United Artists Theatres

Beautifully engraved Certificate from the famous United Artists Theatre Circuit, Inc issued no later than 1954. This historic document was printed by the American Banknote Company and has an ornate border around it with a vignette of a partially clothed allegorical woman. This item has the printed signature of the Company's President, Dennis F. O'Brien and is over 51 years old.





History from Old Company Research (Oldcompany.com):

UNITED ARTISTS THEATRE CIRCUIT, INC.: Incorporated under laws of Maryland, May 22, 1926, to acquire motion picture theatres. Has ten-year preferential contract with United Artists Corp.(founded by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks) to exhibit pictures produced by latter corporation. Operates a chain of 16 theatres located in Baltimore (4), Chicago (1), Columbus, 0. (2), Detroit (1), Hollywood (1), Los Angeles (1), New York (2), Pittsburgh (2), Portland, Ore. (1) and Louisville (1). United Artists Theatres of California, Ltd. is a subsidiary owning theatres in various sections of California.

MANAGEMENT: OFFICERS: J. M. Schenck, Chairman and Pres.; Lee Shubert, D. F. O'Brien, Vice-Pres.; H. D. Buckley, Vice-Pres. and Gen. Mgr.; B. S. Nayfack, Sec. and Treas.; A. M. Georger, Compt. DIRECTORS: J. M. Schenck, Los Angeles; H. D. Buckley, D. F. O'Brien, W. P. Philips, Lee Shubert, New York; B. S. Nayfack, Brooklyn, N. Y.; A. H. Frisch, Nathan Burkan, J. H. Moskowitz. GENERAL AUDITORS: Haskins & Sells. ANNUAL MEETING: Fourth Monday in Nov. at Baltimore. STATUTORY OFFICH: Baltimore, Md, EXECUTIVE OFFICE: 729 Seventh Ave., New York,

In 1919, an era when most women didn't even work, Mary Pickford cofounded United Artists with Douglas Fairbanks, his friend Charlie Chaplain, and her old boss D.W. Griffith. United Artists Theatre Circuit was never part of United Artists Corporation. It was planned as such by Joseph Schenck, CEO of United Artists at the time it was founded, but UA's owners (including Mary Pickford and Charles Chaplin) were against becoming involved in exhibition. They gave Schenck permission to use the name United Artists, but it was an entirely separate company, with Schenck as its largest stockholder. United Artists Corporation was not a party to the Federal Anti-Trust Decree, which applied only to the "Big Five" that did own both theatres and studios--Loew's, Inc., Paramount, 20th Century-Fox, Warner Brothers, and RKO.

United Artists Theatre Circuit, Inc is owned by the Regal Entertainment Group who is the largest motion picture exhibitor in the world. The Company's theatre circuit, comprising Regal Cinemas, United Artists Theatres and Edwards Theatres, operates 6,463 screens in 555 locations in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Regal operates approximately 18% of all indoor screens in the United States including theatres in 43 of the top 50 U.S. markets and growing suburban areas.