Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In 1914, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Did a spectacle set for the Stanley, Philadelphia. I went with it, and spent a whole week with it. Got some good lighting effects. Kleigel [sic.] came on from New York to do it.” Although the venue is primarily remembered as a movie house, the first Stanley Theatre in Philadelphia was a combination house. Largely devoted to short-reel pictures, ornate wings and a painted picture sheet created the surround for any projection. There were other lines to accommodate touring acts and spectacles, such as the one mentioned by Moses.
The Stanley Theatre opened on 19 April 1914. The venue was named after Stanley Mastbaum, a remarkable man in his own right who was directly responsible for the evolution of films in Philadelphia (“Philadelphia Inquirer,” page 35). The story of Stanley V. Mastbaum and his Philadelphia theaters is quite fascinating. The Stanley Theater in Philadelphia was the flagship of Stanley’s theatre chain and managed the venue. Stanley co-founded the Stanley Company with his brother Jules Mastbaum. Stanley Mastbaum also managed the Stanley Booking Corporation, a company that supplied pictures to several hundred theatres across the country. The Mastbaum brothers controlled several of the Philadelphia’s movie houses, later expanding to become one of the largest motion picture chains in the country in a relatively short period of time.
Their reign in the film industry was short-lived, however, as Stanley Mastbaum passed away in 1918 at the age of 37 yrs. old. The cause of his death was listed as blood poisoning, developing from a sever case of tonsillitis. At the time of his passing, his obituary reported, “After seven years’ effort in the motion picture business, Mr. Mastbaum was part owner of seven big ‘movie’ houses in Philadelphia, and a score or more in other cities. His interests were in every branch of the industry from production of movies to the placing of finishing touches on the screen” (The Morning Post, 7 March 1918, page 1). The article continued to state that the Philadelphia theaters run by Stanley Mastbaum included, the Stanley (Sixteenth and Market streets), the Palace (1214 Market street), the Globe (Juniper and Market streets), the Arcade (Chestnut street, below Sixteenth), the Alhambra (Twelfth and Morris), the Rialto (Germantown avenue and Tulpehocken street), and the Broadway (Broad street and Snyder avenue). The Paramount acquiring his company by 1919, and the firm was later acquired by Warner Bros. in 1928.
The first Stanley Theatre of Philadelphia was located at 1616-20 Market Street, east of Seventeenth Street. When the venue opened, the “Philadelphia Inquirer” announced, “The Stanley contains every modern device in perfect theatre construction, and many innovations exclusive in this temple of Thespia. The house will comfortably seat 1700 persons and the decorations are of a quietly attractive quality.” The house count was actually a little lower than that.
The policy of the Stanley was the presentation of the “highest grade photo plays.” Photoplays and comic films constituted the program at the Stanley Theatre with live musical accompaniment. Designed by W. H. Hoffman, the venue was later renamed the Stanton Theatre and later the Milgram by 1968. The building was demolished in 1968. Also, the first Stanley Theatre is not to be confused with the second Stanley Theatre that opened on the southwest corner of 19th and Market Street in 1921; it was a much larger theater.
Of the programming, the “Philadelphia Inquirer” reported, “The subjects were well chosen and of varied character, so that the serious blended excellently with the lighter vein of motion picture. The list included The Dishonored Model, Martha’s Rebellion, A Soul Astray and Our Mutual Girl. One of the pleasing features was the rendition of selections by the orchestra during the exploiting of films and during intermissions” (12 May 1914, page 7). In June, the “Philadelphia Inquirer” noted, “As a forerunner to a series of feature photo-dramas which will be shown during the remainder of the week, two interesting picture entertained audiences at the Stanley Theatre yesterday. ‘Good for Nothing’ was the title of the headliner, followed by ‘The Gem.” Both subjects were well acted by capable companies. The special attraction for the week is a five-part dramatization of “Home Sweet Home,” to be shown today and tomorrow. Selections on a new organ add to the entertainment” (16 June 1914, page 7).
Musical selections that accompanied the photo plays ranged from a full orchestra to the Doria Opera Trio of the Metropolitan Opera Company. Of the trio, they toured with photodrama productions, performing opera and other vocal selections each day and evening to accompany select films (The Philadelphia Inquirer, 10 July 1914, page 4). The Philadelphia Orchestra also furnished the incidental music for the Stanley, with the “Philadelphia Inquirer” commenting that summer: “The Spitfire,” a nautical comedy drama, was the chief attraction among the Stanley Theatre’s films yesterday. Written by Edward Peple, acted by Daniel Frohman’s Company and starred by Carlyle Blackwell, the intricate plat included a gem robbery, several fights, false correspondence, two rescues, one at sea and the other in the Arabian desert, with a charming love story woven through the whole. The latest and finest developments of moving picture art were exhibited in this an other films, all as remarkable for the clearness of their definition as for the quality of the stories, fantastic and humorous, they presented. “The One Best Bet,” a comic story of the racetrack, and “Tragic Trinkets,” a murder mystery film, in which an alchemist figured, presented scenic features of an unusual character. Members of the Philadelphia Orchestra furnished the incidental music” (7 July 1914, page 6).
To be continued…
