Draft:Louis F. Long
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Louis F. Long
[edit | edit source]Louis F. Long was an American motion picture theatre owner and operator active in Arizona during the early-to-mid 20th century. Contemporary trade publications described Long as the operator of a regional circuit of movie theatres serving communities across the state.[1] His theatre holdings were among the more extensive independent exhibition networks in Arizona during the period. Newspaper accounts reported that Long owned as many as 38 theatres.[2]
Theatre circuit
[edit | edit source]During the early to mid-20th century, Louis F. Long developed and operated a regional circuit of motion picture theatres in Arizona. Trade publications commonly referred to his holdings as the “Long circuit,” reflecting centralized ownership and management of multiple locations across the state.[3]
Long’s theatres were primarily situated in small and mid-sized communities, including mining and agricultural towns that were often underserved by national exhibition chains. Communities served included Benson, Willcox, Eloy, Florence, Coolidge, Superior, Ray, Hayden, Duncan, Pima, Bowie, Solomonsville, and Sonora.[4]
In 1938, Long, operating through the Griffith Amusement Company, announced construction of a new theatre in Eloy, Arizona; at the time, the company managed approximately 20 theatres in the state.[5]
Newspaper and trade sources indicate that at the height of its operations, the Long circuit included as many as 38 theatres, making it one of the larger independent exhibition networks in Arizona during the period.[6]
The El Rio Theatre, originally known as the Apache Theatre, is reported to be Arizona's oldest continuously operating adobe movie theatre, built in 1915. [7] It was once owned by the Long Theatre Chain.
Operations
[edit | edit source]Long’s theatres typically exhibited first-run and subsequent-run feature films distributed by major Hollywood studios. Like many regional circuits of the era, operations relied on the physical circulation of film prints between locations.
Legal and trade disputes
[edit | edit source]In 1938, trade publication Boxoffice reported that Long and managers of several theatres in his circuit were named in copyright infringement actions alleging unauthorized "bicycling" of film prints. Such disputes were common within the motion picture exhibition industry during the period.
Known theatre locations
[edit | edit source]The following communities are documented in trade and newspaper sources as having theatres operated by Long:
- Benson
- Willcox
- Eloy
- Florence
- Coolidge
- Superior
- Ray
- Hayden
- Duncan
- Pima
- Bowie
- Solomonsville
- Sonora
- Springerville
References
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External links
[edit | edit source]- [Historic image of the El Rio Theatre, Library of Congress](https://www.loc.gov/item/lccn-XXXXXX/)