The $50,000 Osage Theatre owned for about 30 years by Richard R. Biechele launched February 26, 1922 with “Sailor Made Man.” The theatre was 75x120 feet and housed 1,000 at opening. The Osage replaced a smaller theater that had fewer than 500 seats (explaining the seat count discrepancy). The theatre suffered a roof collapse in 1948 injuring patrons but reopened.During the 1951 flood that swept through the Armourdale district, the Osage was forced to close. With 1952 likely as the terminus of Biechele’s lease, he made no effort to reopen. The theatre was vacant until 1957 and was rezoned from G commercial to manufacturing first converted for a neon sign company and as of the 2010s, a boat servicing center.
Leon H. Lempert architected the new Strand which launched in 1923 with the film, “3 Wise Fools.” The new iteration of the Strand had a Wurlitzer organ and nine-piece orchestra led by H.W. Minier, seating by Karen & Sons, and operated by William Bernstein.
Grand opening was March 31, 1923 with Jack Coogan in “Daddy,” Buster Keaton in “The Balloonatic” as well as Randall’s Royal Orchestra, Broadway News Review and Ralph Mason at the organ.
Architected by Henry L. Spann of Buffalo and opened in 1923. It actually replaced Buffalo’s Try-It Theatre at the same location owned by J.D. Parmelee.
Closed October 1961. Demolished February 1962 as part of the “City of Tomorrow” urban renewal plan in Dallas and replaced by the First National Bank building.
Carl Boller architected the Linwood Theatre built in 1910 for Jos. B. Fischer, C. Lloyd Hinshaw, and Elroy R. Parker. The lineage of the theatre actually dates back to the latter two owners' Linwood Garden open air theater two blocks away. Deciding to go year-round, the trio hired Stevens Construction who was the general contractor with brickwork by J.J. Hoffman, steelwork by Kansas City Construction Steel Co. and concrete by Gilsonite Construction at a cost of $25,000.
In 1922, the inexpensive neighborhood house was completely gutted leaving just the walls and a new $75,000 upgrade. It included a Wurlitzer Hope-Jones Unit Orchestra organ and all new seating layout. Capitol Enterprises Circuit built the new theater with 1,400 seats hiring W.O. Lenhart as its first manager.
The Detroit was architected by Nicola Petti. The French windows, Rafaello decorations on the wall panels, and Bourdeaux curtains were among the few flourishes of the fairly subdued auditorium design. It was built for $275,000 and constructed for the Homestead Theatre Co. Circuit adding to their Cleveland area neighborhood theatres by owners Julius Schwartz and Dr. I. Body. Everything was mechanically controlled at open in 1924 to lower the cost of operations. That business model worked for more than 85 years until closure.
The Aris opened in 1921 with a $6,000 Gottfried orchestral organ played by Nolene McClure but it was destroyed along with virtually all of the interior on December 27, 1922 when a fire in the Aris furnace destroyed everything in the theatre and saw the collapse of the east wall. Rowland & Clark picked up the shelled out theatre in 1925 investing $100,000 in refurbishing the theatre and making it their fifth Erie property along with the Perry, State, Colonial, and Strand. Popular priced at the outset, the circuit upgraded to a Tellers-Kent two manual organ built in Erie. The theatre re-launched Sept. 7, 1925. Warner Bros. circuit took on the theatre which lasted into the television age. But TV took its toll and the theatre was closed and then demo’d.
The 1923 exterior architectural sketch of Henry L. Newhouse and F.M. Bernham, architects of the 1,200-seat -at opening in 1924 – Marquette Theatre – can be found in photos. Fitpatrick & McElroy owned the theatre but leased it to competitor Balaban & Katz for the first ten years. Ten stores including the Oriental Café on the second floor of the theatre adjoined the building.
The Famous Players'-Lasky $4.5 million “wonder theatre” — the Metropolitan Theatre — opened October 17, 1925 with a live performance of the 1812 Overture and live stage presentation of “The Melting Pot” symbolizing the colonization of New England and Paramount’s feature, “The King of Main Street.” The manager Ralph E. Crabill saw a full house for the first performances.
In the store-show era of movie exhibition, Josiah Pearce & Sons' Pearce’s Theatre Circuit was a leader in New Orleans and Monroe, LA as well. With the two store-show theatres on St. Charles Street (the Bijou Dream Theatre at 117 St. Charles and Dreamland at 316 St. Charles) and two more on Canal St with the Grand Theatre (1033 Canal) and the Electric Theatre (926 Canal), Pearce seem well-situated until larger competitive theaters came along. Pearce answered with its first true modern movie palace with the Trianon encompassing 814-816 Canal Street. A year later, Pearce added the Tudor Theatre at 610 Canal which opened in June of 1913. Pearce would shutter his show-stores leaving the Pearce New Orleans portfolio as the Trianon and the Tudor Theatre at 610 Canal which opened in June of 1913.
