Bella and Jay Emanuel – Movie Entrepreneurs
From my collection. (Undated)
This handsome couple, Bella and Jay Emanuel, seen in a rare golden framed photomatic photobooth photo, were the owners and proprietors of fourteen US cinemas. They published two cinema trade titles – the Theatre Catalog and Motion Picture Exhibitor magazine and initiated the Laurel Awards.
The Laurel Awards were cinema awards to honor films, actors, actresses, directors and composers. It was created by Jay as part of Motion Picture Exhibitor magazine, which ran from 1958 to 1968, then 1970 and 1971.
The Senate Theater (on North Second Street, Harrisburg, Philadelphia) was one of the theatres owned by Jay Emanuel.
Below are more booth photos of Jay and Bella and a professional portrait by Mort Kaye Studio, taken on a night out in Florida.
These 5 booth photos were found online.
Jay and Bella at the Palm Beach Country Club in Florida. (From my collection. Undated)
Photobooth Journal 
they’re beautifull…all this people…it’s a good choice!
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Thanks! I love it when I find a lot of information about the people in my photo collection!
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these are wonderful – and it’s awesome to see a theater in my home state of pennsylvania (i wonder if it’s still standing?).
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No, unfortunately not, Lisa. “The last show at the Senate Theater the week of Jan. 24, 1988 was an X-rated double feature of “Erotic City” and “Aunt Peg’s Fulfillment”. The Senate Theater closed, and the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority agreed on February 4, 1988, to acquire the building as part of the site for a new hotel. The Senate Theater was razed in April 1988.” Got that from this site http://cinematreasures.org
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Fabulous!
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Thanks, Sue.
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great set! She had a great hat!
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Yes, the hat pics are my favourites. Shame they are not mine!
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How did you find all these photos of this fascinating couple?
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I missed out on more than I was able to buy, sadly, so for the most part these came from the eBay listings. It is great when the people are identified AND have an Internet footprint. I have photobooth pics of a wrestling promoter coming up soon, I have a movie star, and a movie stuntman along with a movie double already in the archives. I’ll find the links if you’d like to take a look?
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Jay looks so proud of his lovely wife.
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He does. I like the way they interact with each other.
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That’s a fab collection, Kate. Nice post.
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Cheers Ted. I was very excited to be the “winner” of this small collection.
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