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arranged to lease it in 1905. Butterfield refurbished the
Hamblin at a cost of $ 1000 (equivalent to $ 34,000 in 2023), renamed it the Bijou Theatre, and booked vaudeville acts. "Bijou" is French for "jewel" or "little gem," and was a common name for theaters nationwide during the vaudeville era.
179:
Butterfield's first theater was the
Hamblin Opera House, located at 17 West Michigan Avenue in Battle Creek. The Hamblin was built for A.C. Hamblin, noted Battle Creek banker, in 1869. The construction of the nearby Post Theater in 1902 hurt business at the Hamblin Opera House, and Butterfield
120:. Theaters built for or operated by Butterfield are the subject of multiple historic preservation efforts, and many still operate as cinemas or performance venues. Theaters built for Butterfield were constructed in various contemporary styles, including
283:
cinemas caused contention with students at the
University of Michigan, who criticized the company and the university for a 25% price increase. U-M students responded by increasing the pace of student-operated film screenings in university builidngs.
199:. In the 1920s, Butterfield bought out individual theatres and whole circuits throughout Michigan, and embarked on major construction projects of its own. The circuit hired reputable architects for its construction and renovation projects, including
287:
Mary Alice
Butterfield Nichols, Colonel Butterfield's niece, left the business in 1954. Her departure ended family management of the company, leaving the management of the business exclusively to the trustees of Col. Butterfield's estate.
318:, the family business, but other members of the family objected. Kerasotes Theatres split in two in 1985, and George Kerasotes formed GKC Theatres to absorb the former Butterfield theaters. Many GKC theaters were sold to
252:
Colonel
Butterfield died in 1936. In his will, he stipulated that his estate and its four trustees would retain control of the company after his death. Minority stakes were sold to two film studios,
187:, and expanded rapidly in the 1910s. Butterfield moved his operations in Battle Creek to a larger theatre in 1909, and the former Hamblin Opera House became a department store three years later.
268:
bought out
Paramount's stake, to be paid from dividends, and by 1965 the university owned approximately one third of the company. RKO's stake reverted to the Butterfield estate.
497:
334:
W. S. Butterfield
Theatres Inc. continued in operation after selling its theater business. As of 2019, the surviving company is engaged in non-residential property management.
314:
in late 1984. The sale was prompted by the heirs of the estate, who were reported to "‘want out’ completely." George
Kerasotes planned to merge the Butterfield theaters with
271:
The
Butterfield circuit held monopolies on theatres in some Michigan towns, which in some cases caused controversy. In the 1930s, Butterfield leased and intentionally closed
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Walter Scott
Butterfield moved to Battle Creek in the early 20th century, having established himself in the theater business first in
1020:
230:
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503:
468:
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of 1948 forced the film studios to divest their shares of theater operators, and Butterfield was again independent by 1950. The
105:
in 1906 to 114 cinemas across Michigan in 1942. The Butterfield circuit was reduced to 21 theaters by 1984, when it was sold to
299:
In the late 1970s, a legal dispute arose between Butterfield's great-grandchildren and the trustees of the estate. The case,
733:
675:
183:
The Bijou expanded into a circuit, the Bijou Theatrical Enterprise. Butterfield arranged to affiliate his theaters with the
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218:
in the early days of the company. The Butterfield circuit controlled 114 houses by 1942, and eventually peaked at 122.
377:
221:
The company attempted to expand into the TV business in the early 1950s, and applied for a license for Channel 12 in the
90:
613:
129:
207:. A major acquisition was the Fitzpatrick-McElroy circuit in 1927, which added 16 theaters for a total of 75.
355:
98:
38:
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to retain its monopoly, to the dissatisfaction of the local press. In the 1960s, Butterfield's monopoly on
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in 1936. He was succeeded as president of the company by Edward C. Beatty, who began as the manager of the
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846:"U. of M. Goes Into Theater Business: Buys Interest in Butterfield Chain From Paramount".
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823:"Butterfield Denied TV: WJR Gets Permission to Build New Channel 12 Station at Flint".
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Butterfield theaters were located in small towns in Lower Michigan, as far north as
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in a three-way contest, and appealed the decision in lawsuits against WJR and the
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The circuit operated 63 theatres in 1963, split among seven corporate entities.
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shows. Butterfield promoted the construction of the Henry Boyle Theater in
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area. Butterfield lost the competition for the license to the owners of
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48:
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874:"Price Dispute Continues: 'U' Reports on Share of Butterfield Stock"
925:
Cinema Ann Arbor: how campus rebels forged a singular film culture
170:
143:
676:"Butterfield, Walter Scott (1867-1936): Michigan's "Theater Man""
900:"Manistee newspaper questions tactics of Butterfield Theaters"
226:
927:. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. pp. 14–15.
164:, and from there was advised to move to West Michigan by a
1001:"In Re Butterfield Estate - 341 N.W.2d 453, 418 Mich. 241"
310:
Butterfield Theatres agreed to sell 21 of its theaters to
195:
The Butterfield circuit expanded quickly at the advent of
812:. July 14, 1958. p. 62 – via Internet Archive.
734:"Why did "Bijou" used to be a common name for theaters?"
175:
The Hamblin Opera House in 1877, later the Bijou Theatre
948:"Niece of Col. Butterfield To Leave Theater Business".
599:"Butterfield Theaters, Inc., Now Operating 114 Houses"
16:
Vaudeville and cinema chain in Michigan, United States
781:"Butterfield Theaters Head Is Veteran In Experience"
706:"New Year's Eve, 1869: A Great Day for Battle Creek"
101:expanded his business from one vaudeville house in
64:
54:
44:
34:
24:
633:
976:The 1963 Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures
233:. Butterfield's lawsuits were unsuccessful, and
8:
301:In re Butterfield Estate (Gowthorpe v. Page)
19:
1021:"FROM THE MUSEUM'S ARCHIVES: The new Vogue"
18:
1073:Movie theatre chains in the United States
972:"Theatre Circuits: Butterfield Theatres"
156:, and then in Chicago, managing touring
887:– via Bentley Historical Library.
