ARTS, NEWS, & ENTERTAINMENT

See also People for info about specific individuals, such as filmmaker Richard Norman.

See also Miscellaneous Buildings for individual theater buildings.

ART

MUSIC

THEATERS & VAUDEVILLE -- Includes movie theaters

MOVIEMAKING -- MISCELLANEOUS INFO

    See also People for info about specific individuals, such as filmmaker Richard Norman.

MOVIEMAKING -- SPECIFIC FILMS

TV, RADIO, & NEWSPAPERS

MISCELLANEOUS INFO

ART

• EUGENE LOUIS CHARVOT -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "Portrait of a Lost Artist," by Charlie Patton.  Tells about the discovery of some of Eugene Louis Charvot's art in Jacksonville.  Charvot was a noted French artist, and his artwork was found in the home of his descendants.

• THE FLORIDA HIGHWAYMEN -- Website called "The Florida Highwaymen."   BACKGROUND INFO: The Highwaymen were a group of African American artists who traveled up & down Florida's east coast, painting & selling their works during the mid-1900s.  They painted what they saw during their travels.

• THE FLORIDA HIGHWAYMEN -- Info about the Florida Highwaymen from FloridaHighwaymen.com.

• FLORIDA HIGHWAYMEN -- Listen to an audio report entitled "The Highwaymen: Florida's African American Landscape Painters.  Provided by the Florida Humanities Council.  NOTE: When you get to the webpage, click on the heading "Last Month's Programs."  Keep clicking this heading until you get to the page that contains the audio report you want. 

• FLORIDA HISTORY ON THE RADIO -- Listen to an audio report entitled "Questions from the Harlem Renaissance."  Tells about key roles played by Floridians in the important African American cultural outpouring.  Provided by the Florida Humanities Council.  NOTE: When you get to the webpage, click on the heading "Last Month's Programs."  Keep clicking this heading until you get to the page that contains the audio report you want. 

MUSIC

• MUSIC HISTORY OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA -- Music history of Jacksonville and Northeast Florida.  Includes the biographies of many people.  Very informative website provided by the North Florida Music Association.

• MUSIC HISTORY OF FLORIDA -- This web page gives a summary of Florida's musical history.  Emphasis is placed on the contributions of various cultural groups.  The different cultures include those of the Native Americans, the Spanish, the French Huguenots, the British, & African Americans.  The summary is entitled ""Music and Change in Florida," by Wiley L. Housewright.  It is part of the excellent website called "Myths and Dreams: Exploring the Cultural Legacies of Florida and the Caribbean."  

• ROCK & ROLL IN FLORIDA -- Listen to an audio report entitled "Florida's Rock and Roll Heritage."  Provided by the Florida Humanities Council.  NOTE: When you get to the webpage, click on the heading "Last Month's Programs."  Keep clicking this heading until you get to the page that contains the audio report you want. 

• JAX POP MUSIC HISTORY -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "Rockin' in River City: Jacksonville's Pop Music Past is Abundant in Notable Highs, Notorious Lows," by John Carter.  Tells about some of the prominent rockers associated with the city.  Includes info about Elvis.

• JAX MUSIC LANDMARKS -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "Many of the Area's Music Landmarks No Longer Exist," by John Carter.  Tells about the buildings, parks, & cemeteries that have been associated with Jacksonville's musical history.  

• LYNYRD SKYNYRD -- See Prominent non-African Americans

• CLASSICAL MUSIC IN JAX -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "Classical Music Has Rich History in Jacksonville," by Bob Phelps.  The topics & people covered include Frederick Delius, James Weldon Johnson & J. Rosamond Johnson, Ruth Crawford Seeger, the Friday Musicale, the sisters Claudia L'Engle Adams & Mary L'Engle, and Jacksonville's orchestras.  Also provided is a music history timeline.

• LATIN DANCE, EARLY 1900S -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "Teens a Time to Tango: Latin Dance Craze Got Century Moving," by Bill Foley.  Tells about the tango dance craze in Jacksonville during the early 1900s. 

• JACKSONVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA --  The orchestra's history, from the orchestra's web site.

• "ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL" (SONG) -- Info about the Jacksonville origins of the classic fiddle song "Orange Blossom Special."  From Azstarnet.com. 

• OLD FLORIDA MUSIC -- Several Florida songs from yesteryear.  These include "Florida Glide Waltzes," "In Dear Old Sunny Florida," and the "Florida Quick Step" (dedicated to military men).   Placed online by the website "Exploring Florida: Social Studies Resources for Students & Teachers."

