Just reviewed a book I have, “The Life and Death of Minneapolis’s Skid Row”, Photographs by Edwin C. Hirschoff; Essay by Joseph Hart. Book is published by the University of Minnesota Press. On page 66 is a full page picture of the Grand Theatre as I knew it. Comparing this picture to the above picture of the Savoy, they are one and the same. I hesitate to post this picture as the book and photographs in it are copyrighted.
All the time I was involved, the bank building on the right was not there and there was a parking lot on the left side of the Grand. If the Savoy was indeed the Grand, the façade of the theatre building dramatically changed. I will say it was a three story building. So the picture could be
Could have been the Savoy. I first hit Minneapolis around 1952. It was the Grand at that time. I changed the street scene to show exactly where it was. It must have closed around 1959 or 60. Remember working the booth during the middle 50’s.
I’ve heard two stories. First, the Strand opened originally as the Bijou Second, there was another theatre that burned down around 1915. It could have opened as the Bijou, but it came down as the Othello. The Eveleth Elks Club replaced it. I believe this theatre was a vaudeville house. These are stories I’ve heard over 60 year ago.
The Empress building was used as a Woolworth Five & Dime, Russell’s Mens Clothing Store. It is now part of the Wells Fargo Bank. (Note the picture, the Empress was next to the old First National Bank.)
The Strand Theatre was accross Grant Ave. from the Grant Theatre. Was a garage in my day.
Never had the pleasure of wokiing here. However, was in the theatre many times in the late 60’s and early 70’s when I was the BA of IA Local 219. Hope the Hollywood can be saved and restord. It is a real beauty.
This was a straight on rear projection system. Screen was translucent glass. The projectors were set to a slight upward angle so the audience would not see a “hot spot”. Used a 2-½ inch lense. The throw (distance from the lense to the screen) was between 30 and 40 feet. In a normal operation the projectionists always worked with the sound track toward him/her. At the Grand we had to work with the sound track away from us. Worked many a shift in the booth during 1957-58. Booth equipt with Standard Simplex Heads, Peerless Low Intensity Arc Lamps, and Ultraphone Sound. Ultraphone made a special sound head to handle the sound track being on the other side.
The Crystal was a grind house open daily from 10:00 am to 11:30 pm. All seats 25 cents. New double feature program every Friday and Sunday. New triple feature program every Tuesday. Spino cash was played every Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Still using Peerless Low Intensity Arc Lamps right up to the end.
For years the Bijou operated as a grind house 10:00 am to 11:30 pm. New double feature program every day. Price for all seats was 25 cents. Worked many a shift in the projection booth. Booth was located on the first balcony. The second balcony, which contained only benches had been closed for many years. Theatre had one of the largest cinemascope screens in the area.
The Leola was built by Mr. Ollie Lee, hench the name Leola. The Lee family owned and operated the theatre until 1960 when they sold it to the Cygnet Corp. The Lee’s had closed the3 theatre. Cygnet reopened the Leola in 1959 under a lease with the option to buy. Cygnet was a three way partnership of Bill Cumberland, Chet McCalllum and myself.
I find the closeing date above very intesting. This was the first theatre that I worked as a projectionist when I relocated to Minneapolis. This was in 1956. The Clyde Cutter family operated the Alahambra along with the Paradise and Broadway Theatres at that time. During my almost 25 years working as a projectionist in Minneapolis area do I recall Ted or Marvin Mann ever operating this theatre. I believe the Alhambra was closed and gone by 1959.
The State Theatre had stadium seating. The theatre was owned and operated by the Minnesota Amusement Company. The Edelstien family bought the theatre, I believe in the 60’s. The Edelstien theatre holdings were eventually sold to Marvin Mann, brother of Ted Mann.
The Regent had a small pipe organ (I believe it was called a “Movieola”) This organ was covered by a plywood wall that had been built four feet in front of the back wall of the theatre when sound was installed. Organ was set up to use old piano rolls. Organ was still working at the end. Every now and then we would go into the theatre during the day and play the organ. Had to remove a sheet of plywood to get to the organ.
The original slate screen from the silent days was still attached to the back wall of the theatre behind the sound screen. This slate screen had been painted black so as not to reflect through the sound screen.
The Grant opened in 1939. It was bullt by The Pazelli and Aluni families. The Crouse family, who at the time the Grant opened, operated the Regent and State Theatres, was brought in as managers. I worked here as a relief projectionist from 1952 until 1957. The theatre went to a weekend operation around 1958 and closed around 1960. The original projection equipment ended up in the Heights Theatre in Columbia Heights, Mn. The Grant was reopened for a short time around 1965 by a group of businessmen from Virginia, Mn. I came back to Eveleth for a short time to assist in the reopening.
Wonderful picture of a grand old theatre.
Just reviewed a book I have, “The Life and Death of Minneapolis’s Skid Row”, Photographs by Edwin C. Hirschoff; Essay by Joseph Hart. Book is published by the University of Minnesota Press. On page 66 is a full page picture of the Grand Theatre as I knew it. Comparing this picture to the above picture of the Savoy, they are one and the same. I hesitate to post this picture as the book and photographs in it are copyrighted.
