Century Theatre

A chronology of the Buffalo area’s 70mm presentation history has recently been published. The Century is mentioned numerous times.

Lawsuit: https://casetext.com/case/dipson-theatres-v-buffalo-theatres

For brevity’s sake, the following abbreviations will be used in naming the parties: Plaintiff will be named Dipson. The 10 remaining defendants will be named thus: Buffalo for Buffalo Theatres, Inc.; Bison for Bison Theatres Corporation; Vitagraph for Vitagraph, Inc.; Loew for Loew’s Inc.; Paramount for Paramount Pictures, Inc.; RKO for RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.; Fox for Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation; Universal for Universal Film Exchanges, Inc.; United for United Artists Corp.; McFaul for Vincent R. McFaul.

Of these 10 defendants, three (Buffalo, Bison and McFaul) are sued as exhibitors — the remaining seven as distributors.

Plaintiff’s first cause of action alleges unlawful discrimination against its Bailey Theatre, located at 2163 Bailey Avenue, Buffalo, N.Y. by defendant exhibitors, who operated it until August 1, 1939; that their lease expired July 31, 1939; that, on April 19, 1939, Dipson-Basil Theatres, Inc., which became Dipson Realty Co., Inc., purchased this theatre subject to the unexpired lease and operated it from August 1 to August 31, 1939, when D B Operating Co., Inc., which by change of name became the plaintiff herein, leased it, began operating it on September 1, 1939, and has continued such operation. Plaintiff demands damages from September 1, 1939, to September 17, 1945 for “actual operating losses, based upon income from admissions * * * $19,115; and losses of net income * * * $126,878, totalling * * * $145,993.” Par. 25.

Plaintiff’s second cause of action concerns the Century Theatre, located at 511 Main St., Buffalo, N.Y., and the Riviera Theatre, located in Tonawanda, N.Y. It alleges that defendant exhibitors operated the Century for about 10 years prior to August 1, 1939, when their lease expired; that it was then leased for 10 years by Century Theatrical Enterprises, Inc., which took possession August 1, 1939, and operated both it and the Riviera until November 20, 1940, after which plaintiff operated both theatres until June 26, 1941, when lessee was forced by defendants to surrender both leases to the respective lessors. It is alleged that, on or about November 25, 1941, Century Theatrical Enterprises, Inc. assigned to plaintiff all its claims and causes of action against defendants. Plaintiff alleges that, during 23 months (August 1, 1939, to June 26, 1941), it and said Century Theatrical Enterprises, Inc. suffered an operating loss of $58,240.67, Par. 36, and, “except for the unlawful combination and conspiracy of the defendants,” would have earned a net income between September 1, 1939, and August 31, 1949, of $1,423,788 Par. 36, from the Century and a net income between June 27, 1941, and July 31, 1949, of $56,570.60 from the Riviera, Par. 38.

Dipson Theatres v. Buffalo Theatres, 86 F. Supp. 716, 717-18 (W.D.N.Y. 1949)

Grand opening article:

Loews State opening 16 Oct 1921, Sun Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, New York) Newspapers.com

Michael Shea would take over operation of the Century Theatre in Buffalo on December 22, according to the December 14, 1928, issue of the Corning Evening Leader.

In the late 1970s, I remember attending a concert there. The Tubes performed but I can’t remember the opening act. Very theatrical including the lead singer exposing himself, which was a bit disturbing to a 16 year old.
Also saw a double feature Woodstock/Song Remains the Same. I think the movie started at 8 and got done around 3 am.
For both events, the pot smoke was so thick that it stayed on your clothes for days. It always struck me as nonsensical that Buffalo was spending all sorts of money to build a subway for a “Theater District” but it ended up tearing down one of the few theaters there.
But hey, that’s Buffalo! Now 35 years later, they want to bury the subway because dumb idea did not work.

Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ydy95n3

I remember seeing This is Cinerama in 1952 or ‘53. It was
an impressive cinema and the film bowled over this 9-year-old
schoolboy. We saw the film on a Saturday matinee and
afterwards, we drove to a residential area where a house
had been converted to a dining room. It was called the
Marigold Restaurant. I thought it odd that a dining room
would be located in a house and on a residential side
street.

It was an enjoyable day despite the long drive from Toronto
and the maximum highway speed of 50 mph.

Right JIMY8, I also remember seeing a lot of these roadshow presentations here. However, I think my fondest memory is of repeatedly viewing (like for all day practically) the amazing stop-motion animation work of Ray Harryhausen in “The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad” at the Century. I still have the original soundtrack recording of this film, as well as the one from “The Ten Commandments”. The snack bar truly made their money on me that day!

There used to be a tremendous hotdog-type diner next to the side entrance of this house where they were famous for their toasted buns (you should excuse the expression). As a kid, I think I ate so many hotdogs there that it gave me the artery blocks I have today!

In later years, there was a Mike’s Submarine Shop close-by, and many patrons would first stop there and buy a sub to take into the theater and eat as the show went on. These subs all had a distinctive smell which sometimes made it seem like you were sitting in the middle of a crowd of unwashed people as you watched the film.

After the Teck showed it’s last CINERAMA movie “How the West Was Won” in the spring of 1963, Buffalo had no CINERAMA theatre untill United Artists' Century CINERAMA Theatre, Carl E. Schaner, was the managing director, showed MGM’s “Gran Prix” on 03/23/67. A new semicircular CINERAMA 74ft by 33ft 26ft radius screen was installed in front of the present screen. The projection booth was brought down to the main floor and new single-lens CINERAMA process 70mm single-projectors were installed. With the new projectors they were “able to present motion pictures in any possible projection process”. All the seats were reupholsted and new drapes and carpeting were installed.
CINERAMA Releasing Corp.’s “Custer of the West” filmed in Super-Technirama and Technicolor in the CINERAMA widescreen process was to open in February of 1968, but I don’t know if that ever happened. A number of widescreen films had been booked and there was a possibility that some of the older CINERAMA hits would be brought back for presentation in the single-projector process, but I don’t know if that ever happened either.
The wall hollowed out of the building behind the stage reminds me of a lot of old theatres that have been “restored” recently and need to have a deeper stage, such as the Oriental in Chicago.
Anyone know if the pipes of the Moeller Theatre Pipe Organ were saved?

“Ladies and Gentlemen, This is CINERAMA!” Lowell Thomas

When built this the Century Theater was a Motion Picture Theater the seating was 2632 when purchased by Dipson/Basil in 1939. I personally managed the most attendance in its history with the opening of Walt Disney’s “Mary Poppins” in 1965. The Century had 2632 seats from the 1940’s up to 1965. It was Block Booked by the illegal Paramount Pictures theater chain and their illegal Shea operation in Buffalo. The United States Supreme Court decred and the Federal Court ordered McFaul and Shea to vacate, not sell, their theaters in 1948. Within a year my book on the most factual and True History of Theaters will be released. A Nationwide tragedy of the why’s and how’s of the 20th Century. Also did you know that the mythical Michael Shea never owned or built a “Shea’s” theater? My name is John B Basil, for questions I can be reached at 716-834-0348.

JW and Michael C: I dont know if you are in the Buffalo area, but today on WBEN radio, the a.m. talk show host asked his listening audience to call in and and tell what they remember about things in Buffalo that are gone such as restaurants, businesses, parks and THEATRES! I sent the host an email to tell him about CT as there are over 20 Buffalo theatres listed. One person called in and mentioned the Century, but there were many more in and around the town! I have plans to tour the western NY/PA/OH areas this summer to find old theatres or former locations as it’s interesting to see what is at certain locations now (though it can be very frustrating and very sad)if a particular theatre is gone as is the case with the Century.

Forgot to mention…the ticket prices for all of those concerts was like $6 – $6.50 each…