"Mystery" Theatres

Mystery Theatre No. 15

IDENTIFIED: Latonia Theatre, Oil City, Pennsylvania

Response 1

Jeff Chapman believes this to be the Latonia Theatre in Oil City, PA. [December 27, 2006]

Response 2

Deb Hardy writes "I live in Oil City and my daughter has dance classes in this building. This is definitely the Latonia Theatre in Oil City." [March 12, 2007]

Mystery Theatre No. 14

IDENTIFIED: State Theatre, Gary, Indiana

Response 1

William Blasdell in Miami FL replied, "Not sure but it looks similar to an old theater in Springfield IL called the State and later converted to an adult porn theater; can't be certain. I recognize the shape of the doors and the ad [showcase] windows on the outside, but that was typical of many." [August 9, 2005]

Response 2

David Novak says it is the State Theatre in Gary, Indiana. "It was on the south side of 7th Avenue near Washington Street. Opened circa 1937, it was the last operating theater in downtown Gary. Built by Peter Kalleras, a pioneer theater operator in Gary who died in 1943. It was Art Deco with marquee and vertical like the one shown. Also, the auditorium was to the right off the lobby and there was a small balcony." [December 9, 2005]

Mystery Theatre No. 13

IDENTIFIED: Avenue Theatre, DuBois, Pennsylvania

Response 1

Alison Silverman of the Ritz Theatre Group says it "resembles the Avenue Theatre that was located at 2713 Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia. Designed by Harvey Childs Hodgens and Albert E. Westover, it was destroyed by a fire in 1984 or 1985. The photo doesn't show it, if it is the same Avenue Theatre, but it had a beautiful circular outdoor box office covered in red or maroon Vitrolite glass, as I remember." [February 8, 2006]

Response 2

David Schneider of Schneider Historic Preservation in Anniston AL writes “the Avenue Theatre was located in DuBois, Clearfield County, PA. Despite being listed in the National Register of Historic Places, it was torn down in 1979 for construction of a home for the elderly. My attempts to get inside for photos prior to its demolition were unsuccessful. According to the Du Bois Area Historical Society, the theatre was built by Patton and (A.P.) Way and opened on September 2, 1902 with "The Messenger," a large production headed by Frank Deshon and performed by a company of 50. In 1929, the theater showed its first talking picture, "The Follies of 1929." [February 21, 2006]

Mystery Theatre No. 12

IDENTIFIED: Strand Theatre, Erie, Pennsylvania

Response 1

Richard C. Wolfe, owner of the Roxy Theatre in Northampton, Pa., replies that "the Strand is in Erie, Pa. We visited it during the THS 1999 New York State Conclave. It's now a playhouse just down the street and around the corner from the Warner. The theatre opened, I believe, in 1947, as it was featured in the 1948 Theatre Catalog. The architect was Victor A. Rigaumont. It had 977 seats and was a stadium theatre. It was owned and operated by Warner Bros."

Response 2

Duane Butler agrees that this is the Strand in Erie, PA and says "it was built by the Stanley-Warner chain. It was a Cinerama theatre from approximately 1962 to 1964, and through the late 60s showed many 70mm roadshows, such as "My Fair Lady." Through much of this approximate period, it was managed by the late Milford H. "Shorty" Parker. It was bought in the early 70s by the Cinemette Corporation. Since 1983, it has been owned by the Erie Playhouse and used for live community theatre productions. The Playhouse artistic director, David Matthews, may have further information."

Mystery Theatre No. 11

IDENTIFIED: Whitehall Theatre, Brentwood, Pennsylvania

Response 1

Richard C. Wolfe says that the Whitehall "is in suburban Pittsburgh in the Whitehall section of Brentwood, Pa. It's presently called the Plaza and is twined. I know this because, until last year, I operated the Plaza twin in the Whitehall Mall in Whitehall, Pa., a suburb of Allentown, on the extreme other end of the state. We were always getting film confirmations mixed up with the Pittsburgh one. This theatre was designed by architect Victor A. Rigaumont of Pittsburgh. I don't know when it opened or the seating capacity. It was featured in an article about theatre fronts in the 1942 Theatre Catalog. My guess would be it opened around '40 or '41, but that's only a guess."

