| Click on a name for details on a individual theater. |
Peter's Flicker Palaces
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| Peter's Three Movie Theaters |
I can't tell you what made my
Great Grandfather make
such a drastic change in
career so late in life with a
wife and children to support.
Great Grandfather make
such a drastic change in
career so late in life with a
wife and children to support.
But in 1910, at age 46, he became the owner of the recently
built Bijou Theater on Fairfield Ave. in Bridgeport, Ct. The
Bijou was built in1908 by a local real estate speculator as a
combination film theater, ballroom, and cafe; and had been
only showing films for a year before Peter purchased it.
built Bijou Theater on Fairfield Ave. in Bridgeport, Ct. The
Bijou was built in1908 by a local real estate speculator as a
combination film theater, ballroom, and cafe; and had been
only showing films for a year before Peter purchased it.
At this point he still had his very
successful paint & wallpaper
store, and a sizable crew of
craftsmen decorating residential
and commercial properties in
Bridgeport and the surrounding
communities.
successful paint & wallpaper
store, and a sizable crew of
craftsmen decorating residential
and commercial properties in
Bridgeport and the surrounding
communities.
But in 1910 the movie industry was new, exciting and
lucrative, so much so that in 1912 Peter laid off his
workers, closed and demolished his East Main St. store,
and built his second movie house, The Palace. Nine
years later in 1921 he built his last movie theater,
Dawe's, on State St. a few blocks away from the Bijou.
lucrative, so much so that in 1912 Peter laid off his
workers, closed and demolished his East Main St. store,
and built his second movie house, The Palace. Nine
years later in 1921 he built his last movie theater,
Dawe's, on State St. a few blocks away from the Bijou.
Peter owned, operated, and managed movie theaters from 1910 to 1933, starting
with the final days of the Nickelodeons, through the Silent Era, and the beginning of
the Talkies. Peter was not the largest theater owner in the city; but he was well
known, respected and a leader in the Bridgeport Theater Owner Association.
Because each theater has it's own history and tales, I've designed a separate page
for each. Just click on the theater's name in the column to the left and you'll find all
the information I was able to discover; photos, newspaper articles and ads, family
gossip, and myths. Underneath the theaters are links to related movie history sites.
with the final days of the Nickelodeons, through the Silent Era, and the beginning of
the Talkies. Peter was not the largest theater owner in the city; but he was well
known, respected and a leader in the Bridgeport Theater Owner Association.
Because each theater has it's own history and tales, I've designed a separate page
for each. Just click on the theater's name in the column to the left and you'll find all
the information I was able to discover; photos, newspaper articles and ads, family
gossip, and myths. Underneath the theaters are links to related movie history sites.
| All Images and text on this site are copyrighted by A. R. Dawe, Earlville, NY., and may not be copied or reproduced without written permission. |
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