Clinton Theater
161 Clinton Street,
Binghamton,
NY
13905
161 Clinton Street,
Binghamton,
NY
13905
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Marginal though it may have been, the Clinton Theatre was listed in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory.
Great detective work, Walter, thanks…
Those articles indicate changes to a theater that already existed in some form. I’m thinking that the Dreamland was probably an attempt to restart the Clinton Theater, perhaps with a different front entrance (which would explain the different numbering). Since the Clinton appeared to have been a slipshod affair it’s not surprising that there might have been code concerns. Given that the family who opened the funeral home apparently was living in the building from 1928, it indicates that the building was converted to that use around that time (or that the building was torn down and a new building constructed in its place). It would be interesting to know if the funeral home part of the building, which would have been the auditorium area for a theater, bears any earmarks of that kind of prior use.
The someone who attempted to start a Dreamland Theatre in 1926 was Frank P Saunders. According to the March 5, 1926 issue of Variety, Saunders was directed to make certain safety changes before he would be granted a license to operate. The March 20th issue of Motion Picture News was more specific, reporting that the council that would grant the license wanted several changes in exits, aisles, toilet accommodations and the projection booth before granting it. I didn’t find any mention of this work being completed or that the theatre ever opened other than the Film Daily Yearbook listing.
Hold the phone. The 1927 Film Year Book indicates there WAS a Dreamland Theater in operation that year. Was there a brief resurrection of the Clinton in 1926-27, before the funeral home?