Response 2

Kenneth Smith agrees that the theatre "is located in the Whitehall suburb of Pittsburgh. It was operated by Morris Finkel, then by Michael Cardone, of Mini- Cinemas, Inc. In the mid-80s, it was twinned. Mr. Cardone sold the theatre to another operator in the 90s. The theatre is now closed and is still standing, but has been gutted. The small strip-type shopping center that contains it is being demolished for new businesses. The confusion about the Plaza name probably comes from the fact that Mr. Cardone also operated the Plaza Theatre in Pittsburgh, which was twinned into the Plaza II. It was an old Stanley-Warner theatre. He also sold the Plaza to the same operator as the Whitehall. Unfortunately, the Plaza II was gutted in June, 2001 to become a restaurant. I was lucky enough to have worked at both theatres for many years."

Mystery Theatre No. 10

IDENTIFIED: Warner Theatre, Lawrence, Massachusetts

Response 1

Phil Sheridan reports, in part, that this is "the Warner of Lawrence, Massachusetts, which was located just south of Essex Street, and about five or six blocks from the Palace (#9) and the famous row of theatres which lined Broadway. The ET logo at the top front of the building signified its original name, the Empire Theatre. The building, sadly is long-gone; I would guess about twenty-five years. As usual, the structure was leveled for a parking lot for the neighboring First Essex Bank. It was the last major theatre in Lawrence to be destroyed. It disappeared overnight with no notice or fanfare.

About thirty years ago, I managed to "crawl" through the building when it was still operating. At that time it seemed in reasonable shape, and quite handsome, though neglected and somewhat threadbare. It was a Stanley-Warner house, like the other big Lawrence venues, and joined the others in being run into the ground in their final years. Like the other Lawrence theatres I visited, the Warner was quite wide, but shallow. The lobby was very small, but the auditorium was quite high by Lawrence standards. Originally, there were two balconies, but the top one and the original booth, which seemed to hang out of the ceiling, both were unused and abandoned at the time of my visit. The elderly operator advised me that the existing, newer booth had been built lower at the rear of the first balcony to allow for an improved projection angle which yielded less "keystone" distortion of the picture and better focus.

Response 2

Joe Barron believes that this is "the current Elco Theatre in Elkhart Indiana. Originally built as the Learner Theatre it was sold to Warner Brothers who remodeled it and renamed it the Warner as the picture shows. The theater changed hands again and called it the Elco. Take a closer look at the initials and I think you'll see "LT." The theatre is still in use as a PAC. In 1980 I helped restore the 2-11 Kimball Theatre Organ."

Response 3

Christine Zakiewicz, who grew up in Lawrence MA, says "I know for a fact that this is the Warner Theatre in Lawrence MA, located on Lawrence Street. This picture brought back a lot of memories for my father, Joe Zakiewicz, who worked there in 1974-1975 just before it closed. Really he hung around there and helped out. His friend John (Jack) O'Conner, was running the place at the time. It was originally called the Nickel Theatre, built in 1906. Because it was so successful in 1915 Toomey and Demara Amusement Co. tore it down and built a new building in its place and named it the Empire Theatre. In the 1930s, Warner Bros. leased the theatre and that is when the name became the Warner Theatre. The theatre seated 1,553. My father said they used to set up lounge chairs on the marquis sign. When it shut down, my father took some of the marquis letters to spell out his name (JOE). He also told me that in the 60's or 70's they showed an x-rated movie called Deep Throat that caused the theatre to close for a little while. It was a huge controversy!"

Response 4

Tony Bernardini agrees that this is the Warner in Lawrence, Massachusetts. "I grew up in Lawrence and at the Warner Theater. I've known every crook in that theater since I was 6 in 1967, going to afternoon matinees on weekends to see two horror films for 75 cents. I went every weekend, every year until it was a porno house for about a month then it was closed and demolished [1976] for a bank parking lot." [December 27, 2006]

Mystery Theatre No. 9

IDENTIFIED: Palace Theatre, Lawrence, Massachusetts

Response 1

Architect and THS founding member Craig Morrison says this "is the Palace Theater at 112 Broadway, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, designed by Blackall, Clapp & Whittemore. It opened in 1921 and closed on August 7, 1969. It was part of a spectacular grouping of theatres along Broadway, all of which have been demolished."

Response 2

Member Fred Beall of San Francisco concurs with Craig and notes that "the June, 1925 issue of The Architectural Forum has an earlier view of the exterior of the Palace, plus an interior view and three layout diagrams. The interior shot shows a very attractive organ screen/box area. Film Daily Yearbook of 1949 shows 1,781 seats."

