WOODLAND, CALIF.-Harry Lazzarini, manager of the State and Porter theaters since 1946, has purchased the Rio in Richmond from the Robert L. Lippert circuit.
The theater address needs to be corrected. The actual address is 4501 E. Carson Street. There are several articles in the LA Times starting in 1977 and continuing through the late 1980s which confirm this. There should also be an aka of Pussycat Theater.
This is from the Syracuse Herald Journal in August 1954:
Joseph F. Owens of 518 Bradford Parkway, Syracuse industrialist, has purchased the Strand Theater property at 501 S. Salina Street for investment. The site has a frontage of 100 feet on Salina Street and more than 137 feet on Harrison Street. All details of the sale were handled through Egan Real Estate.
The property leased from the Thomas F. Anderson Estate for theater purposes by the Strand Theater Corp. was subleased to the Lance Theater Corp., New York City. Lease terms provide that the theater revert with the land to the owner upon the expiration of the lease.
The Strand Theater, recently modernized and redecorated, seats about 1,500. The immediate location was the site of the boyhood home of Andrew D. White, first president of Cornell University and distinguished diplomat.
Here is a 1937 photo by Berenice Abott. I bought the book of her photos the other day, “Changing New York 1935-1938”, and I recommend it for anyone who enjoys seeing NYC in the 1930s. http://tinyurl.com/kw3eks
Here is an April 1993 story from the Kerrville Times:
Sometimes a film may premier in Plaza Three Theaters on opening weekend, and sometimes it may never appear at all. Determining what will appear on the three screens is not as simple as it seems, said owner, film booker and Plaza theater manager Patrick Hall. “I can’t just pick any film I want,” Hall said. “There are a lot of variables to consider.” A Dallas agent helps Hall, of the family-owned Rio Entertainment Inc., and other small theaters book films. “It increases our buying powers,” Hall said. “He books for quite a few screens, but they all belong to a lot of different companies.” The agent keeps the theaters updated on what is available, makes recommendations and negotiates film prices.
Aspects Hall must consider when selecting a movie, he said, are what is available, how much a film company wants for it and how long the company wants the theater to play it. “I may have to hold off on a film so I can get one the next week that will do better,” Hall said. For example, Hall said he initially chose not to bring “Star Wars” to Kerrville because “they wanted me to play it eight weeks … To bring a movie to Kerrville for eight weeks, it has got to be a brand new ‘Star Wars’.” Should he have decided to bring in “Star Wars”, he said Kerrville may not have received movies like “Jerry McGuire” or “Absolute Power.” “We don’t have the time and screens to bring all the movies here — there are only so many weeks in a year,“ Hall said. "Sometimes we just have to make some bad choices.”
In other instances, limited releases can keep a movie from reaching Kerrville, With a number of larger theaters vying for a movie, “Kerrville is pretty low on the list” of those releasing films, Hall said. The movie “Mother” was one such film that had only 70 prints available for a four-state area. Hall said for the movie to run in Kerrville it had to be brought in from Macon, Ga.
Picher, Okla., Feb. 10.â€"After a quarter-century of tenancy at 107 East Second street, the Boston Realty Company today moved its quarters out of Picher’s “danger zone” as outlined by the Eagle-Picher Mining and Smelting Company. This is the first move of a business firm from the four square-block area the mining company says may be hazardous because of being undermined.
The move was announced by Joe Vincent, manager of the agency the last 27 years, and this afternoon he established his new office at 218 South Connell avenue, a block and a half from the limits of the undermined zone. The Boston Realty Company handles leases and rentals for the Eagle-Picher company.
Picher’s darkened theater, the Plaza, is to be moved out of the danger zone as soon as possible, according to announcement today by L.H. Wells, Picher manager. He quoted Kenneth Blackledge of Oklahoma City, division manager for Video Theaters, owners of the Picher house, as saying the 1,000-seat theater would be moved. The Video company owns another theater in the undermined area but this house has been closed for several months. The Plaza theater suspended operations when the mining company recommended that residents and business houses of the district evacuate the area within 30 days.
There is a February 1950 item in Boxoffice concerning the construction and opening of the 800 seat Niantic Theatre. It was scheduled to open in February 1950, which more closely corresponds with the 1951 opening date given in the introduction. Niantic Theatre should be an aka for Niantic Cinemas.
