The Hollywood Theater

Gowanda, New York 

Located in New York's Cattaraugus County is the small town of Gowanda.  Gowanda is home to the Hollywood Theater built in a neo-classical style.  The site was once home to the Gowanda Opera House which opened in 1884. On October 27, 1924 a fire occurred destroying the structure. The fire was believed to be electrical, in origin and spread to adjacent buildings destroying much of the business district on the north side of Main street. The Gowanda Opera House lay in ruins with an uninsured loss estimated at $80,000.  Prospects looked dim for having the opera house built by Gowanda businessman and entrepreneur, Jared Sidney Torrance replaced after the fire. 

In stepped, Mr. Richard Wilhem, a German immigrant who made his fortune in the glue business setting his sights on building a theater called the Hollywood Theatre which opened April 16, 1926. Wilhem commissioned famous theater architect and designer Leon H. Lempert to build a new multi-use theater where the old opera house once stood and spared no expense in doing so. 

The theater was a famous venue for hosting big bands, famous vandeville performances, first run motion pictures and live performances.   In 1992, the historic theater closed leaving the building abandoned and susceptible to damage.  Since 1997, after being named a New York State and National Historic Registry landmark, a group called Friends of the Hollywood began working to restore the Hollywood and hold events.  Gowanda's Hollywood Theater is representative of the lavish theaters that were typical during the Roaring 20s era and has now been historically restored to the delight of the community and fans of old theatres who visit Gowanda and experience a theatre built in the 1920s.*

Wilhem was known as "The Glue King".  The Eastern Tanners Glue Company was established in 1904 by Wilhem and two other investors.  The factory was located on Palmer Street along the banks of Cattaraugus River. Through acquisitions, Wilhem created a huge manufacturing, sales and marketing network.  Wilhelm eventually bought the company  and over the next 30 years purchased nearly every major glue manufacturer in the U.S. and Canada.  He changed the name of the company in 1930 to Peter Cooper Glue Corporations as a result of the purchase of the Peter Cooper Glue Company.  

Richard Wilhelm

After Wilhem's passing in 1940, his estate kept the theater open and operating until the 1970s.  For the next couple of decades the theater changed hands a couple of times and in 1992, the theatre sadly closed its doors. For the next 7 years the theater sat abandoned until a rescue was attempted by another leading Gowanda businessman, Dan Gernatt, Jr. 

This businessman purchased the theater and donated it to a not-for-profit group, The Gowanda Area Redevelopment Corp.  GARC was able to secure a loan to repair the roof of the building, but that was about the extent of their restoration.  In 2003, The Gowanda Historic Hollywood Theater, Ltd not-for-profit acquired a deed to the property.  In 2007, they were awarded a $500,000.00 matching grant through the state and started a 4.2 million dollar restoration. The organization expanded and upgraded the theater's restrooms, installed a new heating system, new roof conductors, upgraded electrical, installed a fire safety system and replaced all exit ramps.  The theatre's original lighting has also been restored along with the Hollywood's leaded stained glass doors and windows. 

The Stained Glass Happy Face Image

The Hollywood Theater is a highly ornate structure featuring 700 orchestra level seats and around 300 balcony seats featuring Vermont marble floors in the lobby, ornate plaster designs, brass railings, 14-piece orchestra pit, 70 foot by 30 foot stage, dual original oil murals, a concave seating design and a highly decorated softly lit 22 foot ceiling dome in the center of the theater.  It is, without a doubt, the crowning jewel of this beautiful theater. 

In the balcony, the motion picture booth had two identical projectors complete with rewind machines and fireproot film cabinets.  Galvanized stove pipes vented the heat generated by the projectors out through the ceiling.  A turntable for 78 RPM phonograph records provided musical entertainment as well as a disc player for sound movies. 

*Two-thirds of the theatres built in the 1920s are gone from our landscape, today so being able to experience the Hollywood Theater is very special.  Treat yourself and travel to Gowanda to experience the Hollywood Theater and all that it has to offer with live concerts, silent films and classic movies.