I recently ran across this photo of a late 20's - early 30's ambulance which was used to promote attendance at a 1932 movie called "Doctor X", which was touted to be "the greatest thriller ever screened". 
The banner on the side of the ambulance reads, "This ambulance is to carry patrons home from the Ben-Ali who can't stand the excitement seeing 'Doctor X'." Apparently the theatre's name was Ben-Ali and the photo shows attendants loading a patient for the publicity shot. An enlargement of the photo shows a plaque on the side of the ambulance reading "Lowe and Barber". The photo is from Lexington, Kentucky.
Doctor X was a film which came out in 1932 starring Fay Wray and Lee Tracy and the following year Fay Wray appeared in the original "King Kong."
The owner of the Ben Ali Theatre was obviously big into promotions - note the man on stilts in front of the theatre.
Here's what the front of the theatre looked like "back in the day."
Here's the "Iron Man" which they used to promote upcoming films:
The theatre was built in 1913 and was named for local businessman and horse breeder James Ben Ali Haggin, who owned Elmendorf Farm and built Green Hills mansion on that property. Legend has it that Haggin decided to build the theater after his wife was denied her favorite seat at the Lexington Opera House due to overbooking. Haggin and Berryman formed the Berryman Realty Company and capitalized the venture with $120,000 in common and preferred stock. New York City architect W. H. McElfatrick designed the theater and Tiffany Studios handled the interior decorating. The Ben Ali was built to be a multipurpose venue, and it accommodated live theater, vaudeville acts, musical performances, as well as motion pictures in its first few months. It was torn down in 1965 for a parking lot.
The banner on the side of the ambulance reads, "This ambulance is to carry patrons home from the Ben-Ali who can't stand the excitement seeing 'Doctor X'." Apparently the theatre's name was Ben-Ali and the photo shows attendants loading a patient for the publicity shot. An enlargement of the photo shows a plaque on the side of the ambulance reading "Lowe and Barber". The photo is from Lexington, Kentucky.Doctor X was a film which came out in 1932 starring Fay Wray and Lee Tracy and the following year Fay Wray appeared in the original "King Kong."
The owner of the Ben Ali Theatre was obviously big into promotions - note the man on stilts in front of the theatre.
Here's what the front of the theatre looked like "back in the day."
Here's the "Iron Man" which they used to promote upcoming films:
The theatre was built in 1913 and was named for local businessman and horse breeder James Ben Ali Haggin, who owned Elmendorf Farm and built Green Hills mansion on that property. Legend has it that Haggin decided to build the theater after his wife was denied her favorite seat at the Lexington Opera House due to overbooking. Haggin and Berryman formed the Berryman Realty Company and capitalized the venture with $120,000 in common and preferred stock. New York City architect W. H. McElfatrick designed the theater and Tiffany Studios handled the interior decorating. The Ben Ali was built to be a multipurpose venue, and it accommodated live theater, vaudeville acts, musical performances, as well as motion pictures in its first few months. It was torn down in 1965 for a parking lot.
