South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-06-18

Great progress has been seen IN
the past two years IN providing suit
able and imposing showhouses for
the needs OF the community. espe-
cially In the heart OF the city. bEt the
theater construction program will
not be complete until neighborhood
motion picture houses are given
similar consideration.
In the thickly populated sections
on the South Side in the rapidly
growing Northwestern part OF town
and in the Chaplin st. district. I'm addi-
ton 10 the North Side, Mishawal<a.
may be found a crying demand for
theaters Of from 500 TO 1000 seat
ing capacities. These neighborhOod
sections will support community the
aters. devoted 10 the portrayal of
high-class motion pictures.
Blackstone Sets Pate.
Less than two years ago the Black
stone was opened 20 the public. 1t
represented everything the most
modern and elegant IN theater con
structiOn for the presentation Of mo-
ton pictures. Its architecture was
splendid and the building was point
al 10 with pride as a lustrOus gem
among It's imposing but more sOmbrs
surroundings
Shortly after tkat time. a meta
morphoSis began TO assert itself with
respect 10 theatrical housing. IL has
been shown that the city was out
growing the old opera house" class
Of amusement places and the people
were demanding better and more
Respondent accommodations South
Send had come into its own with the
going ND OF the Blackstone and the
community WAS demanding that
other houses and their arrangements
keep the pace.
The Auditorium and the oliver
theatens were then run dark" for
time. better seats took the place OF
old. and decorators worked over the
entire interiors to make OF the TWO
old-tims showhouses objects OF APP
probation by the more critical pa
irons or the present day. Some real
improvements were effected by this
work OF remodelinE.
Palace SuIpasses.
Hardly had the new Auditorium
been opened before the Palace thea
ter corporation came into being with
It's announced purpose OF building a
truly metropolitan theater of even
greater beauty and larger capacity
than the BlackstoNo The new thea
ter was 20 book high class vaudeville
attractions and a stage. one OF the
largest IN size In the middle west
was included IN the plans OF con-
struction. Interior decorating r. now
progressing rapidly and the new Pa
lace. with its nearly 5000 seating ca
pacity, Will be ready for this falls
bookings.
With the events IN the local thea
ter building program, there was
equally II not greater activity with
respect to chsnges IN management.
ont OF razeIstrom have resolved two
controlling interests OF local theater-
dom. Jacob Handeisman the pro
motor OF both the Blackstone and
Palace theatsrs, president OF the Pa
ACE theater corporation, heads one
interest with Ezra Rhodes, owner Of
the LsSalls. and lessee OF the Castle
and Blackstone thesters, the other.
Under Hand elsman's control are the
Orpheum and oliver thesters. TO
~ Mon VIII De AAAe1 thV o+o~r .-'-
ter upon completion.
OF Difficult Types
one would have 10 go far 20 ind
any other two men who have done
as much as these two toward the
progress OF the city with respect 20
theater building and management.
They have both been actively engaged
IN promoting the best interests OF
the city IN what e. demanded Of high
grade entertai nment. With this
parallel observant the TWO men rep
resent entirely different types. Where
I1andeIsrnan has demonstrated his
ability IN the building OF theaters,
Rhodes has equally attained repu-
tation for successfully MANAGING
ehsm-