Sept. 24, 2009
Hyman Family Honored for Preserving, Intact, Operational Movie Palace
Family Used Other Business Profits to Underwrite Keith Albee
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Entertainment Editor
Huntington, WV (HNN) – What would Huntington be without the Keith Albee Theatre? Community members came to its rescue and support when its first run movie showing era ended about a year after the opening of the Pullman 16.
However, residents quickly discovered that the 80-year-old building was in much better condition than represented by the occasional complaint about a burnt out light, dusty curtain, or a piece of missing plaster.
Once the Marshall Foundation took over the theatre, they found a remarkably preserved structure containing almost all original architecture and designs from 1928. The Hyman family had ensure the theatre had only cosmetic alterations.
Prior to the 2009 Preservation Alliance of West Virginia Awards Banquet, Derek Hyman, president of the Greater Huntington Theatre Corp. beamed about his family’s love for the theatre. Judging from the broad smile on his face, he had come home, after in 2006 donating the structure to the Foundation so it could be converted to a Performing Arts Center.
Speaking candidly about the theatre’s place in history, Derek told that his grandfather and great uncle, Sol and Abe Hyman approached the Keith-Albee vaudeville circuit in 1928 with a proposal --- they had $250,000 and wanted to build a state of the art theatre in Huntington, WV. The circuit hired famed theatre architect Thomas Lamb to design the building, which soared in cost from the original $250,000 to $2 million. At Abe and Sol Hyman’s insistence, they persuaded Lamb to give the Huntington theatre an “atmospheric” attribute.
ONLY OPERATIONAL LAMB ATMOSPHERIC THEATRE IN WORLD
Essentially, when you look up to the ceiling, you see all the twinkling stars creating an optical illusion that you are outdoors. However, the style also consisted of auditorium walls decorated to resemble a garden. Other elements were lanterns, murals, and staircases.
Downtown property owner Lisa Caldwell has been instrumental in the Preservation Alliance’s honoring the Hyman family with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
“People have come to realize what a gift and honor , the Hyman’s bestowed the City of Huntington. What a treasure they have given us,” Caldwell continued, adding, “it was everyone’s desire to have the family recognized.”
Since Jack Hyman was a quiet, private man, he seldom spoke to the media about his calling to preserve the family jewel at all costs. Caldwell added he did not receive the recognition he deserved for preservation during his lifetime.
“I think they should be praised significantly for the treasure that they have given. In 1928 or 1929 when it opened, it was a two million dollar theatre. I could not tell you how much it would cost to build this theatre [today]. And, it’s the last existing Thomas Lamb [designed] atmospheric theatre makes it a national treasure. They should be recognized for their passion to keep the Keith Albee as it was intended. I’m just sorry we couldn’t do it before Derek’s father passed away. “
Caldwell stressed that the Keith – Albee is the only Lamb atmospheric still operating in the world. “We have such a bad habit of taking buildings and making them look better [by] removing what makes them so charming and wonderful. The fact that [the Hyman’s] did not tear this building up. It’s rare that you run into somebody that does not do that.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Click here to see a slide show of the Keith Albee’s sister, the RKO Keith’s in Flushing, NY. Designed by Thomas Lamb as an atmospheric theatre (according to Cinema Treasures.org) , the Keith’s has been closed more than 20 years and the auditorium has been mostly gutted, a lobby fountain removed, and the asking price for the property which has been in disrepair for over 20 years is $24 million dollars. The photos --- which include some of Lamb’s architectural drawings ---- should remind Huntington that without the Hyman family’s sacrifice, our Keith could look like this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8095451@N08/sets/72157613883728776/show
AN INCREDIBLE THING … MAINTAINING THE ORIGINAL
Karen Carper, PAWV executive director, credited the addition of Ms. Caldwell to the Preservation Alliance Board as a catalyst for honoring the Hymans’ and celebrating achievements at the Wednesday, Sept. 23 banquet.
