George Kerasotes
George Kerasotes (March 27, 1911 - March 15, 2001) was an American theatre owner and former head of Theatre Owners of America.[1] During his time with Kerasotes Theatres, he helped to bring the operation from three local theaters to 550 Midwestern theatres.[1]
Life
George Gus Kerasotes was born in 1911 in Springfield, Illinois, the son of Gus Kerasotes and Flora Staikos Kerasotes. He went to school in Springfield, Illinois.
Kerasotes's Parents (Gus Kerasotes and his wife from Sparta, Greece, Flora Staikos Kerasotes) were among the first Greek Americans to build Motion Picture Movie Theatres. They lived at 517 East Miller Street, Springfield, Illinois till their deaths. They started a candy-store with their friends, The Coutrakons (See SangamonLink.org for specifics -- Here is the link: http://sangamoncountyhistory.org/wp/?p=1889 ) on 214 S. Sixth Street, Springfield, Illinois. A candy-store-turned nickelodeon in Springfield was the starting point for what for a time was the sixth-largest theater chain in the U.S. Brothers Gus (1873-1960) and Louis Kerasotes, both Greek immigrants, converted Gus’s confectionery at 214 S. Sixth St. into the Royal theater in 1909. The brothers opened the Savoy three years later, and the Strand, which offered the first organ accompaniment for silent films, went into business in 1921. Kerasotes bought the Gaiety theater in the 500 block of East Monroe Street in 1929 and renamed it the Senate. Sons George, John, Nicholas and Louis all joined the company in following years. Gus and Flora went to Hollywood, California to buy and book films for the year. They met all the heads of the Studios. The Studios were all The Motion Picture Industries Production Companies or Corporations and their Distribution Corporations or Companies. Theatre Owners had to go to Hollywood to the Motion Picture Corporations like Warners, MGM, Columbia, Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount, et cetera to meet with their Presidents in order to buy and book films for their movie theatres or nickelodeons. Motion Picture Presidents & Their Wives; Stars; Directors; and, their people were the people they had to meet, confer, and to do business with. The Stars of the Motion Picture Companies or Corporations were under contract and Motion Picture Movie Stars and were sometimes under contract to attend or visit the movie theatre or nickelodeon to promote the film's openings, etc. They also were sometimes required to attend the theatre owners homes for Lavish Parties. These were given for the Stars and the theatre owners' guests. Sometimes, the stars, producers, directors, casts, and others came. They sometimes attended the premieres or openings of their newest films, movies, in person and presented it (their films or movies) or them.
Later when Kerasotes was older and became President of Gus's Businesses, he built his business into the largest privately owned motion picture movie theatre business and/or company in the world with more theatres privately owned than anyone. He later had built a screening room in his Lake Springfield, Illinois, The Kerasotes's Lake House was at 60 East Hazel Dell Lane, Lake Springfield, Illinois. He and his lovely wife Marjorie then began entertaining the studios, their Presidents and owners and peoples and their stars, directors, and others, at their home on the lake, by having formal parties and showing the newest films in his basement Screening Room. Michael and Robert were in attendance after 1950 and 1952. The Motion Picture Presidents, Stars, Directors, Casts, Staffs and others adored this! They especially adored Michael. "If it weren't for Michael," Gus (Kerasotes's Grandfather Gus Kerasotes) said, "The people wouldn't come." "Me and my wife, Flora, introduced him (Michael, Kerasotes's oldest son) to Hollywood and after all and we must have done a perfect job George, for they adore him (Kerasotes's eldest son Michael) and said they would not come to present their shows nor let us buy them unless Michael (Kerasotes's oldest son) was there." "Right, Flora?" and Gus Kerasotes (Kerasotes's Grandfather) with his wife, Flora, who would answer "Yes Gus, that is 'The God's Honest Truth!'" Everyone loved it. Especially The Movie Stars! Lavish Parties, Lavish Affairs, Catered Dinners, Private Parties with Special Guests were the Standard!
[For Verification: Dave the Historian of the Everett Main Public Library of the Everett Public Library System in Everett, Washington, USA can attest to the fact that this is the truth. He after all sat on his friend's lap - the lady who owned all the movie theatres in Everett - and she would tell him the stories of her days when movie stars came to her lake house and were entertained by her. Addie Lee Pickus Chase can also verify this as her father Albert Pickus owned theatres in Connecticut and she said Movie Stars came to their home and theatres in Stratford, Connecticut also.]
During Kerasotes's Years as President of TOA (Theatre Owners of America) and NATO (National Association of Theatre Owners) he held Lavish Parties at Conventions in New York, in Chicago, in Los Angeles, and in Miami, et cetera to give the Star of The Year Awards out to the Stars that brought in the biggest box office gross to the whole theatre owners systems. See: kerasotes.wordpress.com for photos of George presenting [like] Miss Doris Day her Star of The Year Award!
Earlier, Kerasotes had graduated from High School in Springfield, Illinois, and, then went on to Champaign, Illinois to study Law. He obtained his business and law degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois.
In 1947, on December 27, he married his wife Marjorie Marie Rourke.[1][2]
He studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.[3]
George Gus Kerasotes worked alongside his brothers (Nicholas, Louis and John) and his father, Gus Kerasotes, and his uncle Louis Kerasotes, in the movie theatre business, working for Kerasotes Theatres, Inc.[1][4] Then in, 1960 when his father Gus Kerasotes died, he became president of the companies. George, Marjorie, Michael and Robert were the owners of several of the companies including Kerasotes Rialto, Inc. [Please see 'Who's Who in America' 1960 for all those details] GKC, Inc., GKC Theatres and GKC Beverages were owned by George, Marjorie, Michael & Robert, until Robert and Michael were bought out.[2]
Kerasotes' son, Michael Patrick Kerasotes, had his grandfather's building "Kerasotes Building" of Springfield, Illinois Landmarked, Registered, and Placed on the National Historic Registry of Historic Places and Buildings: United States National Register of Historic Places listings. See: http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/pdfs/200162.pdf & http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/hargis/Reports/PropertyInformationReport.aspx?refnum=112371.
