|
Bradford County PA
|
Chemung County NY
|
Tioga County PA
|
|
Tri-Counties Genealogy &
History by Joyce M. Tice
Historic Theaters & Other
Entertainment of the Tri-Counties
Postcards & Photos
|
 |
|
1959- History of Theaters
in Mansfield PA
|
|
 |
| Twain Theater, Mansfield PA - Road To Singapore Playing |
|
| Pastime Theater |
| Township: Mansfield Borough, Tioga County
PA |
| Photographer - |
| Year: 1959 |
| Mansfield Advertiser article |
. |
NEW OWNERS TAKE OVER AT TWAIN THEATRE
Mr. and Mrs. John [Effie] Antonio of Nelson and Mr. Harold
E. Finnerty of Elkland are the new owners of the Twain Theatre, it has
been announced by West's Farm Agency, local Real Estate Brokers who handled
the sale. Mr. and Mrs. Antonio are well known in this area for their charter
Bus Line and Mr. Finnerty is also connected with their service and has
been connected with the Lyric Theatre in Elkland for fifteen years. Mr.
Antonio is a native of Elkland and Mrs. Antonio [Effie] is a native of
Nelson and a niece of Mrs. Genevieve Lawrence of Mansfield. They have one
daughter, Linda Jean, age 7. The new owners took possession on May 26 but
the theatre will be closed for a week and reopen on June 5 with the picture
"The Mating Game." In the past there were three theatres in Mansfield before
the building of the Twain.
The first theatre was Union Hall, on the third floor of the Ross &
Williams Bank Building, which is now the First National Bank. In 1888 the
Hook & Ladder Co. built the Opera
House on Wellsboro Street about where the Borough Building now
stands. It burned in 1913. The third
theatre was the first motion picture house in Northern Pennsylvania.
It opened in 1907 across from the Opera House on Wellsboro Street. It also
burned in 1916. At that time it was operated by F. F. Van Norman. During
1916 the Star Theatre was built by W. A. McCausland and E. G. Cornwell
and it was later purchased by the Van Norman family. It stood on the site
of the present Twain Theatre. For a while, prior to 1936, the Star was
leased by Jack Myers of Blossburg and was called the Rialto. Later in 1936
the theatre was purchased by Harry A. Taylor and Harry Swain of Mansfield
and after a complete renovation it opened as the Twain. Mr. Taylor later
purchased the interest of Mr. Swain and continued his ownership until his
death in 1950. Since Mr. Taylor's death, the Twain has been continued in
operation by his wife, Mrs. Louise F. Taylor and managed by his son, William
F. Taylor. The Taylors, through the years have given a fine contribution
to the progress of the community in affording it a high standard of entertainment
and in keeping step with the progress in the picture industry when each
new inovation was made. During the years the improvements have included
the installation of the cinemascope screen, new projection equipment, new
furnaces, air conditioning, new lobby and front. Mansfield has been fortunate
in having had the Taylor family to give them such fine opportunities for
entertainment in the past and is again fortunate to have new owners whose
intention is to carry on the fine traditions of good wholesome entertainment
set by their predecessors.
Note from Joyce - Since the Twain Closed in 1981,
there have been no theaters opened in Mansfield since. It is without a
movie theater. As of 2005, there are two video stores, but in the past
they have come and gone as well. As of 2010 the Mansfield Downtown Development
Corporation, which is a group of local and university people, is organizing
and planning a new theater. See the lower photo on this page about
the Mansfield Opera House and
its successors on that location for the proposed design.
 |
 |
 |
| 1927 Yearbook Ad |
1936 Yearbook Ad |
1937 & 1938 Yearbook Ad |
1944 Drawing Tickets from Twain Theater
Joan NASH "O'Dell" Scrapbook |
 |
 |
Inside the Twain - a full house
1954 Carontawan ad. |
Wellsboro Gazette, 7 November 1984
Putnam Buys Two Buildings at Mansfield
The Putnam Company, 5 East Ave., Wellsboro, has purchased the Twain
Theater building on South Main St., in Mansfield, and the adjacent building
that currently houses Pumpernickel's Restaurant and the Mansfield chamber
of Commerce office, from John Antonio of Tioga. Putnam had held a lease
on the restaurant building since 1967, but had experienced problems finding
adequate parking area for the 125 seat facility. The theater building,
which has been unused since 1980, will be torn down to make way for a parking
lot in the near future.
|
Bradford County PA
|
Chemung County NY
|
Tioga County PA
|
|
Published On Tri-Counties Site On 01 MAY 2005
By Joyce M. Tice
Email: Joyce M.
Tice
You are the
visitor since the counter was installed on 01 MAY 2005 |
 |
|