But the Pearce Circuit was under duress especially from the Saneger Circuit which would acquire both the Tudor and Trianon. Though the Trianon had good times under Saenger, the circuit got even more aggressive building movie palaces including the Saenger Theatre which rendered the Trianon fairly useless and certainly outdated. It would be dropped and the theater’s auditorium eventually demolished.
The $300,000 Lock Cities Theatres Circuit house launched July 18, 1925 and was leased by Famous Players-Lasky for booking Paramount films there and Keith vaudeville acts were also there at the outset. Architected by Leon H. Lempert & Son with John Moon & Co. as contractor, the storage area had 42 sets for the live vaudeville shows. At opening, it had a $25,000 Wurlitzer Hope-Jones Organ with Bobby Demming at the keys and Joseph Pomeranz as the conductor.
1,100 of the seats were on the main floor with Wilton carpeting underneath the Haywood-Wafefield seating. 500 seats in the balcony and 125 loge seats made up the 1,725 seat theatre at its launch. A curtain at the 40'x25' proscenium had a mural painted by Lusk Studios of Rochester. George T. Cruzen was the opening manager.
The Lafayette Theatre launched on July 9, 1925 for the Western New York Theatre Enterprises Circuit by Fred M. Zimmerman. The Faber Brothers built the theater with a 52' width and height. The theatre had 700 seats on the main floor — 22 seats per row — and 400 additional seats in the balcony.
Reopened as Cine America on August 14, 2015 with digital projection on all screens. Its feature selections are first-run, mostly American films with Spanish subtitles; dubbed American films into Spanish (primarily animated and effects-centered action films); and some Mexican films that played exclusively at the theater. Like its predecessor, Cinema America also played all of the Pantelion releases from the studio created by Lionsgate and Grupo Televisa to reach American Hispanic audiences.
Architected by L. D. Bayley of Hartford and opened in 1913.
Opened in 1923 by J.C. Morris.
The $50,000 Osage Theatre owned for about 30 years by Richard R. Biechele launched February 26, 1922 with “Sailor Made Man.” The theatre was 75x120 feet and housed 1,000 at opening. The Osage replaced a smaller theater that had fewer than 500 seats (explaining the seat count discrepancy). The theatre suffered a roof collapse in 1948 injuring patrons but reopened.During the 1951 flood that swept through the Armourdale district, the Osage was forced to close. With 1952 likely as the terminus of Biechele’s lease, he made no effort to reopen. The theatre was vacant until 1957 and was rezoned from G commercial to manufacturing first converted for a neon sign company and as of the 2010s, a boat servicing center.
Leon H. Lempert architected the new Strand which launched in 1923 with the film, “3 Wise Fools.” The new iteration of the Strand had a Wurlitzer organ and nine-piece orchestra led by H.W. Minier, seating by Karen & Sons, and operated by William Bernstein.
The “New” Rex opened in 1923 and was architected by W.C.Weeks and operated by E.J. Hoefer.
Grand opening was March 22, 1923 by Samuel Lesselbaum.
Grand opening was March 31, 1923 with Jack Coogan in “Daddy,” Buster Keaton in “The Balloonatic” as well as Randall’s Royal Orchestra, Broadway News Review and Ralph Mason at the organ.
Architected by Henry L. Spann of Buffalo and opened in 1923. It actually replaced Buffalo’s Try-It Theatre at the same location owned by J.D. Parmelee.
Closed October 1961. Demolished February 1962 as part of the “City of Tomorrow” urban renewal plan in Dallas and replaced by the First National Bank building.
Harry S. Bair architected the Plaza Theatre
Carl Boller architected the Linwood Theatre built in 1910 for Jos. B. Fischer, C. Lloyd Hinshaw, and Elroy R. Parker. The lineage of the theatre actually dates back to the latter two owners' Linwood Garden open air theater two blocks away. Deciding to go year-round, the trio hired Stevens Construction who was the general contractor with brickwork by J.J. Hoffman, steelwork by Kansas City Construction Steel Co. and concrete by Gilsonite Construction at a cost of $25,000.
In 1922, the inexpensive neighborhood house was completely gutted leaving just the walls and a new $75,000 upgrade. It included a Wurlitzer Hope-Jones Unit Orchestra organ and all new seating layout. Capitol Enterprises Circuit built the new theater with 1,400 seats hiring W.O. Lenhart as its first manager.
aka Joe Weber’s Theatre
The Detroit was architected by Nicola Petti. The French windows, Rafaello decorations on the wall panels, and Bourdeaux curtains were among the few flourishes of the fairly subdued auditorium design. It was built for $275,000 and constructed for the Homestead Theatre Co. Circuit adding to their Cleveland area neighborhood theatres by owners Julius Schwartz and Dr. I. Body. Everything was mechanically controlled at open in 1924 to lower the cost of operations. That business model worked for more than 85 years until closure.
