Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Oct-Dec 1928)

December 22, 1928 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD 41 WHITMORE The latest addition to the Publix circuit appears a house that defies the powers of mere words. Massiveness — spaciousness — these qualities form the burden of the description presented here. Efficiency, too, and, of course, beauty, mark Brooklyn's most tremendous theatrical edifice. The two views accompanying the article were selected because they particularly show the type of decoration used. Yet, it is insisted, the decorations are simple, the greater effects being attained by the use of adroit lighting whirring, you can't find a speck of dirt, and greasy, oily machinery just doesn't exist any place where McCurdy's authority rules. Next we visited the ushers' rooms, where they may rest when off duty. There's a real clubroom here, and we found a number of the ushers, cleancut, sincere young fellows, chatting or preparing ;o go on duty. (You should have seen them come to attention when "Mac" walked in.) We next went up into the auditorium — but why try to picture the theatre with words? The interior is Italian Renaissance in architecture, with an atmospheric treatment giving the impression of a huge arbor, with the blue sky seen through arches in the ceiling. "You will notice there is very little decoration," McCurdy commented. "The walls have been treated in gold and silver and varicolored lights are thrown upon the surfaces. The theatre is decorated with light rather than paint. We can change the decorations at will simply by changing the lights which play on the surfaces." • * * The orchestra floor seats 2,000; the loge, 400; and the balcony, 1,800, giving a seating capacity of 4,200. The entire theatre and building cost $6,500,000— and the figure is not a press agent's dream, McCurdy told me. We went through the many rooms, all of them filled with many objects of art and beautiful pieces of furniture, each of which was imported from abroad. "That statue there would pay for a Packard," McCurdy told me. "Furniture in this little room cost $25,000; that table and marble statuette cost $2,500; that large carved piece over there cost more than I make in a year," and so on and so on. One of the most interesting features of the theatre is the fact that modernism has crept in and added a brilliant touch to architecture which developed centuries ago. There are four rooms as modern as you will find any place. Effective? Well, I could have spent the rest of the night in these rooms. I am sure this is one of the first theatres on this scale to be built which employs to such degree the ultra-modern in architecture and design. It is a notable sign. Up eight stories to the projection booth we went. From here the stage is far away, and a marvelous view of the interior is afforded. A throw of 200 feet is made by the projection machines, vet the picture is perfectly illumined. The s< und picture equipment is built right into the wall of the projection booth, with ample space behind for getting at the wiring panels. , I think I must have walked a mile; my legs were tired from the exertion of seeing this theatre from end to end and from top to bottom. We went down, and from a comfortable seat I enjoyed the show, and after I had been through this theatre, I could not help but wonder if the vast crowd of people there understood what a marvelous thing a motion picture theatre, such as the BrooklynParamount, really is. I wondered if they appreciated what marvels of science have been worked into this house, the amount of money and brains necessary to afford them two hours of entertainment