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{{Short description|American writer and historian}}
{{otherpersons|Ben Hall}}
{{other people|Ben Hall}}
{{refimprove|date=November 2007}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2007}}
'''Ben M. Hall''' (1921-1970) was an author and theater historian. His 1960 book, ''The Best Remaining Seats'', was a seminal work in the history of theaters. It was the first to survey the origins and architecture of America's [[movie palace]]s, the palatial cinemas built between the 1910s and the 1940s to showcase the films of Hollywood's major studios.
'''Ben M. Hall''' (1921-1970) was an American author and theater historian. His 1961 book, ''The Best Remaining Seats'',<ref>{{cite book |last=Hall |first=Ben M. |date=1961 |title=The Best Remaining Seats: The Story of the Golden Age of the Movie Palace |publisher=[[Crown Publishing Group|Clarkson N. Potter]]}}</ref> was a seminal work in the history of theaters. It was the first to survey the origins and architecture of America's [[movie palace]]s, the palatial cinemas built between the 1910s and the 1940s to showcase the films of Hollywood's major studios.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Ernest |last=Callenbach |author-link=Ernest Callenbach |date=July 1, 1963 |url=https://online.ucpress.edu/fq/article-abstract/16/4/61/37955/Review-The-Best-Remaining-Seats-The-Story-of-the?redirectedFrom=fulltext |title=Book Reviews |journal=[[Film Quarterly]] |volume=16 |issue=4 |page=61 |doi=10.2307/3185966
|jstor=3185966 }}</ref>


In 1969, Hall founded the [[Theatre Historical Society of America]].
In 1969, Hall founded the [[Theatre Historical Society of America]].


Born and raised in the South, Hall resided in [[Manhattan]], near the Hudson River, at 181 [[Christopher Street (Manhattan)|Christopher Street]] in [[Greenwich Village]]. He lived in the upper two floors of a former steamship company. He was murdered there in December, 1970, just short of his 49th birthday. <ref>[http://www2.hawaii.edu/~angell/thsa/hallbio.html Levin, Steve. "Ben M. Hall, the Founding Fatha of THS," ''Marquee'', Vol. 31 No. 1, first quarter, 1999.]</ref>
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Ben Hall resided in [[Manhattan]], near the Hudson River, at 181 [[Christopher Street (Manhattan)|Christopher Street]] in [[Greenwich Village]]. He lived in the upper two floors of a former steamship company. He was murdered there in December, 1970, just short of his 49th birthday.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cl-gxCKc8RaJGEhBz45CD8m2nwHQXdFK/view?usp=sharing&usp=embed_facebook|title=Ben M. Hall 1921 - 1970: The Founding Fatha of THS |work=Marquee |date=1999 |volume=31 |issue=1 |via=Google Docs |access-date=March 22, 2019}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55935355/the-atlanta-constitution/ |date=December 18, 1970 |title=Benjamin Hall is Found Slain in New York; Atlanta Author |journal=[[The Atlanta Constitution]]}}</ref>


The following is excerpted from his obituary in the [[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|''Atlanta Constitution'']] of December 18, 1970:<ref name=":0" />
==Founding letter==


{{quote|Benjamin M. Hall III, 48-year-old author&nbsp;... was born in Atlanta and was active in the [[Boy Scouts of America|Boy Scouts]] when he attended Druid Hills High School in DeKalb County. He attended [[Millsaps College]] in Jackson, Miss., and graduated cum laude from the [[UNC School of Media and Journalism|University of North Carolina School of Journalism]].  He was a member of [[Kappa Sigma|Kappa Sigma Fraternity]].
Hall founded the Theatre Historical Society of America by circulating the following letter:


An infantry captain during World War II, he later worked for Doubleday Publishing Co.  He joined [[Time (magazine)|Time Magazine]] in New York, working from 1956 to 1962 as a promotion copy writer and from 1962 to 1965 as a staff writer.  He also served as managing editor of Show Magazine.
:February 10, 1969


Hall was the author of the book "The Best Remaining Seats," a history of the golden age of the movie palace, published in 1961.  His interest in the subject was reflected in the furnishings of his apartment – murals from a Manhattan Loew's theatre, an electric foyer fountain, a two-manual theatre organ, and a pianola.
:Dear Friend,


Just prior to the slaying, Hall had completed a biography of composer [[Cole Porter]].  He was working as a free-lance writer at the time of his death.
:Does this letterhead appeal to you? Well, let me tell you more!


