That’s called a Coop Display ad. The distributor gives a certain amount for a large ad, the cost to be split between those theatres listed underneath who were opening with the film. The local paper probably had a smaller directory, sometimes with paste-up artwork and showtimes for their individual theatre.
Thanks to those who posted some nice photos of the Palm. I hope lvmstar will post the family photos on a web site, or maybe email some to those who want to see them?
When I began working as an usher in 1966, minimum wage was $1.25, local bag boys in the supermarket were making $1.50, and the theatre was paying $1.00 an hour for an usher. I took the usher’s job just because it was the theatre. So did all my friends. And we all had a great time, because it was not only a job, but a social experience. (theater ushers in Massachusetts were classified as sub minimum wage, like golf caddies and waitresses).
Working as a floor staff in a theatre has always been a minimum wage part-time job without benefits. Trying to make it otherwise is probably futile, as the result of allowing the union in will be to cause expenses to increase, which will spiral into higher admission prices. Theatre owners won’t take a lower profit margin. Of course other greater Boston area theatre employees will be encouraged to do the same. One can empathize with the employees, as many theatre employees through the years eventually grew out of the part time job but one can understand the position of management too. The union will succeed, I’m sure, but ultimately, the customer will lose out because Management will schedule fewer staff on a shift in order to make up for the increased payroll. And we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that employees such as those interviewed lasted as long as they did, not because of the money, but because they loved “the business”.
Just a suggestion, and I hope you don’t take offense, but I wonder
if Joel Shepard knew you were going to reveal his interest to the public with his request to you. Sounds like maybe you could have simply suggested he post a message here instead of you doing it for him, and including his name in the post.
There are probably many who would be interested in the details of the architectural history of your Father-In-Law’s firm, and which theatres he designed. I think the Northshore Cinema in Peabody, the South Shore Plaza Cinema in Braintree, and other shopping center theatres owned by General Cinema in the 1960s, were some. I wonder if he designed any of their bowling alleys in the late 1950’s or 60s? I sent you an email and hope you’ll reply. Thanks for posting here.
Anyone who visits NYC should make a point of taking the backstage tour they have there. They take you onstage, and upstairs to Roxy’s private apartment. You’ll even get to meet a Rockette!
The ad to the right is the directory, the ones you see, are the display ads. In many papers, the directory is a concise list with times, and the display was an extra, paid for with co-op money. In this case, the directory has quite a few more theatres than are listed in the display.
Maybe the fire was around 1950, and it was rebuilt around the same time, thus the reason for the differences in seating. The Film Daily’s probably just keep listing it with it’s old name.
The Film Daily Yearbook of 1957 only lists the Princess. Same with the 1942 edition. Next step would be the check the local newspaper files, microfilm in the library, hopefully. Or the telephone directory for those years, again hopefully in the local library.
Liberty Tree Mall was one of the competitors. The Northshore Cinema, (it’s actual name in GCC records) was one of the companies slowest theatres, in the ‘70s, 80’s until it closed. That was probably why it suffered from a small capital repair budget. The theatre housed the Division Office, with Bill Romanoff as District Manager, until he passed away and the New England Division was realigned.
I’d suggest a seperate section for legitimate theaters and nightclubs. There should be a distinction between movie theatres and “theater”, however, and I think most people think of this website as being for the movie theatres.
There may be only a handful of cities which had legitimate theaters, however, so the issue may not be a problem. However, nearly every city had Civic auditoriums, Knights of Columbus, Elks, Masons, Eagles Halls and school auditoriums, and a town or organization would set up a 16mm projector for a special presentation. Or you might find listings in local papers of the 1920’s and ‘30s for traveling stage shows or bands. If all of these auditoriums were listed here, it would probably be questionable.
Many years ago, ( circa 1960’s to early 1980’s) the Westgate Mall Cinema, owned by General Cinema, was one of the busiest in the circuit. At some point, the area lost it’s decency, and movies weren’t the focus of the population. Where did the folks go, for movies? Probably to a discount store for a big screen TV and a Blockbuster to rent films.
Sometimes Corporate Annual Reports paint an optimistic picture. I recall the era and location. BU students were more often found dancing at Lucifer’s in Kenmore Square, a block away.
I’m wondering why you left in March of 1956, and if you stayed in the theater business, or went onto other things. It’s interesting that you remember even to the month, after nearly 50 years.
I’d guess that you’ve got a lot of theater history to tell us about.
I guess the next question is what building was called the Cleveland Circle Cinema in 1962? Unless 1965 marked the year Redstone purchased it from ATC and renovated it. It certainly has a late 1950’s look about it, and as for modern amenities, I’d question the writer’s priorities. It was a gorgeous modern building, rivaling anything else built in the early sixties. Certainly not the shoebox-like buildings that GCC was putting up at the time.
The only problem was the addition of four tiny screens in the back of the main building, which I think may have been done in the 1970s.
I wonder if Donald King has an explanation for the Paris being the last single screen theatre opened in Boston in 1964, meanwhile the Cheri being listed as only one screen in 1966.
Does anyone know who owned the Old South of 1940-1950?
That’s called a Coop Display ad. The distributor gives a certain amount for a large ad, the cost to be split between those theatres listed underneath who were opening with the film. The local paper probably had a smaller directory, sometimes with paste-up artwork and showtimes for their individual theatre.
Thanks to those who posted some nice photos of the Palm. I hope lvmstar will post the family photos on a web site, or maybe email some to those who want to see them?
