Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

154 Better Theatres Section April 11, 1931 TiLGHMAN-MoYER COMHANY, 141 W. Ninth Street, Allentown, Pa. C. ToTTEN, 101 Hassayampa Hotel, Prescott, Ariz. u United Studios, Inc., 14 W. Lake Street, Chicago, 111. Members of Firm: L. P. Larsen, H. J. Mingo, E. R. Nickel. Principal Theatres Designed Appleton, Appleton, Wis., Spanish-Atmospheric, 1,840 seats. Green Bay, Green Bay, Wis., Morrish, 2,080 seats. Patio, Freeport, III., Spanish, 1,150 seats. El Tovar, Crystal Lake, III., Spanish, 980 seats. 500, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., Spanish, 1,191 seats. Delavan, Delavan, Wis., Atmospheric. Joseph Urban, 5 E. 57th Street, New York, N. Y. Principal Theatres Designed Ziegfeld, New York, N. Y., 1,622 seats. Paramount, Palm Beach, Fla., 1,356 seats. V Van Gunten & Van Gunten, 26 E. Huron Street, Chicago, 111. Members of Firm : Orlando Van Gunten, Tillman Van Gunten. Principal Theatre Designed Tivoli, Downers Grove, 111., Italian Renaissance, 1,500 seats. Frederick T. Vezzell, Robinson Building, Ocala, Fla. to the roof construction. This duct work can be taken into consideration as a part of the new treatment — that is, not to expose it, but to use it as an influencing factor in creating the new form. The portion of the theatre auditorium which needs most careful study, is what is commonly known as the proscenium. It is here suggested that the usual proscenium frame be eliminated and that the treatment of the walls and ceiling be carried to, and blended into, the screen itself. The space immediately in front of the screen should be left as open as possible, eliminating wherever structurally feasible, any obstructions that would hinder the possibility of enlarging the present screen size. The subject of interior lighting effects for the auditorium is here considered as a purely decorative problem. On it depends to a great extent the psychological comfort of the patron. The more decorative illumination is used, the more reason for employing a simple type of decoration on the walls, omitting, as much as possible, the use of applied ornament and relying upon the general break-up of surfaces, set off by a system of direct and indirect lighting designed as an integral part of the main decorative scheme. Principal Theatres Designed Etta, Ocala, Fla., Spanish, 1,200 seats. Dixie, Ocala, Fla., Spanish, 500 seats. P. A. V^iVARTTAS, Union City, N. J. C. Edw.ard Vosbury, 602 Sec. Building, Binghamton, N. Y. w H,4rry E. Weaver, 502 Esperson Building, Houston, Tex. Principal Theatres Designed Criterion, Enid, Okla., 1,000 seats. Orpheum, Wichita, Kan., 2,500 seats. York Rite Temple Auditorium, Wichita, Kan., 1,500 seats. C. W. Webster k L. J. Latz, 5 N. Genesee, Waukegan, 111. W. C. Weeks, Inc., 720 Ontario Avenue, Sheboygan, Wis. Members of Firm : W. C. Weeks, W. F. Weeks, I. Lohman, H. T. Disbrow. Principal Theatre Designed Rex, Sheboygan, Wis., Renaissance, 950 seats. Emile Weil, Inc., Whitney Bank Building, New Orleans, La. Arthur Weiser, 510 Madison Avenue, New York, N. Y. Fred Wesley Wentworth, 140 Market Street, Paterson, N. J. Members of Firm: Fred W. WentAvorth, Fred J. Vreeland. Principal Theatres Designed Stanley, Jersey City, N. J., Atmospheric, 4,400 seats. Fabian, Paterson, N. J., Spanish, 3,300 seats. Fabian, Hoboken, N. J., French, 3,200 seats. 1 Exterior Facade and Display the exterior facade of the theatre serves chiefly as an attraction. It creates a first impression, and therefore it should to a great extent arouse a sense of anticipation of what may be expected inside. It should be dignified and yet should have a touch of the bizarre. The marque directly abovt the entrance should serve more as a decorative feature, from under which can be spread a blaze of strong illumination, while from its roof could be projected effective flood lighting to enhance the upper portions of the facade. The name of the theatre and the changeable letter signs could be very effectively placed in groups of horizontal lines high up on the facade, forming a decorative feature. The wall above the marquee should have sufficient height to make the theatre visible from a distance, the flood lighting on the walls forming an effective attraction. The construction of such a new wall surface above the marquee is possible by adding to the height of the existing wall, if it is too low. Also it might be necessary to fill in any existing opening that may be in this Branford, Newark, N. J., Empire, 3,000 seats. Ritz, Elizabeth, N. J., Italian, 2,800 seats. William J. Westfall, 1104 Nixon Building, Corpus Christi, Tex. Albert E. Westover, 109 S. 22d Street, Philadelphia, Pa. Louis L. Wetmore, Rogers Building, Glens Falls, N. Y. Principal Theatres Designed Crandell, Chatham, N. Y., Spanish, 700 seats. Spear, Plattsburgh, N. Y., Colonial, 900 seats. Springfield, Springfield, Vt., Colonial, 900 seats. Russell Barr Williamson, 405 Broadway, Milwaukee, Wis. Principal Theatre Designed .'Vvalon, Milwaukee, Spanish, 1,950 seats. Thomas W. Williamson, Central National Bank Building, Topeka, Kan. William Wrifford, 724 Washington Street, Camden, N. J. z Charles B. Zalesky, Security Building, Cedar Rapids, la. John J. Zink, 2826 Overland Avenue, Hamilton, Baltimore, Md. Principal Theatres Designed Tivoli, Frederick, Md., Classical, 1,500 seats. Century, Baltimore, Md., Classical, 3,500 seats. Valencia, Baltimore, Md., Classical, 1,800 seats. [The latter two theatres in one building.] R. Harold Zook, 140 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, 111. Principal Theatre Designed Pickwick, Chicago, Modern, 1,600 seats. Remodeling wall so as to obtain a unity of mass. If possible it would be better to avoid the use of brickwork as a facing. A material obtainable in large slabs is more desirable. Where marble or opaque glass facing would prove too e.xpensive, cast stone, or a hard cement stucco finish over brick could be used. These suggestions have been necessarily general, since what could be done to improve the appearance and facilities of any particular theatre covers a wide range of possibilities, all dependent upon the peculiarities of that theatre structurally. . I have endeavored, however, to point out some of the more important possibilities that exist in most every theatre in which remodeling would be desirable. There remains this to be said : Few are the theatre structures so cramped for space, so badly adjusted and so poorly built that judicious remodeling cannot make them into theatres really modern. The deciding factor usually is cost, and this phase of remodeling I shall consider in a following article. [Mr. Schlanger's discussion of material and construction costs relative to the remodeling of motion picture theatres will appear In the May 9tli issue of Better Theaters.] The Economics of Theatre {Continued from page 123)