TheKeith-Albee-Orpheum Corporationwas the owner of a chain ofvaudevilleand motion picture theatres. It was formed by the merger of the holdings ofBenjamin Franklin KeithandEdward Franklin Albee IIandMartin Beck'sOrpheum Circuit.[1]
| Founded | January 28, 1928 United States |
|---|---|
| Defunct | October 1928 |
| Successor | RKO Pictures |
| Headquarters | Delaware,United States |
History
editThe company was incorporated inDelawareon January 28, 1928, to acquire the stocks of the B.F. Keith Corporation;Orpheum Circuit, Inc.;Vaudeville Collection Agency; B.F. Keith-Albee Vaudeville Exchange; and Greater New York Corporation. The company operated a chain of vaudeville and motion picture theatres in the United States and Canada with a seating capacity of 1,500,000 persons. The combined theater chain then had over 700 theaters in the United States and Canada. A total of 15,000 vaudeville performers were booked through the new entity.[1]
In May 1928, a controlling portion of stock was sold toJoseph P. Kennedy,from whom it was purchased in October by theRadio Corporation of America(RCA) as part of the deal, along withFilm Booking Offices of America(FBO), that created themajor motion picture studioRadio Keith Orpheum (RKO Pictures).[citation needed]
After the establishment of RKO,motion picturesbecame the primary focus of entertainment at the former KAO theaters. Vaudeville survived only as an interlude forfeature films.[citation needed]
Theaters
edit- Keith-Albee Theatre,Huntington, West Virginia
- Keith-Albee Theater,Washington, D.C.[2]
- Keith-Albee Theatre, Flushing, Queens[3]
- RKO Albee Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio
References
edit- ^ab"700 Theatres Merged In Vaudeville Circuit. Keith-Albee and Orpheum Now Largest in Country. Final Papers Signed".New York Times.January 27, 1928.Retrieved2015-02-10.
- ^Streets of Washington: Vaudeville and Other High Drama at 15th and G
- ^Keith-Albee Theatre, or RKO Keith’s Theater | After the Final Curtain