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

~ Professor Maggie Valentine (Author) "American heroes and celebrities in the twentieth century have been predominantly movie stars; details of their personal and professional lives fill the tabloids, talk shows,..." (more)
Key Phrases: storefront theatres, newsreel theatre, poster cases, Los Angeles, New York, United States (more...)

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.

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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 (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #801,280 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Olavo Amaro da Silveira Neto (Brazil) - See all my reviews

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...)

7 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I am author's brother and hope everyone will buy one, January 9, 1998

By A Customer

My sister has written a very intelligent and well thought out book. She deserves to be rich and famous.