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Memoirs of
Charles Hermann
(Member, Local 48 of the
"My association with all Theaters and places
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When Charlie Hermann began writing "his memoirs," word reached Kenny Nichols, columnist for the Akron Beacon Journal. Nichols mentioned Charlie's accomplishment in his "Town Crier" column saying, "His writing isn't coming along as rapidly as Charlie would like but that's understandable, at 83, he is still working a full week - every week - at the Village Theater in Fairlawn.
What follows is in Charlie's own words - although most of the spelling has been corrected to make his words look like English and not German...
Charlie Hermann, upper left. Photo believed to have been taken behind Grand Theater.
South on Main street, on the West side was the Orpheum and Arcade and further South before that, was the Bank Theater, owned by Marty Winters and operated by Dunlevy. Across the street, was the Forum, now closed and close by, South, was the Dreamland, owned and operated by Botzum Bros. as well as the Orpheum. Further South was the Waldorf, long gone. South of Mill street, on the West side of Main, was the Family Theater, a upstairs house with a Waterfall from top to the bottom of the Entrance stairway. The walls in the Auditorium were covered with artificial vines, with a whole musical bell system, that was operated from the pit. Across the street, was the National Theater, owned and operated by Ruben, he also owned a Dance Hall at Cuyahoga Falls Gorge. Later, Monty Winters built the now Strand Theater and Dunlevy operated same when it first opened. Going back to after the Bank freeze, there was the National Bank about where the Forum was now. The Bank vault was cut down to four feet above the floor and built the stage on it. I furnished the drapes and stage lighting equipment for a picture and Burlesque House. Also the Palace Theater, now gone except the Lobby entrance, on Main Street. The Colonial Theater, on Mill Street near Main built in the late 1800s and demolished in 1971. In it's prime days of Vaudeville, I worked there occasionally in Vaudeville and in the Summers Musical and Romatic Stock shows, under Colonel Horn and then later the Mekleen players.
In September when Vaudeville started again and Stock shows were still going good, we moved to the Music Hall at the location where the Beacon Journal is now and closed the Season there. The Music Hall was a German meeting place, with a nice concert stage and Theater. The stage was sloping towards the footlights. This is the origin of the expression of "Up and Down Stage."
The Germans first started the Tuesday Musical Club there, with the moto "Music ist der schluessel zum Herzen." (Music is the key to your heart.) During the first World War, we had a variety of plays of different Nationalities there.
Now let's get back to Main street again, near Bowery street, the now Civic Theater. Lowes built and opened this Palace Theater in 1919. Dan McGoan, stage carpenter and Chet Lewis Electrician at the Colonial Theater at that time, helped with the rigging of the Lowes stage, so they familiarized themselves with the operation of the equipment and took the jobs at opening time. At this time, I was operating moving picture machines in the booth at the Alhambra Theater, in the Falls. I quit there and took the electrician job at the Colonial, which I kept for forty-two years. The Loews runs pictures and stage show. The Colonial also in pictures and big road shows and finally put the Grand Opera House out of business. The now Civic Theater is being refurbished and playing a variety of Stage and Road Shows.
Going further South on Main and Buchtel, was the Dome Theater run by Allen T. Simmons of Akron radio fame. Some years later, the Allen Theater was build across the street and Simmons moved over. Later he put the Allen Theater Organ on the Air, every morning by Katherine Bruit. On the corner near West Exchange was the State Theater, run by the Rumwebers. On Main near Barges street, the Winters built, by Monty Winters and later changed to the Tivoly Theater. Here we had pictures and Hillbilly shows, now long gone. On Main near Thornton, was the Thornton Theater owned and operated by Belden. Further South by Long street, was the Majestic by Smith and further South near Ira Ave. was the Arcade that showed some foreign language pictures. Then the Casino, a summer Theater at Lakeside Park owned and operated by Northern Ohio Traction & Light Company, with picture, Musicals and Vaudeville. Summer season only, I worked there one season. In Kenmore, there was the Boulevard Theater, run by the Haidons.
On South Howard street, near Mill was the Victor, run by John Muck. On Howard and Cherry street, was the Norka, a cheap vaudeville house, later Nobels Shoe Store. Close to Market on Howard was the Empress Theater, run by Brill. On N. Howard near Federal, was the Ritz, a colored theater with pictures and colored Bands.
