Have spent slightly over a day at the Sonora Library searching through microfilm of the Sonora Union Democrat and an associated paper, the Tuolumne Independent, for articles, profiles, and ads about or from the Sonora Uptown Theater and the Tuolumne Fireman's Theater.
A reference librarian directed me to a local history written by a woman who grew up in Jamestown and who has written local histories about both Jamestown and Sonora. Here's what Doris Fletcher-Mills wrote in her Sonora: Then and Now (c1997) about the Uptown Theater.
Although Sonora was first exposed to motion pictures in 1903, with films for the most part being shown in the Turn Venetian Hall, the first permanent motion picture theatre was established early in 1908 by Emery Girard and W.J. and F.J. Brenner, who formed the New York Amusement Company and rented a store on the west side of Washington Street, later to become Curnow's Appliance Store, where the films were shown on a white bed sheet hanging from the ceiling. In 1908, the New York Amusement Company was acquired by Julius Baer and Harry Cain. In July 1909, the company was sold to the Restano Brothers. Cain was retained as manager.
In 1917, the Restanos decided to build a new theatre on South Washington Street on the site now occupied by Bank of America. Because the cost exceeded their expectations, the Restanos were forced to lease both the old theatre uptown and their uncompleted new theatre to June Knowles. Knowles formed a partnership with Eric J. Segerstrom and a few months later they sub-leased the theatre to Alfred George (A.G.) Clapp, who managed it until the mid-1920s, when the Restano Brothers again took over and installed Rick's son, Odillo, as manager.
During Clapp's management, he had maintained a lease on the uptown site, which was then occupied by Cecil Mathews as a top shop. The Restanos let the lease go and Arthur D. Duchow open the Star Theatre (later to become known as the Uptown Theater) on December 1, 1927, in the building which he owned. The first film shown was "The Big Parade," a silent movie.
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "The Great Train Robbery" were two of the most noteworthy films shown in the early days of the theatre.
In the early days of the movies, a once a week event for most young people, [the most avidly-awaited shorts were] the serials (referred to now as the cliff-hangers). "The Adventures of Peal White," Laurel and Hardy, and the Keystone Cops were very popular. The "good guys" could be easily recognized because they wore white hats while the "bad guys" wore black ones.
In the 1930s, Arthur Duchow played movies from the Star Theatre in various communities such as the old Moose Hall in Groveland. His successor, Norwood S. Tronsilin, continued the practice.
"The remodeling of the Star Theatre makes it one of the nicest small town theatres in the state," according to an article on Nov. 13, 1936 in The Union Democrat. Not only is it beautiful and modern but moves toward being the safest building in Tuolumne County. The added room and screen size will meet with everyone's approval."
Vernon S. McDonald, who was hired in 1921 as assistant janitor by Clapp while he was manager of the Sonora Theatre, became friends with the projectionist, Tom Long, who taught him how to operate the [projection] machines. When Long left, Vernon was given the job at a salary of $2.75 per night. As he was too small to set the upper reel on its spindle, he got his older brother, Earl, to assist him and the two ran the projectors unil the theatre was taken over by the Restanos.
Vernon and Earl were then employed as projectionists by Duchow at the Star Theatre where Vernon supplemented his income by running the linotype machine at Duchow's Tuolumne Independent newspaper plant. Earl became a telegrapher at the Sonora Western Union office.
Vernon's career as a projectionist covered both the silent movie days and the introduction of disc or record sound, in which the projectionist had to synchronize the sound with the action. He and his brother, Earl, soon learned to master the technique of briefly spinning the record a little faster at the expense of a few garbled words until the sound matched the lip movements whenever it became necessary.
The disc or record sound system was soon replaced with the sound track on the edge of the film and the problem of synchronization was solved. There was still the problem of an occasional break in the film which then had to be spliced exactly right so that the synchronization was maintained.
During the "Great Depression,"dishes and other enticements" were offered at the Uptown Theatre to bring customers in. It was a long, narrow building with an aisle down the center and a balcony where smoking was permitted.
Coincidentally, the movie, "The Towering Inferno" was being advertised on the theatre marquee at the time of a minor fire in the projection room of the theatre.
The Uptown Theatre was taken over by the Harvey Amusement Company which employed Robert Patton as manager. The theatre ran unhder this ownership for a number of years until Twin Cinema I and II Theatres open at the Sonora Plaza Shopping Center. Patton was hired as the first manager of the new theatres in late October 1976.
Th 9 Dec Route: Sonora - Tuolumne - Riverside Guard Station Site
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