Opened October 1, 1923 managed by A.R. Nininger.
The Aris opened in 1921 with a $6,000 Gottfried orchestral organ played by Nolene McClure but it was destroyed along with virtually all of the interior on December 27, 1922 when a fire in the Aris furnace destroyed everything in the theatre and saw the collapse of the east wall. Rowland & Clark picked up the shelled out theatre in 1925 investing $100,000 in refurbishing the theatre and making it their fifth Erie property along with the Perry, State, Colonial, and Strand. Popular priced at the outset, the circuit upgraded to a Tellers-Kent two manual organ built in Erie. The theatre re-launched Sept. 7, 1925. Warner Bros. circuit took on the theatre which lasted into the television age. But TV took its toll and the theatre was closed and then demo’d.
Credit manager Charles Sassen for the front.
Cutouts from the 24 sheet are above the marquee to give three-dimensional effect.
The 1923 exterior architectural sketch of Henry L. Newhouse and F.M. Bernham, architects of the 1,200-seat -at opening in 1924 – Marquette Theatre – can be found in photos. Fitpatrick & McElroy owned the theatre but leased it to competitor Balaban & Katz for the first ten years. Ten stores including the Oriental Café on the second floor of the theatre adjoined the building.
The Famous Players'-Lasky $4.5 million “wonder theatre” — the Metropolitan Theatre — opened October 17, 1925 with a live performance of the 1812 Overture and live stage presentation of “The Melting Pot” symbolizing the colonization of New England and Paramount’s feature, “The King of Main Street.” The manager Ralph E. Crabill saw a full house for the first performances.
The Palace’s grand opening was October 25, 1913 with “A Sister to Carmen.”
In the store-show era of movie exhibition, Josiah Pearce & Sons' Pearce’s Theatre Circuit was a leader in New Orleans and Monroe, LA as well. With the two store-show theatres on St. Charles Street (the Bijou Dream Theatre at 117 St. Charles and Dreamland at 316 St. Charles) and two more on Canal St with the Grand Theatre (1033 Canal) and the Electric Theatre (926 Canal), Pearce seem well-situated until larger competitive theaters came along. Pearce answered with its first true modern movie palace with the Trianon encompassing 814-816 Canal Street. A year later, Pearce added the Tudor Theatre at 610 Canal which opened in June of 1913. Pearce would shutter his show-stores leaving the Pearce New Orleans portfolio as the Trianon and the Tudor Theatre at 610 Canal which opened in June of 1913.
But the Pearce Circuit was under duress especially from the Saneger Circuit which would acquire both the Tudor and Trianon. Though the Trianon had good times under Saenger, the circuit got even more aggressive building movie palaces including the Saenger Theatre which rendered the Trianon fairly useless and certainly outdated. It would be dropped and the theater’s auditorium eventually demolished.
The $300,000 Lock Cities Theatres Circuit house launched July 18, 1925 and was leased by Famous Players-Lasky for booking Paramount films there and Keith vaudeville acts were also there at the outset. Architected by Leon H. Lempert & Son with John Moon & Co. as contractor, the storage area had 42 sets for the live vaudeville shows. At opening, it had a $25,000 Wurlitzer Hope-Jones Organ with Bobby Demming at the keys and Joseph Pomeranz as the conductor.
1,100 of the seats were on the main floor with Wilton carpeting underneath the Haywood-Wafefield seating. 500 seats in the balcony and 125 loge seats made up the 1,725 seat theatre at its launch. A curtain at the 40'x25' proscenium had a mural painted by Lusk Studios of Rochester. George T. Cruzen was the opening manager.
The Lafayette Theatre launched on July 9, 1925 for the Western New York Theatre Enterprises Circuit by Fred M. Zimmerman. The Faber Brothers built the theater with a 52' width and height. The theatre had 700 seats on the main floor — 22 seats per row — and 400 additional seats in the balcony.
Reopened as Cine America on August 14, 2015 with digital projection on all screens. Its feature selections are first-run, mostly American films with Spanish subtitles; dubbed American films into Spanish (primarily animated and effects-centered action films); and some Mexican films that played exclusively at the theater. Like its predecessor, Cinema America also played all of the Pantelion releases from the studio created by Lionsgate and Grupo Televisa to reach American Hispanic audiences.
Yes, the State Theatre was the famous building that collapsed during the storm killing 15 injuring bunches of people. Very tragic.