Shea's Criterion Theatre

Here is a brief article in the future tense about the opening of the Criterion from Moving Picture World of September 20, 1920, which was about two weeks late. It also got the opening date wrong:

“Criterion Opens September 6.

“Shea’s new Criterion Theatre, formerly the old Star, which has been completely remodeled at a cost in excess of $65,000, will open its doors on Monday evening, September 6, under the general supervision of Harold B. Franklin, managing director of Shea’s Hippodrome. The opening attraction will be ‘Something to Think About,’ which will be the first run anywhere of this picture.

“The Shea Amusement Company and the Famous Players-Artcraft Company are associated in the operation of the house and the super-productions of this company will be shown almost exclusively. The runs will be for two week periods. A classy advance advertising campaign is being placed in the local papers by Mr. Franklin. There will be a ten piece orchestra under the direction of Harry Wallace, president of the Buffalo Musicians' Association.

“The house has been practically rebuilt during the summer and when opened will present a metropolitan appearance. One of the features will be a singing sextette. Famous soloists will appear in connection with the programs.”

An article giving the opening date as Sunday, September 5, 1920. http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume11314newy#page/596/mode/1up/search/%22shea’s%22

How the Criterion opened. http://www.archive.org/stream/motionpicturenew222unse#page/2228/mode/2up

Here is a history of the Star Theatre as a legitimate house, from 1888 to 1919. It only mentions briefly that it then became a movie house called the Criterion.

The Art Institute of Chicago provides this drawing, captioned “Levi Theatre, for Emanuel Levi, Buffalo, N.Y.” The drawing might be by the theater’s architect, William Worth Carlin. The building was designed in the Romanesque Revival style.