Contacted Wednesday night in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Hall's mother, Mrs. Ben M. Hall, said her son had telephoned her last Friday to tell of plans for an eight-page article on "The Best Remaining Seats" in [[Life (magazine)|Life Magazine]]. [The article ran in ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine on February 19, 1971.]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3lMEAAAAMBAJ|title=''Life''|date=19 February 1971 }}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=August 2021}}
:For a long time some of us have talked about forming a club that would foster our interest in the fast-vanishing motion picture theatre and all the wonderful things that used to happen in it. I am delighted to be able to report that someone is finally doing something about it. My longtime friend, Brother Andrew Corsini Fowler, has decided that it is time for action and he, together with a bunch of hard-core theatre buffs from all parts of the country, have had our heads together (perhaps it would be more honest to say that Andy has knocked them together) and come up with an idea.


"He had a marvelous sense of humor about him." Said Mrs. Hall, "and he wrote entertainingly as well as accurately."
:We are forming the Theatre Historical Society. The name is purposely all-purpose; though we all love movie palaces best, deep down we share an appreciation for any place where people are entertained in rows of seats - from nickelodeons to the newest Kultur Komplexes - in other words, all kinds of theatres and auditoriums. But in case you have misgivings, our main concern will be those picture pagodas of fragrant memory with the jeweled curtains the fountained goldfish, the rising [[orchestras]] (and falling [[organists]]), the tinkling tap shoes, the gold-braided ushers, the rose-budded cashiers, the yapping wonder dogs, the chirping Sunkist Beauties, the Antarctic [[air conditioning]] (and the frost-bitten [[Marquee (sign)|marquees]]),the clouds in the ceiling, and the silvery [[Magnascope]] screens where "The End" used to ripple on the peanut curtain as it closed in for the organlogue. Remember...?


Hall is survived by his parents, Ben M. Hall, a retired Atlanta architect, and Mrs. Hall, both of New Smyrna Beach; and a sister, Mrs. Rhea T. Eskew of Atlanta.
:The Theatre Historical Society will have a magazine called ''Marquee'' (that's the logo Lester Glassner has designed for us at the top of this page) which will be published six times a year ... on a modest scale at first., more lavishly and more frequently as we get rolling. It will be filled with pictures and articles on every phase of movie palace lore -- portfolios of tantalizing newspaper ads, articles on everything from how to build your own model [[movie palace]], how a Publix seat indicator works, how to operate the Brenkert F-7 Master Brenograph, to what to do in case of a stink bomb attack; picture stories on leading theatre [[architects]] (maybe special issues devoted to the work of one man); reports on everything from the animal rooms on the Keith Circuit to the hospital facilities in the super-palaces. The possibilities are endless.


An Atlanta funeral is planned.}}
:The editor of MARQUEE will be Brother Andrew, and there is no one in the country more dedicated or more knowledgeable when it comes to our favorite subject. Frank Cronican has volunteered to be treasurer of the Society; Frank is one of the nation's most skillful model builders and is presently re-creating Chicago's Avalon Theatre in his basement (besides, he has an honest face). A board of directors will be elected later; meanwhile we need lots of help from people like you. For my part, I will sit on a side aisle and give lots of free advice to everybody, and contribute a regular column called "Around The Circuit" as well as an article from time to time. Your contributions, in the form of stories, photographs, "memorabilia" and suggestions will always be welcome.


Hall's funeral was planned to be held "Saturday, Dec. 19, 1970 at 2 o'clock at All Saints Episcopal Church in Atlanta." "As pallbearers, Mr. Robert T. Eskew, Mr. Alex M. Hitz Jr., Mr. Joseph Patton {{sic}}, Mr. Charles E. Freeman, Jr., Dr. Marvous Mosteller, and Mr. George C. Woelper."<ref>{{Cite journal|date=19 December 1970|title=Hall|journal=The Atlanta Constitution}}</ref>  
:For those of us who are members of A.T.O.E., membership in T.H.S. should entail no conflict of interest -- simply an extension of a special enthusiasm. MARQUEE plans to limit its concern with theatre organs to their consoles, grilles, players and presentation -- all externals in a manner of speaking - and at the same time hopes THEATRE ORGAN BOMBARDE will continue with its wonderful "Acre of Seats in a Palace of Splendor" feature. And subscribers to the CONSOLE need have no fear of cross-purposes in the pages of MARQUEE; there is enough material on theatres to keep everybody fascinated for years to come.

:I would like to invite you to join with us in this interesting and worthwhile venture by becoming a Founding Member of The Theatre Historical Society. In return, we need three things from you: (1) A check for $10.00. (2) A list of names and addresses of people you think would like to join the Society as regular members (dues are $5.00 which includes the first six issues of MARQUEE). (3) Your comments, ideas and suggestions on how the Society and MARQUEE can best serve us all in our mutual and rather unique interest. This last request is very important as it gives you a chance to help guide the club in its formative period.