• PRESLEY, ELVIS -- See Prominent Non-African Americans 

THEATER & VAUDEVILLE

        -- Includes movie theaters

• VAUDEVILLE -- Thomas Fleming's memories of vaudeville in Jacksonville during the early 1900s. Provided by The Free Press.  BACKGROUND INFO:  A Jacksonville native, Thomas Fleming is an African American newspaperman. Vaudeville is a live show that consists of such specialty acts as songs, dances, comedy skits, etc.    

• "GREAT WHITE WAY" -- Info about the movie theater district in the vicinity of Forsyth Street during the mid 1900s.  From JacksonvilleStory.com.

• CASINO THEATER -- Info & pictures in regard to the Casino Theater, a movie house on Bay Street during the early to mid 1900s.

• CENTER THEATER -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "Partial collapse speeds demise of Center Theater: Downtown landmark began with vaudeville," by Tia Mitchell.  Tells about the demolition of one of the last remaining two movie palace buildings in downtown Jacksonville.  (The Florida Theater is the other.)

• FLORIDA THEATER -- A few historical facts about the theater, from the theater's website.

• FLORIDA THEATER -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "Theatre Jacksonville Turns 60," by Sharon Weightman.  Tells about the 60th anniversary of the Florida Theater building in downtown Jacksonville.  

• FLORIDA THEATER -- Info & picture in regard to the Florida Theater during the Great Depression.  From JacksonvilleStory.com.

• FLORIDA THEATER -- Additional info & picture in regard to the Florida Theater during the Great Depression.  Focuses on Christmases at the theater.  From JacksonvilleStory.com.

• FLORIDA THEATER -- Historical info from "Best Read Guide."

• FLORIDA THEATER -- A few pictures of the Florida Theater, both exterior & interior.  From a web page called "My North Florida Family."

• FLORIDA THEATER -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "Theatre Jacksonville Turns 60," by Sharon Weightman.  Tells about the 60th anniversary of the Florida Theater building in downtown Jacksonville.  The building opened in 1939.

• FLORIDA THEATER -- Info from Excursia.com.

• LITTLE THEATER IN JACKSONVILLE -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "Playing Around," by Charlie Patton.  Gives historical info about the Little Theatre in Jacksonville.  Founded in 1920, it is the nation's oldest continuously operating community theatre group.

• NORMANDY THEATER -- nfo & picture about the Normandy Drive-In Theater on the Westside during the 1950s.  From JacksonvilleStory.com.

• PALACE THEATER -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "The Palace a Fine Place to Showcase Vaudeville."  Tells about the opening of the Palace Theater in downtown Jacksonville in 1919.  The theater was to be a venue for vaudeville shows.

• RITZ THEATRE -- See Neighborhoods  (Ashley Street, Ritz Theater, etc.)

• ST. JOHNS THEATER -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "The City's Brightest Light: St. Johns Theatre Lighted Up Wartime Jacksonville," by Bill Foley. Downtown Jacksonville movie theater.

MOVIEMAKING -- MISCELLANEOUS INFO

See also People for info about specific individuals, such as filmmaker Richard Norman.

• LIST OF FLORIDA MOVIES -- Posters from movies made in Florida, "Hollywood East."  Furnished by the State of Florida.  NOTE: When you get to the web site, go to the bottom of the page for the link "The Museum's Movie Poster Collection."

• LIST OF FLORIDA MOVIES -- A list of some of the movies shot in Florida.  Compiled by Jane Anderson Jones.

• MOVIES MADE IN OR ABOUT JACKSONVILLE -- A list of Florida movies, furnished by the State of Florida.  NOTE: When you get to the web page, use your computer's search function to pinpoint the Jacksonville films. All of these films are available through the State Archives in Tallahassee, Florida.   NOTE: The Jacksonville films even include a silent movie from 1916 that starred Oliver "Babe" Hardy of Laurel & Hardy.  

• SUMMARY OF JACKSONVILLE'S MOVIE HEYDAY -- Webpage is called "When Jacksonville was Hollywood."  

• EARLY MOVIE-MAKING IN JACKSONVILLE -- From Florida History & the Arts.

• MOVIEMAKERS IN TROUBLE -- Info about the decline of moviemaking in yesteryear's Jacksonville.  From JacksonvilleStory.com.

• DEMISE OF FILM INDUSTRY -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "Why the city never got a Hard Rock," by Bill Foley.  The demise of the silent film industry in Jacksonville, beginning in 1917.

• JAX MOVIEMAKING IN 1916 -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "Millennium Moments: February 10, 1916," by Bill Foley.  Tells about the effect of moviemaking on Jacksonville in around 1916. 

