The Manager who ran this theatre in the 1950’s, was named Joe DiCarlo. He also managed the Cinerama, and joined General Cinema in 1965, becoming the manager of the Shoppers World Cinema in 1966, later a District Manager.
At the end of July, 1961, the Cleveland Circle was advertised in the Boston Traveler as being an ATC or American Theatres Corp. Theatre which also owned the Waltham Embassy, and in downtown Boston, the Pilgrim and Mayflower Theatres, as well as several other suburban theatres.
I found an interesting use for an old screen, in a basement, where a tenant stapled it to the studs as a sort of “suspended” ceiling. It held the insulation up, and it’s flexibility made it easy to install.
I’m not sure on when it happened, but when I worked there in the summer of 1968, I believe it was already a triple. I remember there was an elevator to go from the downstairs lobby to the theatre upstairs.
According to a friend who worked there, when Sack took over the building near the Mass Pike entrance, now a hotel, he named the theatre The Capri. It played Bridge on the River Kwai, and Breakfast at Tiffaneys. The film La Dolce Vita played the Saxon.
When the Capri was sold, Sack took over an E,M.Loews building and named the theatre The Copley. This is now a Christian Science building. Both the Capri and Copley were on Huntington Ave, but not in the same location.
Some have suggested that the Capri was also known at the Copley Theatre. I have the impression they’re two different buildings. The Copley was in a renovated hotel building, next door to The Stage Lounge on Stuart St. It was originally owned by E.M. Loew.
Where was the Capri?
This was a nice effort to sell photo-art, and thank you for showing us your products. The darkened and blurred images make the theatres appear closed, as though once colorful and bright, now in a blighted neighborhood, dark and abandoned. I enjoy looking at the marquee styles though, and wonder what the entrance areas look like today. Very mysterious, thank you for sharing your vision.
Fresh Pond was a tough theatre to manage, as was the strip mall. This was because of the low-income high rises behind. There was a constant problem with vandalism, and petty crime, and thus the reason the area isn’t very pleasant. Originally, the front had the two story picture windows, seen in many General Cinema and Showcase theatres built in the 1960’s. These windows had to be blocked up with concrete block. It was a “buck house” playing film subrun along with Stoneham, Saugus, and Waltham.
The White City Cinema opened in 1964 with Mary Poppins. Sound of Music played for 6 six months. The original single screen was split sometime in the 1970’s, and a third auditorium was made in what was originally a balcony, in 1985 following renovation from a fire. The Theatre closed the final Sunday in March, 2001. (thanks to a Worcester Telegram article by Virginia Lucier for the information)
There was a relationship, but I know of only one other situation. The Natick Drive In was a partnership. Redstone owned the land, and Smith Management (General Cinema) built the theatre. The boxoffice revenue was deposited under a separate unit number from concession, unlike nearly all other General Cinemas. I believe concession revenue went to Redstone. Advance newspaper accounts on the building of the Natick Drive In indicate a riff between the town and Redstone, and Redstone theoretically pulled out. At least publically.
The other location where there were two separate unit numbers, was Framingham with Boxoffice deposited under unit #530, and concession #850. I understood the concession revenue went into a private account.
The “new screen” that was mentioned in the article, was the larger one installed for Cinemascope. I think it was 1954.
I don’t know the business arrangement, but I’d guess that Al Capp and Lee Falk rented the theatre for the summers, from Shoppers World, since General Cinema also leased the building. (one of the differences between Redstone and GCC was that Redstone bought land and built, and GCC let the shopping center build, and they leased the building.) Of course, we now know who had the smarter idea, but back then, the land wasn’t as valuable. I was told that Phil Smith was a genius because he didn’t believe in investing in land the way his neigbor did. Since the lease agreements of the late ‘80s and '90 contributed to the bankruptcy of the chain, I guess he wasn’t as smart as everyone once thought.
First, your friend should read the messages on this site under the category of “Theatres in Need.” Next got to this link for lots more information. http://www.cinematour.com/article.php?id=3 Jim Rankin gives all the links you’ll need.
I imagine the Historical Society is a wealth of information, and it would be a great place to visit frequently, if one were in Chicago. For those of us who will never travel so far, we can only imagine. It reminds me of the Ackermansion of Famous Monsters of Filmland when I was a kid reading the magazine and wishing someday to visit Forry.
Maybe the grill work shown in the photo was in an earlier catalog, and discontinued by 1970? I think GCC stopped using that stuff in the mid 1960s.
There a Container Store in there now.
The Manager who ran this theatre in the 1950’s, was named Joe DiCarlo. He also managed the Cinerama, and joined General Cinema in 1965, becoming the manager of the Shoppers World Cinema in 1966, later a District Manager.
At the end of July, 1961, the Cleveland Circle was advertised in the Boston Traveler as being an ATC or American Theatres Corp. Theatre which also owned the Waltham Embassy, and in downtown Boston, the Pilgrim and Mayflower Theatres, as well as several other suburban theatres.
