Hi alknobloch. There is a Yahoo users group for Buffalo movies theater aficionados but not much of interest is posted there. I don’t remember the peanut cart but it sounds wonderful. Most of my recollections center around special events and openings with celebrities. Also I had a great collection of 8x10 stills from my favorite war, western and SF movies. As I remember each local or regional theater chain was responsible for advertising and promotions. My father coordinated directly with the studio PR reps to set up the local opening event. At the time Ed “Kookie” Burns (of 77 sun set strip fame) generated more buzz than John Wayne.
Paramount CLOSED AKA: Great Lakes
612 Main July 22nd, 1949-1965 3,024 seats
Opened as Great Lakes on March 30th, 1927 and renamed Paramount on July 22nd, 1949. It was owned by Buffalo Paramount Corp.
The closing date jives with my recollection of our family moving in early August, 1965. For company info see: View link
The Century Theater had the Three Stooges on stage for the opening of one of their feature films, it might have been The Three Stooges in Outer Space or something to that effect. I had the pleasure of meeting them after and hanging around while they were being interviewed and photographed and fed. The magic shop was likely Gene Gordon’s Shop of Magic on Franklin St. (found a reference to it on the internet). Gordon was apparently a gifted magician but is better known as brilliant innovator who created and marketed many effects.
Hi alknobloch. I was 12 when the theater closed and we moved. I was the resident theater brat sometimes after school but usually every weekend and all the time over the summer. I don’t know what happened to the projectors. I remember many special events like a closed circuit Beatles concert in 1964 I think. Remember WKBW and Joey Reynolds – he hosted the event. There used to be a mesmerizing professional magic shop on the street behind the theater. Above the shop was a 50 seat screening room with a bar. Every Friday afternoon the mayor (Sedida?), chief of police, rabbis, monsignors etc. gathered to preview a film, drink & smoke cigars and schmooze. Occasionally I got to go too.
My father was the general manager for Paramount Theaters in Buffalo and Rochester. I grew up in that theater and had free reign from the projection booth where I would help the projectionist strike the arc and cue the reels to behind the screen. As I remember, the Paramount in Buffalo was closed in 1965 (the parent company got out of the western NY market and we relocated). I have many photos of stars in attendance for the opening nights of their film’s debut at the Paramount (Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Van Hefflin, Ward Bond etc.) And the refrigerated air and popcorn smell was
irresistible!
TheThe pop corn came in 50 gallon bags from god knows where
Hi alknobloch. There is a Yahoo users group for Buffalo movies theater aficionados but not much of interest is posted there. I don’t remember the peanut cart but it sounds wonderful. Most of my recollections center around special events and openings with celebrities. Also I had a great collection of 8x10 stills from my favorite war, western and SF movies. As I remember each local or regional theater chain was responsible for advertising and promotions. My father coordinated directly with the studio PR reps to set up the local opening event. At the time Ed “Kookie” Burns (of 77 sun set strip fame) generated more buzz than John Wayne.
Just to confirm, according to
View link
Paramount CLOSED AKA: Great Lakes
612 Main July 22nd, 1949-1965 3,024 seats
Opened as Great Lakes on March 30th, 1927 and renamed Paramount on July 22nd, 1949. It was owned by Buffalo Paramount Corp.
The closing date jives with my recollection of our family moving in early August, 1965. For company info see:
View link
The Century Theater had the Three Stooges on stage for the opening of one of their feature films, it might have been The Three Stooges in Outer Space or something to that effect. I had the pleasure of meeting them after and hanging around while they were being interviewed and photographed and fed. The magic shop was likely Gene Gordon’s Shop of Magic on Franklin St. (found a reference to it on the internet). Gordon was apparently a gifted magician but is better known as brilliant innovator who created and marketed many effects.
Hi alknobloch. I was 12 when the theater closed and we moved. I was the resident theater brat sometimes after school but usually every weekend and all the time over the summer. I don’t know what happened to the projectors. I remember many special events like a closed circuit Beatles concert in 1964 I think. Remember WKBW and Joey Reynolds – he hosted the event. There used to be a mesmerizing professional magic shop on the street behind the theater. Above the shop was a 50 seat screening room with a bar. Every Friday afternoon the mayor (Sedida?), chief of police, rabbis, monsignors etc. gathered to preview a film, drink & smoke cigars and schmooze. Occasionally I got to go too.
My father was the general manager for Paramount Theaters in Buffalo and Rochester. I grew up in that theater and had free reign from the projection booth where I would help the projectionist strike the arc and cue the reels to behind the screen. As I remember, the Paramount in Buffalo was closed in 1965 (the parent company got out of the western NY market and we relocated). I have many photos of stars in attendance for the opening nights of their film’s debut at the Paramount (Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Van Hefflin, Ward Bond etc.) And the refrigerated air and popcorn smell was
irresistible!
TheThe pop corn came in 50 gallon bags from god knows where