Motion Picture Theater Management (1927)

CHAPTER XXXIV The Paramount Theatre and Building O undertaking in connection with the motion picture can give the reader a better idea of the progress of this industry than the completion of the Paramount Theatre and Building. It was conceived by Adolph Zukor, whose leadership established the Paramount Famous Lasky Company into one of the principal factors of the fourth industry of the country. This theater and building stands to-day at Times Square, New York City, fittingly called "The Crossroads of the World," as a monument to Adolph Zukor and his associates. The Paramount as a theater is conclusive; it is truly one of the world's super-theaters, not only in architectural treatment and appointments, but in its service, atmosphere and location. To the casual observer it would seem that a miracle had been wrought in the building of the Paramount Theatre. It was in November, 1925, that the drills began boring into the solid rock for the foundation of this magnificent structure. Within twelve months, on November 19, 1926, the Paramount Theatre, as a completed project with every department functioning to its fullest extent, its organization complete, opened its doors to the public. Truly an unusual feat — to complete this, one of the finest of all theaters, with its four thousand seats, in so short a time. Toward its accomplishment, the architects, C. W. and Geo. L. Rapp, and R. E. Hall & Company, engineers, spent over four years with the writer, studying, planning and erecting the structure. Some years ago, Mr. Zukor conceived the idea of erecting a fitting home for Paramount on Broadway, and the Putnam site was purchased with that end in view. As the plans for proceeding with this project matured, and because of more 333