THE MICIHGAN ,DAILY T E SIlA r; ARH l, 194 Old Whitney Opera House Now Has Entertainment OfMuch Lighter Variety Vice-President Of 13atet field Circuit i i- Frank McIntyre Success Story I By GEORGE SALLADE It's a success story that only an author could duplieate. That's the career of Frank McIn- tyre, the local boy who became a nationally-known stage and radio star. Seated in his study and sur- rounde6 by four walls of pictures that trace an era of the American Theatre, McIntyre can recall with vivid mem- 1908 First Nighters Paid $25 For Single Boxes, But Today It's Different Movies Entered Theatre In 1914 Still harboring dim ghosts of its elegant past, the old Whitney Opera House, once the theatre of Ann Arbor, now devotes itself almost exclusively to operas of the "horse" variety. Opening on the night of Jan. 18, 1908 with the Chicago Whitney Opera House Company in "A Knight For A Day," to, an audience which had paid as high as $25 for a single box, the old Whitney Opera House served as Ann Arbor's amusement center until the coming of regular motion picture performances in the mid- Twenties. Whitney Was Builder Bert C. Whitney of Chicago built the theatre on the site of an earlier, up-stairs house, the Athens, which had staged the city's chief theatrical productions since the years immedi- ately following the Civil War. Be- tween them, the two theatres brought local audiences every hit play along with every great stage star flourish- ing from tie year 1870 up to the 1920's. Designed by Herman Pipp, archi- tect, and constructed by the Koch Bros., contractors, the theatre's range of vision, and especially its acoustics were recognized as perhaps the bet in the city. Total seating capacity of the house was 1,500 chairs, 593 on the main floor, 408 in the balcony, 475 in the high gallery, and' six each in the six sumptuous boxes. Was Largest Theatre Largest theatre of its day in Michi- gan, it was also the best appointed. Its "artistic" lobby with its panel work and background of beautiful shades ofrred burlap, its three hand- some French finished chandeliers, its Italian tile floor of a "very mild and mellow" color, along with its gold, sky blue, light green and pale yellow color scheme backed by wood- work of .dark oak, relieved by its red upholstered seats, carpets and drap- eries, made it seem the very zenith of architectural and decorative per- fection to the eyes of the conglomer- ation-loving Victorians. In addition to these purely decora- tive virtues, its technical equipment was unsurpassed by that of any the- atre in the state. Its stage was lit with 183 16-candle power lamps for footlights, along with 415 three-col- ored lamps of the same candle power for general stage lights. Had Nine Sets The stage itself was proud posses- sor of nine sets, an unprecedented number for a one-night-stand pro- vincial theatre. These nine settings consisted of a parlor fancy set, a plfin chamber, a kitchen, a cottage, a prison, a garden, a wood set, street and horizon drops. jProvided for the convenience of the traveling thespians were 25 well lit and well fitted dressing rooms in the bowels of the of the house. Mr. Whitney's back-stage portion new theatre put Ann Arbor on the Klaw and Elanger Booking Circuit. This circuit brought to local audiences such stars as the Barrymores, Billie Burke, Elsie Janis, Annette Kellerman, Walter Hamp- den, Edna Wallace Hopper, Mrs. Les- lie Carter, Lillian Russell, Maude Adams along with Ann Arbor's own Frank J. McIntyre. In addition to these great stars, the Whitney Theatre witnessed the first performances of many future ones of both sexes in the annual student pro- ductions, for the Whitney had the honor to present both the Mimes Union Operas and the JGP's for well over a decade. The most famous and successful of the annual Union Op- eras, "Cotton Stockings," "Culture," "Koanzaland," "Awaken Rhamses," and "Michigenda," were all pre- miered in the Whitney, and later taken out on tour by its manager, Don McIntyre, brother of the famous actor, Frank. These operas scored the greatest box office successes of one-night stand performances in New York City and Chicago. Closed During Depression ' Closing in the first year of the de- pression, it was the last local legiti- mate theatre to operate continuously., It remained closed through the bal- ance of "hard times" being reopened as a movie house about 1934 by L. C. Mull, now manager of the Majestic and State. After operating it inde- pendently for several years, Mr. Mull leased the house to the Butterfield Theatres, Inc., its present operators. Movies first cane to the old "Opry" when it was finally decided that Sun- day movies were not demoralizing to the general public. Announcement of the intention appeared in the local newspaper with this addition: "Ann Arbor is the only city of its size inc Michigan that does not have SundayI pictures. It will be Mr. Butterfield'si aim to give Ann Arbor a good clean theatre with good clean pictures thatr anyone would be glad to see, and int that way try to keep some of thet townspeople from going to Toledo for Sunday amusements." Sunday Pictures Started t The Sunday pictures duly opened1 with three, four and five part Alco; productions, running up to five reels.t Admission fees to this "good andi clean" entertainment were ten and five cents. The theatre was not completely converted into a movie palace untilr it was reopened by Mr. Mull. Its, present policy is to show only first run pictures, changing its bill twicer a week. During the summer, it usu- ally operates only over the weekend, or closes completely for two and a half months. Paul