Followers
Monday, July 31, 2023
Sunday, July 30, 2023
Reginald Alexander Lenna
Reginald Lenna was born in Jamestown New York on December 3, 1912 and passed at the age of 87 at the Chautauqua Institution in the former William Doud Packard home on February 6, 2000. He was an American Army officer and businessman while CEO of Blackstone Corporation from 1951 to 1985. He was a graduate of Lehigh University.
During his lifetime, Reginald made major philantropic contributions to Southern Chautauqua County which included The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, the Elizaeth S. Lenna Hall located at the Chautauqua Institution. This 8,000 square foot recital and rehearsal hall, dedicated in 1993, was the first major program facility to be built at the Institution in 65 years. The hall serves as the rehearsal facility for the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and as a recital hall for chamber music, voice and piano.
In 1998, Lenna and his wife purchased and renovated the historic Packard Manor which is the largest private home on the grounds of the Institution. The Reginald A. and Elizabeth S. Lenna Foundation founded by Lenna and his wife in 1986 is the conduit for charitable contributions from Lenna's estate, the bulk of which went to the foundation. Grants are limited to service organizations in Southern Chautauqua County and exceed $2 million dollars, annually.
Lenna earned a commission in the United States Army while at Lehigh University. In preparation for World War II, he was ordered to active duty. He reported to the office of artillery of the Army Ordnance Department in Washington in early 1941. Lenna was involved in planning for the Invasion of Normandy and procuring machine tools for the Manhattan Project. He reached the rank of major and resigned from the Army in 1945 after World War II ended.
On April 27, 1976 during a visit to Jamestown, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden knighted Lenna and made him a First Class Commander of the Order of the Polar Star for services to Sweden. Lenna also received an honorary doctorate in 1981 from St. Bonaventure University.
Thank you, Reginald Lenna for your contributions and accomplishments during your lifetime.
Friday, July 28, 2023
Reg Lenna Center for the Arts
The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts was known as the Palace Theatre from 1923-1987. The Reg is a restored theatre used as a community center for the performing arts in Jamestown, New York. The center is named after a notable local resident, Reginald Lenna who donated $1 million to begin restoration work in 1987. Seating capacity is over 1,100 and after restoration was completed it opened on October 12, 1990.
The Reg celebrates its 100th year!
1923-2023
The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts was first opened on February 5, 1923 as the Palace Theatre, a "High Class Vaudeville" house. Films, usually a short comedy plus a feature were shown before and after the twice-a-day vaudeville performances. Three years later Nikitas Dipson bought the facility and continued with film and vaudeville shows. In 1930, Dipson leased the Palace Theatre to Warner Brothers for 20 years.
For a short time the format of films and vaudeville was continued, but live performances were slowly downplayed to emphasize the cinema. By 1934, films were the only entertainment available on a regular basis. In 1950, Warner Bros. terminated their lease and Dipson Theatres, still the owners, once again took over management.
The Palace Theatre was remodeled to the plans of architect, Michael J. DeAngelis by modernizing the marquee, the lobby, redecorating the auditorium, installing new heating and cooling systems, carpeting, wall coverings and new seats. At the reopening Dipson reaffirmed his intention to feature not only first run films of the best quality, but also stage shows, orchestras and vaudeville. In 1956, Forever Darling starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had its world premiere at the Palace Theatre (Jamestown being Ball's hometown). With the passing of years, fewer and fewer people attended the theatre. Equipment was wearing out and the building needed extensive repairs. On September 10, 1981 the last movie was shown .. The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.
At that time, many in the Jamestown area assumed the Palace Theatre would be left to decay as was the other vintage cinema in town, the Winter Garden Theatre. However, the community gathered in force to save the Palace Theatre.
In 1990, it was renamed the Reg Lenna Civic Center, in honor of the principal donor, Reginald Lenna, for its restoration and has been completely and lovingly restored with the addition of new and/or refurbished seating, air conditioning, stage and sound equipment plus projection units. The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts renamed this in 2014 is now a state-of-the-arts performance space which retains all of its original unique design qualities.
Thank you, Reginald Lenna for saving this theatre for future generations and for your military service.
Thursday, July 27, 2023
A Cartoonist's Life
Brad Anderson and Marmaduke
Statue dedicated in 2016
Bradley Jay Anderson was born in Jamestown on May 14, 1924 and died on August 30, 2015 in The Woodlands, Texas. He was an American cartoonist and creator of the beloved comic strip, Marmaduke. He attended and graduated from Syracuse University and was an active cartoonist from 1954-2015. His widow is Barbara Anderson and they had 4 children. A daughter, Christine and 3 sons named Craig, Paul and Mark. Paul has continued with the Marmaduke comic strip.
