The Ray Evans Seneca Theatre

Salamanca New York

Downtown Salamanca

circa 1950s

This theatre was originally called the Seneca Theatre and was built by the Schine Theatre Chain to replace an aging venue a couple of blocks up the street (seen in photo).  The theatre was designed by Drew Eberson, son of John Eberson. The Schine Chain operated the theatre until the mid-1960s. Construction began in 1941 just before the outbreak of WWII.  It opened August 27, 1942, but due to a shortage of materials final work was not completed until 1945 after the war ended. The theatre lobby originally featured many sculptures in crevices on the walls.  In November 2013, the Ray Evans Theatre featured the film, "The Lemon Drop Kid" for which Ray Evans and Jay Livingston wrote the score.  

The theatre was called the Seneca Theatre after the Indian nation which owns the underlying ground.   It sat abandoned until the early 1980s when Cattaragus County acquired the building.  Over the next several years the theatre was slowly renovated and transformed into the Cattaragus County Center for the Performing Arts.  It is now used for local live theatre productions.

Ray Evans

Raymond Bernard Evans (1915-2007) was an American songwriter.  He was a partner in a composing and songwriting duo with Jay Livingston, known for the songs they composed for films.  Evans wrote the lyrics and Livingston wrote the melody. Evans is an inductee in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.  He and Livingston have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame presented to them in 1995.  Evans died at age 92 in Los Angeles on the 42nd anniversary of the death of Nat King Cole, who had made the song, "Mona Lisa" so famous.  

Ray Evans and Jay Livingston

receiving their Oscars

Jay Livingston (1915-2001) and Ray Evans wrote some of America's most popular songs and shared Academy Awards for "Buttons and Bows", "Mona Lisa" and "Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Qui Sera, Sera)" and many others.

In a collaboration that began in the late 1930s, Livingston who provided the melodies and Evans who wrote the lyrics wrote 26 songs that sold more than a million records each. Recordings of their songs, including the holiday season perennial "Silver Bells" (1951) have sold almost 500 million copies. "Silver Bells" was written for the film, "The Lemon Drop Kid" initially naming the song, "Tinkle Bells" though changed it to "Silver" because of a common connotation of "tinkle"!  

Livingston is also an inductee in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.  In 2004, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission installed a historical marker in McDonald, Pennsylvania commemorating his achievements. 

These two talented men wrote songs for at least 100 movies and earned seven Oscar nominations among them "Tammy" for the movie "Tammy and the Bachelor" (1957). Their credits include three Broadway productions and the themes for several TV series including "Bonanza" and "Mr. Ed".  They met as students at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and played together in bands on cruise ships during school vacations.  In 1937, the two young men moved to New York City where they began their songwriting collaboration.  I guess you could say .. "and the rest is history" .. though the story continues.

In 1944, they relocated to Hollywood.  Placed under contract to Paramount Studios in 1945, the songwriting team earned the first of their many Academy Award nominations.

"Buttons and Bows" which was introduced in a movie starring Bob Hope earned the team their first Oscar and became a hit for Dinah Shore.  They received their second Oscar for "Mona Lisa" in 1950.

The songwriting team left Paramount in 1955 and while working freelance won their third Oscar for "Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera) which was sung by Doris Day in Alfred Hitchcock's, "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (1956). Later, songstress and actress Doris Day used it as her theme song for her 1960s TV sitcom.  

Their last project was "Michael Feinstein Sings the Livingston and Evans Song Book". 

Thank you gentlemen for your musical contribution to the world. 

Ray Evans in Salamanca 

with

Oscar

 

The original sign was erected in 1923 and originally read "HOLLYWOODLAND" to promote the name of a new housing development in the hills above the Hollywood district of Los Angeles.  Real estate developers Woodruff and Shoults advertised it as a "superb environment" without excessive cost on the Hollywood side of the hills. 

The famous sign that spells HOLLYWOOD are white uppercase letters 

45 feet tall by 400 feet wide.  Originally, the letters were made of wood and metal from 1923-1978.  From 1978-present they are made of steel.  

