The Show Starts on the Sidewalk: An Architectural History of the Movie Theatre, Starring S. Charles Lee [Paperback]

Professor Maggie Valentine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 27, 1996

From the 1890 penny arcades and the opulence and ornate movie houses of the 1920s and 1930s to the drive-in theatres of the 1950s and the multiplex cinemas of today, movie theatres have provided an environment where millions of Americans learned about life, culture, politics, romance, and sex. This book - as entertaining and lively as its subject - documents the history of the American movie theatre, tracing its evolution and exploring its role in American culture and architecture. Maggie Valentine focuses on the career of architect S. Charles Lee, who designed more than three hundred theatres between 1920 and 1950, mostly in California, and whose buildings became prototypes for movie theatres all over the country. She vividly re-creates the sights and sounds of Lee's theatres, with their huge interiors, crystal chandeliers, Art Deco motifs, and majestic organ music. She describes the colorful terrazzo patterns that set off the theatre entrance and the marquee that formed a canopy over it, design elements exploited by Lee, who insisted that the sidewalk, indeed, was where the show started. Valentine discusses how glamorous motion picture theatres helped define and vary the skyline of America, changing the shape of commercial streets in cities and towns. Examining theatres as products and symbols of their time, she presents with dramatic flair both how they influenced and were influenced by architectural trends and the economic, social, and political forces of the era. The book, richly illustrated with period photographs, will be mandatory reading for anyone who has ever reveled, popcorn in hand, in the luxury of an old-time motion picture theatre.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Valentine focuses on the career of architect S. Charles Lee, who designed movie theaters from the 1920s until 1950.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

S. Charles Lee designed more than 300 movie theaters between 1920 and 1950, mostly in California. Over his long career, he incorporated architectural elements from Beaux Art, Spanish Baroque, Art Deco, Streamlined Moderne, and almost any other strong design theme that he thought would please clients and draw audiences. Valentine has done a good job of setting the cultural tableaux of Lee's world. With ample illustrations, she limns Lee's four decades of building bold, sometimes outlandish movie houses and honors him for making monuments where the fantasy world of film was at home. The book is strongest when Valentine describes the importance of Moderne design: sleek yet powerful, optimistic in hard times and, best of all, providing great impact on a low budget. A valuable, though specialized, addition to a growing body of work on American movie houses; recommended for libraries with large architecture collections and libraries in California, where Lee's theaters are still a presence.
David Bryant, New Canaan P.L., Ct.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (March 27, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300066473
• ISBN-13: 978-0300066470
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #492,668 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book on this subject I have ever read!, May 31, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (James L. Russell) (Alhambra, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Show Starts on the Sidewalk: An Architectural History of the Movie Theatre, Starring S. Charles Lee (Hardcover)

Having worked and managed movie theatres from the 40s thru early 70s, and now considered a "dinosaur" of that age, was completely captivated by the coverage accomplished by Ms.Valentine, especially on the accomplishments of architect Lee.She captured the "flavor" and context of that wonderful era,never to be again. And surprise of surprises,I actually managed or knew intimately of some of the theatres Mr.Lee designed or worked on! I have nearly all the books published on movie theatres,et al,but have to admit this particular tome really grabbed me emotionally with text and photos so for the while it took me to read this book(hard to put down)I re-lived that era in a way I never thought possible. (The Arden in Lynwood, Tower in L.A., the old Alhambra in Alhambra, are only a few I "set foot in again"!)..if I could give it more than 5 stars I would! A tip of my hat to Ms.Valentine, to Mr.Lee, and the great bunch of people I worked with, and for, oh, so many, many years ago

9 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book, February 10, 2000

By 

Olavo Amaro da Silveira Neto - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Show Starts on the Sidewalk: An Architectural History of the Movie Theatre, Starring S. Charles Lee (Paperback)

I am a brazilian architect, working now in a thesis research about movie theaters located in my city, Porto Alegre, in the south of Brazil. I found this book in B&N store, in New York. It's a great book! GOOD for my work in research end for teaching architecture design (at an architecture school)about movie theaters. (sorry for my poor english...)

5.0 out of 5 stars A treasure trove of early American theater history, May 1, 2011

By 

Yvette Beaudoin "geek girl blogger" (Springville, UT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Show Starts on the Sidewalk: An Architectural History of the Movie Theatre, Starring S. Charles Lee (Paperback)

I have been researching the history of my Utah town's small, historic theater (built in 1927) for the past year, and this book provided me with a wealth of information about the evolution of American movie theaters that has given more context to my research. I have no background in architecture other than a general interest and appreciation. I found the author's writing clear, accessible, and fascinating to read as a narrative history.

It was not dry, filled with jargon, or dumbed-down like some other theater/cinema history books I've come across.

I had no idea who S. Charles Lee was before I picked up this book, but don't be mislead to think this is strictly a biography. The author masterfully weaves Lee's personal and professional history into the history and social importance of movie theaters from 19th century penny arcades to modern multiplexes. Lee's high-quality work parallels the development of theater architecture over time and so it works very well to use his photos and architectural renderings as examples. There are a lot of really great historical images included in this book that make it worth purchasing even if you don't want to read about them.

My only complaint is that this book was published in 1994 and doesn't give any insight into the present-day concerns of movie theaters. That's not really a complaint so much as a request for a revised edition!