• MAKING SILENT FILMS IN FLORIDA -- Info about Florida filmmaking in the silent days.  From FilmInFlorida.com.  NOTE:  When you get to this web site, go to page 64 of the document.

• PROPOSED MOVIE COLONY IN 1919 -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "Millennium Moment: Dec. 4, 1919," by Bill Foley. Tells about the efforts to build a movie colony in Jacksonville in 1919.  Plans were to use Phenix Park, an old amusement park north of Jacksonville.  

• SILENT FILM LIFE IN JAX  AND ADDITIONAL INFO ABOUT SILENT FILM LIFE IN JAX -- Two interesting pages about silent move moviemaking in Jacksonville.  Written in 1928 by Gene Gauntier, a film actress & writer.   

• MOVIEMAKER'S CHRISTMAS PARTY -- Info about a picture taken of a Kalem movie company Christmas party in about 1916.  Provided by JacksonvilleStory.com.

• MOVIEMAKING IN ST. AUGUSTINE -- StAugustine.com article entitled "Silent Films in St. Augustine," by David Nolan.  BACKGROUND INFO:  Jacksonville's neighbor, St. Augustine, also had its day in the sun.  It could boast of visits from stars & future stars ranging from Theda Bera and Ethel Barrymore to Rudolph Valentino and Billie Burke.

• TOM MIX IN JACKSONVILLE -- Info about famous cowboy Tom Mix making a silent movie in Jacksonville's Dixieland Park.  From "The Fabulous Tom Mix," by Olive Stokes Mix, with Eric Heath (1957).  Placed online by CinemaWeb.com.

• FILMING MISHAP -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "Jacksonville's Look at Reality-Based Film," by Bill Foley. Tells about a filming mishap at Pablo Beach (Jacksonville Beach) during the 1920s.  Involved a female flyer.

See also People for info about specific individuals, such as filmmaker Richard Norman.

MOVIEMAKING -- SPECIFIC MOVIES

• "THE REVENGE OF THE CREATURE" -- The Gill Man invades Jacksonville!  As a tagline from "The Revenge" screamed, "Terror is loose in the City!"  This link gives interesting details about the Jacksonville filming of a 1955 sequel to the sci-fi classic "The Creature from the Black Lagoon."  Info comes from an interview of a woman who played in the movie.  Is furnished by FilmFax.com.  NOTE:  When you get to the website, go to page 5 for the Jax info.  BACKGROUND INFO:  Most of the scenes for "The Revenge of the Creature" were filmed in Florida.  The Jacksonville locations included The Lobster House.  This popular waterfront restaurant used to be located near the south end of the Acosta Bridge.  The eatery can be clearly seen during the film, as can too the night-time skyline of Jacksonville. During the flick, the Creature lumbers into the crowded restaurant, plucks the heroine from a dance floor, and jumps back into the St. Johns River.  The movie monster may be a fish, but, during this scene, the man playing the creature almost drowned!  He had to contend with jellyfish, strong currents, a heavy suit, & blinding movie lights.  

• "REVENGE OF THE CREATURE" -- Lots of info from JacksonvilleStory.com.

• "THE REVENGE OF THE CREATURE" -- Brief info about the Jax filming of this flick.  From "Bobaloon's Forever Fifties."

• "ZAAT" -- Info from the official website for the movie named "Zaat."  BACKGROUND INFO: Zaat was a giant walking catfish with a killer personality.  Basically, he was a wannabe "Creature from the Black Lagoon."  Zaat starred in a low budget movie that was shot in the Jacksonville area in 1971 by the Jacksonville-based business, Barton Film Company.  The flick ranks as the second worse film from the 1970s, according to an extensive poll conducted by the "Internet Movie Database" (February, 2002).  It was beaten only by something called "Track of the Moon Beast."  The tall actor, Wade Popwell, played "Zaat."  He later went to work for the City of Jacksonville, rather than terrorizing it.  

• "ZAAT" -- Jacksonville Business Journal article entitled "Homemade Horror: Local Filmmaker Brings Monster Back to Theater," by Devan Stuart.

• "ZAAT" -- A WJXT article from 2001, entitled "Locally-Shot Monster Movie Returns To Area Screens."

• "ZAAT" -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "Will We Be Kept on Fins & Needles," by Charlie Patton.

• "ZAAT" -- Lengthy film review from the website "It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad Movie."

TV, RADIO, & NEWSPAPERS

• NEWSPAPERS -- FLORIDA TIMES-UNION -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "A History of The Florida Times-Union," by Bill Foley.

