in

Bob dylan ‘s footsteps Hibbing Part-1

State Theater being torn down.

State Theater being torn down.

The Andrew Mason Lees Building on the site of the State Film Theater in May 2012. Nothing whatsoever remains.

The Andrew Mason Lees Building on the site of the State Film Theater in May 2012. Nothing whatsoever remains.

— photograph courtesy of Jackie Chambers Rudnick 20120524

The State Film Theater much earlier...

The State Film Theater much earlier…

Vitaphone and Movietone — Talking Pictures — Talking Comedy and Vitaphone Vodvil Acts

In 1925-26, film was technologically revolutionized with the formation of the Vitaphone Company (a subsidiary created by Warner Bros. and Western Electric). Warner Bros. launched sound and talking pictures, with Bell Telephone Laboratory researchers, by developing a revolutionary synchronized sound system called Vitaphone (a short-lived sound-on-disc process developed in 1925 that quickly became obsolete by 1931). This process allowed sound to be recorded on a phonograph record that was electronically linked and synchronized with the film projector.

In 1926, William Fox of the Fox Film Corporation responded to Warners’ success with its own similar and competing, advanced Movietone system – the first commercially successful sound-on-film process developed in conjunction with General Electric. It added a ‘soundtrack’ directly onto the strip of film and would eventually become the predominant sound technology.

The other major film studios (Paramount, Loew’s, First National and UA) realized the expensive and challenging ramifications of the sound revolution that was dawning, and that talkie films would be the wave of the future. In May 1928, to avoid an inevitable patent war, they signed an agreement with Western Electric to analyze the competing sound systems within the next year and jointly choose a single, standardized sound system.

The State Film Theater seen from outside

The State Film Theater seen from outside.

Now Showing ‘Cimarron’
Richard Dix in Edna Ferber’s Colossal ‘Cimarron’
Astounding Edna Ferber’s Cimarron with Richard Dix.

The full official tag line for this film was “Edna Ferber’s Mighty Novel Becomes The Towering Colossus Of The Films !”

Note the name three times in letters in the air on wires!

The Gopher Film Theatre, 116 East Howard Street, Hibbing, MN 55746 in 1946.

The Gopher Film Theatre, 116 East Howard Street, Hibbing, MN 55746 in 1946.

Duel in the Sun (nicknamed “Lust in the Dust”) is a Technicolor 1946 western directed by King Vidor, produced and written by David O. Selznick. It tells the story of a Mestiza (half-Native American) girl who goes to live with her Anglo relatives, becoming involved in prejudice and forbidden love.

https://www.palzoo.net/file/pic/gallery/10550_view.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/05/Duel_in_the_Sun.jpg

The Gopher Film Theatre. 434 seats.

The Gopher Film Theatre. 434 seats.

The Gopher Film Theatre, detail of the stage.

The Gopher Film Theatre, detail of the stage.

Homer Film Theater, 1st Avenue, Hibbing.

Homer Film Theater, 1st Avenue, Hibbing.

Opened 1925. Edelstein owned from 1945. Late in its life the name was changed to the Pix.

 

CONTINUE TO NEXT PAGE (USE PAGE NUMBERS BELOW THIS PAGE)

[wp_ad_camp_2]

11 Comments

Leave a Reply
  1. Odessa is a Ukrainian sea gates on the Black Sea now and has no such hard winters as Russia. Ukrainian climate is milder. And. by the way, life in Hibbing was very close to the life we have in Lugansk and Donetsk regions. Anyway, a great article!

  2. Excellent article!! It’s ALWAYS good to be informed about the roots of the GREATEST SONGWRITER TO EVER BE BORN!!! B-O-B D-Y-L-A-N

  3. Loved the article . What a great family history no wonder he is the great Bobby Dylan. destined for success and greatness.

  4. I moved to Hibbing in the early 60’s when I was 16 years old. Bob had already ventured away from the town. I actually saw him in the school though. He was just at the beginning of his fame and I really didn’t know much about him and wasn’t impressed when he walked past my locker and said hi to Susie Storm who was his next door neighbor. I saw his mother in the clothing store where she worked and I met his brother David when he was driving around town offering rides in the yellow convertible that Bob had bought him. I did see him in 1976 for the Bicentennial Celebration in Hibbing. His brother David was preforming at the high school by directing a concert. I had moved to CA by that time but me, my husband and children had come to Hibbing to visit my dad. That night, I was sitting in the balcony area with my husband and by that time we were both big fans of Dylan. Bob was also sitting in the balcony with his children who were playing in the rows of empty seats. My husband and I were mesmerized – Bob Dylan….. but we respected his privacy. At one point that night I got up to go to the rest room and as I was walking down the hall of the school Bob walked by in the other direction all alone. He has the bluest of blue eyes and we looked at each other and he smiled. He would have talked to me but I was so shy and so I missed my chance – I still cringe after all these years that I didn’t talk to him. I will always remember my close encounter with him that night. He was not mobbed in Hibbing because he was so different and not appreciated for his brilliance. I understand that he used to perform in the high school talent shows and was booed off stage. I wish that my family had moved to Hibbing sooner so I could have known him. I would just love to talk with him – he is a treasure. I just finished watching the documentary on Netflix about Rolling Thunder and in watching it last night brought back such emotion that I had been so near but yet so far. Just loving Bob Dylan.

  5. Our son, Benjamin, gave us a pair of concert tix to see Bob Dylan back in the early 90’s in Tallahassee FL. He had saved his lunch money to purchase them and give us as a present. Benjamin loved concerts and would invite me to go along with him and his friends to see Nirvana which was so cool yet I didn’t realize until years later. My husband, Charlie, was a huge Dylan fan and had followed him since the 60’s. He turned me on to some good music one night and I heard Lay Lady Lay for the very first time. Well, the concert was outstanding and a night not to be forgotten. I was right up close to the stage and could feel Bob Dylan’s breath singing all his greatest. I have been in love ever since! I have to listen to him every night before going to sleep. Never ever forgot how great it was to see Bobby Zimmerman on stage.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.