Martin, present manager of the theatre, came to Ann Arbor last October from Port Huron where lie managed three Butterfield theatres.1 Mr. Martin, a native of Kalamazoo, has been with the Butterfield Inc., for 14 years, starting out during his school days as usher and ticket taker in Kalamazoo's State Theatre, Fred Mason Chased Rats; Just A Habit (Continued from Page 3) seeing that the seats were all dusted off ad the floor swept but the kids did most of the work. In the after- noon, they'd all come around to the back and old Fred would let a few of them sneak in to see the show. After he got through, Fred Mason would go home and get cleaned up in his black, shiny suit and at two o'clock sharp he'd show up at the door. The old-timer was near-sight- ed wearing those big, thick-lensedi glasses all the time and when anybody said hello to him he had to get his face up close before he could recog- nize who it was. Everybody in the town got to know him and everybody liked him-old Fred Mason, who lived alone and let the kids in free to see 1heirfavorite cowboy star. 'Then after the show started and the coughing and scraping of muddy feet had stopped, the rats would come out and crawl around every- one's feet. As soon as that happened, old Fred would come down the aisle carrying a stick and muttering to himself about the "doggone rats." It got so women wouldn't scream and jump on the seats yelling like they did at first when they felt the rats crawling around. They knew old Fred would be there. He'd shoo them away from one place and then he'd go somewhere else and poke his stick around people's feet and chase some more away. Eldnmund C. Shields, Regent of the University and vice-president of the Butterfield 'Theatres, Inc., was not only an ace on the diamond in the Gay Nineties, but a gridiron star as well before he entered the world of politics. Regent Shields Is Vice-President Of Batterf ield Theatres Chain ory his rise to fame. He may remember how at an early1 age he was "bitten by the stage bee" Every form of amateur entertain- ment in Ann Arbor and the sur- rounding vicinity seem to have in- vited his participation with an ir- resistable and fateful force. Not All Acting But it was not all acting during those early years. A period as news- paper reporter and dramatic critic for the Ann Arbor Daily Argus in- tervene4. Music attracted him while a student of voice and piano at the University Conservatory. Then a re- turn to the amateur productions. One of these ventures included a re- citation of James Whitcomb Riley at a banquet here for Frank Keenan, the noted actor. That was the turning point in Frank McIntyre's life. Following his recitation, Keenan stepped up to him and told him that acting should be his career. A short time later in 1902 found him appearing with Keenan in "Hon. John Grigsby" in New York, City. Roles Caine Fast Other roles came fast --- with Mrs. Fiske in "Becky Sharpe" and "Cap- tain Molly", with the Royles in "My Wife's Husbands", Clyde Fitch's "Major Andree" and .a tour with Nat Goodwin in "The Gilded Fool." Stardom could not be long denied him. His first leading role was in James Forbes' "Traveling Salesman". It was one of the first plays to run a year on Broadway and for several years on tour. "Oh! Oh! Delphine" was McIn- tyre's first musical comedy attempt. After the huge success of Ivan Cary- 11's French operetta, however, he star- red in rapid succession in "lViss Springtime," "Rose of China," "Sit- ting Pretty," "Queen High." "Boom Boom," "The Greenwich Village Fol- Michigan Manager Tells AboutStars Who Played Here Anyone who visits Manager Hoag's office at the Michigan is entertained by the collection of autographed photographs of celebrities both old and new, that decorate the \walls. But Hoag admits "I have plenty more and I keep changing them around." It was in the late twenties that Hoag heard Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians play for one of the campus dances and was impressed. He booked the band for what turned out to be their first theatre engage- ment. Other celebrities who have worked for Hoag are Jack Benny, Harry Langdon, Blackstone the ma- gician, Colleen Moore, Theodore Roberts, Jimmy Savo, the Zigfield Follies and many others. In addition he has booked famous personalities ranging from the "Miss Americas' of various years to even the Siamese Twins. Writes Own WeGive The Qi YOU ive Th [n Theat iWorld t iy do con--ies. Will0ou be ca lies," "A Pair of Sixes," "Seeing bare face hanging out Things," "The Red Trail," "Thirty That and other que Days," "Fast and Growing Fat," and American people today "The Holy City." Radio beckoned McIntyre for the $64 questions. first time in 1934. He did a series of How can lovI bear well-known operettas for the Palm and why should it? T Olive show. For three years he led questions are not rece the Showboat as Captain Henry, and consideration. after that retirement closed a pro- Now is the opportun fessional career of thirty-seven years. tion picture to take ti Could Never Forget eating people. If he chose a life of leisure, the Where, oh, where li momentoes in study would never al- gone? Certainly you low him to forget the days gone by. ian enough to be inte The pictures of his fellow actors and .. old friends - De Wolfe Harper, Ir- ving Cobb, David Warfield, George Arliss, John Drew - would always Better thi be there. The long testimonial scroll, signed by every living actor of note and many other celebrities in New York, presented him on his last trip to that city would be a constant remind- er of success. But Frank McIntyre is not content with