Mystery Theatre No. 8

IDENTIFIED: Titan Theatre, Fullerton, California

Response 1

The husband of our THS Archive Administrator Barb Janssens says the Titan Theatre is located on a military base in California, but he does not remember which base.

Response 2

Ronald Pierce of Tustin, California says "this is the former Titan Theatre at 2500 Nutwood Avenue in Fullerton, California. The parking lot seen across Nutwood Avenue, to the right, is at California State University, Fullerton. Their athletic teams are called the Titans. The theatre was called Loew's Titan when it opened in 1966, and when it closed in 1976 it was being operated by General Cinemas. Today, the theatre is the auditorium for Hope University International, which has taken over the surround shopping center for their campus. The modernistic architecture remains, except for the Titan lettering, which has been removed."

Mystery Theatre No. 7

IDENTIFIED: Studio Theatre, Hollywood, California

Response 1

Member Fred Beall replies, "This was originally the Studio at 6523 Hollywood Blvd. in (of course) Hollywood, California. There is a description and original photos of it on pages 92-95 in the book about S. Charles Lee, "The Show Starts on the Sidewalk." It had many names over the years, including Hollywood Music Hall (quite a name for such a tiny theatre) and Academy. According to the book, it opened July 31, 1931 in a converted store and had 300 seats. The book's appendix indicates it was reconverted into a store. I don't have any current knowledge of it. Early Film Daily Year Books indicate 300 seats, and later 40's issues show 450-500 seats - remodeled?. My personal remembrance was that it was closest theatre west of Vine St., and I always mixed it up with another theatre a block west called the Admiral. One of these theatres became the Vine, but that's getting things too mixed up."

Response 2

Michael Moran writes, "Fred is right. This was formerly the Academy Theatre. It was remodeled during the sixties and became the Holly. The theatre was closed, gutted and turned into commercial space. Nothing remains. It was located on Hollywood Boulevard a half block west of Wilcox, across the street from the Iris, later the Fox Hollywood."

Response 3

Brad Adams says he worked at the theatre, then known as the Holly in early-mid 1981. "The feature Caligulia had just finished its almost two year run. I was told this theatre and one in NYC were the only places it was then being screened. One day we discovered that the print had been stolen and an emergency replacement had to be ordered. Sometime in the mid-70s, General Cinema took over and the name was changed to the Holly Cinema. At the end of the 70s, General wanted only multiplex theatres, so it was sold to SRO - Sterling Recreation Organization. They also had the Paramount (now El Capitan) further down Hollywood Boulevard. We then became an early second-run house and showed double features before they went to the Vine Theatre. The Holly was small and only seated about 450. It was long and narrow with the exit door was halfway down the theatre. A few years ago I went back to L.A. and the Holly had been gutted and turned into a store."

Mystery Theatre No. 6

IDENTIFIED: Hayden East & West Theatres, Tempe, Arizona

Response

Ted McWharf of Pittsford, NY says, "This view looks familiar. It's possible that it could be Loew's Hayden Plaza duplex in the Hayden Shopping Center on Scottsdale Road in Tempe, Arizona. I went to the Hayden occasionally while a student at Arizona State University from 1969 to 1971. It could have had different owners besides Loew's, possibly Dwight Harkins or others."

Mystery Theatre No. 5

IDENTIFIED: Crest Theatre, San Bernardino, California

Response 1

Member Jerry Alexander says "the theatre was/is in San Bernardino, California. Erected as the West Coast Theatre in the early 20s, it was renamed the Crest in the middle 60s. The theatre suffered the ignominy of eventually being twinned upstairs/downstairs and ended up being a last run house at minimal admission -- certainly a come-down from being the house where the original "King Kong" was sneak-previewed. The theatre and office building were demolished around 1994. Incidentally, locals say that Lyndon B. Johnson, in his youth, was once the elevator operator in the office building."

Response 2

David Molzahn believes the Crest is "perhaps in Sacramento and is currently restored, although there were other theatres by this name."

Response 3

Michael Grace suggests that the theatre is in Long Beach, California. "The shot was taken from across the street. The boulevard is very wide. This could be the road facing the ocean. Most likely, the building and theatre were torn down, if it is Long Beach."

Response 4

Claudia Weeks of San Francisco, and a former Sacramento resident, says "the Crest is located in Sacramento downtown on the K Street mall. It's still in operation as far as I know and they continue to show great films...as well as host concerts. The interior was being remodeled a couple of years ago. I hope this helps (and that it's the right Crest theatre)."

