At the Movies/Theatre in Cleveland
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1 PLANNER PROJECT 2016 ... AT THE MOVIES/THEATRE IN CLEVELAND: EDITOR’S NOTE: A goal of this project is to create a fascinating local music diary, while including most other forms of local entertainment from sports, to electronic media, comedy, theater, and even burlesque, based on years ending in 1 or 6. List below is how local live and cinematic theater has been featured in this edition. [Please note this is a ROUGH final draft which may be altered as new material is added as a final “Layer.” Please note too, that all text has to fit within existing text blocks and may not flow perfectly!] CURRENT ITEMS REPRESENT THE YEARS: 1906, 1921, 1926, 1931, 1936, 1941, 1946, 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 TOTAL: 29 MOVIES CURRENTLY FEATURED AMONG PLANNER PROJECT PHOTO STORIES: A Message from Mars (1921) / Black Beauty (1921) / Go West Young Man (1936) / Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers in ‘Swing Time’ (1936) / Jane Wyman & Dennis Morgan in ‘Bad Men of Missouri’ (1941) / Gone with the Wind (1941) / Kiss the Boys Goodbye (1941) / The Reluctant Dragon (1941) / Ginger Rogers with Cleveland-native Burgess Meredith in ‘Tom Dick, & Harry’ (1941) / City of Conquest (1946) / No Time for Comedy (1946) / Flying Leathernecks (1951) / Lucille Ball with Desi Arness in Forever Darling (1956) / Guys and Dolls (1956) / The Lone Ranger (with the Lone Ranger live) (1956) / War and Peace (1956) / Bachelor in Paradise (1961) / Exodus (1961) / La Dolce Vita (1961) / Spartacus (1961) / Alfie (1966) / Georgy Girl (1966) / Hombre (being filmed) (1966) / Evel Knievel (1971) / Gimme Shelter (1971) / Bruce Lee Story: Super Dragon, or (Super Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story) (1976) / Marathon Man (1976) / The Return of the Pink Panther (1976) / Silent Movie (1976) / MOVIES CURRENTLY FEATURED AMONG OVER 1,300 TEXT DATES: 1921 / Movies (8): Dangerous Business / Forbidden Fruit / Gypsy Blood / The Greatest Love / The Kid / The Love Light / The Sheik / Three Musketeers (Live appearances by Mae Murray- Theda Bara) 2/6 The 22 “film folk” at the opening last night included Marcus Loew, Marguerite Marsh, Montague Love, Rex Ingraham, Lillian Walker, Hope Hampton, Ruth Roland, and Bert Lytell, as Loew’s State becomes Playhouse Square’s first major theatre, 1921 2/28 After cruising to Keith’s 105th on the 27th to see Helen Keller with Anne Sullivan Macy headline the vaudeville show; today, Mary Pickford stars in ‘The Love Light’ at new Loew’s State; as Loew’s Euclid offers Cecil B. DeMille’s ‘Forbidden Fruit,’ 1921 3/3 Following the Hanna Theatre ‘s opening on March 28th; Cleveland’s newest photo play theater, the $1 million Allen Theatre, developed by Canadians Jules & J. J. Allen, celebrates its first week after opening on Playhouse Square April 1st, as thousands turned out to see Vera Gordon in ‘The Greatest Love,’ & dance in the rotunda, 1921 10/3 On Sept. 23rd, Mae Murray appeared live at Loew’s State; today, it’s Theda Bara, while Douglas Fairbanks stars in ‘The Three Musketeers’ at Loew’s Stillman (50¢-$1), 1921 2 10/10 Riding in a ‘19 Peerless Chummy Roadster ($1,200), to see Constance Tallmadge in ‘Dangerous Business’ at the Metropolitan Theater, Euclid at E. 55; its new photoplay policy starts