• NEWSPAPERS -- JACKSONVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL -- Profile of the Journal, which was founded in 1985.  Is from the book Jacksonville: Reflections of Excellence, from Towery Publishing, Inc.

• NEWSPAPER HISTORY -- Info about Jacksonville newspapers  can be found in the book History of Jacksonville Florida and Vicinity 1513 to 1924 (by T. Frederick Davis, 1925).  Go to pages 448-456.  The entire book is online at the website for the Florida Heritage Collection.  STEP #1 -- When you get to the website, use a keyword search for the following words: "Jacksonville" "vicinity". This will retrieve the book.  STEP #2 -- Click on the link "Electronic resource (JPEG)."  This will retrieve the screen that allows you to choose a page number. STEP #3 -- Go to the bottom of the screen & select a page number.  This will open the book at that page.

• RADIOS -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "Twins, Maine part of radio history," by Bill Foley. Info about Jacksonville's radio history.

• TELEVISION -- WJXT, CHANNEL 4 -- Florida Times-Union article called "TV Pioneer," by Charlie Patton.  Tells about the 50th anniversary in 1999 of WJXT TV-4.  BACKGROUND INFO: This TV station was Jacksonville's first.  It was established as WMBR in 1949.  

• TELEVISION -- WJXT, CHANNEL 4 -- The history of the station, from the station's website.

• TELEVISION -- WJXX, CHANNEL 26 & WTLV, CHANNEL 12 -- The station's history, from the station's web site.

• TELEVISION -- RANGER HAL -- A wonderful website devoted to a TV favorite from yesteryear, Jacksonville's Ranger Hal.  As indicated by this site, "The Ranger Hal Show ran on WJXT, Channel 4 in Jacksonville, Florida, from 1958 through 1969. It was a morning show for youngsters, but was actually popular with all age groups."

MISCELLANEOUS INFO

• ENTERTAINMENT DURING EARLY 1900s -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "Plenty of talent visited town, but none got He to chuckle," by Bill Foley. Tells about some of the entertainment in Jacksonville in the early 1900s.

• DANCING DURING THE DEPRESSION -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "Marathon Dance of '33 Took Forever," by Bill Foley. Tells about the national craze of marathon dancing during the 1930s.

• CIRCUSES DURING 1930s -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "Before Circus Arrived in Town, Shock Troops Posted the Way," by Bill Foley. Tells about the circus coming to Jacksonville during the Great Depression.

• CIRCUS IN 1918 -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "The Year the Circus Never Came," by Bill Foley. Tells about the circus not coming to Jacksonville in 1918 due to an epidemic.

• CIRCUS GORILLA, 1930s -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "The Big Attraction Jaxons Came to See," by Bill Foley. Tells about a giant circus gorilla's Jacksonville visit during the 1930s.

• STATE FAIRS, 1920s -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "Fair Was Family Fare for Joneses," by Bill Foley. Tells about state fairs in Jacksonville during the 1920s.

• MAN BIRD IN 1913 -- Florida Times-Union story entitled "Man Bird Could Ruffle a Crowd," by Bill Foley.

• HUMAN FLY IN 1917 -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "Bike around Block? No Problem at All," by Bill Foley. A human fly scales the wall of the Seminole Hotel in 1917.

• STRANGE PERFORMANCES, 1920s -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "Writer Should've Asked Eagle-Eyed Leona," by Bill Foley. Strange performers in Jacksonville during the 1920s.

• DAREDEVILS IN 1935 -- Florida Times-Union article entitled, "Duo dared to dance over city," by Bill Foley. Tells about dare-devil entertainers in Jacksonville in 1935.

• COMIC BOOKS -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "Jacksonville's Millennium Moment: Oct. 13, 1954," by Steve Patterson.  Tells about a move to regulate comic books.

• FLORIDA HERITAGE COLLECTION -- Info about the subjects on this webpage may be available at the the marvelous "Florida Heritage Collection." This website gives full-text, online copies of hundreds of Florida books.  NOTE: When you get to the website, you can search in different ways.  These searches include by "Florida Themes" or by "Florida History Timeline."  You can also search by "Florida County" and by "Keywords."  With keyword searching, just type in "Jacksonville," "Duval County," or other keywords, such as words from a title.  ALSO NOTE:  Many of the individual Jacksonville items in the Florida Heritage Collection are listed in JacksonvilleStory.com, the site you're now in. However, Jacksonville info can often be found in books about Florida in general. Many of theses books are at the Florida Heritage Collection website.