On N. Hill, Cuyahoga street, near Howard, was the Nixen and around the block on Shiller was the Pastime. At Cuyahoga and Dayton street, the Dayton, now the Art Theater. Across the High Level Bridge in the Falls, was the Ohio Theater, later taken over by Humbard for a Church. Out further on State Rd. is the now Loews State Theater. They also own the Falls Theater on Front street in the Falls. The previous owners had Cinerama in there. That was in 1962 and that was the time I quit the Colonial and took the job there. In Kent, we had the Kent Opera House with pictures and stage shows, now long gone. The Kent Picture House is still running. In Ravenna, the Ravenna Theater during the last world War, run pictures and some stage shows. Ravenna Arsenal, being close by, made the town quite opne and busy on weekends. A Roller Rink there, they turned the Rink into a Burlesque House. On Waterloo Rd. is the Lyn Theater. Out on West Market street was the Liberty Theater near Valley, owned by Menches and last run by Ed Rabb, now long gone. At Highland Square, the Highland Theater still running. Out in Fairlawn, two new theaters, the Fairlawn Cinema and the Village. This one, I am working a now. At Summit Mall, the Summit Mall Theater. In Medina, the Medina Theater, still running.
Going East on Market street, was the East Market Street Garden, where we worked the first of the Charity Balls. I furnished special lighting and other equipment; as well as men to operate same. From there, the Ball after many years, was moved to the Armory and now at the Memorial Hall at Akron University. I worked every one of them and furnished lighting equipment. At Market and Arlington, was the Arlington Theater and a little further East, the Alhambra, the Norka Theater in front of Goodyear, first Gate and at Goodyear Blvd. and Market street was the Rialto Theater, now Goodyear Local #2 Hall. Out on Arlington was the Regent and Cameo, run by Federhar. Out on Goodyear Blvd is the Linda, still running.
The Goodyear Hall on Market street, with the Goodyear Theater, built sometime in the early twenties. This was Mrs. F. A. Seiberlings pet. Here I worked practically every show for Goodyear. At Goodyear, the first big show was Anna Pavlova Ballet, with the audience in the Gym and the house was packed. The stage had two openings, one to the theater proper and one to the Gym. Later, the opening to the Gym got closed up. Most of the dancing school reviews were held here as well as two seasons of road shows, booked in by the Colonial Theater. Now since 1958, the Goodyear Musicals have put on 28 shows. I worked all but one.
Kauges Ice Company on Market street had an Ice Rink and here we worked nine Ice shows, like Holiday on Ice. In Ellet, is the Ellet Theater, still running.
And now the Rubber Bowl at the Airport, managed by Shorty Fulton. Here we worked during the War, the big Army shows, County Fairs, outdoor Operas and the Soap Box Derby. Since the first Derby Downs, I worked and put on all shows for the entertainment of the Champions, after the races. First at the Mayflower Hotel, then at the Armory, then the most of them at Goodyear Gym and now at the Civic Theater.
On Case Ave at River street was the Miles Royal Theater, a picture and road show, Burlesque house playing week stands. Here I worked three seasons. On Grant street was the Southern and on South & Grant was the Peoples. On South near Johnson, was the Royal and on Brown near South was the Brown Street Theater. On Bowery street near Thornton was the Doll Theater and on Manchester Rd near Thornton, was the Paramount owned and run by Reinecke.
These are all the places of entertainment to memory, in all these years, that I had some working connection or furnished material and men to work. Being an Officer in the Akron Stage Employees Union and a Business Representative for Eighteen years, I had to keep things going. As an Electrician by profession, stage work was my second love. If I wasn’t stretching wires, repairing appliances or installing and servicing Dental equipment, I would be in some place of Entertainment seeing that the show went on.
FOR THE SHOW MUST GO ON.
P.S. I missed the Waldorf Theater, that was located about where the present Library is located now. Also the two Automated Theaters at Summit Mall, Cinema 1 & 2 and the Performing Arts Theaters at Akron U., coming this fall.
Akron, Ohio,
February, 1972
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Penny Allen Nelson
Spokane, Washington, 2009
Before using this email address, Please delete the word REMOVE
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