Florida Theater, Jacksonville, About 1930

DRUMMING UP BUSINESS DURING A DEPRESSION -- Showmen will be showmen: The bike's sign reads, "They fell in LOVE, Made Whoopee on a Bicycle for TWO." This was considered a little suggestive in 1930, when the photo was probably taken. The tagline was for the early Marion Davies talkie "The Florodora Girl," which featured a two-seat bike. The man in the photo was the manager of the Florida Theater, Guy Kenimer. He was posing outside of his lavish picture palace, which had opened just three years before.

Many American towns & cities constructed grandiose movie theaters during the flush times of the Twenties. Like the films, the theaters themselves were designed to heighten a magical escape from reality. No doubt the Florida Theater bedazzled early filmgoers. Its interior resembled a Moorish courtyard at night, with ornate fountains, balconies, and ceilings. A large, fancy arch highlighted the big screen in front, and a deep, sloping balcony loomed in back.

The exterior of the building boasted a Mediterranean style facade, while a splendid rooftop garden topped the structure. (The garden has been converted into offices for the City of Jacksonville, with a slight incline into the work area as a reminder that a garden once existed there.) The theater's roof once boasted a nightclub atmosphere under the stars. Members of the River City's high society danced the night away, while downstairs, their children played in a nursery provided by the theatre.

Even the movies themselves could provide an entire evening's entertainment. In these pre-TV days, a number of extras could be seen before the one or two features that night. An audience often watched the news, a comedy short, a cartoon or travelogue, and a live stage presentation.

In spite of all of this, however, the Florida Theater had to hustle during the dark days of the Great Depression (1929-1941). It used such gimmicks as "Screeno," a bingo game projected on screen, and "Bank Night," an opportunity for ticket buyers to win cash prizes. And as the photo shows, the theater's head supervisor worked to keep the interest of patrons. Guy Kenimer's creative tactics helped his business get by.

What did the managers of the Florida Theater do? To see, CLICK HERE