Among his many awards was the Inkpot Award presented to Brad in 1975. This award is an honor bestowed annually since 1974 by Comic-Con International. It is given to professionals in the fields of comic books, comic strips, animation, science fiction and related areas of popular culture. The event is held in San Diego, California.
Prior to college, Anderson graduated from Brocton Central School in Brocton, New York in 1942 and then served with the United States Navy until 1946 during which time he submitted cartoons to be published in several Navy publications. Initially aspiring to become an industrial engineer, Anderson attended Syracuse University on the G.I. Bill. In 1951, he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts with a major in advertising. He went on to work for Ball & Grier, an advertising agency in Utica, New York. In 1953, Anderson decided to focus on freelance magazine cartooning. From 1954 to 1966, he drew the comic strip Grandma's Boy.
Brad is best known for creating the comic strip, Marmaduke in 1954 which he continued to draw until his passing at age 91 of congestive heart failure. He was laid to rest at Portland Evergreen Cemetery in Portland, New York.
"During the time I was drawing various types of dogs in my magazine cartoons, I was also trying to develop a dog character specifically for eventual newspaper syndication. You couldn't see the eyes of my shaggy dogs so as I thought more about it I decided I wanted a dog where I could have an expressive face."
Brad Anderson
Anderson drew on comedians, Laurel and Hardy routines for his ideas receiving the National Cartoonist's Society Newspaper Panel Cartoon Award for Marmaduke in 1978.
Brad's studio was in his Texas home on Lake Conroe. The studio has been re-created for the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York which opened on August 1, 2018. The donated studio includes Anderson's original drawing board and materials. The first time I entered the NCC and took the tour I was not aware of this display honoring Brad though when I learned of its existence I was thrilled. The reason being because I am proudly related to Brad Anderson on my father's side. I never inherited the ability to create cartoon characters though I do enjoy writing.
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
There are several theories about why historical glass marbles occasionally wash up on the world's beaches, even today. Here is one reason:
In the late 1800s an inventor named Hiram Codd designed a glass soda bottle that used a marble as the stopper at the top. Similarly, the Japanese glass Ramune bottle was also sealed with a marble stopper and many times with blue stoppers. These two bottle styles were used in the United States and around the world and likely account for a great many of the beach marbles that been found (and occasionally still be found) along shorelines globally. When a bottle was discarded, often at sea, the bottle would break against the rocky shore and the marble might stay intact and tumble for years or likely for decades! Historically, marbles were like playtime currency for children. Finding a bottle and breaking it to get the marble out was quite common.
Sea glass and beach glass are different. Sea glass refers to salt water glass and beach glass refers to fresh water glass. The fine patina of sea and beach glass comes from the glass slowly dissolving in the water. The PH of fresh water is different than salt water so the glass does not dissolve as readily. It still dissolves and will develop the same patina over time, but it takes much longer in fresh water.
In the old days because sea and beach glass has been around as long as we have had glass it was said to be mythical "Mermaid Tears". It was said that everytime a sailor drowned at sea, the Mermaids would cry and the sea glass was their tears washing ashore.
Everywhere sea glass is found and it is found everywhere its value is partially determined by its color. This is because only a few items were stored in red, blue, lavender, purple or pink glass containers. Likewise, certain rare tints and shades of these popular colors are found.
The pits in the surface of the glass, giving it its soft feel, come from a process called "hydration" where the soda and lime used in making the glass is leached out of the glass leaving the small pits. The soda and lime also often react with minerals in the sea waater forming new mineral deposits on the surface that give the glass a "sparkling" appearance.
Founding these marbles are difficult and rare though you just might find one. If so, consider it your lucky day.
Monday, July 24, 2023
Sunday, July 23, 2023
Russ Illig of Raven Sound
Russ Illig is from Erie PA and was the sound technician for the Bemus Bay Pops. He could be seen on the sound platform or among the crowd at every concert. Thank you Russ for your professionalism and for your friendship throughout the Pops years.
"The Pops years in Bemus Point were special for myself and for everyone who experienced the floating stage and all the talented musicians that performed on it from across the United States and Canada. It was my pleasure to work for Dan and Sue Dalpra."
Russ Illig
Friday, July 21, 2023
Monday, July 17, 2023
Sunday, July 16, 2023
Saturday, July 15, 2023
Julie Milnes
Jason Milnes