794:– via Ann Arbor District Library.
587:
341:
757:"Butterfield Adds 10 State Theaters".
867:
865:
506:, Monroe, formerly the Monroe Theatre
322:, which was subsequently acquired by
7:
872:Juliar, Michael (January 19, 1965).
699:
697:
695:
669:
667:
627:
625:
623:
593:
591:
343:Selected former Butterfield theatres
148:W. S. Butterfield, founder, ca. 1925
806:"Dual Flint Grants To WJR Affirmed"
761:. September 15, 1927. p. 16.
704:Collins, Tim (December 31, 2020).
99:"Colonel" Walter Scott Butterfield
14:
898:Fedder, Mark (January 31, 2023).
231:Federal Communications Commission
952:. October 14, 1954. p. 32.
567:
553:
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504:River Raisin Centre for the Arts
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185:Keith-Proctor vaudeville circuit
97:. Beginning in the early 1900s,
79:W. S. Butterfield Theatres, Inc.
850:. October 21, 1950. p. 2.
848:Battle Creek Enquirer and News
433:, formerly the Capitol Theatre
1:
987:Media History Digital Library
605:. March 17, 1942. p. 16
561:State Theatre, Traverse City
402:, formerly the Eagle Theater
210:Colonel Butterfield died in
81:was an American operator of
1049:Former Butterfield theatres
827:. May 15, 1954. p. 8.
461:Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor
1089:
1068:W. S. Butterfield Theatres
614:Ann Arbor District Library
20:W. S. Butterfield Theatres
950:The Battle Creek Enquirer
759:The Lansing State Journal
475:Michigan Theatre, Jackson
680:Kalamazoo Public Library
635:"A Long-Term Engagement"
547:State Theatre, Kalamazoo
519:State Theatre, Ann Arbor
429:Joseph Lebowsky Center,
134:Spanish Colonial Revival
39:Walter Scott Butterfield
632:Hornaday, Cole (2009).
575:Temple Theatre, Saginaw
533:State Theatre, Bay City
398:Elektricity Nightclub,
1025:Manistee News Advocate
904:Manistee News Advocate
674:Howard, Keith (2019).
370:Capitol Theatre, Flint
305:Michigan Supreme Court
266:University of Michigan
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162:Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
149:
303:, was decided by the
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978:. 1963. p. 1093
923:Uhle, Frank (2023).
646:(5): 28–30, 32, 34.
384:Croswell Opera House
191:Expansion into film
85:theaters and later
56:Number of locations
21:
878:The Michigan Daily
785:The Ann Arbor News
603:The Ann Arbor News
354:Broadway Theatre,
316:Kerasotes Theatres
177:
150:
140:Vaudeville origins
126:Streamline Moderne
1027:. August 17, 2020
934:978-0-472-13347-5
825:The State Journal
738:The Straight Dope
732:(July 31, 1987).
446:Maltz Opera House
76:
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1053:Cinema Treasures
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312:George Kerasotes
292:Decline and sale
277:Ramsdell Theatre
262:Paramount decree
166:Pantages circuit
107:George Kerasotes
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320:Carmike Cinemas
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205:C. Howard Crane
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91:Lower Peninsula
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60:114 (1942)
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1043:External links
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29:Entertainment
27:
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1029:. Retrieved
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1004:. Retrieved
995:
985:– via
980:. Retrieved
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966:
949:
943:
924:
918:
907:. Retrieved
903:
893:
882:. Retrieved
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824:
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810:Broadcasting
809:
800:
789:. Retrieved
784:
775:
758:
752:
741:. Retrieved
737:
730:Adams, Cecil
724:
713:. Retrieved
710:95.3 WBCK-FM
709:
683:. Retrieved
679:
655:. Retrieved
643:
639:
612:– via
607:. Retrieved
602:
333:
324:AMC Theatres
309:
300:
298:
295:
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251:
220:
209:
201:John Eberson
194:
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151:
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103:Battle Creek
78:
77:
45:Headquarters
880:. p. 1
197:sound films
168:executive.
66:Area served
1062:Categories
1031:2023-06-29
1006:2023-06-24
982:2023-06-22
958:2091761216
909:2023-06-18
884:2023-06-20
856:2091864361
833:2031897123
791:2023-06-14
767:2031486739
743:2023-06-24
715:2023-06-15
685:2023-05-31
657:2023-06-06
609:2023-06-05
582:References
307:in 1983.
244:of WJR.
158:vaudeville
83:vaudeville
652:0006-8527
640:Boxoffice
281:Ann Arbor
258:Paramount
238:signed on
954:ProQuest
852:ProQuest
829:ProQuest
763:ProQuest
448:, Alpena
386:, Adrian
273:Manistee
122:Art Deco
95:Michigan
71:Michigan
25:Industry
490:Allegan
400:Pontiac
338:Gallery
89:in the
49:Detroit
35:Founder
956:
931:
854:
831:
765:
650:
431:Owosso
330:Legacy
260:. The
212:Boston
132:, and
118:Alpena
416:Ionia
223:Flint
929:ISBN
648:ISSN
256:and
235:WJRT
203:and
116:and
1051:at
644:145
275:'s
254:RKO
227:WJR
136:.
93:of
1064::
1023:.
974:.
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864:^
808:.
783:.
736:.
708:.
694:^
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666:^
642:.
638:.
622:^
601:.
590:^
326:.
128:,
124:,
109:.
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937:.
912:.
858:.
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660:.
616:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