Thomas Fisk Goff, Architect 

 DOOWYLLOH

Hollywood spelled backwards

and how it looks from behind the letters

Thomas Fisk Goff (1890-1984) was born in England and was an English painter who settled in Los Angeles in the 1920s and founded Crecent Sign Company.  In 1923, he was the designer of the famous Hollywood sign. 

The Hollywood sign is more than just nine white letters, each facing South, spelling out a city's name.  It's one of the world's most famous symbols.  It was created as an advertisement in 1923 by architect Thomas Fisk Goff and clients Woodruff and Shoults, but garnered increasing recognition after its initial purpose had been fulfilled.  It was not intended to be permanent.  Some sources say its expected life was to be about a year and a half, but after the rise of the American cinema in Los Angeles, it became an internationally recognized symbol and was left, in place.

In 1949, the Hollywoodland sign found itself in disrepair and local residents demanded that it be removed.  Instead, the City of Los Angeles decided to build a new sign touting Hollywood though in 1978 that sign had become in need of repair.  In 1978, a group led by Playboy magnate, Hugh Hefner decided to rebuild the sign.  Hefner hosted a fundraiser at the Playboy Mansion and raised $275,000 for the project.  The "W' was dedicated to Hugh.

A party at a restaurant called Drai's was held on September 19, 2013 to celebrate the sign's 90th anniversary.  For it's 90th anniversary, the Hollywood Sign Trust teamed up with Sherwin Williams to give the icon a "face-lift" that involved painters applying 105 gallons of primer and 255 gallons of paint.  It took nine weeks to complete the project. 

Most tourists are surprised to find they actually can't get to the sign.  It's illegal and sits behind gates protected by security cameras and park rangers.  Even if you make the hike up there, a Los Angeles Police Department officer stationed at the sign 24/7 will be there to greet you.

Happy 100 Years!

Grand Theatre Westfield NY

Michael J. DeAngelis

Architect

Visit my FB page (Pat Locke) to view this video

Thank you, Marty for filming this segment at the

Lakeshore Center For The Arts

Westfield NY

Photo taken from a W.A.C.S. Yearbook

This photo was part of the exhibit 

thanks to the former Mayor of Westfield

Mayor Michael VandeVelde

Print Block

Donated to the exhibit by Peter Mead

Thank you, Peter

The large b/w framed photo was donated 

by

former Mayor of Westfield, Michael Vandevelde

Shadowbox Artwork by Cletus Johnson

Cletus Johnson is a Westfield resident and a well respected artist. This piece was gifted to Bill and Pat Locke and was chosen for display at the theatre exhibit held for 6 weeks at the Lakeshore Center For The Arts during the summer of 2022.

An Ode to the Grand Ole Lady

written by

Willy S. Locke

A former Grand Theatre Employee

First Movie that was Featured at the Grand Theatre

July 17, 1941

Each exhibit attendee received original Grand Theatre tickets 

as a commemorative souvenir.

This Complimentary Ticket was Stamped

R.S. Mascaro, Manager

Attendees could find their birth month/year to see what movie played on that day.

A Walk in the Sun was playing on my birthday, July 14, 1946.

This photo features the original "half moon" doors.

Though a piece of original carpet nor the water fountain were ever located to feature in the exhibit, this photo graced the walls of the exhibit.

Some letters and numbers that hung from the marquee to announce movie titles.

The "piece de resistance".

meaning 

the most important or remarkable feature 

at the exhibit.

Thank you to Jeremy and Chris Riedesel

What was your favorite candy to enjoy at the movies?

Even my cousin, Brad Anderson and Maraduke paid tribute

to the

Grand Theatre.

 to everyone who attended this exhibit and came to remember the Grand Theatre

She believed she could, so she did!

To the Grand Lady .. We Raised a Collective Toast 

to Her Cinema Memory.

Remembering the Grand Committee

From Left to Right .. Willy S. Locke, Bob Schlick, Bill Locke, Pat Locke, 

Chris Riedesel and Paul Brumagin 

Missing from Photo .. Cletus Johnson

Thank you Gentlemen

A Special Thanks to Paul

for Coming from Boston, Mass.

to .. Remember the Grand

The Love Crazy Stickers were a Fun Idea

Thank You, Sandra Button