Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

16 BETTER THEATRES SECTION OF January 31, 1925 Gives Suggestions for Making Small Theatre Cozy Better Theatres^ ^ Increases Scope of Service to Readers Through Advisory Staff — Simmons Answers Stettmund Inquiry on Decorating Playhouse ^ "LJ OW to make the interior of a theatre -*■ razed by fire cozy and pleasant again is the problem submitted to this department by H. G. Stettmund, Jr. Odeon theatre, Chandler, Okla. Mr. Stettmund’s letter, together with suggestions for accomplishing this, which “Better Theatres” is able to provide through the courtesy of its advisory staff member R. L. Simmons, theatre architect of Elkhart, Ind., are published following in the belief that the information supplied will be of interest to many other theatre owners. Editor “Better Theatres”: Last month we had a fire that destroyed oivr screen, ruined the walls and ceiling. Our theatre is 24 feet wide, by lOO feet deep. This is the measurement of the theatre proper, or that portion containing seats and screen. We are putting on a metal ceiling, zvith a 2 ft. by 2 ft. design that has a drop or ornamental effect about one and one-half i}i. deep. The zvalls will have to be repapered. W e have three seats next to the walls on each side. Six seats in the middle section zvith two aisles. I'Ve have been running a paper border around the walls that extends about i8 inches above the backs of the seats. This is becatise the people sitting in the seats dirty the zvall paper, so the strip can be renewed about every six months and keeps the place looking neat and clean. We are at a loss to decide what color the ceiling shotdd be painted and what color and kind of paper should the wall be papered with. The screen is in a shadow box. Lighting is done by four indirect fixtures while the picture is being shown. We wish to make the theatre as comfortable and as nice looking as possible. Will you please give us definite data to work on so that zee may know exactly zvhat to do? Whatever you have in mind to make this a pleasant cosy place is what zve zvant to knozv. — -H. G. Stettmund, Odeon theatre. Chandler, Okla. Mr. Simmons’ Reply Replying to the inquiry of Mr. H. G. Stettmund of the Odeon theatre. Chandler, Oklahoma, wishing advise as to papering and painting his theatre recently damaged by fire. Obviously it is difficult to give definite information as to painting the metal ceiling as I do not know the design of the plates, or if there is a panel effect, nor the style of architecture. To make a pleasant, cozy place depends largely upon the viewpoint and there are two methods ordinarily followed, i. e. one is subdued and soft tones with only now and then a highlight and the other method is using bright colors and lively effects, and each method has its merits and is equally championed. For instance, an interior decorator of New York City remarked that the New Garden theatre at Frankfort, Michigan, was equal in decora “Better Theatres,” under plans completed with the publication of this department in its present form, is prepared to render to readers an even greater degree of service than in the past on problems and matter affecting the equipment, building and operation of theatres. The Advisory staff of this department, members of which have contributed liberally in time and effort toward the cause of better and more profitable theatres, have indicated their zvillingness to delve even further into problems which mean more successful playhouses. The prologue and presentation features in this issue represent another effort in the direction of greater exhibitor service. Arrangements have also been made fo.r a more comprehensive service in handling the many coupons from the enlarged “Exhibitors Information and Catalog Bureau” zvhich appears in this issue. tions to any theatre in New York City and at that time the woodwork was finished but the plastered walls and ceiling were in the natural gray-buff of unpainted sandfinished plaster, and then we hear the usual remarks of patrons of the highly decorated theatres. * * * In that Mr. Stettmund is using a papered wall, I w'ould suggest following the first plan of subdued tones and using a blend or stippled paper as made by several of the leading manufacturers, having a combination of buff, gray, taupe and mulberry and a border at bottom next to seats of a walnut or dark brown color with a gold border or daddo. For the ceiling I would suggest using a French gray ground color blending from light to dark blue in the depressions into silver or aluminum on the high points of the embossed work and then touching up the high spots on the figured designs, or if plain plates are used at the corners, with gold. If panel effects are used, would suggest running a blend of these colors from light at the outside to darker toward the center, and would suggest using “center pieces” for the panels and for light fixtures, and these to be largely gold, possibly blending in^'o light blue in the depressions to increase the depth by optical illusion. I shall give you a copy or paragraph from paint specifications of a small theatre. Auditorium Ceiling: “Plates No. — shall have backgrounds, or flat parts. Colonial Ivory, raised ridges gold and other raised parts Light Blue shaded to Dark Blue in the indentations, with the ellipse at center of each side gold with the grooves in same silver or aluminum. “Plate No. — background Medium Dark Blue, raised parts Dark Blue with all leaves in Gold and Silver shading, center spot Gold. All grooves Dark Blue. “Plate No. — stippled Light and Dark Blue over Colonial Ivory. “Plate No. — the center square Dark Blue, its border Light Blue and the flat border Dark Blue, moulding Light Blue shaded to Dark Blue next to flat border, outer edge Ivory with corner leaves Gold and Silver shading. “Plate No. — Colonial Ivory with raised figures in Light Blue and aluminum touches on scrolls. “Plate No. — Cornice. Colonial Ivory blending through Light to Dark Blue toward the top or center of panel; figures in Light Blue with touches of silver. “Bottom of beams. Colonial Ivory. Auditorium Side Walls: “Ornamental scrolls, including panel strips, etc. to be Light Blue shaded to dark blue in indentations with touches of Gold and Silver. “Wainscoting a Walnut Brown. “Walls above wainscoting a warm Buff at bottom shaded to Colonial Ivory up to center height and blending to top to a pure Cream or Straw color. After this treatment stipple the walls with the same colors reversed.” Here is another quotation from painting specifications of another small theatre. “Auditorium Ornaments : “The Greek cornice at junction of auditorium walls and ceiling, between pilasters, shall be painted with base colors as called for for ceiling but shall have ‘eggs’ and ‘darts’ in Gold with the flat surface center line Silver and indentations shall be shaded to Dark Blue. * * * “The Greek brackets on pilasters at junction of walls and ceiling shall be painted the same as cornice, except a greater proportion of Gold and Silver shall be use on the raised parts. The moulding seven feet from ceiling is of rope design and shall be painted with Aluminum Bronze and then shaded from Light to Dark Blue in the indentations.” If Mr. Stettmund finds it impossible to get the kind of wallpaper I have suggested, he can procure it through the larger houses or he can remove the remaining paper from the walls, neatly patch the plaster and paint them in colors as suggested for paper, by stippling the colors into the base color while still wet. In this case I would suggest using a blending from dark at the bottom to light at the top, thus apparently increasing his ceiling height, which is comparatively low, being only 14 ft. at the foyer. The theatre is only 24 ft. wide and therefore a blending of colors on the walls and particularly shading them from dark to light would assist somewhat in increasing the apparent width and bright colors on the side walls would have the effect of bringing the walls in and narrowing the auditorium and an over amount of bright effect on the low ceiling will reduce the height; but a blending from light to dark as above suggested in the embossed work of the steel give a farther away appearance and the plates will apparently raise the ceiling or darker indentations are the more pronounced will be this effect. * * * Suggest that Mr. Stettmund have his local dealer procure him samples of “Art Ko-Na.” Cloth and “Kraft Ko-Na” as manufactured by the H. B. Wiggens Sons Co., 4860 S. Halsted, Chicago, the former (.Continued on page 26)