tomorrow with Charlie Chan in ‘The Kid,’ and 5 vaudeville acts, 1921 12/1 At the movies you’ll find heartthrob Pola Negri in ‘Gypsy Blood’ at Loew’s Park; & Rudolph Valentino starring in ‘The Sheik,’ with Agnes Ayres at Loew’s State, 1921 1926 / Movies (1): Let’s Get Married 4/15 On the screen, it’s Richard Dix in ‘Let’s Get Married;’ as Noble Sissle & Eubie Blake, stars of ‘Shuffle Along,’ play the Allen Theatre with young tenor Morton Downey, 1926 1931 / Movies (3): City Lights / Dracula / Frankenstein 3/14 As ‘City Lights’ with Charlie Chaplin opens at Loew’s Stillman, the Hippodrome presents ‘Dracula’ with Bela Lugosi, ‘the new Lon Chaney,’ in its 2nd big week (“I think you’ll like the terrors it offers,” notes the Plain Dealer’s W. Ward Marsh), 1931 11/27 As the 4 Marx Bros. lead the vaudeville slate at the Palace; the Hippodrome’s manager reports 5 fainted at the midnight premiere of ‘Frankenstein’ with Boris Karloff, 1931 1936 / Movies (2): The Gorgeous Hussey / Ramona (in Technicolor) / Our Gang comedies 10/6 As the Hanna offers the Langston Hughes play ‘Mulatto;’ the Palace hosts the local debut of Central High-grad Noble Sissle & his Savoy Stompers, with Pops & Louie, Billy Banks, & Leona (Lena) Horne (on screen is ‘Ramona’ in new ‘Technicolor’), 1936 10/17 The Parma Theater opens tonight at Ridge and Snow, with Robert Taylor and Joan Crawford in ‘The Gorgeous Hussy;’ Our Gang comedies; and cartoons in color, 1936 1941 / Movies (6): Citizen Kane / Fantasia / Nothing but the Truth / Maltese Falcon / Superman (animated) / The Little Foxes / 3/15 As Ann Corio plays the Roxy Burlesque; Disney’s’ Fantasia’ is set to open the 18th, 1941 9/26 Tony Pastor headlines the stage show, as ‘Citizen Kane’ opens at the RKO-Palace, 1941 10/10 Autographing their comics found in the Plain Dealer, Superman creators Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster appear at the State Theatre today from 2 to 10 p.m., as the animated screen version of ‘Superman’ opens for ‘Nothing but the Truth’ with Bob Hope, 1941 10/20 While Bette Davis stars in ‘The Little Foxes’ at the Allen; the Palace presents tap sensation Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson with Velma Middleton & Jimmy Lunceford’s Orchestra, 1941 12/7 After watching Humphrey Bogart in ‘The Maltese Falcon’ at the Palace Theatre, you’ll find comedian Joey Bishop featured at the El Dumpo cabaret at 2119 Prospect, 1941 1946 / Movies (3): The Big Sleep / Notorious / Tars and Spars 3/19 Tonight, Louis Prima and his band play the Palace Theatre with Peggy Ryan (‘Tars & Spars’ on screen); on the 21st, Guy Lombardo & the Royal Canadians take over, 1946 8/28 While ‘The Big Sleep’ opens at the Hippodrome with Bogart & Bacall, Cary Grant and Ingrid Berman star in Hitchcock’s ‘Notorious’ at the RKO Palace, 1946 1951 / Movies (9): World Premiere of ‘A Millionaire for Christy / An American in Paris / Bedtime for Bonzo / Bowery Battalion / Cry Danger / Frenchie / World Premiere of Julie / The Mob / Saturday’s Hero / A Streetcar Named Desire / (Live appearances by Eleanor Parker-Donna Reed-John Derek-Broderick Crawford-Dick Powell) 2/23 Cruising with Phil McLean on WERE-AM in a Horizon blue ‘49 DeSoto convertible Coupe w/white sidewalls ($2,095); the RKO Palace features Rhonda Fleming & Dick Powell in ‘Cry Danger’ (Powell, “an old Clevelander,” appears