“We wanted to choose a spot that would tell the story of historic preservation in WV, and we could not think of a better example than what the Hyman’s have done here,” Carper explained. Like, Ms. Caldwell, Carper credited the Hyman’s by “not altering the structure, they preserved it from the start. A lot of historic buildings have to be renovated and taken back to what they were before. The Keith Albee has always been magnificent and never altered in a way it could not easily be restored. The family had amazing vision to build something like this in Huntington. We are especially fortunate that it is still here.”
Carper complimented Jack Hyman’s foresight when adding two smaller auditoriums as part of the main. “The structures that were added did not damage the original. All they had to do was remove screws and fill holes and everything on that magnificent ceiling is as It was. That is an incredible thing for people to do through generations --- maintain what is original. Taking the tour, I learned this is some of the original carpeting, we have some original upholstery on the seats, everywhere you look the structure is original and truly magnificent.”
Explaining that most historic building require structural work, the Keith needs what she termed cosmetic renovation. “The care that the Hyman Family put into this building through the generations is what has brought it to where it is. That is what is so special and that is what we are honoring.”
Karen Nance, herself a preservationist, also complemented the Hyman’s: “I think they are a wonderful family . They have done a great job that should be truly appreciated by everyone that we can have it now in a private foundation as a historic site. We owe all this to the family,” Nance said.
The movie theatre’s former projectionist/manager and now the operations manager of the Performing Arts Center, Junior Ross, has long advocated a plaque of some kind to honor Jack Hyman. “I think this is nice what they are doing for them to let the Hyman’s know we appreciate what they did by keeping this theatre up. It’s been preserved as well as any theatre in the country. It’s time someone recognized they did such a good job.”
Ross added that the “pride” the family took in the Keith is why the building is so well preserved and functional today. “The community also seems to be starting to take pride in it and hopefully they will help us the rest of the way [with further renovations].”
ETCHINGS SMUGGLED UNDER COAT
Retired Huntington attorney Jim St. Clair recalls his friendship with Al Cross, the late long time manager whose dapper image earned him the “mayor of Fourth Avenue” designation. “He took me all through the bowels of this place,” St. Clair said.
Cross was known for his stories about the theatre, including preparing for the 1937 flood and seeing a few ghosts. “He was [the manager] forever, and he had a dog named Smoky.”
St. Clair told that on the stairs by the men’s room , they had some original etchings. “Al was on the door one day and a man had on a raincoat where you could obviously see the etchings [sticking out]. Al tapped the guy on the shoulder and said, ‘Excuse me, sir, but I think you have something that belongs to me.’ The man looked all around and said, ‘What are you talking about?’
Al said, ‘what’s under your coat.’
‘Oh,’ the man said, ‘I found this etching on the way down to the men’s room. It wasn’t in a good location. I was afraid somebody would steal it.’
Al said, ‘So, you are stealing it?’
‘I’m just going to protect it,’ the raincoat clad man explained.
Al said, ‘Put it back down there.’
St Clair continued, “It was a beautiful piece of art. But those bathrooms downstairs are a classic. They have a telephone room in them. There’s a telephone room upstairs. And, they always had these swooning couches , especially in the women’s [restroom] … I never quite [understood their purpose],” he chuckled.
Prior to the dinner, HNN spoke with Derek Hyman about his family’s determination to keep the Keith intact. (You can watch and hear the interview at:
HNN: Standing here in the lobby, you have a proud yet humble look as you gaze at the Keith
DEREK HYMAN: I’m proud that we maintained the Keith Albee the way it was. It’s part of our life. It was part of my life growing up. My father was very interested in taking care of the Keith Albee because it reminded him of his father so much, my grandfather.
HNN: How did it remind him of his father? How did Jack ensure the doors stayed open. I know there were financial sacrifices…
DEREK: Just the fact that my grandfather had it built and put so much of his life into it. The theatre opened in 1928 , and we went into a Depression right after that. They had to sell many theatres to keep from losing the Keith Albee. Watching my grandfather struggle to keep it open, it was the thing that reminded him of my grandfather.
HNN: It was like a memorial...
DEREK: Correct.
HNN: In 1928 your family built a theatre that was the largest next to the Roxy in New York City. Was this a vision that Huntington would grow….