(Dear Mr. Kerasotes: I am pleased to inform you that the Kerasotes Building at 104 North Sixth Street in Springfield is already listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property to the Central Springfield Historic District. Here is a copy of the nomination form: http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/pdfs/200162.pdf. The nomination recently has been updated. Once the updated version is approved by the National Park Service, I can send you a copy if you like. We had an older photograph of the building in our database that I thought might interest you: http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/hargis/Reports/PropertyInformationReport.aspx?refnum=112371. Please feel free to contact me if you have additional questions. I would be happy to assist you. Sincerely, Amy Hathaway Survey and National Register Specialist)
Kerasotes died at the age of 89 after being diagnosed with Alzheimers.[1][2] His funeral was held at St. Anthony's Hellenic Greek Orthodox Church, Springfield, Illinois, which he helped to build and served as a director.[3]
Business
Along with brothers Nicholas, Louis and John Kerasotes, George Kerasotes helped build Kerasotes Theatres Inc founded in 1909 by his Greek immigrant father. Gus Kerasotes helped take Kerasotes Theatres Inc from a three-theater local operation in 1909 to a 225-theater Midwestern chain 50 years later. Kerasotes joined his father's company after earning a business degree from the University of Illinois. Kerasotes became President of the companies before his father died in 1960, in Springfield, Illinois.
Kerasotes organized one of the first theatre owner's associations. It was called the United Theatre Owners of Illinois.[4] From 1959-1960 Kerasotes was the president of the Theatre Owners of America and he served as the Chairman of the Board there from 1960-1962 which got him listed in "Who's Who in America" - "Who's Who in America" lists all the corporations the family owned and where they were.[1][4] He also worked closely with the National Association of Theatre Owners (which he founded and had permission from his friend the then President President Richard Milhouse Nixon to use the NATO Name) during the following years.[1] Kerasotes also served on the Motion Pictures Association Code Authority.[4]
He served as president of The Motion Picture Theatre Trade Organization or Trade Group - TOA or The Theatre Owners of America from 1959 to 1960 plus and chaired its board from 1960 to 1962 plus, and also held several offices (first as President, then as Chairman of the Board, and finally as Chief Financial Officer until his death) with its successor corporation, the National Association of Theatre Owners (which he founded). While Kerasotes' career spanned many advances in movie technology, it also covered the changing of the theater business from a family-run industry to one controlled by large corporations.
Then in 1985, he started his own company, George Kerasotes Corp as well as GKC Theatres Inc, which took ownership of 39 theaters formerly owned by his brothers.[1][2][4] His son, Robert Anthony Kerasotes bought out the Butterfield Theaters in Michigan and the McLendon Theaters in Texas. Robert and George merged both companies in 1987, and they are now ranked in the top 100 theatre chains in the world.[5]
Kerasotes organised one of the first theatre owner's associations; they were called the United Theatre Owners of Illinois.[4] From 1959-1960 Kerasotes was the president of the Theatre Owners of America and he served as the chairman of the board there from 1960-1962.[1][4] He also worked closely with the National Association of Theatre Owners during the following years.[1] Kerasotes also served on the Motion Pictures Association Code Authority.[4]
During his career Kerasotes was also a director of the Hellenic Golf Classic, Will Rogers Memorial Hospital and the Pioneers of America.[3]
{Note in the obituaries Elena Salvatore of Wiki London entered in here are the most important things like this: Disney and that's Walt Disney's Corporations wouldn't have made it without The Kerasotes Family Theatres running their movies as Kerasotes only ran "G" Rated films like Disney Movies and You Can't Seem to get into the Obituaries and it would be better fixed Wiki People, Please. So Kerasotes played Disney movies in their theatres from say 1900 on and The Nice Tribute to Mr. George Kerasotes by Chuck Vionne President of Buena Vista Disney wrote about Mr. George Kerasotes and Michael, his son, Had Put In the "The Hollywood Reporter" for his father after he died in April 2001 published and listed below. So that can be added in here Wiki or allow access to the obituaries by Chuck Vionne and Matthew Deitriech (spelling?) Editor of Obits in Springfield Illinois USA of The Springfield Register Newspapers and Tony Gieri's (spelling? )Obit in his "Hollywood Reporter" in April 2001, please.}
Awards
Kerasotes won such awards as the Will Rogers Outstanding Service Award in 1981 and the Variety Golden Heart Award in 1964.[3] "Please Go to Wiki Commons for the photographs of the awards George Kerasotes received that were his favorites. Search, "George Kerasotes" or "Michael Kerasotes" in The Commons for Photographs taken by his son Michael Kerasotes."
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Matthew Dietrich (March 17, 2001). "George Kerasotes dies at 89; Movie theatre owner respected nationally". The State Journal-Register.
- 1 2 3 4 Dan Craft (March 29, 2001). "Parallel lives, parallel histories". The Pantagraph.
- 1 2 3 4 "OBITUARIES". The State Journal-Register. March 17, 2001.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Natalie Boehme (April 28, 1999). "Get the picture? The Kerasotes family did". The State Journal-Register.
- ↑ "CARMIKE PLANS TO BUY MIDWEST THEATRE CHAIN; $66 MILLION DEAL FOR GKC THEATRES TO CLOSE IN MAY". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. April 20, 2005.