It is a far cry from the pioneer days of the motion picture,
with its "store shows" and short flickering films, to
the present day development of this most popular of all entertainments,
with veritable palaces showing productions that cost fortunes
to construct and here again is Niles the location of a most concrete
example of the evolution of the photoplay.
Many residents of Niles will also remember the first
exhibition of motion pictures in this city given by Mr. Albert Warner,
a crude affair perhaps when contrasted with the handsome edifice
which now becomes the shrine of the silent art in this community,
but as the art has developed so have its pioneers progressed with
it and the Warner Theatre with its initial program stands as an
eloquent example of the fact.
Although the five sons of Mr. B. Warner have gone
forth into the fields of commerce to seek their fortunes, their
thoughts are ever centered on the Ohio town where they spent the
days of their youth, and where they received the first start of
their business careers.
Blessings sometimes come in disguise and the silver
lining of the cloud that was cast by the smoke arising from the
ruins of the old Niles Opera House was the decision of the sons
of Mr. Warner to erect in Niles a temple of the motion picture art
which would stand as a tribute to the parents whose love and devotion
had given them the strength to fight the battles of life, and also
as a mark of gratitude to the community which had given them their
start in business. A monument as distinctive in its way as the beautiful
Memorial which serves to keep ever fresh the memory of our martyred
President McKinley.
The Warner Theatre was not erected as a commercial
venture in the strict sense of the word, but as a social centre
where the people of Niles could enjoy the very best productions
that the combination of science, art, skill and ability could offer
on the silver screen.
Here will be shown for the first time all the productions
bearing the name of Warner, and by virtue of the affiliations and
prominence of the Warner Brothers, the product of many other photoplay
producers also.
The opening program of the Warner Theatre is unique
in many respects, one of the principal being the fact that every
foot of film flashed on screen is a Warner product It is a program
that the people of Niles may well take a paternal interest in.
Never before in the history of American theatricals
has a photoplay theatre opened its doors under similar auspices.
A project conceived, executed, and financed entirely by members
of one family, long residents of this community, and presenting
an entertainment consisting entirely of attractions bearing the
name of the same family.
The entertainment is also one that stands strictly
on its merits, as every picture will be sent forth into the open
market to meet the keenest competition, and will later be seen on
thousands of screens throughout the entire civilized world, but---
after Niles has seen them first.
The pictures presented for your edification on this
occasion represent the widest possible latitude of photoplay productions.
The feature production "Why Girls Leave Home," being a
super deluxe photodrama based upon a vital topic that concerns every
home, enacted by a cast of stellar calibre and magnificently produced
it promises to be one of the biggest pictures of the current year.
Next in importance is the spectacular and thrilling jungle adventure
production entitled "Miracles of the Jungle." Here is
the apotheosis of the "thrill." Man and beast are shown
in a series of adventures that will make the blood tingle, and the
manner in which the scenes are executed is a vivid depiction of
the daring and ingenuity of the modern photoplay director.
Last but by no means least, is the comedy number with
the Warner star, Monty Banks, featured. Millions are caused to laugh
daily at the antics of this modern mountebank, who is known the
world over as "the Beau Brummel of the screen."
Thus will be noted that the program runs the entire
gamut of the photo-dramatic scale, and affords an undisputed example
of the wide range of the production activities of the Warner enterprises.
And so the Warner Theatre opens its doors to the public
of Niles. Not simply a theatre, a place of entertainment where amusement
is purveyed as a commodity, but a structure built on a foundation
of sentiment and filial devotion created with the ideal of providing
a center where the people of Niles may for a time lay aside the
cares of life and in comfort gaze upon the magic screen whereon
appear as in the Yogi's crystal vivid scenes if the past, present
and future.
The Warner Theatre is thus offered to you with the
hope that you will make it an integral part of the community, a
project of Niles, for Niles, and by Niles.” |