Tivoli Theater Comes Down – October 1985

Detail from a June 1955 Lorain Journal ad

Yesterday’s post dealt with the closing of the Ohio Theater in Downtown Lorain back in September 1971. Today, we’ll take a look at the demolition of the Tivoli.

The Tivoli lasted a little longer than the Ohio. It was vacated in 1977, leaving the Palace as the sole Downtown theater.

Below are the photos that the Journal ran on October 10, 1985 of the Tivoli’s demolition. I wish the photo quality was better but at least you can still see that the theater marquee was being carefully removed. Wonder where it is today?

As the short article noted, the demolition was being done with caution “because existing businesses still share a wall with the old theater.”

I did a “Then and Now” of the Tivoli back here in August 2011. Here are the two photos from that post.

Since 2017, 642 Broadway has been home to United Way of Lorain County.

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The Tivoli has been featured on this blog many times, mainly because of its movie fare (which seems to have been aligned with my tastes in entertainment). 

Here are a few of those posts: back here I posted a September 1959 ad promoting the showing of the Three Stooges in Have Rocket Will Travel; this post revealed that a Three Stooges feature was again at the Tivoli in September 1963, this time being The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze; and this post was about the Hanna Barbera double feature at the Tivoli in March 1969 consisting of Hey There, it’s Yogi Bear and The Man Called Flintstone.

Yessir, my kind of educational movies.

Ohio Theater Closes – September 1971

Fifty years ago, Downtown Lorain probably began its slow, downward spiral with the closing of the Ohio Theater. Above is the article that ran in the Journal on September 2, 1971.

As the article noted, “The Ohio Theater, 549 Broadway, Lorain has added its name to the long list of movie houses where the lights have gone dim.

“Two days ago, Roy Fiedler of 4931 Front St., Vermilion, terminated his lease with Neal Mowery who owns the theater building with his wife. Fiedler had actually closed the theater two weeks before.

“Fiedler, who also operates the Liberty Theater in Vermilion, could not be reached for comment. Mowery has some ideas about why the theater was closing though.

"“There has been a lack of product, TV has hurt and other things. The fellow just couldn’t make his expenses,” Mowery said. “Lorain has three theaters downtown and none are too happy. They’re not making as many movies and anyway downtown is not a drawing card anymore.”

The Journal article notes that August Ilg, Mrs. Mowery’s father, started the Ohio Theater after the city began rebuilding after the Lorain Tornado of 1924. 

After the Ilg family decided to let others try their hand at operating the Ohio Theater, five different managers made an attempt at running it.

A little later in 1971, the Ohio Theater did reopen for a while, showing X-rated films with the result that obscenity charges were brought against the theater manager. But the curtain call for the theater didn’t last long.

Detail from a June 1955 Lorain Journal ad

Buckeye Beer Ad – Sept. 1, 1961

Yesterday’s post featured a Journal front page from Labor Day weekend 1961. Perhaps during that same holiday, some thirsty Lorainites reached for a cool, refreshing Buckeye Beer – the subject of today’s post. 

Above is a baseball-themed ad for the Toledo-based brew that appeared in the Journal back on Sept. 1, 1961. It’s a cute ad with its anthropomorphic beer bottles, announcing that the Firelands Distributing Company was making draft-brewed Buckeye Beer available in Lorain and Elyria.

Regular readers of this blog know that I like to post vintage beer ads, especially Old Dutch and Black Label. I’ve featured Buckeye Beer before, including a 1956 ad (here).

Since my last post, the Maumee Bay Brewing Company (Toledo’s original craft brewery) is still producing its revived version of Buckeye Beer. The vintage label (at right), however, has been abandoned in favor of one (below) that conforms to the brewery's corporate brand.

The Journal Front Page – Sept. 2, 1961

Well, it’s Labor Day – and longtime readers of this blog know that means it’s time for a grim reminder to drive safely.

And so here’s the front page of the September 2, 1961 Journal with a UPI Unifax photograph of the Grim Reaper himself riding shotgun. (It’s kind of a cool photo, and I’m sure it did its job to catch the attention of readers.)

“Don’t let this be you,” reads the caption. “The unseen ‘hand of death’ will, if past statistics are reported, rest on many a carefree shoulder this Labor Day weekend. The great enemy is thoughtlessness. Remember that your auto can be a deadly weapon, and operate it accordingly.”

Those are wise words even in our time, in which it seems like every driver is peering at a cell phone as they barrel down Lorain County’s wretched highways.

Elsewhere on the front page, there was plenty going on in the world sixty years ago: resumption of U.S. nuclear talks with Russia after the Russkies exploded a nuclear test device; an early morning fire at Lorain City Airport; an earthquake off the coast of South America; heavy snow in Yellowstone National Park.

Ironically, the 'Today’s Chuckle’ was ripped right out of the headlines: “The hydrogen bomb has made one great contribution to democracy. With it, all men are cremated equal."

Saddest of all on the front page was the article explaining that JFK – a little more than two years before he was assassinated – was being put under extra protection due to threats from a heavily armed mental patient who had vowed to kill the President.

What was playing at the Lorain Drive-In 50 Years Ago Today?

Fifty years ago today on September 3, 1971, two aging entertainment giants were sharing the bill at the Lorain Drive-In Theater. Even though both performers probably did their best work in the 1950s, they were still hanging on and hugely popular with their fans.

I’m talking about the Duke – John Wayne – and the King – Elvis Presley.

Together, they made one heck of a double bill at the Lorain Drive-In. First up was John Wayne and Richard Boone in Big Jake (1971), followed by the Elvis Presley documentary That’s the Way It Is (1970) at 10:35 p.m. 

 Here’s a color version of the Big Jake movie poster.

