Boxoffice-January.07.1950
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Boxoffice-January.07.1950

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ELEGANCE WITH ECONOMY By HANNS R. TEICHERT * X NASMUCH AS INTERIOR DECORATION IS the feature of this issue, it is interesting to note that, year by year, American theatres are becoming more and more beautiful. Pi-om the first bare, converted storerooms where silent films held patrons spellbound on kitchen chairs, through the era when massive ornamentation sometimes superseded good taste, down to the present when even the smallest house can possess true distinction, each year seems marked with advances in beauty and comfort for the theatre patron. Perhaps of even greater interest is that with the progress in decoration has come greater economy of construction, improved hygiene and easier maintenance. It seems to us that 1949 saw more than the usual amount of progress. The shortages of materials caused by the war were The undersea motif is expressed in one sidewall mural of the Lake TheOtre auditorium. Carpeting In standee area Is in alternating stripes of contrasting plain colors. The wide standee rail is topped with turquoise velour upholstering to match seats. then primarily things of the past. Skilled labor was more available and theatre management had largely learned that more satisfying and economical results are to be obtained by engaging architects and theatre decorator specialists at the start. Two examples of contemporary theatre construction which typify the best in design, in our opinion, are presented in this article. These houses were selected because they are of efficient size, set Honns R. Teichert in typical locations, are products of good planning and employ many of the new economy techniques in construction while still giving the patron greater comfort. To explain a little more in detail what we mean, let's consider the matter of location. The Mayland Theatre is set in Mayfield 'Hanns R. Teichert Decorating Co "'^t;;^?^,mwr- > •m^

This auditorium yiew of the Lake Theatre illustrates clearly the structural economy possible with close cooperation of decorator and architect. The turquoise satin wall drapes which extend onethird of the way back into the auditorium form a decorative wall over the outside masonry wall. Exits are made by curtain draping. Heights, a fast-growing new suburb of Cleveland where building of both residential and commercial units is mushrooming. At the outset this theatre project was put into the hands of architects Matzinger and Grosel, of Cleveland, and Rex M. Davis, of our studios, was called in to coordinate interiors with the architectural theme as it progressed. This advance planning was called for by Howard Reif who heads the Mayland Theatre Co.. composed of P. E. Essick and J. J. Jossey. Reif took an active personal interest in the new theatre from the drafting board stage to opening night, which came off exactly on the date scheduled. Our second example, the Lake Theatre, is located in a similarly fast-growing suburb east of Cleveland, and was handled in the same manner by Matzinger and Grosel and Rex M. Davis. Also an inspiration of Reif's, the Lake is controlled through the Lake Shore Theatre Co. which includes M. S. Pine. A. Kramer, James Kalafat, S. Stecher and James Templeton. As to economy, let's see if you don't agree that a beautiful interior was achieved in both of these theatres, even though some of the constructional details were revolutionary. Rather than the usual ornate and expensive type of architectural proscenium treatment, both of these houses employ rich drapery hung in a curve free of the outside walls in such a way as to form a decorative inner wall by itself. The curtain is simply caught back in graceful folds to form an opening at the exits. This material, fireproofed of course, not only creates a most luxurious effect, but contributes to the fine acoustics of a theatre while providing an architectural short-cut to beauty that represents a tremendous savings over the conventional handling. Still another impressive saving was registered in the auditoriums by the application of acoustical blocks directly to the outside masoni-y walls. This surface, in turn, was decorated with hand executed murals. The illustrations of these theatres certainly give no impression that they are economy houses. For example, the lobby of the '4* This refreshment stand in the Mayland Theatre is cleverly accented by the use of artistic display lighting. A portion of the domed ceiling is visible here, showing one of the four seasons of the year gracefully done in mural treatment and indirectly lighted from coves. Below is the mural adorning one sidewall of the Mayland Theatre. Done in fluorescent paint, this decorative wall presents one appearance under ordinary light, and an entirely different aspect of the same scene under black light. BOXOFFICE January 7, 1950

ELEGANCE<br />

WITH<br />

ECONOMY<br />

By HANNS R. TEICHERT *<br />

X NASMUCH AS INTERIOR DECORATION IS the feature of this<br />

issue, it is interesting to note that, year by year, American theatres<br />

are becoming more and more beautiful. Pi-om the first bare,<br />

converted storerooms where silent films held patrons spellbound<br />

on kitchen chairs, through the era when massive ornamentation<br />

sometimes superseded good taste, down to the present when even<br />

the smallest house can possess true distinction, each year seems<br />

marked with advances in beauty and comfort for the theatre<br />

patron. Perhaps of even greater interest is that with the progress<br />

in decoration has come greater economy of construction,<br />

improved hygiene and easier maintenance.<br />

It seems to us that 1949 saw more than the usual amount of<br />

progress. The shortages of materials caused by the war were<br />

The undersea motif is expressed in one sidewall mural of the Lake TheOtre<br />

auditorium. Carpeting In standee area Is in alternating stripes of contrasting<br />

plain colors. The wide standee rail is topped with turquoise velour<br />

upholstering to match seats.<br />

then primarily things of the past. Skilled<br />

labor was more available and theatre<br />

management had largely learned that<br />

more satisfying and economical results<br />

are to be obtained by engaging architects<br />

and theatre decorator specialists<br />

at the start.<br />

Two examples of contemporary theatre<br />

construction which typify the best<br />

in design, in our opinion, are presented<br />

in this article. These houses were selected<br />

because they are of efficient size, set<br />

Honns R. Teichert<br />

in typical locations, are products of good<br />

planning and employ many of the new economy techniques in<br />

construction while still giving the patron greater comfort.<br />

To explain a little more in detail what we mean, let's consider<br />

the matter of location. The Mayland Theatre is set in Mayfield<br />

'Hanns R. Teichert Decorating Co<br />

"'^t;;^?^,mwr- ><br />

•m^

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