At the end of July 1961, the Boston Herald Traveler lists “The New Capri” at 175 Huntington Ave, playing Lolita.
To Robert R, I couldn’t get the link to work, is there a different search criterea to get to this article?
I found an interesting use for an old screen, in a basement, where a tenant stapled it to the studs as a sort of “suspended” ceiling. It held the insulation up, and it’s flexibility made it easy to install.
I thought the Circle opened in 1965. What film was listed as playing the theatre in 1960?
I’m not sure on when it happened, but when I worked there in the summer of 1968, I believe it was already a triple. I remember there was an elevator to go from the downstairs lobby to the theatre upstairs.
The Cheri was a single theatre when it opened, and later split, with the third auditorium up on street level later.
According to a friend who worked there, when Sack took over the building near the Mass Pike entrance, now a hotel, he named the theatre The Capri. It played Bridge on the River Kwai, and Breakfast at Tiffaneys. The film La Dolce Vita played the Saxon.
When the Capri was sold, Sack took over an E,M.Loews building and named the theatre The Copley. This is now a Christian Science building. Both the Capri and Copley were on Huntington Ave, but not in the same location.
I think the building was originally called the Psychedelic Supermarket, where I saw the Moody Blues in 1967 or ‘68. It was a large hall at the time.
Some have suggested that the Capri was also known at the Copley Theatre. I have the impression they’re two different buildings. The Copley was in a renovated hotel building, next door to The Stage Lounge on Stuart St. It was originally owned by E.M. Loew.
Where was the Capri?
Was it called the Marine at 88 Bay Ave? I found it listed in the Film Daily, 1942 and 1957.
This was a nice effort to sell photo-art, and thank you for showing us your products. The darkened and blurred images make the theatres appear closed, as though once colorful and bright, now in a blighted neighborhood, dark and abandoned. I enjoy looking at the marquee styles though, and wonder what the entrance areas look like today. Very mysterious, thank you for sharing your vision.
Great drawings! Has everyone seen the Sims games? I think someone should write a computer game called “SIM Cinema” so we can run a simulated theatre.
Is Boston Concessions Group previously known as Theatre Merchandising?
Fresh Pond was a tough theatre to manage, as was the strip mall. This was because of the low-income high rises behind. There was a constant problem with vandalism, and petty crime, and thus the reason the area isn’t very pleasant. Originally, the front had the two story picture windows, seen in many General Cinema and Showcase theatres built in the 1960’s. These windows had to be blocked up with concrete block. It was a “buck house” playing film subrun along with Stoneham, Saugus, and Waltham.
The White City Cinema opened in 1964 with Mary Poppins. Sound of Music played for 6 six months. The original single screen was split sometime in the 1970’s, and a third auditorium was made in what was originally a balcony, in 1985 following renovation from a fire. The Theatre closed the final Sunday in March, 2001. (thanks to a Worcester Telegram article by Virginia Lucier for the information)
There was a relationship, but I know of only one other situation. The Natick Drive In was a partnership. Redstone owned the land, and Smith Management (General Cinema) built the theatre. The boxoffice revenue was deposited under a separate unit number from concession, unlike nearly all other General Cinemas. I believe concession revenue went to Redstone. Advance newspaper accounts on the building of the Natick Drive In indicate a riff between the town and Redstone, and Redstone theoretically pulled out. At least publically.
The other location where there were two separate unit numbers, was Framingham with Boxoffice deposited under unit #530, and concession #850. I understood the concession revenue went into a private account.
The “new screen” that was mentioned in the article, was the larger one installed for Cinemascope. I think it was 1954.
I don’t know the business arrangement, but I’d guess that Al Capp and Lee Falk rented the theatre for the summers, from Shoppers World, since General Cinema also leased the building. (one of the differences between Redstone and GCC was that Redstone bought land and built, and GCC let the shopping center build, and they leased the building.) Of course, we now know who had the smarter idea, but back then, the land wasn’t as valuable. I was told that Phil Smith was a genius because he didn’t believe in investing in land the way his neigbor did. Since the lease agreements of the late ‘80s and '90 contributed to the bankruptcy of the chain, I guess he wasn’t as smart as everyone once thought.
I think it was a Sack theatre in 1967 when I saw “The Graduate” there.
First, your friend should read the messages on this site under the category of “Theatres in Need.” Next got to this link for lots more information. http://www.cinematour.com/article.php?id=3 Jim Rankin gives all the links you’ll need.
I imagine the Historical Society is a wealth of information, and it would be a great place to visit frequently, if one were in Chicago. For those of us who will never travel so far, we can only imagine. It reminds me of the Ackermansion of Famous Monsters of Filmland when I was a kid reading the magazine and wishing someday to visit Forry.
Sorry, the Film Daily may have a spelling error. The name of the town is Framingham. The link to the web page is http://natickmass.info/Gorman.htm