This article was originally published in the Akron Beacon Journal on November 6, 1952. As a business-owner, you are always working.
Akron’s Newest Theater Designed, Operated by Guy Spayne
Akron’s only movie house to have a milk bar and “crying room” was designed by the man who operates it and works 16 hours a day, seven days a week around the theater.
The 5-year-old Lyn Theater, at Brown st. and Waterloo rd., is Akron’s newest picture house now in operation (the State is in Cuyahoga Falls). Its owner-manager, Guy Spayne, has been in the business since the days whenhe ushered at the Dayton at the age of 14.
The stocky Spayne comes from a theater family. His father, Nicholas Spayne, and uncle, Andy Martin Sr., built the Dayton in 1928. Seven years later, the pair bought the Southern and the partnership was split up with Martin keeping the Dayton. The elder Spayne has now retired, with Guy’s brother, Ray, managing the Southern.
THE LYN started out as a single feature “class” house, appealing mostly to adults. It was the last Akron theater to go over to double features, as business began falling off. Now, action pictures attract the best houses.
This is due, in no small part, to the fact that more homes are being build in the neighborhood, placing the theater in walking distance for children.
What do you think was the last picture that played to a full house at the Lyn? “Belles on Their Toes,” a film that did not do especially good business around the country in neighborhood houses. But it wasn’t the picture the people came out to see. It was to get away from the politicians on television.
That Wednesday night of the Republican National Convention found people flocking to the theaters.
SPAYNE HAS some ideas for lessening the plight of theater owners these days.
“Close up on Mondays,” he says. “Very few people go to the movies on Mondays. Costs could be cut considerably. And everybody in the theater would get the same day off.”
It’s unlikely that other theater managers, especially those at the downtown houses, would go along with Spayne on the idea although it has been talked up some in the industry. Spayne also plans to close his doors the three days before Christmas.
BORN IN Warren, Guy Spayne came to Akron when he was 9 months old when his father took an experimental machinist’s job at the old Miller Rubber Co. At 15, Guy was probably the youngest motion picture projectionist in the city.
He attended Firestone and McElbright schools and Garfield and Hower Vocational high, graduating from the latter in 1932.
Learning the machinist’s and draftman’s trades at Hower, Spayne worked in several machine shops days, while working in the theaters nights. He left the Adamson United co. in 1947 after designing the Lyn theater during his lunch hours.
NOW HE’s AT the Lyn from 9 a.m. to midnight daily. All morning long he can be seen mowing the lawn, or shoveling snow, or repairing seats, or even pushing a broom. Afternoons, he handles his advertising, booking, promotions and publicity.
The booking is done in Cleveland. It was during one of those Monday afternoon runs there that Guy and his brother were seriously injured in an auto accident last May. Guy still bears a deep scar near his right eye as a memento of the crash.
He’s really a lucky guy. Once before, at the age of 8, he almost lost the sight in that eye. The head of a hatchet flew up in his face when he was chopping wood. As it is, he has only partial vision in that eye.
Married in 1935 to the former Beatrice Buzzelli, Guy now has two boys and two girls, ranging in age from 7 to 15. The Spaynes have lived at 1378 Coventry st. the past 14 years.
He was a violin soloist at St. Paul Catholic Church at the age of 12 and had an orchestra until he was 16. But he hasn’t looked at a violin now for at least five years. — ART CULLISON.