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New front and entrance of the Strand in Fall River.
Looking through foyer doors into lobby of the Strand in Fall River — at right, as it was; above, as modernized. The new doors are of red Formica. Lobby walls are of verde antique (green) marble in which long displa.y cases are recessed.
New front and vestibule of the Beacon Hill.
New front and entrance of the Strand in Thompsonville.
domed Boston Statehouse. Faced with such a physical location, and with visions of converting his run-down "grind-house" into a sophisticated setting for the display of special and foreign films, Ben Williams, the owner, decided on modernization.
The first step of the renovation was to shed the applied and pseudo-Moorish shell which covered the front and lobby. One of the columns was found to be fake. It was removed and the box-office was shifted to that location, thus providing better egress and circulation, and giving the appearance of greater width to the building.
The garish character of the front was refined. Brick and wood siding arranged in simple planes replaced the ornament. A wider marquee was added, and its blueblack soffit, sprinkled with downlights, penetrated through flush glazing to the
bright lime of the foyer doors. The former small display frames on the front were replaced by a large sheet of plate glass, behind which any type or size of display could be arranged.
The open, "arcade" type lobby was glazed in with Herculite doors.
Although relocated, the box office still remained an island, but was united with a concession area. The candy case was made as a detachable unit, which allowed the concession sarea to serve as additional boxoffice space in the event of periodic changes to a "reserved-seat" policy.
The foyer was designed as a contrast to the open and brightly lighted lobby. Low of ceiling and subdued in illumination, this area was given an air of spacious intimacy. Warm natural tones of birch plywood, and mahogany siding were repeated. The car
peting was selected for its quiet pattern and pleasantly neutral color, the ceiling was painted dark gray with pin-point openings of light. Accents in light and color prevented too somber a quality. Framed prints of nineteenth century Boston were arranged in a group to blend with the contemporary spirit of the decor.
Additional prints were located in the mezzanine, where, due to economic reasons, the renovation was limited to fresh coats of paint and new lighting. The men's room was freshened in a similar manner, but a completely new ladies' lounge and toilet room were provided, with new fixtures, mirrors, and upholstered seating.
Economy governed the decoration of the auditorium. It was given a new balcony soffit, and a new and bright red stage cur{Continued on page 25)
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BETTER THEATRES, DECEMBER 18, 1948