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Orpheum Theater: a Brief History
Although she’s lost a bit of her original
luster from neglect, there are few buildings in the City of
New Bedford, Massachusetts that have contributed more to the
history and culture of the area than the Orpheum Theatre and
[French Sharpshooter’s Club],
She is the last bastion of a proud neighborhood that was annihilated
by urban renewal in 1960’s when buildings were bulldozed
to make way for route 18, a new highway slicing through the
City’s historic district.
The Orpheum opened on April 15th, 1912 at a very
important time in American history. Little did the people know
at the ”Grand Opening” that the Titanic would sink
on that same night. This was just before World War I, when the
City’s mills were busy, the economy was good even though
the whaling industry was slowly declining.
The Orpheum was constructed under the ownership
of The French Sharpshooter’s
Club of New Bedford. This esteemed group operated a ballroom
and armored shooting range in the building for nearly fifty
years. Le Club des Francs-Tireurs had many events such as dances,
benefits, and shooting tournaments. The Club was instrumental
in raising and training recruits for both World Wars. The theatre
was leased from the Sharpshooter’s to the Orpheum Circuit
of Boston.
The Orpheum circuit was one of the largest vaudeville
and variety franchises operating in the country. Founded by
Martin Beck who discovered such stars as Houdini, Eddy Foy,
Lili Langtry, and The Marx Brothers. The Orpheum circuit was
in large part responsible for making vaudeville a more respected
art form. before this time most shows were made for a mostly
male audience, i.e.Wild West shows with dancing girls. Martin
Beck turned it around to appeal to the “decent woman.”
Many Orpheum theatres were richly decorated to copy the fancy
Parisian opera houses. The theatre quickly became a place people
went to see, or be seen.
The Orpheum not only presented stage shows, but
they were great innovators in the motion picture industry. They
would show movies, then named photoplays, inbetween acts. As
the popularity for Vaudeville waned in the 1920’s, the
motion picture industry was there to take it’s place and
keep crowds packing in. The Orpheum Circuit had many mergers
over the years and eventually became Radio-Keith-Orpheum, the
RKO famous for films like “King Kong” and “Citizen
Kane”. There were over 400 Orpheum linked theaters nationally.
The ol Oí dest Orpheum Theater still operating is now
called the Palace Theatre in Los Angeles. It opened on June
6th, 1911. New Bedford’s Orpheum opened one year later,
and appears to be the second oldest in the country.
The New Bedford Orpheum’s location in
the neighborhood was central to the community. Water Streert
was completely lined with shops and stores integral to the adjoining
neighborhoods. There was a busy trolley that ushered the residents
from their homes to the mills, or the many other destinations.
The theatre was a place many came to hear the latest events
on the newsreels, or to catch up on the latest gossip. This
area of Water Street was one of the City’s most diverse,
being so close to the mills where many worked, it attracted
many distinct ethnic groups. There were large pockets of French,
Irish, Jewish, Hispanic, Polish, and Portuguese woven in to
a strong community.
Right up to the time it closed the Orpheum was
popular for it’s 25¢ matinees. There was another
Theater that was destroyed right next to the Orpheum called
the “Royal Theater”. There were actually 24 theaters
in the city, now the only one still open is the Zeiterion
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Timeline:
July 5th 1906 Charles O. Chartier
purchases land and buildings from Henry E. Minkler for $2,500.00
Chartiers sells property to the Club of French Sharpshooters
for One Dollar
June 10th, 190712 Louis E Destremps
is chosen as Architect
Work begins on building Theater.
April 15th, 1912 {same day Titanic sinks} New Bedford Orpheum Theater opens
1913— 14
H.A. Chenoweth is hired as Theater manager, contract signed with the Orpheum
Amusement Co. of Boston Building has large ballroom and shooting
range operated by the Club of French Sharpshooters. Theater
opens with 1500 seats,
1927
Martin Beck of Orpheum
Circuit merges with Benjamin Franklyn Keith and Edward Albee
to form Keith—Albee – Orpheum Eventually these partnerships
open over 400 theaters nationally Warner Brothers releases first
talking movie “The Jazz Singer”
1928—29
In one of the first hostile economic takeovers, Joseph Kennedy {Father of JFK},
bought 200,000 shares of Keith Albee Or pheum. Eventually forcing
out director E.F. Albee. Kennedy then made all contracts for
any performers mandatory that they also must do radio . This
was a severe blow to the devout vaudevillians and an advent
to the increasing popularity of motion pictures Radio Corporation
of America {RCA} merges with The Keith Albee Orpheum conglomerate
and Forms RKO { Radio Keith Orpheum} RKO agrees to distribute
Walt Disney films
1938
RKO releases “King Kong”
1941
RKO Releases “Citizen Kane”
In 1948 RKO fell under new management as millionaire Howard Hughes bought a controlling
interest in the studio. His ‘micro management’ of the studio
would lead to its downfall. Hughes continued his systematic
disruption and dismantling of the studio up through 1955 when
he split it into two entities: RKO Pictures, Inc. and RKO Theatres,
Corp. He then sold RKO Pictures to a subsidy of General Tire
and Rubber. In 1959 the name changed again to RKO General, Inc.
RKO General was notable not for what they produced but what
they released, a massive backlog of movies and shorts were all
sent to television. Then, when the last film was out the door,
the studio was up for sale again. In 1959 the physical studios
of RKO were sold to Desilu Productions as a place to produce
‘I Love Lucy’ among other shows. Unfortunately though the trend
that Hughes had started of dividing and selling portions of
the company continued for the next thirty years.
12/14 1962
The City of New Bedford takes control of the Orpheum Theater
2/5 1968
The Club of French Sharpshooter sells the title of the Orpheum
to Antone “Peaches” Demello for $43,500.00
10/1 1971
Rose Lesco purchases New Bedford Orpheum
11/28 1988
Lesco Realty, Robert H. Lesco, Lesco Quality Corp.
Robert Lesco, Robert H. and Sherry M. Lesco
12/1 1998
Ignacio Diaz, Mariam Morel Diaz and Guido Realty Trust
Burgundy areas represent national Orpheum Circuit
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