In the movie, “Big Jake" McCandles (John Wayne) is enlisted by his estranged wife (played by still-beautiful Maureen O’Hara) to rescue his kidnapped grandson “Little Jake” from some outlaws holding him for ransom. Little Jake is played by John Wayne’s youngest son, Ethan Wayne. Richard Boone (TV’s Paladin of Have Gun Will Travel) plays the head of the outlaw gang.

Big Jake heads out to save his grandson accompanied by his dog (named “Dog”), his trusty Apache Indian companion Sam Sharpnose (played by Bruce Cabot), and his two adult sons (one of which is played by one of John Wayne’s other sons, Patrick Wayne).

Most of what little humor there is in the movie comes from the abrasive relationship between Big Jake and his resentful adult sons, one of whom sarcastically calls him, “Daddy.” Big Jake spends some time punching both of them.

Although the movie was a big hit in 1971, Big Jake is not one of my favorite John Wayne movies. Why? Because of violence and disturbing characterizations. 

I remember watching it at Amherst Theater with my family, and being somewhat upset seeing Dog and Sam Sharpnose both get brutally killed by a big, bearded galoot with a machete. Both victims seem to be forgotten at the movie’s inevitable ‘happy ending’ when Little Jake is rescued.

Two longtime members of John Wayne’s movie ensemble are also in Big Jake and don’t fare much better. John Agar – so good in Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon – has about two minutes of screen time before he is shot and killed in one of the opening scenes. And Harry Carey Jr., who appeared as a good guy in some of John Wayne’s best movies (The Searchers, Red River, 3 Godfathers, Rio Grande, etc.) plays one of the scumbag kidnappers.

The movie review that appeared in the Journal on September 3, 1971 wasn’t exactly glowing.

Want to judge for yourself? Big Jake is on tonight on GRIT TV at 8:00 p.m. So get some popcorn ready!

1913 Lorain Daily News Contest – Part 2

Detail from a July 15, 1913 advertisement for the Daily News contest

The Lorain Daily News kept its subscription contest going throughout July 1913. Each day, the paper's front page would include an article designed to drum up excitement and encourage contestants to work harder to earn those special bonus ‘votes’ to be able to win the Reo.

Here’s the front page of the July 21, 1913 Daily News. The opening paragraph of the contest article (“CANDIDATES ON HOMESTRETCH IN BIG BONUS VOTE OFFER”) is somewhat over the top, a takeoff of Mark Antony’s “Friends, Romans, countrymen” speech from William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar.

The Daily News of July 23, 1913 (the date at the top of the page is an art error) included this drawing depicting the competition as an auto race. Note that the top six contestants at that point were all women.

The contest continued right into August 1913 without skipping a beat. The front page of the August 9th edition of the Daily News noted, “Just one week from 8 o’clock tonight, the Daily News’ grand automobile prize contest will be over and the prize winners will be known."

And a little more than a week later on August 18, 1913, the winner was revealed: Ethel Sanborn.

Miss Sanborn was ecstatic to win, to say the least. 

As the article related, “I believe I’m the happiest girl in Lorain, in Ohio, oh in the whole wide world” said Miss Sanborn today with sparkling eyes as she surveyed her handsome new automobile. “I don’t know what to say to show my friends how much I appreciate the way they rallied to me. Of course I worked hard, but so did lots of others work hard and it’s my friends who helped me and the Daily News which certainly acted fairly throughout, that I must thank. Hey girls, come take a look at my buzz wagon” she called to two friends who were on the way to offer congratulations. “Some auto, eh?” and Miss Sanborn affectionately petted the new car.”

And Miss Sanborn and her new Reo appreared on the front page the very next day on August 19, 1913.

Here’s a closer look.

So who was Ethel Sanborn? The 1912 Lorain City Directory has her listed as a clerk at the Style Center, living at 1231 Fifth Street with her parents, Eugene and Elda Sandborn, and her siblings Grace and Howard.

You might be wondering (like me) where the photo was taken. The answer: right in front of her home on Fifth Street. The houses in the background of the Daily News photo are across the street from her home.

Here’s a “now” view.

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Ethel later married, and lived to the ripe old age of 93, passing away in Lorain in late December 1984. Here’s hoping she had a happy life. With her desire to work hard and ability to make friends that she demonstrated in her contest victory, I have a hunch that she did. (Here's the link to her page on www.findagrave.com.) 

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The Daily News was very pleased with the contest results (more than 1200 new subscribers), as it explained in this editorial that appeared just a day or two after the subscription campaign ended.

Maybe the Morning Journal will decide to mimic this contest. Maybe with a Kia Rio as the grand prize?

1913 Lorain Daily News Contest – Part 1

Newspapers have been struggling for some time now, battling dwindling readership, a decline in advertising, and rising costs of printing and distribution. Many newspapers have managed to survive only by moving their content online and reducing home delivery days.

So what can a newspaper like the Morning Journal do to increase subscriptions?

The paper might try what the Lorain Daily News did back in the summer of 1913: hold a contest in which readers compete to sell subscriptions, with the winner receiving a brand new car.

Here’s the front page of the July 12, 1913 Lorain Daily News with the scoop about the contest. Below it is the continuation of the article from the inside pages.

The rules seem a little complicated, but the goal of the contest was to have the most ‘votes.’ Contest participants earned ‘votes’ by contacting their friends, neighbors and relatives to secure both old and new subscriptions to the Lorain Daily News or its sister publication, Lorain Weekly Post. Participants were also awarded bonus ‘votes’ just for entering, and for submitting a ‘club’ of $15 worth of subscriptions.

The prizes were pretty impressive. Besides the big prize of a $1,195 Reo touring car, there was a $350 building lot; a $300 Grand Piano; a $40 Grafanola (a form of phonograph); diamond rings; solid gold watches; and a five percent cash commission.