inactivity. His friendships with current stars like Pat O'Brien, Spen- cer Tracy, Jeannette McDonald and Gene Raymond keep him in con- Delicious Soi stant contact with the present en- tertainment world. Writing short stories, songs and a book, which will be entitled "Tales Men Left Behind Them," also occupy his time. Knows Current Stage Membership in the Lambs and Ntto the STA Players Clubs allow him a look-in on the current legitimate stage. That legitimate theatre which he insists the movies, with their mee-lhanicalE mediums and large emporiim., have only harmed temporarily. BUY "The present generation doesn't oNITED know anything about the theatre" is SrATS the way he phrases it. Although they may know less about the theatre than sr s their parents, the present genera- tion would do well to remember as an - inspiration the career of one of the real products of the American Theatre -Frank McIntyre.-- a Ti 0 F 0 Ilestions, e Answers wvn television ught with your ? stions face the .some of them a gift of roses That and other iving sufficient ity for the mo- he lead in edu- as the little dog 're humanitar- erested in that. F kd n o a id n the Ice- Box! Fwiches FI's Keep 'em Flying Edmund C. Shields, vice-president of the W. S. Butterfield Theatres,: Inc., and a regent of the University, is a man of rare talents. His college days at the University were highlighted by his prowess on the baseball diamond, and he was on the '92, '93, '94, '95, and '96 teams and was also a member of the '95 varsity football squad. In the year that the Board in Control of Ath- letics was organized he was elected a student member of that group, and the minutes of the first meetings are in his handwriting. He was was born in Howell, Mich., and was graduated from the Univer- sity with a B.L. degree in 1894. He received his LL.B. degree in 1896 and was admitted to the Michigan bar in 1896. In 1906 he was made chair- man of the Democratic State central committee and retained that position until 1916. In 1936 he was elected a member of the Democratic National Committee for Michigan and was reelected in 1940. In 1933 Governor Comstock ap- pointed him to the Board of Regents Majestic Theatre Will Close 'Today (Continued from Page 1) terfield management was concerned. The older theatre was last closed for repairs in 1922. At that time the floor elevation was raised and new seats were installed. As a lure to prospective movie- goers the Majestic used to refer to itself in advertisements as "the.pretty little family theatre" or the "cozy playhouse." At other times it was called the "Rah! Rah! Theatre." It always assured the public, however, that its entertainment was "polite," "high-class," and "advanced." The Majestic is owned by Laura Atkinson of Port Huron, Mrs. Nola Minnis of Buffalo and Mrs. Imogene Sauer and Charles Sauer, who built the theatre. The owners are repre- sented in Ann Arbor by Attorney Frank DeVine. He said that he had no knowledge concerning the future of the theatre. to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Lucius Hubbard. He was reelected in 1937 and still re- tains that office. In addition to his numerous other duties, Shields is president of the Central Trust Co. and the Michigan Surety Co. He holds directorships in the Motor Wheel Corp., the W. S. Butterfield Theatres, Inc., the Bijou Theatrical Entertainment Co., the Grand Truck Western Railway, the Brick and Supplies Corp. and the Riked Lumber Co. He has been a member of the law firm of Shields, Silsbee, Ballard and Jenings since 1930. Male Opinion 1 i t , , i i CONGRATULATIONS to the NEWEST of the BUTTERFIELD THEATRES We're proud to have furnished the Woodpaneling for the interior of the new STATE THEATRE. NACHTEGAL MFG. CO. GRAND RAPIDS - MICHIGAN Is Favorable To Burlesque Some dolt once said that the naked body was the least beautiful thing in the world. The Minsky brothers Marshall's Salutes their. New Next-Door Neighbor have made a fortune disproving this inane statement, and from public opinion as far as the males go, these boys were right. The burlesque shows play an im- portant part in the entertainment world; it is just as important as the legitimate stage. This type of dis- play satisfies the masses even if you won't admit it. Many times the en- tire audience is composed of bald headed gentlemen and college stu- dents. dnsthe good old days the burlesque was a family affair enjoyed by all, but then the long dresses gave way to tights and the kiddies stayed home with mother while father was 'work- ing late at the office.' The shows ' were not publicized as much then as they are now. This can be attributed to lack of name stars. These striperoos who so pleasantly display a gruteal muscular gyration are much like old Venus, all legs and no arms. This is a highly paid pro- fession and its arms embrace but a chosen few. l r i i,'' Welcome STATE THEATRE Keep 'em flying i IiClecanliness fissured h TiRTE I HEATRE . : It has indeed been a pleasure to pa r- i(Jke rir the const ruc hoi o[ ri n rhos r newest a supplying nd most modern theatre, by the roofing, plaster, ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ___ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ___ _n.. A Great Addition to Ann Arbor Butterf ield's SAETheatre We extend our heartiest congqratulations to Butterfield Enterprises and to Larry /Mull, to whom, re w'isI all success as ntanager. conc ree by the. SPENCER TURBI-NE CENTRAL CLEANING SYSTEM Also in the Following U. of M. Buildings: RACKHAM GRADUATE BUILDING and bricks. TRANSIT MIX COeNCRETI FACE BRICK O PL ASTERIING MYATERIALS N , ii CONGRATULATIONS byII! i