The Manor, which opened in 1922, was designed by Harry S. Bair, who did a number of theaters around here (including the Regent, now the Kelly-Strayhorn in East Liberty). As the caption says, it was “a distinct departure from the conventional,” and the Tudor half-timbering of the exterior advertised the sumptuous club-like atmosphere of the interior. Today the exterior has been simplified, and the building expanded, but it still feels like an outpost of Merrie England on Murray Avenue.
This gable on the Darlington Road side of the building still preserves all its intricate diagonal brickwork and half-timbering.
These little chimneys should have their own separate landmark status.
Almost nothing remains of the original interior, though the Manor is still a movie house, now divided into four small theaters. Originally, the lobby was a feast of luxurious furniture and decoration.
And that was just the entrance lobby. If you were meeting someone or just waiting for something, you could retire to the parlor:
There was also a men’s club room with the atmosphere of an old English manor:
After all that, movies seem almost superfluous, but the auditorium was just as luxurious as the rest of the building:
Old Pa Pitt particularly likes the arrangement of tropical plants in the orchestra pit.
Today, although the Manor is still a very pleasant place to take in a movie, almost nothing is left of that sumptuous interior except a bit of ceiling and this fine chandelier:
The 1922 pictures all came from a two-page feature in Moving Picture World for August 5, 1922, and we reprint the text of the article here (making a few silent typographic corrections).
Squirrel Hill’s Manor Has the Atmosphere of a Country Club
The Manor Theatre, recently opened by James B. Clark, of Rowland and Clark Theatres, is situated at the corner of Forbes and Murray streets, on Squirrel Hill, the new residential section of Pittsburgh.
After a profound study of the location, Mr. Clark and his architect, H. S. Bair, decided on the old English school of architecture, with a blending of the Elizabethan and Tudor styles. As a result, the house, the exterior of which does not resemble the conventional picture theatre, harmonizes with the surrounding handsome residences.
The residents of Squirrel Hill have appreciated this thoughtfulness on the part of Mr. Clark, which has been shown by their attendance since its doors were thrown open, while the beauty of the new theatre has attracted patrons from distant parts of the city.
The Manor is constructed entirely of fireproof material and has a seating capacity of 1,500, the greater part of which is accommodated on the first floor. There is a handsome mezzanine floor, which lends balance to the interior.
The auditorium is one of the most spacious in Pittsburgh. The foyer is of imitation caen stone. Heavy velour draperies, set in full-height panels, embellish the walls, while grouped about are settees, chairs, standing lamps and other fixtures. The foyer floor is of marble. An innovation in the construction of the auditorium is its oval shape, which becomes circular at the front of the house, where the screen is located.
Novel Window Effects
A novelty in the Manor’s construction is the window effect which has been worked over each of the eight exit doors on either side. Color lighting effects set in back of glazed sash give the audience the impression of looking out into daylight. Spaced between the exit doors along the walls are recessed radiators, screened by ornamental cast-iron grills set in wood frames. Mounted thereon are attractive mirrors with counter-sunk bevels set in ornamental design of gold and polychrome decoration. The wall-panels are formed of ornamental plaster and stucco work.
The parlor, at the rear of the auditorium, where patrons may rest or wait for their friends, is fitted with a fireplace and equipped with large cushion settees, cozy chairs, standing lamps and tables. Leading from the parlor are rest rooms, at one side for ladies and at the other for men. From the auditorium, a stairway leads to the mezzanine, which contains the lounge room, the projection room and additional seating capacity.
The lounge room is equipped with a rough red title floor, an old English stone mantel with hand-irons and logs, and is finished in dark oak woodwork. This room, exclusively for the use of men patrons, presents a cozy appearance, and is furnished with easy chairs and large settees.
Typhoon Ventilation
The ventilation is provided by two sets of nine-foot Typhoon fans set in the roof space over the auditorium. These have a capacity of 275,000 cubic feet per minute. The vacuum cleaner system was installed by the American Radiator Company and the heating and ventilating systems by Sauers & Company, of Pittsburgh, according to ideas furnished by Architect Bair.
The rich carpets, floor coverings and rugs were especially designed for the house. These, as well as the draperies, hangings and tapestries, were furnished by Kaufman & Baer Company, of Pittsburgh. The automatic curtain machine, which was supplied by the E. J. Vallen Company, of Akron, O., and is controlled from the projection room, is a model of its kind.
The direct and indirect lighting systems were installed by the Beardsley Company, of Chicago, which company was also responsible for the lighting fixtures that grace the ceiling and walls.
The projection room, located in the mezzanine floor, measures 10 feet 6 inches by 17 feet over all and contains two Simplex projectors and a Haertner transverter. The theatre is equipped with a full set of dimmers. All this equipment, including arc controls and screen, was supplied by Hollis, Smith, Morton Company, of Pittsburgh. The lobby equipment was especially designed by the architect.
