Theaters of Cleveland
Without today’s modern conveniences, theaters provided the main source of entertainment and information via newsreels. As noted in PFIB, the Hanna Theater is located in downtown Cleveland and opened by 1922, together with four additional theaters (Allen, Ohio, State, and Palace), earning this locale the title of "Playhouse Square." Lobbies were ornate and the theater district became a bustling hub of activity and excitement. Sometimes, the theater would transform the lobby to complement the current production (as seen below in the slide show when the Palace Theater lobby was transformed into an old-fashioned saloon during Prohibition in 1928.)
Ellen O'Malley's younger sister, Mayme, became an actress in PFIB with her first production at The Hanna Theater (co-starring Lawrence Talbot; see 1937 Aston Martin page.) Pictured below is the exterior and interior of this theater (still located at E. 14th and Euclid Avenue.)
The very popular, and often-referenced movie theater in PFIB was The Hippodrome Theater (commonly referred to as the Hipp) which opened in 1907 and was located at 720 Euclid Avenue. Double features could be seen for ten cents. The animated slide show below contains four pictures of this wonderful and opulent source of entertainment.