All the time I was involved, the bank building on the right was not there and there was a parking lot on the left side of the Grand. If the Savoy was indeed the Grand, the façade of the theatre building dramatically changed. I will say it was a three story building. So the picture could be
Above picture keeps coming back to where it was. Theatre was actually across the Hennepin Ave from this site.
Could have been the Savoy. I first hit Minneapolis around 1952. It was the Grand at that time. I changed the street scene to show exactly where it was. It must have closed around 1959 or 60. Remember working the booth during the middle 50’s.
I’ve heard two stories. First, the Strand opened originally as the Bijou Second, there was another theatre that burned down around 1915. It could have opened as the Bijou, but it came down as the Othello. The Eveleth Elks Club replaced it. I believe this theatre was a vaudeville house. These are stories I’ve heard over 60 year ago.
The Empress building was used as a Woolworth Five & Dime, Russell’s Mens Clothing Store. It is now part of the Wells Fargo Bank. (Note the picture, the Empress was next to the old First National Bank.) The Strand Theatre was accross Grant Ave. from the Grant Theatre. Was a garage in my day.
The Regent had no balcony.
How about “don’t blow any change-overs”…Wish I could make one more.
Note the “F & R” emblem at the top.
Was in Chisholm on 6/13/2011. Theatre has been completely torn down. Prior time in Chisholm was 2008. Facade of this theatre was still standing.
Just added two pictures of the projection booth. The projector were named “Betsey” & “Matilda”.
Never had the pleasure of wokiing here. However, was in the theatre many times in the late 60’s and early 70’s when I was the BA of IA Local 219. Hope the Hollywood can be saved and restord. It is a real beauty.
“Damn Yankees” was the last film.
Believe it or not ran “Gone With The Wind” here in 70mm during the 1960’s
This was a straight on rear projection system. Screen was translucent glass. The projectors were set to a slight upward angle so the audience would not see a “hot spot”. Used a 2-½ inch lense. The throw (distance from the lense to the screen) was between 30 and 40 feet. In a normal operation the projectionists always worked with the sound track toward him/her. At the Grand we had to work with the sound track away from us. Worked many a shift in the booth during 1957-58. Booth equipt with Standard Simplex Heads, Peerless Low Intensity Arc Lamps, and Ultraphone Sound. Ultraphone made a special sound head to handle the sound track being on the other side.
The Crystal was a grind house open daily from 10:00 am to 11:30 pm. All seats 25 cents. New double feature program every Friday and Sunday. New triple feature program every Tuesday. Spino cash was played every Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Still using Peerless Low Intensity Arc Lamps right up to the end.
For years the Bijou operated as a grind house 10:00 am to 11:30 pm. New double feature program every day. Price for all seats was 25 cents. Worked many a shift in the projection booth. Booth was located on the first balcony. The second balcony, which contained only benches had been closed for many years. Theatre had one of the largest cinemascope screens in the area.
The Arion was still operating in the mid 1950’s. Pulled a few shifts in the projection booth 1956-57.
Was the projectionist during the final years of operations. Ran the last show. Building was remolded into the Summit Bank.
The Leola was built by Mr. Ollie Lee, hench the name Leola. The Lee family owned and operated the theatre until 1960 when they sold it to the Cygnet Corp. The Lee’s had closed the3 theatre. Cygnet reopened the Leola in 1959 under a lease with the option to buy. Cygnet was a three way partnership of Bill Cumberland, Chet McCalllum and myself.
I find the closeing date above very intesting. This was the first theatre that I worked as a projectionist when I relocated to Minneapolis. This was in 1956. The Clyde Cutter family operated the Alahambra along with the Paradise and Broadway Theatres at that time. During my almost 25 years working as a projectionist in Minneapolis area do I recall Ted or Marvin Mann ever operating this theatre. I believe the Alhambra was closed and gone by 1959.
The State Theatre had stadium seating. The theatre was owned and operated by the Minnesota Amusement Company. The Edelstien family bought the theatre, I believe in the 60’s. The Edelstien theatre holdings were eventually sold to Marvin Mann, brother of Ted Mann.
The Regent had a small pipe organ (I believe it was called a “Movieola”) This organ was covered by a plywood wall that had been built four feet in front of the back wall of the theatre when sound was installed. Organ was set up to use old piano rolls. Organ was still working at the end. Every now and then we would go into the theatre during the day and play the organ. Had to remove a sheet of plywood to get to the organ.
The original slate screen from the silent days was still attached to the back wall of the theatre behind the sound screen. This slate screen had been painted black so as not to reflect through the sound screen.
The Grant opened in 1939. It was bullt by The Pazelli and Aluni families. The Crouse family, who at the time the Grant opened, operated the Regent and State Theatres, was brought in as managers. I worked here as a relief projectionist from 1952 until 1957. The theatre went to a weekend operation around 1958 and closed around 1960. The original projection equipment ended up in the Heights Theatre in Columbia Heights, Mn. The Grant was reopened for a short time around 1965 by a group of businessmen from Virginia, Mn. I came back to Eveleth for a short time to assist in the reopening.