Year book of motion pictures (1929)

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the so-called antiquated theaters are not antiquated, despite popular impression. They need but the touch of the rejuvenating wand of an experienced artisan to make them play their front rank part again. These houses have not depreciated to the point where they can be considered out of the running. Viewing the situation from an entirely different angle, it appears to me to be our duty, as loyal citizens, to apply some thought to the importance of rehabilitating and recovering these values as a matter of national economy, to say nothing of the beneficial influence such a step would wield in helping stem the wave of overbuilding. The waste of capital at the expense of old showmen and old theaters should be avoided. Neither they nor their properties have reached the degree of senility which would make them no longer useful. I know of innumerable situations and locations where my theory of theater re-construction and theater re-equipment could be applied to the benefit of all — the new and the old. What then are the specifications for a sound and successful theater deal such as I propose? First, the location. Then the seating capacity. Then the architectural atmosphere of the theater under discussion. Last, but by no means least, the cost of the original investment. The latter must be borne in mind as a basic consideration. Think of the man who first undertook to give his town a theater. He selected a main street location and built an honest structure in a style and of a scale which, in his estimation, was proper and correct and in keeping with conditions prevailing at that time. His site and buildings are fully paid for. They have become popular and stand well-established. We tell him today his theater is oldfashioned, antiquated, too small and badly arranged. All this might be true, but there exists no reason why our condemnation should go so far, and why we should be so blind to the common law of preservation and economy as to make us fail in advising this man to rebuild, remodel and refurnish. It would not be difficult for an experienced theater architect, designer or decorator to reconstruct the interior of these famous old theaters and opera houses in a fashion that would bring them up to modern requirements and modern taste. Your walls are sound and in most cases your dimensions in width, depth and height are sufficient to permit a modernized re-arrangement of entrance and auditorium spaces. I observe that our old stages are built in larger dimensions and in better proportions than the modern stages. £ B E R. S O N RE-CONSTRUCTION ami RE-EQUIPMENT 941