:I hope you will join in the fun. Send your check for $10.00 made out to The Theatre Historical Society, your prospective-member list, and your comments to me at 181 Christopher Street, New York, N.Y. 10014. Please do it this week. We want to get the first issue of MARQUEE out as soon as possible, and we need your support before that can happen.

:With best remaining wishes,

:Ben M. Hall


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
* [http://www2.hawaii.edu/~angell/thsa/founding.html#letter Letter to Founding Members]
* [http://catalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?v1=2&ti=1,2&Search%5FArg=best%20remaining%20seats&Search%5FCode=TKEY%5E%2A&CNT=100&PID=HIGt8mCoBf4QuYYRbipPgmcw&SEQ=20080918033756&SID=1 Library of Congress - Best Remaining Seats]


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.historictheatres.org Theatre Historical Society of America]
* [https://historictheatres.org/ Theatre Historical Society of America]

{{Authority control}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Hall, Ben M.
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1921
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 1970
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Ben M.}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Ben M.}}
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:1970 deaths]]
[[Category:1970 deaths]]
[[Category:American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media alumni]]

Latest revision as of 20:49, 30 May 2024

For other people named Ben Hall, see Ben Hall (disambiguation).

Ben M. Hall (1921-1970) was an American author and theater historian. His 1961 book, The Best Remaining Seats,[1] was a seminal work in the history of theaters. It was the first to survey the origins and architecture of America's movie palaces, the palatial cinemas built between the 1910s and the 1940s to showcase the films of Hollywood's major studios.[2]

In 1969, Hall founded the Theatre Historical Society of America.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Ben Hall resided in Manhattan, near the Hudson River, at 181 Christopher Street in Greenwich Village. He lived in the upper two floors of a former steamship company. He was murdered there in December, 1970, just short of his 49th birthday.[3][4]

The following is excerpted from his obituary in the Atlanta Constitution of December 18, 1970:[4]

Benjamin M. Hall III, 48-year-old author ... was born in Atlanta and was active in the Boy Scouts when he attended Druid Hills High School in DeKalb County. He attended Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., and graduated cum laude from the University of North Carolina School of Journalism.  He was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

An infantry captain during World War II, he later worked for Doubleday Publishing Co.  He joined Time Magazine in New York, working from 1956 to 1962 as a promotion copy writer and from 1962 to 1965 as a staff writer.  He also served as managing editor of Show Magazine.

Hall was the author of the book "The Best Remaining Seats," a history of the golden age of the movie palace, published in 1961.  His interest in the subject was reflected in the furnishings of his apartment – murals from a Manhattan Loew's theatre, an electric foyer fountain, a two-manual theatre organ, and a pianola.

Just prior to the slaying, Hall had completed a biography of composer Cole Porter.  He was working as a free-lance writer at the time of his death.

Contacted Wednesday night in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Hall's mother, Mrs. Ben M. Hall, said her son had telephoned her last Friday to tell of plans for an eight-page article on "The Best Remaining Seats" in Life Magazine. [The article ran in Life magazine on February 19, 1971.][5][failed verification]

"He had a marvelous sense of humor about him." Said Mrs. Hall, "and he wrote entertainingly as well as accurately."

Hall is survived by his parents, Ben M. Hall, a retired Atlanta architect, and Mrs. Hall, both of New Smyrna Beach; and a sister, Mrs. Rhea T. Eskew of Atlanta.

An Atlanta funeral is planned.

Hall's funeral was planned to be held "Saturday, Dec. 19, 1970 at 2 o'clock at All Saints Episcopal Church in Atlanta." "As pallbearers, Mr. Robert T. Eskew, Mr. Alex M. Hitz Jr., Mr. Joseph Patton [sic], Mr. Charles E. Freeman, Jr., Dr. Marvous Mosteller, and Mr. George C. Woelper."[6]  

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Hall, Ben M. (1961). The Best Remaining Seats: The Story of the Golden Age of the Movie Palace. Clarkson N. Potter.
  2. ^ Callenbach, Ernest (July 1, 1963). "Book Reviews". Film Quarterly. 16 (4): 61. doi:10.2307/3185966. JSTOR 3185966.
  3. ^ "Ben M. Hall 1921 - 1970: The Founding Fatha of THS". Marquee. 1999. Retrieved March 22, 2019 – via Google Docs.
  4. ^ a b "Benjamin Hall is Found Slain in New York; Atlanta Author". The Atlanta Constitution. December 18, 1970.
  5. ^ "Life". 19 February 1971.
  6. ^ "Hall". The Atlanta Constitution. 19 December 1970.
[edit]
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