Monday, June 30, 2014
Lackawanna 664
Lackawanna 664, along with Nickel Plate 514 crossing Roaring Brook bridge yesterday morning heading east to Gouldsboro.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Friday, June 27, 2014
Loew's State Theatre
A couple of good examples of typical tie-ins of the early to mid 1920's.
Electrical League of Cleveland - The Old Homestead tie-in, From Exhibitors Trade Review, November 25, 1922.
Bread - Star Bakery tie in from Exhibitors Trade Review, October 4, 1924.
It must have been a challenge to fill space in the mammoth Grand Lobby. 1921 photo from the Cleveland Public Library. The spot on the right, under the flags was where the stage for Jacques Brel would be constructed 50 years later.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Remembering Ray Shepardson
Today at 4 PM a memorial service will be held for Ray in the lobby of Loew's State Theatre, 1515 Euclid Avenue at Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland.
Ray at the opening of Brel, April 18, 1973. From the Cleveland Memory Project.
A brief reminiscence:
I can still remember one of the first things Ray said to me. It was on the mezzanine of the Allen, by the upstairs concession stand, just before the Richard Harris show. He shoved a cash box into my hands and said “you’re in charge” and disappeared as quickly as he appeared. I didn’t even know what the prices were, fortunately Gordon Bell did.
During the lead-up to the Lily Tomlin show at the Allen, Ray was always walking around saying “and that’s the truth.” A week or so after that we spent a Sunday afternoon climbing all over Loew’s Ohio. We climbed up that vertical ladder against the back wall of the stage, stopping off at the rigging lost on stage left and going into the organ chamber. That was when we saw the giant hole. We continued up to the roof, emerging from that room under the water tower, and inspected the hole. A month or so later when Smitty and I were up there trying to figure out how to box in the hole, we didn’t want to get too close. Ray goes to the edge and jumps up and down saying “don’t worry it’ll hold.” That fall when we put “Home of the Playhouse Square Assn” on the front of the Allen marquee the bulb behind the “n” in Assn burned out, and there was debate on who the "Playhouse Square Ass" was.
There was a frenetic energy about Ray, excitement in his voice when he talked about the theatres and what the next plan was, it was quite infectious. That exuberance was always there whether we were sweeping trash up after some show in the Allen, or drinking hot chocolate in the frigid lobby of the Ohio. Later during the early days of Brel in the State we’d rearrange the seating every day, when any of us said the seats are too close together, Ray would say “they’ll be happy just to be here,” and they were for the next two years.
In a much simpler time I’ll always remember Ray and Ceil, playing badminton on the stage of the Allen, that magical summer so long ago.
At the beginning, the Allen marquee, November 1971. Photo by William Gesten/Foto Arts Inc. Note the Loew's Ohio marquee, about two years earlier Ray was looking for space for headquarters for the school district levy and the Ohio was it. This led to Ray forming the Playhouse Square Association.
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 24, 1987.
The Plain Dealer Sunday Magazine, June 11, 1995.
Plain Dealer, March 19, 1972.
Ray on the cover of the PD Action Tab, June 1, 1973. This was about 6 weeks after Brel opened.
Ray leaning on a fireplace in the main floor ladies lounge of the Palace, from the Plain Dealer, March 19, 1972. I always thought this was a good photo of Ray, wish I had a better copy.
Update: Memorial Program.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Electric City Trolley
Philadelphia Suburban 76 southbound at the south end of Laurel Line tunnel on Saturday morning. Excursions continue through the end of October, running Thursday through Sunday at 10:30 AM, 12:00 Noon, 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM through the end of October.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Friday, June 20, 2014
Dreamland Theatre
The Dreamland Theatre was one of Cleveland's early Nickelodeons, located at 703 Euclid Avenue. With a capacity of 262, and a grind policy, the average attendance was around 2,000 at a 5¢ admish, with an average daily gross of $100. The theatre was operated by C. M. Christenson and Foster Simmons showing three reels of film daily. This operation appears to be rather short lived only operating for a couple years. C. M. Christenson was also a part owner of the United Film Exchange and was later secretary in the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America, which at one point was headquartered in the Dreamland. Christenson later headed the Mutual Film Exchange. Foster Simmons was later a director of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America.
Above, images from The Nickelodeon, November 1909.
Below the article from The Nickelodeon.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Miles Theatre
Charles Miles opened the Miles Theatre at 2071 East 9th Street on October 26, 1913. At a cost of around a half million dollars the theatre seated 1,300, Over the years the house changed names and policies a number of times. The Miles was later known as the Columbia with a burlesque policy. For a time in the mid 30's it was home to a WPA theatre group and known as the Federal Theatre. Eventually it became the Carter, home to cheap exploitation films and third rate double bills before being razed in 1959.
Cropped from a larger image, date and photographer unknown.
From the Plain Dealer, February 3, 1914.
From the Plain Dealer, April 20, 1919.
From The Plain Dealer, April 24, 1921.
From The Plain Dealer, November 7, 1924.
From The Plain Dealer, August 25, 1927.
From The Plain Dealer, October 14, 1928.
From The Plain Dealer, 20, 1935.
From The Plain Dealer, December 19, 1937.
From The Plain Dealer, August 16, 1954.
From The Plain Dealer, March 28, 1958.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Electric City Trolley
Philadelphia Suburban 76 northbound by the Laurel Line freight house last week. Excursions continue through the end of October, running Thursday through Sunday at 10:30 AM, 12:00 Noon, 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM through the end of October.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Nay Aug Tunnel