It looks like the Markoffs opened an as-yet unidentified house in Niantic in late 1945, according to another BO item in November of that year. I will add the Markoff house once I found out what they called it.
WINDSOR, N.C.-A fire, which started in the roof of the rear of the Palace, completely gutted the building, causing a loss of $35,000. The building was owned by Lewis Thompson and the theater and equipment by his son, Roy Thompson, who operated it. The theater was unoccupied.
Here is an item in Boxoffice in October 1945. I’m not sure if there was a six year delay in opening the theater, or if this article alternatively is referring to a different house.
NIANTIC, CONN.-Plans are being drawn for a 550-seat theatre to be operated here by Joseph and Ted Markoff, operators of the Strand, Willimantic, Stuart, Lakeville, Colchester, Moodus and East Hampton theatres. Architects Curran & McGuire, New London, said construction was scheduled to start immediately.
CINCINNATI-Sale of the Oakley Theater building on Madison Road and plans for extensive modernization of the building were announced last Saturday. The building contains three stores, a theater and a lodge hall.
Following the sale, the owners leased the property to the Amnassador Theatre Co. for a 20-year period. It is planned to spend more than $75,000 modernizing the building, which fronts 70 feet on Madison Road and extends back 289 feet to Markbreit Avenue.
The entire front will be given a new facade and the theater lobby will be enlarged to include what is now a store space. the auditorium will be enlarged to accommodate approximately 850 patrons. Parking facilities will also be provided.
This is from Boxoffice in January 1948:
WOODLAND, CALIF.-Harry Lazzarini, manager of the State and Porter theaters since 1946, has purchased the Rio in Richmond from the Robert L. Lippert circuit.
That’s probably right. I saw the movie but it was years ago at some repertory place in Philly.
“It Couldn’t Happen to a Nicer Guy”, I think. That’s from memory, so I might be a little off.
“Slaughter on Tenth Avenue” opened in 1957, so that might narrow it down a bit.
I think this might be the only Pussycat that doesn’t have an aka. There might be one other but I can’t think of it at the moment.
He was still relatively unknown, as I recall. I think his first film was in 1952, so perhaps he didn’t merit star billing.
The theater address needs to be corrected. The actual address is 4501 E. Carson Street. There are several articles in the LA Times starting in 1977 and continuing through the late 1980s which confirm this. There should also be an aka of Pussycat Theater.
Here is an August 1970 photo from Life magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/n4arf6
Here is a December 1954 photo from Life magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/kjgrfk
Here is an undated color photo from Life magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/nhyybx
Here is an undated color photo from Life:
http://tinyurl.com/nofahs
This is from the Syracuse Herald Journal in August 1954:
Joseph F. Owens of 518 Bradford Parkway, Syracuse industrialist, has purchased the Strand Theater property at 501 S. Salina Street for investment. The site has a frontage of 100 feet on Salina Street and more than 137 feet on Harrison Street. All details of the sale were handled through Egan Real Estate.
The property leased from the Thomas F. Anderson Estate for theater purposes by the Strand Theater Corp. was subleased to the Lance Theater Corp., New York City. Lease terms provide that the theater revert with the land to the owner upon the expiration of the lease.
The Strand Theater, recently modernized and redecorated, seats about 1,500. The immediate location was the site of the boyhood home of Andrew D. White, first president of Cornell University and distinguished diplomat.
One more from the same date:
http://tinyurl.com/m7edo5
Here is a color photo from Life, dated 1954:
http://tinyurl.com/lqyulz
It’s here:
/theaters/1129/
Demolition photo, 1982:
http://tinyurl.com/n7nmdt
Here is a 1935 photo from the LAPL:
http://tinyurl.com/nkpfhh
Here is a 1937 photo by Berenice Abott. I bought the book of her photos the other day, “Changing New York 1935-1938”, and I recommend it for anyone who enjoys seeing NYC in the 1930s.
http://tinyurl.com/kw3eks
Here is a news story from August 2007 about the possible sale of the theater:
http://tinyurl.com/m2p6hd
Here is an April 1993 story from the Kerrville Times:
Sometimes a film may premier in Plaza Three Theaters on opening weekend, and sometimes it may never appear at all. Determining what will appear on the three screens is not as simple as it seems, said owner, film booker and Plaza theater manager Patrick Hall. “I can’t just pick any film I want,” Hall said. “There are a lot of variables to consider.” A Dallas agent helps Hall, of the family-owned Rio Entertainment Inc., and other small theaters book films. “It increases our buying powers,” Hall said. “He books for quite a few screens, but they all belong to a lot of different companies.” The agent keeps the theaters updated on what is available, makes recommendations and negotiates film prices.