live at all shows), 1951 3 3/25 After seeing ‘Bedtime for Bonzo’ with Ronald Reagan last night at the Esquire on Euclid; Easter Sunday finds Bobby Hansen’s band at the Rollercade on Denison; Tex Cromer at the Aragon; & Tommy Tucker and his Orch. at the Marcane Ballroom, 1951 6/22 Offering free orchids & the world’s largest screen, Miles Drive-In opens to the public, featuring Joel McCrea and Shelley Winters in ‘Frenchie,’ and ‘Bowery Battalion,’ 1951 9/12 Cleveland-native Eleanor Parker appears live, as the Hippodrome on Euclid presents the World Premiere of ‘A Millionaire for Christy,’ with Parker & Fred MacMurray, 1951 9/26 After cruising to see the pre-release premiere of ‘An American in Paris’ with Gene Kelly at Loew’s Stillman (75¢-$1); Gene Ammons & Sonny Stitt play Lindsay’s Skybar, 1951 10/3 After dining tomorrow on grilled pork steak at Blue Boar Cafeteria on Euclid (60¢); John Derek & Donna Reed appear live as ‘Saturday’s Hero’ opens at the Palace, 1951 10/12 While ‘Mr. Mambo’ Joe Loco plays the Loop Lounge; Ohio-native Doris Day appears in person at both shows, as Loew’s State presents the World Premiere of ‘Julie,’ 1951 10/21 After seeing ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still’ tonight at the Tower on Euclid; on the 24th, star Broderick Crawford appears live as ‘The Mob’ opens at Loew’s Allen, 1951 11/4 After seeing Marlon Brando & Janet Leigh in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ at the Allen ($1.10); Count Basie’s Review plays the Circle Theater with comic George Kirby, 1951 1956 / Movies (20): Autumn Leaves / Battle Cry / Benny Goodman Story / Bundle of Joy / Earth vs. the Flying Saucers / East of Eden / Foreign Intrigue / Forever Darling / Giant / Invasion of the Body Snatchers / Love Me Tender / Man in the Gray Flannel Suit / Marty / Picnic / Rebel Without Cause / Rock Around the Clock / That Certain Feeling / The Searchers / The Ten Commandments / The Werewolf (Live appearances by Kim Novak-John Wayne- Ward Bond-Bob Hope) 2/2 After tonight’s Cleveland Orchestra concert with George Szell conducting, marking Severance Hall’s 25th anniversary; the ‘Benny Goodman Story’ with Steve Allen opens at the Hipp tomorrow with WERE’s Phil McLean broadcasting live 7 to10 p.m., 1956 2/17 As Loew’s State offers Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, & James Mason in ‘Forever Darling;’ the Palace counters with James Dean in ‘East of Eden,’ & Tab Hunter in ‘Battle Cry,’ 1956 2/24 After seeing Kim Novak live on the 22nd as ‘Picnic’ opens at the Hippodrome, while at Music Hall it’s ‘Birdland’ stars Sarah Vaughan, Count Basie (w/John Williams), Al Hibbler, Lester Young, & Bud Powell ($2-$3.75); tonight, Connie Francis plays the Cabin Club; the Loop Lounge hosts the Charlie Mingus Jazz Workshop; Tony Scott plays the Cotton Club; and it’s dancing to Paul Burton at the Aragon Ballroom, 1956 2/29 Cruising in a blue & white ‘54 Buick Riviera hardtop w/Dynaflow ($2,095-Harmon Pontiac); Ernest Borgnine stars in ‘Marty,’ held over at the Detroit Theater; as ‘Man in the Gray Flannel Suit,’ with Gregory Peck opens tomorrow at the Hippodrome, 1956 5/8 Bill Haley & the Comets rock the Arena with Bo Didley, Big Joe Turner, the Colts, Clyde McPhatter, La Vern Baker, the Platters, the Teenagers & Teen-Queens, Frankie Lymon, the Flamingos, the Drifters, & Red Prysock’s Orch.