Beautifully engraved certificate from the Fox Theatres Corporation issued in 1931. This historic document was printed by the American Banknote Company and has an ornate border around it with a vignette of an allegorical woman and child with a lion. This item is hand signed by the Company's Vice President and Secretary and is over 74 years old.
Certificate Vignette FOX THEATRES CORPORATION (History from 1930) Controlled by General Theatres Equipment, Inc.) History: Incorporated in New York, Nov. 5, 1925, as an operating and holding company. Owns controlling stock or is otherwise interested in a number of subsidiaries, which in turn own and operate theatres throughout United States. Acquired interests owned by William Fox and associates in companies and joint ventures owning, leasing or operating motion picture theatres, and sites for motion picture theatres as follows: City Theatre Co. City Theatre, New York Wm. Fox Realty Co. Academy of Music, 14th St., New York Wm. Fox Theatre Co. American Theatre. Paterson, N.J. Fox Varieties Co. Folly Theatre, Brooklyn, N. Y. Wm. Fox Isis Investments Co. Isis Theatre, Denver, Colo. Wm. Fox Amusement Co. Springfield Theatre, Springfield Star Theatre, New York Wm. Fox Plaza Amusement Co. Plaza Theatre, Denver, Colo. Fox Theatre Corp. Ridgewood Theatre, B'klyn, N.Y. Wm. Fox Exhibitions Inc. Terminal Theatre, Newark, N. J. Wm. Fox, Inc. Washington Theatre, Detroit Wm. Fox Play Co. Real Estate Holding, Springfield, Mass. Trepark Realty Co. Real Estate Holding, New York B'way & 165th St. Realty Co Audubon Theatre, New York Avenue Amusement Co. Crotona Theatre, New York Wm. Fox Elizabeth Theatre Co Inc. Liberty Theatre, Elizabeth, N. J. Phoenix Amusement Co. Washington Theatre, New York Jamaica Theatre Co. Jamaica Theatre, Jamaica, N. Y. Broadway Varieties Co. Nemo Theatre, New York Erway & 96th St. Realty Co Riverside Theatre, New York 97th St. & B'way Realty Co Riviera Theatre & Japanese Gardens, New York Flatbush Ave. & Nevins St. Corp. Fox Theatre and Office 13uilding, Brooklyn Colwood Co. Fox Theatre and Office Building, Detroit, Mich. Theatre Realty Co. Fox Theatre and Office Building, St. Louis, Mo. In Dec. 1925, leased for 35 years theatre portion of National Press Bldg., Washington, D. C., with a seating capacity of 3,600 persons. In 1926, company arranged for construction of G theatres in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit, St. Louis, Brooklyn and Newark, N. J., all of which were completed early in 1928. Company owns 50% interest in theatre in Buffalo, N. Y. In March, 1927, acquired control of Roxy Circuit, Inc., through which company controls Roxy Theatre Corp., operating Roxy Theatre in New York, seating 6,200, and the Roxy Uptown and Roxy Mansion theatres property. In July, 1928, purchased Poli chain of motion picture theatres in New England, with aggregate seating capacity of about 45,000. In Mar., 1929, formed Fox Metropolitan Playhouses, Inc., to acquire about 200 theatres in New York, .New Jersey and Connecticut. In Mar., 1929, acquired substantial interest in Loew's, Inc. through purchase of stock, which stock was subsequently given to Fox Film Corp. Acquisitions during 1929 included Walter Reade Enterprises, operating 15 theatres, principally in New York and New Jersey; Schine Chain Theatres, Inc., operating 98 theatres in New York and Ohio; a chain of 20 theatres in Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico, and Consolidated Amusement Co. and Mid-West Theatres, comprising 40 theatres in Kansas and Missouri. Company also acquired a 21-year lease on two theatres in Niagara Falls, and in Mar., 1930, purchased two theatres in Herrin and two in Murphysboro, Ill. Company's subsidiary, Fox-Metropolitan Playhouses Corp., acquired in 1929 two theatres in South Buffalo, a 21-year lease on a theatre in Nutley, N. J., and a site for a theatre in Hackensack, N. J. Fox Theatres Corp. plans the construction during 1930 of 24 theatres in the far western states. In Oct., 1929, a subsidiary, Fox Ohio Theatres Corp., was formed in Ohio with a capital of 50,000 no par shares. New Control: In Apr., 1930, control of the company was acquired by General Theatres Equipment, Inc., through the purchase of the entire 100,000 shares of class B voting stock formerly owned by William Fox and associates. In connection with the refinancing of Fox Film Corp. and Fox Theatres Corp. on the acquisition of control of these two companies by General Theatres Equipment, Inc., Fox Theatres Corp. received from Fox Film Corp. 1,600,000 shares of its class A stock and about $27,000,000 cash in return for 660,000 shares of Loew, Inc. stock which it held. In turn Fox Theatres Corp. sold the Fox Film Corp. class A stock to General Theatres Equipment, Inc. at $30 per share. The cash received by Fox Theatres Corp. is sufficient to liquidate certain current liabilities, including $26,000,000 due in connection with the acquisition of various investments and $15,000,000 due Electrical Research Laboratories. Previous to this financing two other plans of reorganization affecting both the Film corporation and the Theatres corporation were proposed, one by Halsey, Stuart & Co. and the other by a group consisting of Bancamerica Blair Corp., Lehman Bros. and Dillon, Read & Co. Both plans involved an issue of $40,000,000 '7% debentures by Fox Theatres Corp. to be sold to Fox Film Corp., but due to litigation, neither plan was adopted, and the debentures were neverr issued. Management: OFFICERS: H. L. Clarke, Pres.; S. E. Rogers, Vice-Pres. and Gen. Counsel; 0. S. Oldknow, Exec. Vice-Pres.; Harry Arthur, Gen. Mgr. A. Thomas, V. President. DIRECTORS: William Fox, S. E. Rogers, Bob Kerstein, H. L. Clarke, David Lee Adams, A. F. Lafrentz, S. W. Fordyse, R. C. Winmill, W. R. Sheehan, C. B. Stuart, W. R. Herrick. GENERAL AUDITORS: Touche, Niven & Co. ANNUAL MEETING: February 15. OFFICE: 850 Tenth Ave., New York.