Aspects Hall must consider when selecting a movie, he said, are what is available, how much a film company wants for it and how long the company wants the theater to play it. “I may have to hold off on a film so I can get one the next week that will do better,” Hall said. For example, Hall said he initially chose not to bring “Star Wars” to Kerrville because “they wanted me to play it eight weeks … To bring a movie to Kerrville for eight weeks, it has got to be a brand new ‘Star Wars’.” Should he have decided to bring in “Star Wars”, he said Kerrville may not have received movies like “Jerry McGuire” or “Absolute Power.” “We don’t have the time and screens to bring all the movies here — there are only so many weeks in a year,“ Hall said. "Sometimes we just have to make some bad choices.”
In other instances, limited releases can keep a movie from reaching Kerrville, With a number of larger theaters vying for a movie, “Kerrville is pretty low on the list” of those releasing films, Hall said. The movie “Mother” was one such film that had only 70 prints available for a four-state area. Hall said for the movie to run in Kerrville it had to be brought in from Macon, Ga.
This was in the Joplin Globe in February 1950:
Picher, Okla., Feb. 10.â€"After a quarter-century of tenancy at 107 East Second street, the Boston Realty Company today moved its quarters out of Picher’s “danger zone” as outlined by the Eagle-Picher Mining and Smelting Company. This is the first move of a business firm from the four square-block area the mining company says may be hazardous because of being undermined.
The move was announced by Joe Vincent, manager of the agency the last 27 years, and this afternoon he established his new office at 218 South Connell avenue, a block and a half from the limits of the undermined zone. The Boston Realty Company handles leases and rentals for the Eagle-Picher company.
Picher’s darkened theater, the Plaza, is to be moved out of the danger zone as soon as possible, according to announcement today by L.H. Wells, Picher manager. He quoted Kenneth Blackledge of Oklahoma City, division manager for Video Theaters, owners of the Picher house, as saying the 1,000-seat theater would be moved. The Video company owns another theater in the undermined area but this house has been closed for several months. The Plaza theater suspended operations when the mining company recommended that residents and business houses of the district evacuate the area within 30 days.
There is a February 1950 item in Boxoffice concerning the construction and opening of the 800 seat Niantic Theatre. It was scheduled to open in February 1950, which more closely corresponds with the 1951 opening date given in the introduction. Niantic Theatre should be an aka for Niantic Cinemas.
It looks like the Markoffs opened an as-yet unidentified house in Niantic in late 1945, according to another BO item in November of that year. I will add the Markoff house once I found out what they called it.
This is from Boxoffice in October 1945:
WINDSOR, N.C.-A fire, which started in the roof of the rear of the Palace, completely gutted the building, causing a loss of $35,000. The building was owned by Lewis Thompson and the theater and equipment by his son, Roy Thompson, who operated it. The theater was unoccupied.
Here is an item in Boxoffice in October 1945. I’m not sure if there was a six year delay in opening the theater, or if this article alternatively is referring to a different house.
NIANTIC, CONN.-Plans are being drawn for a 550-seat theatre to be operated here by Joseph and Ted Markoff, operators of the Strand, Willimantic, Stuart, Lakeville, Colchester, Moodus and East Hampton theatres. Architects Curran & McGuire, New London, said construction was scheduled to start immediately.
This is from Boxoffice in October 1945:
CINCINNATI-Sale of the Oakley Theater building on Madison Road and plans for extensive modernization of the building were announced last Saturday. The building contains three stores, a theater and a lodge hall.
Following the sale, the owners leased the property to the Amnassador Theatre Co. for a 20-year period. It is planned to spend more than $75,000 modernizing the building, which fronts 70 feet on Madison Road and extends back 289 feet to Markbreit Avenue.
The entire front will be given a new facade and the theater lobby will be enlarged to include what is now a store space. the auditorium will be enlarged to accommodate approximately 850 patrons. Parking facilities will also be provided.