Response 5

Richard Marshall, president emeritus of the Lyric Photoplay Society, also says the theatre is in Sacramento on the K Street mall. "It is easily identifiable by the unique 'crest' and shape of the marquee and front doors. Recently restored, the theatre is a late "Art Deco" tunnel entry, stadium house in blue and silver with 1200 seats. The auditorium was built on the back side of the block. The two buildings adjacent to the front have been replaced or remodeled, making the front look different than in the photo. The theatre is now operating on a special booking program of mixed art, classic and genre with live stage shows -- mostly rock music -- and civic activities. It is very involved in downtown Sacramento life and unlikely to vanish in the foreseeable future."

Response 6

Alison e-mails that "there is a Crest Theatre on Westwood Boulevard in Los Angeles, which was beautifully restored a few years ago."

Response 7

Jerry Alexander says, "I'm going to stick by my guns in my belief that Mystery Theatre No. 5 is the Crest in San Bernardino. I referred to the THS Annual No. 14 (1987) and looked at the pictures of the Crest Theatres in Sacramento and Long Beach. In both instances, there is a four-story office building which seems to be missing."

Response 8

Odell Berry says "this Crest Theater...is definitely not the Crest in Sacramento. The Sacramento Crest has always stood as an independent building and dates from the early 20th century, when it opened as a vaudeville house called the Hippodrome. The Sacramento theater, as one of the respondents mentioned, has no attached office building."

Response 9

THS Member Richard Houdek of Lenox, Massachusetts replies that this "is definitely the Crest, nee West Coast, in San Bernardino, California, operated for many years by West Coast, then Fox West Coast Theatres. It had a gorgeous Spanish motif, but in most of my memories, was consigned to subsequent, meaning about fourth run in town after the Fox, Studio and California had exhibited the films. It was a great place to go on Saturday afternoons. The floors were wooden and so a trot up the aisle resonated throughout the rather large auditorium, 1450 seats on two levels. The seats were vintage wooden with little padding and we used to kid about the periodic need to sandpaper the benches. As an independent, it first was "the family theatre" for a bit -- 50 cents, any seat any time -- then later became an EVC Electrovision, then Loew's, finally in its last days, a twinned orchestra/balcony, as one respondent has described its configuration, and displayed three features, last run for $1.50 in each auditorium, but it retained some of its original architectural splendor, along with those old seats and resonant floors. It was razed, I believe, a few years ago for urban redevelopment, and the site now is, or is near, a 20- screen megaplex called Cinemastar, but of course no Cinemastar will replace the West Coast, or as it became known with the advent of the new, larger marquee, Crest."

Response 10

Paul E. Kealy says, "San Bernardino was definitely the location of this mystery Crest theatre --- dead giveaways are the Waycott's Flower Shop to the South and the Pharmacy adjacent to it on the North, on the corner of Baseline and E Street. Once a prime piece of highly desirable downtown of this once great city. This photo was taken from across the street, West, at the entrance to the J. C. Penney store.

The Crest footprint today is a parking lot, as is much of San Bernardino's early history ... decidedly a factor in my passion to restore as much as I can of those days before such destruction continues. We lost the very impressive Fox (way before my time) but I heard many tales of its splendor and its wonderful pipe organ back in the days I could care less about an organ, and this Crest theatre in the '60's ... was no less splendid, although built to a smaller seating capacity. I knew it well as a teenager on movie dates.

The ambience of those places ... wow!

Two other theatres ... well, movie houses with very small stages and big screens ... were destroyed, another in the same block, three doors south of the Crest that today shares a plot on the same parking lot with the Crest (It had been converted into a Pussycat Theatre, so no real loss there, and it was more a movie-house-posing-as- theatre). Oh, if only I knew then what I know now. That Crest was precious. There is only one remaining theatre in town of that vintage. If only I had the funds to complete my museum restoration project!

It was a BEAUTIFUL theatre, later blocked off to two separate stories comprising two cracker-box rooms for double film showings, destroying the original beautiful theatrical interior when the cineplex-complex craze invaded our culture.

The entire block of buildings, including the Masonic Temple and many other buildings, was desecrated by wrecking balls a decade ago, and today houses not much more than a tall state building surrounded by the ubiquitous parking lots."

Response 11

Dick Smith agrees that this was originally the West Coast Theater located on E Street, a few steps from 5th Street, in San Bernardino. The office building did have an elevator with a plaque that indicated Lyndon Johnson was an operator as a young man. [January 10, 2008]