DEREK: When my grandfather approached the Keith-Albee vaudeville circuit, according to family “stories,” he told them he had a quarter of a million dollars to build the theatre. Mr. Keith or Mr. Albee told him to ‘go home, we’ll start sending you the plans.’ Obviously, when you hire Thomas Lamb to build the theatre, it’s going to be magnificent. I think the K-A Vaudeville circuit sent them this theatre. I don’t know that they wanted to build the K-A; I think they wanted a less expensive version.
HNN: You grandfather financed the theatre with his brother, not through funds provided by the vaudeville circuit?
DEREK: That was part of the problem in the 30s. There’s another story where my grandfather took the key and went over to the banker and said, “Here are the keys to the Keith Albee.” The banker said, “Keep them. We don’t want it.” So, they were hard pressed going through the Depression. You borrow $1.5 to $2 million dollar to build a theatre in that day and age it was pretty tough. But, these are just stories, I never met my grandfather.
HNN: Urban legends?
DEREK: Yes, urban legends.
HNN: I guess your greatest decision came with the impending development and opening of Pullman 16.
DEREK: When they first opened, I went to the group that had first talked to us about taking over the Keith Albee. I offered to give them the theatre, if they wanted to create a non-profit to take it over. It took us nine months before anything was done on that process. We lost money for the nine months, but it was important to me to keep the theatre heated, to keep operating, to keep maintaining the theatre until such time that they were ready to take the Keith Albee.
HNN: So, when your dad had a faux-reputation in the community for hoarding bucks, he was actually underwriting the losses of the Keith.
DEREK: When I came home [from college], we had a theatre in Charleston that was making all of our money. In Huntington, if it made $20,000 in a year, but it lost money during those 14 years between the Huntington Mall opening and turning the Cinema into a four screen complex.
HNN: It’s been a case of magnificent love for a building that was a vital part of your childhood.
DEREK: I told a group I took on a tour today that when we were kids we crawled through every nook and cranny in this building. It was always a big adventure to come to the Keith Albee on a Saturday morning and just crawl through back rooms and explore everywhere. It was like having your own cave system that’s yours alone to patrol. Kinda special.
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Hyman Family Honored for Preserving, Intact, Operational Movie Palace
Family Used Other Business Profits to Underwrite Keith Albee
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Entertainment Editor
Huntington, WV (HNN) – What would Huntington be without the Keith Albee Theatre? Community members came to its rescue and support when its first run movie showing era ended about a year after the opening of the Pullman 16.
However, residents quickly discovered that the 80-year-old building was in much better condition than represented by the occasional complaint about a burnt out light, dusty curtain, or a piece of missing plaster.
Once the Marshall Foundation took over the theatre, they found a remarkably preserved structure containing almost all original architecture and designs from 1928. The Hyman family had ensure the theatre had only cosmetic alterations.
Prior to the 2009 Preservation Alliance of West Virginia Awards Banquet, Derek Hyman, president of the Greater Huntington Theatre Corp. beamed about his family’s love for the theatre. Judging from the broad smile on his face, he had come home, after in 2006 donating the structure to the Foundation so it could be converted to a Performing Arts Center.
Speaking candidly about the theatre’s place in history, Derek told that his grandfather and great uncle, Sol and Abe Hyman approached the Keith-Albee vaudeville circuit in 1928 with a proposal --- they had $250,000 and wanted to build a state of the art theatre in Huntington, WV. The circuit hired famed theatre architect Thomas Lamb to design the building, which soared in cost from the original $250,000 to $2 million. At Abe and Sol Hyman’s insistence, they persuaded Lamb to give the Huntington theatre an “atmospheric” attribute.
ONLY OPERATIONAL LAMB ATMOSPHERIC THEATRE IN WORLD
Essentially, when you look up to the ceiling, you see all the twinkling stars creating an optical illusion that you are outdoors. However, the style also consisted of auditorium walls decorated to resemble a garden. Other elements were lanterns, murals, and staircases.
Downtown property owner Lisa Caldwell has been instrumental in the Preservation Alliance’s honoring the Hyman family with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
“People have come to realize what a gift and honor , the Hyman’s bestowed the City of Huntington. What a treasure they have given us,” Caldwell continued, adding, “it was everyone’s desire to have the family recognized.”
