated to be demolished to make way for a shopping center. One of the partners in the project was Jack Keilor. The item said that the Kentucky Theatre had been built by his grandfather, John W. Keilor, and had opened on September 24, 1901.
There is only one “n” in the middle of Coniston. Photos are here, in Boxoffice Magazine’s issue of July 17, 1948. The article says that the nickelodeon-era house had been remodeled to plans by architect William Riseman, William Riseman Associates.
The E.M. Loew circuit had the Capitol remodeled and renamed it the Center Theatre in 1948. An article about the project, which was designed by William Riseman Associates, appeared in Boxoffice Magazine, July 17, 1948. There was also a nice night photo of the new marquee of the Center on the cover of that issue of Boxoffice.
The Grove Theatre opened on June 7, 1950, as reported in the June 24 issue of Boxoffice. The house was operated by Tri-States Theatres and was designed by Dallas architect Raymond F. Smith.
Manager Joe Jones, according to Boxoffice, had gotten his first job in a theater at the Bon Ton in Honey Grove 34 years earlier.
The Model Theatre was a Pereira & Pereira-designed house, opened about the same time as their more famous Esquire Theatre in Chicago. It was originally operated by the Carley Amusement Company, associated with Butterfield Theatres.
Boxoffice Magazine of September 17, 1938 presented a multi-page feature comparing the Model and the Esquire, with several photos of each house (9 pages of photos altogether) and text by Bill Pereira. Naturally the Esquire gets the bulk of the coverage, but the Model is well represented.
The opening date of the Model was June 16, 1938. I’ve not found the Model Theatre mentioned in Boxoffice later than September 29, 1956, in an item saying it was being reopened.
The 1966 Boxoffice article about the single-screen Stanley Warner Route 4 Theatre with photos showing Drew Eberson’s original design as executed is currently available online. In addition to the article, a photo of the theater’s lobby appeared as the frontispiece of the issue’s Modern Theatre section.
Also, what’s the deal with the word “Primus” in the current name given above? Sure, Primus is one of my favorite groups, but what have they to do with Paramus, New Jersey?
The Shady Oak Theatre was a Fanchon & Marco operation when it got a new manager named Howard Albertson in 1952. Three years later, Boxoffice Magazine ran a two-page spread about the Shady Oak and the unusual policies Albertson had established at the house. A photo of the theater was featured on the cover of that issue of Boxoffice as well.
Here is a weblog post by the late Bob Wilkins with several photos of the Stockton Empire both before and after its renovation.
The Boxoffice item didn’t give the names of the theaters, only their locations. In addition to the $50,000 job at Sag Harbor, Prudential had remodeled houses at Amityville ($50,000), Patchogue ($28,000), Babylon ($14,000), and Bay Shore ($8,000.)
To amend my most recent comment, I should say the spreadsheet has all those of their projects that are represented in the Wolfsonian’s archive collection. You can see from the spreadsheet’s “job number” column that many of their projects didn’t make it into the archive.
I forgot to mention the Project Index at the Wolfsonian. It’s an Excel spreadsheet program, and contains the names and locations of all their projects, including work other than theaters.
The Ebersons were based in New York, and the majority of their work was in the east, but they designed theaters as far away as South America and Australia. Their papers are in the Wolfsonian collection in Florida. Click this link to see the basic information about the collection, and from that page you can download the PDF file of the Finding Aid for a list of their work. It includes biographical information.
The original owner of the Marianne Theatre was Pete Smith. In the January 24, 1942, issue of Boxoffice he reported that his new theater in Bellevue would be ready by March 1. Smith was also operator of the Sylvia Theatre in Bellevue.
The Park Theatre was expected to open in about thirty days when Boxoffice Magazine’s issue of April 24, 1948, published a rendering of the proposed house drawn by its architect, Erwin G. Frederick. Owners K&S Theatres already operated the Sheridan Theatre nearby. The new Park Theatre, designed in the moderne style, was to seat 750. The principals of K&S Theatres were Joseph R. Klein and Sidney Schatz.
