Exhibitors Herald (1927)

March 19, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 55 Auditorium of Proctor’s new theatre in Schenectady, N. Y., which has been modemly furnished and equipped for the presentation of motion pictures. Thos. W. Lamb, New York, architect. Proctor House Prepared for Film Presentations "D EALIZING the importance of the motion picture end of the entertainment program, Proctor’s new theatre in Schenectady, N. Y., while perhaps more or less generally regarded as a vaudeville house, has spent thousands of dollars and given great attention to the motion picture end. As a direct result, the theatre is today drawing fully as many persons, no doubt, from the excellence of its picture attractions, as it does from the vaudeville end. The theatre seats 3,000 persons and embodies all that is new and modern and likewise luxurious. The house was designed by Thomas W. Lamb of New York City. It is of the one balcony type. The projection room has Iieen equipped with three Simplex projectors of the latest double bearing movement, with Hall and Connelly high intensity lamps. In addition there are two Mestrum spot lights as well as a Brenkert double dissolver effects. There are two 250 ampere Westinghouse generators in the room directly over the projection machines. * * The throw from the projection room to the screen is in the neighborhood of 135 feet at a 13 degree angle. Both projectionists are veterans in the service and are Frank J. Hcigel and George Costello, both men being members of the local union in Schenectady, and both having served in other houses in the city. Particular attention has been paid to the re-wind room, which is a model of its kind. The equipment is of the Fulco Safety type, there being a Griswold film splicer. There are two screens on which the pictures are shown, one of these being painted on the regular drop, while the other is the work of Ernest Miettimem of New York City. In reaching the main entrance to the theatre the patron uses an arcade which opens on two streets. The arcade is flanked on both sides with stores, the whole being finished in Italian marble. From the center of the arcade one enters the theatre through a spacious foyer with soft carpets and subdued lighting effects. There are loge seats both in front of the balcony and along -either side on the main floor. The general color scheme of the theatre is in green and gold, with wall coverings of black and gold damask and hangings of cerise velvet. The proscenium arch is in gold and cream draped with soft valances of cerise, black and silver, forming a perfect frame for both picture presentations and vaudeville. Rest rooms for men and women are particularly beautiful. The ladies’ room has been furnished in period furniture, while the general color scheme of the room is of white and gold. The men’s room is finished in walnut, the furniture corresponding. Visitors to the Carthay Circle theatre, one of Los Angeles’ most beautiful theatres, have expressed their satisfaction over projection at the house, according to advices from the West Coast. This house is equipped with Ashcraft high intensity arcs used in many of the country’s largest theatres and in the case of “The Volga Boatman,’’ which recently ended a long engagement, and “What Price Glory,’’ now running at the Carthay Circle. The Ashcraft company, it is declared, is constantly improving their lamps, and both the high intensity and low intensity arcs. Recent installations of lamps are in McKinney’s Regent, Los Angeles; Scenic theatre, Whittier, Cal.; Torrence theatre, Torrence, Cal.; Carlsbad theatre, Carlsbad, Cal., and Encinitas theatre, Encinitas, Cal.