Since Jack Hyman was a quiet, private man, he seldom spoke to the media about his calling to preserve the family jewel at all costs. Caldwell added he did not receive the recognition he deserved for preservation during his lifetime.
“I think they should be praised significantly for the treasure that they have given. In 1928 or 1929 when it opened, it was a two million dollar theatre. I could not tell you how much it would cost to build this theatre [today]. And, it’s the last existing Thomas Lamb [designed] atmospheric theatre makes it a national treasure. They should be recognized for their passion to keep the Keith Albee as it was intended. I’m just sorry we couldn’t do it before Derek’s father passed away. “
Caldwell stressed that the Keith – Albee is the only Lamb atmospheric still operating in the world. “We have such a bad habit of taking buildings and making them look better [by] removing what makes them so charming and wonderful. The fact that [the Hyman’s] did not tear this building up. It’s rare that you run into somebody that does not do that.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Click here to see a slide show of the Keith Albee’s sister, the RKO Keith’s in Flushing, NY. Designed by Thomas Lamb as an atmospheric theatre (according to Cinema Treasures.org) , the Keith’s has been closed more than 20 years and the auditorium has been mostly gutted, a lobby fountain removed, and the asking price for the property which has been in disrepair for over 20 years is $24 million dollars. The photos --- which include some of Lamb’s architectural drawings ---- should remind Huntington that without the Hyman family’s sacrifice, our Keith could look like this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8095451@N08/sets/72157613883728776/show
AN INCREDIBLE THING … MAINTAINING THE ORIGINAL
Karen Carper, PAWV executive director, credited the addition of Ms. Caldwell to the Preservation Alliance Board as a catalyst for honoring the Hymans’ and celebrating achievements at the Wednesday, Sept. 23 banquet.
“We wanted to choose a spot that would tell the story of historic preservation in WV, and we could not think of a better example than what the Hyman’s have done here,” Carper explained. Like, Ms. Caldwell, Carper credited the Hyman’s by “not altering the structure, they preserved it from the start. A lot of historic buildings have to be renovated and taken back to what they were before. The Keith Albee has always been magnificent and never altered in a way it could not easily be restored. The family had amazing vision to build something like this in Huntington. We are especially fortunate that it is still here.”
Carper complimented Jack Hyman’s foresight when adding two smaller auditoriums as part of the main. “The structures that were added did not damage the original. All they had to do was remove screws and fill holes and everything on that magnificent ceiling is as It was. That is an incredible thing for people to do through generations --- maintain what is original. Taking the tour, I learned this is some of the original carpeting, we have some original upholstery on the seats, everywhere you look the structure is original and truly magnificent.”
Explaining that most historic building require structural work, the Keith needs what she termed cosmetic renovation. “The care that the Hyman Family put into this building through the generations is what has brought it to where it is. That is what is so special and that is what we are honoring.”
Karen Nance, herself a preservationist, also complemented the Hyman’s: “I think they are a wonderful family . They have done a great job that should be truly appreciated by everyone that we can have it now in a private foundation as a historic site. We owe all this to the family,” Nance said.
The movie theatre’s former projectionist/manager and now the operations manager of the Performing Arts Center, Junior Ross, has long advocated a plaque of some kind to honor Jack Hyman. “I think this is nice what they are doing for them to let the Hyman’s know we appreciate what they did by keeping this theatre up. It’s been preserved as well as any theatre in the country. It’s time someone recognized they did such a good job.”
Ross added that the “pride” the family took in the Keith is why the building is so well preserved and functional today. “The community also seems to be starting to take pride in it and hopefully they will help us the rest of the way [with further renovations].”
ETCHINGS SMUGGLED UNDER COAT
Retired Huntington attorney Jim St. Clair recalls his friendship with Al Cross, the late long time manager whose dapper image earned him the “mayor of Fourth Avenue” designation. “He took me all through the bowels of this place,” St. Clair said.
Cross was known for his stories about the theatre, including preparing for the 1937 flood and seeing a few ghosts. “He was [the manager] forever, and he had a dog named Smoky.”
