Long before the Jazz Singer movie was released in 1927, when technology advanced to synchronize spoken words with the performer's lips, the public was entertained by either live theater or silent movies. Theaters had organists perform during silent movies in Nickelodeon theaters. This installment tells the story of one such venue in Holyoke: the Three Star Motion Picture Theater, or, as it is usually called, the Three Star Theater.
In 1908, Dennis M. Reardon razed all the buildings on property he owned bounded by 105-109 Ely Street, north along Bowers Street and east along 108-112 Lyman Street. He initially contracted to build a one-story commercial block on this property, completed in 1909. In 1913, 4 additional stories were added to 105-109 Ely and a portion of Bowers Street, which became the Lenox Stag Hotel with a saloon at the corner of the two streets (Blog entry 10-02-2026).
The Three Star Theater first appeared in the 1911 City Directory. It was owned by Frank A. Roberts in partnership with Sylvester Warren Allebach, a piano tuner by trade. The theater was estimated to seat about 350 patrons. Mr. Roberts had been working for his father, C. C. Roberts, at a used furniture store at nearby 102 Lyman Street. He resided at 113 Lyman Street. Mr. Allebach resided at 57 Lyman Street.
The Three Star Theater adopted a nickel-a-show policy. 5¢ would admit you to a movie, and popcorn could be purchased for an additional 5¢.
Mr. Allebach continued the partnership into 1915, when he relocated to West Springfield and resumed his piano-tuning business. In 1918. Mr. Roberts and his business partner George E. Hammond purchased the Majestic Theater from A. M. Potvin in 1918. The venue seated over 1,000. Mr. Hammond managed Holyoke's Suffolk Theater, along with the Bijou Theater in Springfield and the Academy of Music in Northampton.
Mr. Roberts continued to operate the Three Star until 1920, when he turned ownership over to Joseph P. Lemieux. By 1925, prices rose to 10¢ to 15¢ for matinees and 15¢ for evening shows. Another change in ownership occurred about 1926 when George H. Berry of 164 Cabot Street purchased the business.
On February 13, 1927, a piece of film became caught in the gears and the arc light, starting a fire in the projection booth. The newspaper estimated that 500 patrons were in the theater at the time, and all escaped, some with minor bruising.
On April 20, 1927, another fire occurred in the projection booth, injuring Mr. Berry, who was operating the projector. He was treated for burns at a nearby pharmacy.
In 1928, Stanley F. Tomczyk bought the theater. He continued to operate the theater until about 1932, when the theater closed.
As an interesting side note, the theater space remained vacant thereafter, with portions of its exterior unaltered. The land was taken and deeded to the Holyoke Redevelopment Authority on October 16, 1975. This parcel was part of the Ward 1 Urban Renewal Plan approved by the City of Holyoke on April 28, 1972.
On October 16, 1979, the property was conveyed to Old Holyoke Development Corp. The agreement stipulated that construction would begin on the vacant parcel within 2 months of the transaction, with completion within 8 months of commencement or by June to August 1980.
On January 30, 1981, the property with a new brick dwelling was sold to its first homeowners. The address was renumbered as 102 Lyman Street.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Genealogy Records and Price & Lee, Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
Hampden County Registry of Deeds, Springfield, Massachusetts
