Motion Picture News (Jan - Mar 1914)

THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS 29 ANOTHER MODEL PICTURE THEATRE The Olympia Theatre, at Broadway and 107th Street, New York, Has Many Novel Phases in Construction MORE people in New York have seen, at one time or another, the large illuminated sign high up on the corner of Fifth avenue and Forty-second street, proclaiming "Henry J. Corn — Real Estate." Mr. Corn is still a leading real estate man, and he has also become a leading exhibitor of motion pictures, and a very successful one. He started with a splendid location, at Broadway and 107th street — right in the heart of one of New York's best residential districts, and erected thereon a modern theatre. He did the planning and erecting himself. In general he knew what he wanted in the way of interior beauty and comfort. Projection problems he did not know about; so he enlisted the services of B. F. Poster, "'the Simplex man," of 1465 Broadway, and together they conceived and worked out some interesting and most successful innovations in picture theatre construction. First they decided to put the operating booth on the roof of the theatre, not only to save seating space but also to provide a cool and wellventilated house for the operator. A large shadow-box was built on the rear of the theatre and the screen tilted forward from the bottom about two and a half feet. A right angle projection is secured by shooting the light through the ceiling at an angle of about twenty-five degrees. The picture shown on this screen — eight feet high by twenty-four feet wide — is not only one of the largest in the world but has excited general approval for its wonderful brightness and. clearness. The perspective is excellent from any part of the house. .Mr. Porter has had and deserves much praise for his projection results. Two Simplex motor-driven machines have been installed. A GOOD deal of comment has been excited by the remarkable acoustics of the theatre. These are due in a large measure to the deep shadowbox which acts as a sounding board for the orchestra just in front of it. The latter consists of eight pieces and the musical program, always arranged and rehearsed in advance of each entertainment, is excellently suited to the changes of the picture. Smoking is permitted and there are comfortable boxes in the balcony or mezzanine floor. There are three hundred balcony box seats and fifteen hundred in the entire house. An elaborate ventilating system supplies fresh air from beneath the seats, circulated by a powerful fan in the basement of the building. The position of the balcony has been carefully worked out with a view to the unobstructed showing of the picture. Despite the unusual size of the latter, it is visible in its entirety from any seat in the house. Again, in spite of the wide spread of light from the booth overhead, it is not possible for anyone standing up in the first row of the balcony to stand in the rays and shadow the screen. These are fine points of architecture. A large lounging room has been arranged under the rear of the balcony, a further evidence of the careful utilization of space. On Christmas day a large Christmas tree was stationed here and hung with toys for the children present. Mr. Corn's secret of success is simply expressed. "Careful attention to details," he says, "and constant study of the patron's needs,'' these are the main points. The same good sense, enterprise and devotion to business that win success elsewhere give equally good results to the exhibitor. THE OLYMPIA THEATRE, A FINE EXAMPLE OF ARCHITECTURAL ART