St. Clair told that on the stairs by the men’s room , they had some original etchings. “Al was on the door one day and a man had on a raincoat where you could obviously see the etchings [sticking out]. Al tapped the guy on the shoulder and said, ‘Excuse me, sir, but I think you have something that belongs to me.’ The man looked all around and said, ‘What are you talking about?’
Al said, ‘what’s under your coat.’
‘Oh,’ the man said, ‘I found this etching on the way down to the men’s room. It wasn’t in a good location. I was afraid somebody would steal it.’
Al said, ‘So, you are stealing it?’
‘I’m just going to protect it,’ the raincoat clad man explained.
Al said, ‘Put it back down there.’
St Clair continued, “It was a beautiful piece of art. But those bathrooms downstairs are a classic. They have a telephone room in them. There’s a telephone room upstairs. And, they always had these swooning couches , especially in the women’s [restroom] … I never quite [understood their purpose],” he chuckled.
Prior to the dinner, HNN spoke with Derek Hyman about his family’s determination to keep the Keith intact. (You can watch and hear the interview at:
HNN: Standing here in the lobby, you have a proud yet humble look as you gaze at the Keith
DEREK HYMAN: I’m proud that we maintained the Keith Albee the way it was. It’s part of our life. It was part of my life growing up. My father was very interested in taking care of the Keith Albee because it reminded him of his father so much, my grandfather.
HNN: How did it remind him of his father? How did Jack ensure the doors stayed open. I know there were financial sacrifices…
DEREK: Just the fact that my grandfather had it built and put so much of his life into it. The theatre opened in 1928 , and we went into a Depression right after that. They had to sell many theatres to keep from losing the Keith Albee. Watching my grandfather struggle to keep it open, it was the thing that reminded him of my grandfather.
HNN: It was like a memorial...
DEREK: Correct.
HNN: In 1928 your family built a theatre that was the largest next to the Roxy in New York City. Was this a vision that Huntington would grow….
DEREK: When my grandfather approached the Keith-Albee vaudeville circuit, according to family “stories,” he told them he had a quarter of a million dollars to build the theatre. Mr. Keith or Mr. Albee told him to ‘go home, we’ll start sending you the plans.’ Obviously, when you hire Thomas Lamb to build the theatre, it’s going to be magnificent. I think the K-A Vaudeville circuit sent them this theatre. I don’t know that they wanted to build the K-A; I think they wanted a less expensive version.
HNN: You grandfather financed the theatre with his brother, not through funds provided by the vaudeville circuit?
DEREK: That was part of the problem in the 30s. There’s another story where my grandfather took the key and went over to the banker and said, “Here are the keys to the Keith Albee.” The banker said, “Keep them. We don’t want it.” So, they were hard pressed going through the Depression. You borrow $1.5 to $2 million dollar to build a theatre in that day and age it was pretty tough. But, these are just stories, I never met my grandfather.
HNN: Urban legends?
DEREK: Yes, urban legends.
HNN: I guess your greatest decision came with the impending development and opening of Pullman 16.
DEREK: When they first opened, I went to the group that had first talked to us about taking over the Keith Albee. I offered to give them the theatre, if they wanted to create a non-profit to take it over. It took us nine months before anything was done on that process. We lost money for the nine months, but it was important to me to keep the theatre heated, to keep operating, to keep maintaining the theatre until such time that they were ready to take the Keith Albee.
HNN: So, when your dad had a faux-reputation in the community for hoarding bucks, he was actually underwriting the losses of the Keith.
DEREK: When I came home [from college], we had a theatre in Charleston that was making all of our money. In Huntington, if it made $20,000 in a year, but it lost money during those 14 years between the Huntington Mall opening and turning the Cinema into a four screen complex.
HNN: It’s been a case of magnificent love for a building that was a vital part of your childhood.
DEREK: I told a group I took on a tour today that when we were kids we crawled through every nook and cranny in this building. It was always a big adventure to come to the Keith Albee on a Saturday morning and just crawl through back rooms and explore everywhere. It was like having your own cave system that’s yours alone to patrol. Kinda special.
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