Autumn Years Fall 2023

to the small wood theater was 5 cents, and audiences were treated to “moving pictures and illustrated songs.” ( Reader, consider “illustrated songs” the MTV music video of the early 20th century.) A pianist and a singer would perform the popular songs of the day while a dozen or so hand-colored-glass projected slides gave the audience dramatic photographs to go along with the lyrics. The songs with-slides featured many actors and ac tresses, such as Fatty Arbuckle and Nor ma Talmadge, who would later become film stars. The theater closed before 1917, when the building was noted as vacant. In May 1909, the Bijou Theatre opened on Main Street in Hackensack. Described as a “Temple of the ‘film dray ma’ and ‘custard pie howler’,” with “clean and interesting entertainment,” it was in operation for 12 years. In 1911, the the ater offered “Talking Pictures,” where ad-lib dialog was provided by individu als speaking what they thought was mouthed in the silent films. The origi nal manager of the Bijou Theatre left in

Mary Pickford and Lionel Barrymore in The New York Hat .

1910 to become a co-owner of the first theater in Fort Lee, pos sibly called Dreamland (little is known about this wooden the ater on Main Street). It was the only theater in town, and the many Fort Lee residents who were used as extras in the mov ies filmed in and around Fort Lee could see themselves on the

Park Theatre, East Rutherford.

silver screen. A scene for the 1912 film The New York Hat starring Mary Pick ford and Lionel Barrymore was shot right next to the theater. Before 1909, the Star Motion Picture Theatre was constructed on Park Avenue in East Rutherford. The very-short-lived theater was described by an old-timer as a “wooden shack.” In 1911, the then

ies of the film are known to exist). The Park Theatre was sold in 1925 and ap pears to have closed shortly thereafter. In 1912, the Star Theatre opened on Main Street in Lodi. This wood-frame building could hold an audience of more than 400 people. In January 1913, during a Saturday night show, someone (think

ing they were being funny) yelled “Fire!” Complete panic ensued as people rushed for the exits, crushed chairs they climbed over and smashed a side door. The police arrived and

modern 500-seat Park Theatre was built two blocks north on Park Av enue. This brick theater had scenic paintings on the walls and was known for “good wholesome

calmed the crowd. As they say in showbiz, “The show must go on”—so when order was restored, the movie continued.

shows.” In 1914, a burglar broke in late at night and stole the feature film entitled Trapped in the Great Metropolis (no cop

FALL 2023 I AUTUMN YEARS 39