The seating capacity of the Park was given as only 700 in a later announcement of its opening, in Boxoffice of August 14, 1948. This item said that the new house was a replacement for the K&S circuit’s Sheridan Theatre. The Sheridan is not yet listed at Cinema Treasures.
Boxoffice gave the location of the Park Theatre as Sheridan Road at Foss Park Avenue. Google Maps says that’s the 1600 block of Sheridan, in both directions from the intersection. A business called General Insurance can be identified in Street View, and is located at 1632 Sheridan. The intersection was “T”-shaped, and judging from the 1982 photo the theater probably occupied the northeast corner, now a vacant lot which would have an address of approximately 1635 Sheridan. It’s almost directly across the street from the General Insurance office.
As JerryD pointed out a couple of years ago, contrary to the current introduction above the Woods Theatre never had a balcony. Boxoffice of April 24, 1948, ran an article about the Woods with several photos and a floor plan.
Boxoffice of March 28, 1936, has an item datelined Sag Harbor reading: “A new theatre will rise on the site of an old building in the Prudential Playhouses chain here. John Eberson is the architect.”
Another Boxoffice item, from October 17, 1936, says that Prudential Playhouses had spent $148,000 remodeling five theaters on Long Island, and the Sag Harbor house was listed among them, being one of two on which the largest amount, $50,000, had been expended. So the project was either a new building or an extensive remodeling of an existing theatre, depending on which Boxoffice report was accurate.
I can’t find anything in any issue of Boxoffice about there being a second theater at Sag Harbor during this period, so it’s probably safe to assume that this house is the one designed by John Eberson.
The recent opening of the Riverdale Theatre was announced in Boxoffice of August 9, 1965. A single-screen house of 610 seats, it was designed by architect Drew Eberson for the regional circuit Gordon Enterprises, operated by brothers Julian, Jerome, and Leonard Gordon.
Yes, the Sayville and Brookhaven theaters were both designed by John and Drew Eberson.
A single-line item in Boxoffice of September 17, 1938, datelined Chapel Hill, reads: “The Pickwick Theatre is being remodeled.” Could the Pick be the same theater, wick-less?
Boxoffice of May 19, 1956, announced the intention of West Side Theatres to build what became the Vine Theatre in Livermore. The item said that the new house would replace the chain’s State Theatre. The Vine opened in late 1956. I’ve been unable to find any Boxoffice item specifically announcing the closure of the State, but I haven’t found the house mentioned in the magazine after 1956, so it probably was closed as soon as the Vine opened.
The Vine Theatre was built in 1956, according to the October 6 issue of Boxoffice which said that it would be opened in November by the Roy Cooper circuit, and would have “…about 800 seats.” But the opening was delayed, and Boxoffice of November 10 said that Ampex sound equipment had been installed in the house, which was now expected to be opened in December.
An earlier Boxoffice item about the planned theater said that West Side Theatres intended it to replace their State Theatre at Livermore.
The January 12, 1957, issue of Boxoffice said that the Vine, now open, was “…designed in the modern California style.” No photograph was provided to illustrate the “modern California style,” but Boxoffice often used the term to describe midcentury modern theaters in California that had exposed redwood and/or rough stone elements in place of the steel, concrete, or plaster characteristic of the midcentury style in other parts of the country.
The Broadway, then operated by J.J. Parker Theatres, was renovated in 1956 and equipped to show movies in the Todd-AO process. After a ten-day closure, the house reopened with the Portland premier of “Oklahoma” in its road show run. The lobby and mezzanine lounge had been redecorated, with new carpeting, furniture, and lighting.
