TOTAL

_y^ f-^aAadena Lypera ^^rrouSe • • • TAKES
ON A FACE-LIFTING JOB
MEWCOMER
residents of Pasadena,
prosperous suburban community in
in Southern California, would find it
difficult to believe if they were informed
that the luxurious Crown Theatre, neighborhood
first-run showcase which they
patronize, began its career as an opera
house a quarter of a century ago—and
that in recent years, until its modernization,
it had been practically forgotten.
Credit for the costly face-lifting task
goes to the Markoy Corp., headed by Al
Levoy, veteran independent exhibitor, who
visualized the possibilities of the old Raymond
Theatre i as it had been known ) and
set about to give it a complete remodeling
and reconversion treatment.
The task. Levoy discovered, involved
many tedious details and the expenditure
of considerable money before the finished
result could be deemed worthy of taking
its place among Pasadena's first-run film
theatres.
The entire interior was practically gutted
and work started from scratch to
bring the 25-year-old design up to 1948
concepts in style and decor. Beginning
with the stage, the complete front of the
auditorium was draped with Austrian
Shade curtains and drapes in rich fullness
on either side of the proscenium arch. This
draping design served to cover over dated
The foyer of the Crown
Theatre, shortly before
the renovation project
ivas undertaken and after
the job was finished—
demonstrating how luxury,
style, patron comfort
can be achieved in
an old-style house through
intelligent planning and
the application of some
basic ideas in modern
theatre
design — through
new carpeting, glass
doors, neio light fixtures
and concession
stajid.
New seating, new
drapes, and the interior
decorator's touch transforms
the opera type auditorium
into an attractive
and comfortable motion
picture house. The
interior was virtually gutted
so that the job could
start from scratch. Note
the drapes at the side of
the stage to cover up the
old style architecture. The
reseating called for 2.000
modern cliairs.
portions of the architecture and gives the
stage a rich bright quality.
Next step was to remove all of the 2.000
old-style seats and replace them with the
new "Encore" chairs designed and manufactured
by Heywood-Wakefield. Included
in this seating arrangement are 350 of
H-W's finest loge chairs.
All the old projection room equipment
was taken out and the newest types of
sound and projection equipment were installed.
The Crown is one of the first installations
to utilize Motiograph's new AA
Pi'ojector. Mirrophonic sound and the new
Ashcraft C-70 lamphouses. Levoy declares
the modern sound and projection equipment
has resulted in audience reaction indicating
their appreciation of the new installation.
In the foyer, from which two large ramps
lead to the mezzanine, the character of
the house was completely altered through
the installation cf Karagheusian Gulistan
carpet, a modern stainless steel concession
counter (serving soft drinks, popcorn,
candy and ice cream) and the addition of
attractive new lighting fixtures. The old
entrance doors were removed and replaced
with all-glass doors, giving the outside
lobby and inside foyer a spacious appearance.
Carpets were laid from the sidewalk
throughout the entire house Old
poster cases were removed and replaced
with new stainless steel frames, while the
new boxoffice also is of stainless steel.
Levoy changed the character of the front
of the house, as well, by installing a new
marquee and vertical sign.
The MODERN THEATRE SECTION