With slightly over 1300 seats between the main floor and the balcony, it was a beautiful theater to grow up in. It was designed for movies since there was no stage or dressing rooms behind the screen like its neighbor, The Paramount, just down the street.(both theaters were run by the same company as were several in Pittsfield) The lights along the side walls had bronze “feather” as decoration in honor of its name sake, the Mohawk Indains who once roamed the Berkshire county hills. Unfortunately many were broken and lost over the years and most liely will not be replaced during the renovations due to cost. It was the second theater where I had the opportunity to visit the projection booth and continue my education in the film business.
Francis Rogers
retired projectionist
There was also a Paramount theater in North Adams. It was generally used more than it sister theater, the Mohawk, just up the street, although I’m not sure why. It had 1467 seats and was designed as a full stage theater. There was an orchestra pit for about a 25 member orchestra, dressing rooms on each side of a full stage (3 dressing rooms up and 3 down on each side), foot light pockets, complete stage rigging and a huge lighting control board full of orignial knife switches. It was the only film theater I ever saw that had motorized red velvet curtins over the screen along with a white “traveler” between the two. The booth had an operational carbon arc follow spot that was used for holiday parties (and other function) given by the North Adams police department members for all the kids in town. Prizes, raffles, and tons of cartoons were all on the program. It was the first theater that I was lucky enough to gain entry into the projection booth so I could begin learning what would become a life long passion. This happened when I was 14 years old, and it happened without the approval of the mangement. I remember once making a fast exit out an emergency door in the booth. It lead to a staircase built into the balcony. One small, dirty light bulb lit my way down in the massive, empty interior of the balcony to a hidden door built into the main staircase’s landing. I made it!
The theater was demolisted in the 70’s (possible 80’s). The lobby can still be seen if one looks carefully for it now houses a restaurant.
With slightly over 1300 seats between the main floor and the balcony, it was a beautiful theater to grow up in. It was designed for movies since there was no stage or dressing rooms behind the screen like its neighbor, The Paramount, just down the street.(both theaters were run by the same company as were several in Pittsfield) The lights along the side walls had bronze “feather” as decoration in honor of its name sake, the Mohawk Indains who once roamed the Berkshire county hills. Unfortunately many were broken and lost over the years and most liely will not be replaced during the renovations due to cost. It was the second theater where I had the opportunity to visit the projection booth and continue my education in the film business.
Francis Rogers
retired projectionist
There was also a Paramount theater in North Adams. It was generally used more than it sister theater, the Mohawk, just up the street, although I’m not sure why. It had 1467 seats and was designed as a full stage theater. There was an orchestra pit for about a 25 member orchestra, dressing rooms on each side of a full stage (3 dressing rooms up and 3 down on each side), foot light pockets, complete stage rigging and a huge lighting control board full of orignial knife switches. It was the only film theater I ever saw that had motorized red velvet curtins over the screen along with a white “traveler” between the two. The booth had an operational carbon arc follow spot that was used for holiday parties (and other function) given by the North Adams police department members for all the kids in town. Prizes, raffles, and tons of cartoons were all on the program. It was the first theater that I was lucky enough to gain entry into the projection booth so I could begin learning what would become a life long passion. This happened when I was 14 years old, and it happened without the approval of the mangement. I remember once making a fast exit out an emergency door in the booth. It lead to a staircase built into the balcony. One small, dirty light bulb lit my way down in the massive, empty interior of the balcony to a hidden door built into the main staircase’s landing. I made it!
The theater was demolisted in the 70’s (possible 80’s). The lobby can still be seen if one looks carefully for it now houses a restaurant.
Francis Rogers
retired projectionist