When I began working as an usher in 1966, minimum wage was $1.25, local bag boys in the supermarket were making $1.50, and the theatre was paying $1.00 an hour for an usher. I took the usher’s job just because it was the theatre. So did all my friends. And we all had a great time, because it was not only a job, but a social experience. (theater ushers in Massachusetts were classified as sub minimum wage, like golf caddies and waitresses).
Working as a floor staff in a theatre has always been a minimum wage part-time job without benefits. Trying to make it otherwise is probably futile, as the result of allowing the union in will be to cause expenses to increase, which will spiral into higher admission prices. Theatre owners won’t take a lower profit margin. Of course other greater Boston area theatre employees will be encouraged to do the same. One can empathize with the employees, as many theatre employees through the years eventually grew out of the part time job but one can understand the position of management too. The union will succeed, I’m sure, but ultimately, the customer will lose out because Management will schedule fewer staff on a shift in order to make up for the increased payroll. And we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that employees such as those interviewed lasted as long as they did, not because of the money, but because they loved “the business”.
Just a suggestion, and I hope you don’t take offense, but I wonder
if Joel Shepard knew you were going to reveal his interest to the public with his request to you. Sounds like maybe you could have simply suggested he post a message here instead of you doing it for him, and including his name in the post.
There are probably many who would be interested in the details of the architectural history of your Father-In-Law’s firm, and which theatres he designed. I think the Northshore Cinema in Peabody, the South Shore Plaza Cinema in Braintree, and other shopping center theatres owned by General Cinema in the 1960s, were some. I wonder if he designed any of their bowling alleys in the late 1950’s or 60s? I sent you an email and hope you’ll reply. Thanks for posting here.
Anyone who visits NYC should make a point of taking the backstage tour they have there. They take you onstage, and upstairs to Roxy’s private apartment. You’ll even get to meet a Rockette!
The ad to the right is the directory, the ones you see, are the display ads. In many papers, the directory is a concise list with times, and the display was an extra, paid for with co-op money. In this case, the directory has quite a few more theatres than are listed in the display.
Maybe the fire was around 1950, and it was rebuilt around the same time, thus the reason for the differences in seating. The Film Daily’s probably just keep listing it with it’s old name.
The Film Daily Yearbook of 1957 only lists the Princess. Same with the 1942 edition. Next step would be the check the local newspaper files, microfilm in the library, hopefully. Or the telephone directory for those years, again hopefully in the local library.
Liberty Tree Mall was one of the competitors. The Northshore Cinema, (it’s actual name in GCC records) was one of the companies slowest theatres, in the ‘70s, 80’s until it closed. That was probably why it suffered from a small capital repair budget. The theatre housed the Division Office, with Bill Romanoff as District Manager, until he passed away and the New England Division was realigned.
I’d suggest a seperate section for legitimate theaters and nightclubs. There should be a distinction between movie theatres and “theater”, however, and I think most people think of this website as being for the movie theatres.
There may be only a handful of cities which had legitimate theaters, however, so the issue may not be a problem. However, nearly every city had Civic auditoriums, Knights of Columbus, Elks, Masons, Eagles Halls and school auditoriums, and a town or organization would set up a 16mm projector for a special presentation. Or you might find listings in local papers of the 1920’s and ‘30s for traveling stage shows or bands. If all of these auditoriums were listed here, it would probably be questionable.
Many years ago, ( circa 1960’s to early 1980’s) the Westgate Mall Cinema, owned by General Cinema, was one of the busiest in the circuit. At some point, the area lost it’s decency, and movies weren’t the focus of the population. Where did the folks go, for movies? Probably to a discount store for a big screen TV and a Blockbuster to rent films.
Sometimes Corporate Annual Reports paint an optimistic picture. I recall the era and location. BU students were more often found dancing at Lucifer’s in Kenmore Square, a block away.
Sounds like AMC isn’t keeping an eye on facility maintenance. Or else (and more likely) the Manager isn’t paying attention.
I’m wondering why you left in March of 1956, and if you stayed in the theater business, or went onto other things. It’s interesting that you remember even to the month, after nearly 50 years.
I’d guess that you’ve got a lot of theater history to tell us about.
Sorry, I forgot to put my email in, it’s
I’d love to see the photos of the interior of the Elm, if you would care to email them to me.
Both the Uptown and the Paramount were General Cinema Theatres when they closed.
I guess the next question is what building was called the Cleveland Circle Cinema in 1962? Unless 1965 marked the year Redstone purchased it from ATC and renovated it. It certainly has a late 1950’s look about it, and as for modern amenities, I’d question the writer’s priorities. It was a gorgeous modern building, rivaling anything else built in the early sixties. Certainly not the shoebox-like buildings that GCC was putting up at the time.
The only problem was the addition of four tiny screens in the back of the main building, which I think may have been done in the 1970s.
I wonder if Donald King has an explanation for the Paris being the last single screen theatre opened in Boston in 1964, meanwhile the Cheri being listed as only one screen in 1966.
He had a screening room in his home. Here’s a link to a photo
of a projector. View link
Thanks to Ron for pointing out the error of my previous message. Guess the mystery of the Capri is solved!
I don’t know if any of you had a chance to visit Ben Sack’s former home this past weekend. Here is a link to a few of the photos I took. View link
Here’s a link to the ad in the newspaper.
http://img41.echo.cx/my.php?image=capri4ii.jpg