Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

March 7, 1925 EXHIBITORS HERALD 87 THEATRE CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT Stahl, Pioneer Exhibitor, to Build $500,000 House IN the baby days of the film industry, when a one-reel thriller was the maximum effort put forth by the leading producers, a French organization electrified the cinema world by announcing the making of Jean Valjean, a four reeler which was to be released to exhibitors one reel a week for four weeks. It marked an epoch in filmdom. It was then that Louis Stahl was manager-owner of louU siahi the New Liberty theatre on Easton avenue, St. Louis, a picture palace that boasted of some 380 seats and ranked with the best of the theatres showing motion pictures in the West. Stahl was a showman, even in those days. Competition was keen and he was ever alert to boost his patronage at the expense of the other fellow. He had a battle with local film exchanges and was buying from Kansas City where A. D. Flintom was the dominant figure. Flintom had the distribution rights to the Jean Valjean picture and Stahl induced him to rent the picture’s four reels to him at one time. Overnight the front of the Liberty in 1908 was plastered with banners and signs announcing the coming of the first four reel feature picture in history and for several days the patrons of the little house were thrilled with the Jean Valjean feature in its entirety. Stahl had tacked the four one reels together and made a fourreel picture. It was showmanship plus. * * * It is a far cry from that little converted store theatre — which by the way is still operating — to the $500,000 New Sanford theatre and apartment house which Stahl and his associates announced recently they would build on the West side of Union boulevard between Northland and Maffitt avenue, but the distance is not too great for the echo of the Jean Valjean episode to bear some promise to the motion picture fans of the Union boulevard district. The New Sanford theatre will be located on Union boulevard several blocks north of the Union and should not have great effect on the patronage of that house. It will protect the Union from competition from any rival houses that may be erected further north on Union boulevard. The Leventhal Investment Company will build the theatre with its apartments, store and garage building on a lot 125 feet by 705 feet. The theatre will have a seating capacity of 1800, being 12.5.5 feet by 100. There will also be twenty-four three-room efficiency apartments and four stores in the building, with a large garage on the rear of the lot with a capacity of 1000 machines. Parking space in this garage will be given patrons of the theatre free of charge. * * ♦ Just to the rear of the theatre will be an airdome with 2500 seats. Entrance to the airdome will be through the same lobby as to the theatre. The theatre will have one of the largest stages of any house in the city. The proscenium opening will be 48 feet wide and the stage 30 feet deep. The lobby and foyer will be 25 feet wide and 75 feet long and finished in Italian Renaissance. The house will be equipped with ladies’ and gents’ rest and smoking rooms, children’s play room and nursery and a first aid dispensary for the accommodation of patrons who may be taken ill or injured in any way. The balcony will connect with the ground floor, being the newest thing in theatre construction. The interior decorating will be in blue and gold this color scheme being carried out in the tapestry hangings, carpet aisles and foyer. The electrical system will be capable of giving sixty different color combinations. All fixtures will be of the crystal type. A feature of the new house will be the arrangement of the musicians’ pit which will be built so that every member of the orchestra will be clearly visible to every patron of the house. The theatre will also be equipped with a $50,000 Kilgen organ. ^ :4! * The house will be furnished with sufficient exits so that the entire house when filled to capacity can be emptied in one (Continued on page 89) Sketch by architects. W edemeyer & Nelson, of the new $500,000 Sanford theatre for St. Louis to be erected by Louis Stahl and associates.