I think the first line of the introductory paragraph for the page is supposed to read “The Columbia Theatre stands as a testament to America’s love for the movies and theatre in the 1920’s and 1930’s.” It’s part of the text of the PDF Proposal for renovation of the Columbia and Arcade theaters, available at Paducah Main Street. (The PDF is essentially the same content as the web page, but of course you can make the photos a bit bigger.)
I’ve tried to find the year of the Art Moderne renovation but the closest I can come is an item in the June 21, 1952, issue of Boxoffice that said “The Columbia Amusement Company, Paducah, is doing extensive remodeling at its Columbia Theatre.” 1952 seems a bit late for the Skouras-esque swoops and swirls that were apparently appliqued to the original, restrained interior style (which looks Adamesque to my eye.) There might have been an earlier renovation, but if so Boxoffice isn’t telling me about it.
What I have found in Boxoffice is a few references to the Keiler family’s Columbia Amusement Company operating not only the Columbia, the Arcade, and the Kentucky Theatre, but also a house called the Rialto, currently not listed at Cinema Treasures. There was also one reference to an Orpheum Theatre operated by the Keilers at Paducah, but that might have been an aka for the missing Rialto.
Boxoffice of December 24, 1955, said “The Kentucky Theatre, 1200-seater at Paducah, Ky., shuttered recently….” The house had long been run by the Keilor family’s Columbia Amusement Company.
The March 2, 1959, issue of Boxoffice reported that the Kentucky Theatre and the adjacent Palmer Hotel were slated to be demolished to make way for a shopping center. One of the partners in the project was Jack Keilor. The item said that the Kentucky Theatre had been built by his grandfather, John W. Keilor, and had opened on September 24, 1901.
There is only one “n” in the middle of Coniston. Photos are here, in Boxoffice Magazine’s issue of July 17, 1948. The article says that the nickelodeon-era house had been remodeled to plans by architect William Riseman, William Riseman Associates.
The E.M. Loew circuit had the Capitol remodeled and renamed it the Center Theatre in 1948. An article about the project, which was designed by William Riseman Associates, appeared in Boxoffice Magazine, July 17, 1948. There was also a nice night photo of the new marquee of the Center on the cover of that issue of Boxoffice.
The auditorium of the Paradise made the cover of Boxoffice Magazine in September, 1950.
Here’s a night photo of Cine Tacna in a 1950 Boxoffice Magazine ad for the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company</a>.
The Grove Theatre opened on June 7, 1950, as reported in the June 24 issue of Boxoffice. The house was operated by Tri-States Theatres and was designed by Dallas architect Raymond F. Smith.
Manager Joe Jones, according to Boxoffice, had gotten his first job in a theater at the Bon Ton in Honey Grove 34 years earlier.
The Model Theatre was a Pereira & Pereira-designed house, opened about the same time as their more famous Esquire Theatre in Chicago. It was originally operated by the Carley Amusement Company, associated with Butterfield Theatres.
Boxoffice Magazine of September 17, 1938 presented a multi-page feature comparing the Model and the Esquire, with several photos of each house (9 pages of photos altogether) and text by Bill Pereira. Naturally the Esquire gets the bulk of the coverage, but the Model is well represented.
The opening date of the Model was June 16, 1938. I’ve not found the Model Theatre mentioned in Boxoffice later than September 29, 1956, in an item saying it was being reopened.
The 1966 Boxoffice article about the single-screen Stanley Warner Route 4 Theatre with photos showing Drew Eberson’s original design as executed is currently available online. In addition to the article, a photo of the theater’s lobby appeared as the frontispiece of the issue’s Modern Theatre section.
Also, what’s the deal with the word “Primus” in the current name given above? Sure, Primus is one of my favorite groups, but what have they to do with Paramus, New Jersey?
The Shady Oak Theatre was a Fanchon & Marco operation when it got a new manager named Howard Albertson in 1952. Three years later, Boxoffice Magazine ran a two-page spread about the Shady Oak and the unusual policies Albertson had established at the house. A photo of the theater was featured on the cover of that issue of Boxoffice as well.